Jio vs Airtel vs Vi vs BSNL — Grace Period & SIM Validity Comparison (2025)
Introduction
Agar aap secondary SIM rakhte ho (OTP, banking, emergency calls ke liye), to samajhna zaroori hai ki plan expiry ke baad kaunse operator kitne din tak incoming/OTP allow karta hai aur kab tak SIM permanently deactivate ho sakta hai. Ye article aapko 2025 ke common rules aur user experiences ke base par short aur clear comparison dega.
Key Differences at a Glance
Jio
Jio generally offers best incoming flexibility — users report around 30 days tak incoming/OTP receive kar paate hain after plan expiry, aur number 90 days tak retention me rehta hai agar recharge nahi kiya.
Airtel
Airtel me incoming/OTP availability typically 7–15 days tak hoti hai. Number retention commonly ~90 days ke aas-paas hoti hai, lekin incoming services jaldi suspend ho sakti hain.
Vi (Vodafone Idea)
Vi ka behaviour Airtel jaisa hai — ~10–15 days incoming active rehti hai, aur number ~90 days tak safe mana jata hai reactivation ke liye.
BSNL
BSNL me incoming services approximately 7 days ke andar band ho sakti hain, lekin number retention ka advantage milta hai — lagbhag 165–180 days tak number safe rehta hai (recharge karne par wapas activate possible).
Practical Advice
- Agar aap “OTP/Incoming” ke liye longest short-term chahte ho → Jio best.
- Agar aap chahte ho number lambe samay tak bina recharge safe rahe → BSNL better.
- Airtel aur Vi dono beech ke options hain — short incoming window lekin standard ~90-day retention.
Comparison Table
| 🔹 Feature | 🟦 Jio | 🟥 Airtel | 🟨 Vi (Vodafone Idea) | 🟩 BSNL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 📅 Plan Expiry ke turant baad | Outgoing + Data band, Incoming active | Outgoing + Data band, Incoming active thode din | Outgoing band, Incoming kuch din tak active | Outgoing band, Incoming 7 din tak active |
| ⏳ Grace Period 1 (GP1) | ~30 days incoming active (OTP milta hai) | ~7–15 days incoming active | ~15 days incoming active | ~7 days incoming active |
| ⏳ Grace Period 2 (GP2) | ~60 days number safe (services band) | ~60–75 days number safe | ~60–75 days number safe | ~165 days number safe (incoming band) |
| ☎️ Incoming calls kab tak milti hain | ~25–30 days | ~7–15 days | ~10–15 days | ~7 days |
| 📤 Outgoing calls kab tak chalu hain | Validity ke turant baad band | Validity ke baad band | Validity ke baad band | Validity ke baad band |
| 🔁 Recharge na karne par number deactivate | ~90 days baad | ~90 days baad | ~90 days baad | ~165–180 days baad |
| 💬 OTP / SMS status | Active ~30 days | Active ~10 days | Active ~10–15 days | Active ~7 days |
| 💰 Minimum recharge | ₹128+ | ₹99+ | ₹99+ | ₹107+ |
| ⚙️ TRAI rule safe period | ~90 days | ~90 days | ~90 days | ~180 days |