Airtel and Vodafone Idea now going to implement a mandatory recharge pack for all the customers. The move is to make the telecoms to overcome the loss. The new recharge is same as like the method used by Reliance Jio.
Currently most of the consumers using dual-SIM are almost keeping their primary SIM just to receive incoming calls. All the recharges are now being done on the other SIM which most probably be Jio. So in fact, people are doing the recharge regularly on the Jio and keeping the Primary SIM for just Incoming. This causes big revenue loss for the companies like Airtel, Vodafone Idea etc, even though they have more customers than Jio.
Read: Best Minimum Value Recharge For Outgoing Validity in Airtel Vodafone and Idea
No, following the Jio’s strategy, Airtel and Vodafone Idea also come up with the same methodology. By this each customers should make a minimum recharge of at least Rs. 35 per month in order to keep their number active. If no recharge was done, then the outgoing call facility of the number will be stooped and after 45 days, incoming call facility will also be stopped. Now, we are getting messages from our readers that, the Idea mobile users are getting blocked from making outgoing calls from 6th December 2018. The validity period of some users has been ended form 6th and currently they are able to receive incoming calls. You can read the full report here. (Updated on 8th December 2018)
Read: List of Minimum Recharge Packs Available For Vodafone Idea, Airtel, Jio Users
By doing this, the company is expecting to improve their revenue to some extend. As we mentioned that its Jio’s strategy, the company is doing the same, Each Jio customer need to do a plan recharge for a period of 28 days, 84 days etc. After the validity has finished, the outgoing facility will be blocked and later on the incoming too. Data service also will be blocked after few days. Each and every users of Airtel, Vodafone, Idea must have to choose one of the available minimum recharge pack to keep their number active. But, if you are a user, who use the SIM only to receive calls, then you can follow a logical trick so that you will get 71 days validity with a single Rs. 35 recharge.
Even Jio offers free unlimited calls, data etc. it will work only while you have an active data plan, else the SIM will be almost inactive and can only receive SMS. Now Airtel and Vodafone Idea also in the same direction. Now few customers already received messages from the company saying that the service will be stopped if no recharge is being made. With the new rule, some users are planning to port their number to other network, if you are also planning to do so, please read this before doing that.
Read: How to Skip the Monthly Minimum Recharge for Airtel, Idea and Vodafone
The process is gradually on the way and will come in effect to all the customers in the coming 2 or 3 months. The company already introduced minimum recharge packs starting from Rs. 35 along with unlimited plans. User have to choose the one suitable for them, otherwise the SIM will go inactive in the coming days.
Thanks for your this article, but I had a query about my personal side(i know I have to raise question into a proper network center, but before asking them I should know about TRAI rules). my papa has used airtel network which a lifetime sim, he frequently recharges and being so talkative, but they send an SMS about cut sim valid and suggest to recharge on the high amount,
Is this an come TRAI rules ..? Why they are cut off the lifetime sim valid into changing a valid as per monthly?
Hi,
The new rule is not from TRAI, its implemented by the telecom network to increase their revenue only. Since for the past few months, most of the people keep their sim cards for only incoming calls and not doing any recharge. Now, the company is going with the new strategy to overcome that. If your father is doing recharge regularly, then no need to worry. You can opt any of the recharge plan available to keep the sim alive, starting from Rs.35
Its not mandatory to do high recharge, only need to do recharge regularly with any plan (least plan will be Rs.35 per month)
@vipin
Thank you for the reply..!
Hi,
Are all the telecos participated in this new scenario? Or only Air tel, Idea, Vodafone?
Jio is already following the same method. But BSNL is not in the list. Currently we have Vodafone Idea and Airtel.
Bsnl also need to do recharge for sim active.
Yes, sure, but BSNL have some lifetime validity offers so you will get incoming free always.
Hello
I have query regarding unlimited plans. Like Jio I am using Airtel prepaid unlimited plan for 399. Still I have to recharge for RS 35 every month??
No need, since you have Rs. 399 plan, no additional recharge is needed.
Hi,
First of all, I would like to thank you for such a wonderful article. My query is that I have an Airtel SIM and I want to know that after stoppage of outgoing calls, after how many days will the incoming calls be stopped ( I have gone through your article, at one place 45 days is written and at other places 15 days is written). Further, after stoppage of incoming calls after how many days will the SIM Card gets deactivated.
Thanks
Hi Mohit,
once the outgoing validity ends, you will get 15 days with incoming service only. After 15 days, incoming also will be disabled. Then again another 90 days will be available to do recharge and reactivate both incoming and outgoing. Within this 90 days, if you failed to do recharge, there may be chance of disconnection.
Nice move:
For Customers : Its good in a way people will use less of mobile phones which will increase the bandwidth for all other users.
For Company : Extra revenues to run the business and avoid giving free
Hi… I work in Abroad and I have a Vodafone sim. I come back to India after every 6 months. Last time I came back my sim didn’t work and I have this number since last 12 years. How to keep this sim with me. I can’t recharge Abroad as well because there is no Vodafone network. Pls respond
Hi friend, as per the new rule, you have to keep recharge with any plan all the time to receive and make calls via that number. if you just needs to keep the number with you, then also you have to do Rs. 35 recharge every 90 days. Failing to recharge for a period of 90 day will cause the disconnection of your number.
In that case, you need to reach any customer care asap. Then provide the necessary documents and restore your number. Please note. once disconnected, vodafone or any network have the full right to give your number to any other person. so if the number is not assigned to anyone, you can get it back. otherwise it is not at all possible.
Hi, I am abroad for a year. I want to keep my Airtel sim active. Looking through the discussion, if I make a smart recharge for Rs 45 which has a validity of 28 days with no talk time will this suffice, doing this monthly. Or this can be done every 90 days.
Or should I have to do the international roaming package of Rs 446 which has a validity of 90 days.
You can choose any budget validity pack like smart recharge. But as per the regulation, user needs to make one action (outgoing call, incoming call outgoing sms, mobile data) at least once in every 90 days to keep the number. If a number is swithched off all the time without doing any one of these and just simly recharging with validity pack doesn’t help.
However some operators does not disconnect the number even if it is inactive for more than 90 days. But as per the rule, an operator have the right to disconnect the number if the user keeps the number inactive of more than 90 days. So better to keep one active action every 90 days.
The best way is just simply sent one sms to an Indian number once every 90 days. It will cost you something around Rs. 20-30 per sms. So that the number will not get deactivated.
after recharging my phone is not activated why
Hi Rao,
Was your SIM deactivated? Make sure the SIM is not canceled. If so, you need to contact customer care.