Now Reading: Airtel scraps entry-level Rs 299 plan, monthly prepaid base jumps to Rs 349
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Airtel scraps entry-level Rs 299 plan, monthly prepaid base jumps to Rs 349
Airtel scraps entry-level Rs 299 plan, monthly prepaid base jumps to Rs 349
Bharti Airtel has withdrawn its entry-level Rs 299 and Rs 319 prepaid plans, along with three other packs (Rs 579, Rs 619, Rs 649), from its recharge options. Subscribers wanting daily data…
The Story in Brief
Bharti Airtel has withdrawn its entry-level Rs 299 and Rs 319 prepaid plans, along with three other packs (Rs 579, Rs 619, Rs 649), from its recharge options. Subscribers wanting daily data (1.5 GB) and unlimited calling must now choose the Rs 349 plan, a 16.7% increase from the previous minimum spend for 28 days. The Rs 349 plan also offers unlimited 5G data.
Analysts say the move is an indirect tariff hike to boost average revenue per user (ARPU), now Rs 264 for Airtel. Telcos often deniable, rivals Jio and Vi still offer Rs 299 plans with similar benefits, but industry watchers expect competitors to follow. Airtel’s management has previously called for 'sensible price architecture' to avoid capping ARPU on low-priced unlimited data plans.
The Indian Opinion
The narrative that this is just a 'gentle upsell' misses the point: for price-sensitive users, a Rs 50 jump is real. Airtel frames it as more data for more money, but the subscriber’s choice has vanished. The real test is whether Jio and Vi hold their Rs 299 plans or quietly follow. If they do, Indian households just got a stealth telecom tax. How many subscribers vote with their wallets?
Sources (2): livemint.com, telanganatoday.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
