If you’re a bit old school and want just to recharge your mobile connection for some talk time then you’re out of luck. Indian telecom operators seem to discontinue their talk time only mobile plans. Instead, these telcos are now pushing its subscribers to choose from mobile packs or plans. This packs or plans come with limited talk time, data and SMS combos and most importantly they have a fixed validity.
If you’d remember, talk time recharges usually comes with lifetime or unrestricted validity. The talk time will remain credited in your mobile balance until you fully use it up. With the discontinuing of talk time only recharges, you are forced to choose combo packs or plans which have limited validity. Thus, you need to recharge every week, month or year based on the validity of the mobile plan. This eventually, forces you to shell out more money from your pocket for services which you don’t usually use.
For example, for old people like your mom or dad/ Grandma or Grandpa, they don’t need 4G data or SMS benefits. They just need some talk time for voice calls and lifetime validity. However, these telecom operators are now forcing you to choose combo packs. Thus you need to remember each month to recharge their mobile connection or end up with a zero balance and disconnection.
End to Talk time recharges
- All talk time recharges are been discontinued by Indian telcos.
- Now need to choose and recharge with a combo mobile plan or pack.
- Getting restricted to fixed validity plans.
- Idea Cellular (part of Vodafone Idea) and Airtel customers are first to hit with the new changes.
Currently, Vodafone Idea (more precisely old Idea Cellular customers) and Airtel have discontinued their all talk time only recharges. They have already started informing their customers about the same through SMS. Both telcos have removed the talk time only recharge section from their apps and websites. If you try to do a talk time only recharge, like for Rs 10 or Rs 30, the recharge would fail.
Here is a sample SMS we got from Idea Cellular regarding their discontinuation of all talk time recharges. When we asked about the same with customer care, they have confirmed it. They said only old top-up or sachet scratch cards found in mobile stores are currently valid. Once it sells out you’re out of a chance to do a talk time only recharge.
Currently, it seems only Vodafone Idea and Airtel have discontinued their all talk time only recharges. But, soon other telcos will follow this route. So, what do you think about the new changes in the Indian Telecom sector?