Jio voice-only recharge plans start at Rs 147 after TRAI direction

Reliance Jio has introduced new voice-only prepaid recharge plans starting at Rs 147, according to reports published on 1 and 2 November 2026. The cheapest plan gives unlimited domestic calls and 300 SMS for 22 days, with no mobile data. The move follows similar voice-only plans from Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi), and comes in line with a direction from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) that operators offer separate recharge options for voice calls and SMS.

Most prepaid recharge plans in India bundle voice calls, SMS and mobile data in one price. That suits smartphone users, but many people only need calls: older users with basic feature phones, people who keep a second SIM mainly to stay reachable, and households that use Wi-Fi at home for the internet. For them, a bundle means paying for data they do not use. A voice-only plan lets such users keep their number active and make calls for a lower outlay.

TRAI's rule is the reason all three operators are now moving together. According to reports on the regulator's direction, operators must offer voice-and-SMS-only plans for every validity of 30 days or less for which they sell bundled plans, and these must be priced lower than the matching plans that include data. Operators must also offer a monthly option and at least one voice-only voucher with a longer validity. The rule does not force operators to turn their 28-day plans into 30-day plans. A voucher, in telecom terms, is simply a recharge pack sold for a fixed price and period.

The calendar-month plan addresses a long-standing complaint. Many Indian plans run for 28 days rather than a full month, so a user who recharges every cycle ends up paying for 13 cycles in a year instead of 12. A plan that renews on the same date each month removes that gap for users who choose it.

For users, the uptake of these plans will be the practical test. Average revenue per user, the industry's main measure of how much each subscriber pays, is reported by the operators every quarter, and voice-only packs give price-sensitive users a cheaper way to stay connected than the bundles they used before.

Peepals calculation: Dividing each plan's price by its validity gives a daily cost of about Rs 6.68 for the Rs 147 plan (147 / 22), Rs 6.32 for the Rs 177 plan (177 / 28), Rs 6.53 for the Rs 196 plan (196 / 30), Rs 5.33 for the Rs 448 plan (448 / 84) and Rs 5.20 for the Rs 1,748 plan (1,748 / 336). The cheapest entry plan therefore has the highest cost per day, and the 336-day plan costs about 22% less per day than the Rs 147 plan (5.20 / 6.68 = 0.78). Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: Jio prepaid users who mainly make calls can move to a voice-only pack and stop paying for unused data. Users should check the exact list in the operator's app, since reports differ on how many plans Jio has listed.

Long-term: With all three private operators now offering voice-only packs, price comparison between them becomes easier for call-only users, and the plans may set a floor for what the cheapest way to keep a number active costs.

Who is affected: Feature-phone users, people who keep a second SIM for calls, older subscribers, households that rely on home Wi-Fi, and the three private operators, Jio, Airtel and Vi.

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