TRAI mandates separate voice and SMS vouchers, raises voucher validity cap to 365 days
The Telecom Consumers Protection (Twelfth Amendment) Regulations, 2024 and the Telecommunication Tariff (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024 were issued on 23 December 2024.
Summary
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued the Telecom Consumers Protection (Twelfth Amendment) Regulations, 2024 and the Telecommunication Tariff (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024 on 23 December 2024. The regulations mandate a separate Special Tariff Voucher (STV) for voice and SMS, so that consumers such as the elderly and people in rural areas can pay only for the services they need. The cap on validity for STVs and Combo Vouchers was raised from 90 days to 365 days. Colour coding of vouchers was done away with because most recharges are now online. The rule reserving ₹10 and its multiples only for top-up vouchers was dropped, while at least one ₹10 top-up voucher remains mandatory. TRAI had released the consultation paper on 26 July 2024.
Key facts
- Issued
- 23 December 2024
- Instruments
- TCP (Twelfth Amendment) Regulations, 2024; TTO (Seventieth Amendment) Order, 2024
- Voice and SMS
- Separate Special Tariff Voucher mandated
- Validity cap for STV/CV
- Raised from 90 days to 365 days
- Colour coding
- Done away with
- ₹10 top-up
- At least one ₹10 top-up voucher still mandatory
- Consultation paper
- 26 July 2024
Practice MCQs 3 questions
Under TRAI's Telecom Consumers Protection (Twelfth Amendment) Regulations, 2024, the validity cap for Special Tariff Vouchers and Combo Vouchers was raised to how many days?
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Correct answer: C — 365 days
PIB (TRAI): the cap on validity period for STVs and Combo Vouchers was increased from 90 days to 365 days.
Which of the following did TRAI mandate through its December 2024 amendment to the Telecom Consumers Protection Regulations?
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Correct answer: A — A separate Special Tariff Voucher for voice and SMS
PIB (TRAI): the regulations mandate a separate STV for voice and SMS. Colour coding was done away with, and the reservation of ₹10 and its multiples for top-up vouchers was removed.
Consider the following statements about TRAI's December 2024 changes to voucher rules: 1. Colour coding of vouchers was done away with. 2. Telecom operators no longer need to offer any ₹10 top-up voucher. 3. The changes followed a consultation paper released on 26 July 2024. Which of the statements given above are correct?
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Correct answer: D — 1 and 3 only
PIB (TRAI): statements 1 and 3 are correct. Statement 2 is wrong because the mandate of at least one ₹10 top-up voucher is retained.