Vodafone Idea offers extended validity, ₹10 talktime to feature phone users

Vodafone Idea’s new scheme is available to feature phone customers till April 17.

Vodafone Idea has launched initiatives to help customers amid the Covid-19 lockdown. (REUTERS)

Vodafone Idea on Tuesday announced extension in validity of prepaid plans availed by its low-income customers using feature phones till April 17 2020. The move comes after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) directed operators to extend validity for users to ensure seamless services amid the Covid-19 lockdown.

Vodafone Idea is also offering talktime credit of ₹10 to nearly 100 million feature phones. The operator said the talktime is being credited in the accounts of all eligible customers over the coming days.

"This free of cost extension in plan validity timeline will enable millions of feature phone users of both Vodafone and Idea to continue to receive incoming calls, even if the validity of their plan expires earlier," said Vodafone Idea in a release.

Earlier today, Reliance Jio announced giving 100 minutes of calls and 100 SMS for free to JioPhone customers. The benefits are available to JioPhone users until April 17. The benefit also extends to JioPhone 2 users.

Reliance Jio has also introduced a new facility which allows users to recharge their phone numbers through ATM machines.

Bharti Airtel on Monday announced extending the validity of its 80 million low-income users. Like Vodafone Idea, Airtel is also giving ₹10 credit in the prepaid accounts of its low-income users.

"These 80 million customers effectively cover all under-privileged households on the Airtel Network. These special measures will particularly benefit migrant workers and daily wage earners who may have been impacted due to the nationwide lockdown to combat COVID-19," Airtel said in a release.