Consumers will soon have an easier way to find certain mandated prepaid recharge options, after the TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) directed telecom operators to make these vouchers more visible on their websites and mobile apps.
Under the new direction, telecom operators must create a dedicated section titled “TRAI-Mandated Packs” within their prepaid recharge menus. This section must appear as the first tab on both their websites and mobile applications and should list the required vouchers under the existing tariff framework.
The mandated packs must also be clearly displayed at telecom operators’ exclusive points of sale.
TRAI said it received complaints from consumers about difficulties in finding and accessing these vouchers. Its review of telecom operators’ websites and apps found that some packs were either not prominently displayed or were placed under different categories. As a result, consumers sometimes had to go through multiple pages or screens to locate them.
The regulator said these vouchers are designed to provide consumers with more tariff choices and help them make informed decisions. It noted that simply offering the packs is not sufficient if consumers cannot easily find and access them.
The direction covers Plan Vouchers, Special Tariff Vouchers and Combo Vouchers that operators are required to provide under TRAI’s existing tariff rules.
Telecom operators must offer at least 1 voucher of each type with a 30-day validity. They must also provide at least 1 voucher of each type that can be renewed on the same date every month. If that date does not occur in a particular month, the renewal will apply on the last day of that month.
The existing rules also require operators to provide Special Tariff Vouchers offering specified tariff reductions for voice calls and SMS across different validity periods.
Telecom service providers have been directed to submit a compliance report to TRAI within 30 days of the direction.
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