# Airtel scraps entry-level Rs 299 prepaid plan, base price rises

2026-08-12T19:36:58+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

Bharti Airtel has discontinued its entry-level Rs 299 prepaid plan, along with the Rs 319, Rs 579, Rs 619, and Rs 649 packs. Subscribers seeking daily data must now buy the Rs 349 plan, which offers 1.5 GB per day and unlimited 5G for 28 days, a 16.7 percent effective increase. The move is not a conventional tariff hike but forces users into a higher minimum spend to drive average revenue per user (ARPU). Airtel India's ARPU rose 5.6 percent to Rs 264 in the June quarter. Analysts expect rivals Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea to follow suit, though both still offer Rs 299 plans. Airtel's executive vice-chairman Gopal Vittal has called for 'sensible price architecture' in mobile plans. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has warned operators to maintain 4G and 5G plan choices.

## Coverage

- livemint.com <https://www.livemint.com/industry/telecom/airtel-tariff-hike-bharti-airtel-airtel-prepaid-plans-11786539654622.html>
- telanganatoday.com <https://telanganatoday.com/airtel-scraps-1-5gb-daily-prepaid-plans-offering-unlimited-calls>
- timesnownews.com <https://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/airtel-has-discontinued-rs-299-rs-579-rs-619-and-rs-649-prepaid-plans-across-india-article-155598108>

Tags: ARPU, Bharti Airtel, prepaid plans, Reliance Jio, tariff hike, telecom
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