For Indian expatriates living in Arab countries or any other corner of the world, their Indian mobile number is very important. Be it Aadhar card or bank OTP, everything comes on this number. If you do not recharge for a long time, the company may close the number, due to which banking and government work may get stuck. Here we are telling you the cheapest plans through which you can keep your number active at low cost.
What are the cheapest plans to keep SIM active?
Even after increasing inflation, BSNL is still the cheapest option in terms of keeping the SIM active. Plans of private companies like Jio and Airtel have become a little expensive. If you just want to keep the number active so that incoming calls and OTPs keep coming, then the list below will be useful for you.
company
Price (in Rs)
Validity(days)
BSNL 107 84 days BSNL 197 180 days BSNL 397 200 days Jio 189 28 days Airtel 199 28 days Vi (Vodafone) 99 15 days
What are the new rules for number closure?
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has made the rules regarding SIM cards very strict. If there is no activity i.e. call, message or recharge on a prepaid SIM for 90 days, then the company can switch it off. If the balance in your SIM is more than Rs 20, then the company can increase the validity by deducting some money.
Apart from this, a new rule has come under the ‘National Numbering Plan’ released on 6 February 2025. According to this, if a number remains inactive for 365 consecutive days i.e. one year, then it will be compulsorily switched off. Therefore, people living abroad are advised to recharge at least once a year.
How to get free OTP abroad
The good thing for expats is that on most operators’ networks, receiving incoming SMS or OTP is free if international roaming is active. Airtel and Jio users can now also take advantage of Wi-Fi Calling. If your phone is connected to Wi-Fi, you can make calls and receive messages in India even without expensive roaming packs.
