Telecom giants Airtel and Jio announce price hikes on prepaid and postpaid plans

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New Delhi: A significant development in the telecom sector unfolded on Friday, June 28, as Airtel announced its decision to raise prices across all its prepaid and postpaid plans, following in the footsteps of Jio. This move, slated to take effect from July 3, 2024, entails tariff increases ranging between 10 to 21 percent. Vodafone-Idea is also anticipated to revise its tariff plans imminently.

In the realm of prepaid plans, the adjustments are notable. Monthly plans offering 1GB of data per day along with calling, previously priced at Rs. 265, will now cost Rs. 299. Plans with 1.5GB data will rise from Rs. 299 to Rs. 349, marking a Rs. 50 increment. Similarly, the 2.5GB plan currently at Rs. 359 will increase to Rs. 409, while the 3GB per day plan will climb from Rs. 399 to Rs. 449. Plans with extended validity periods are also set to see increases: the 56-day plan jumping from Rs. 479 to Rs. 579, and the Rs. 549 plan escalating to Rs. 649. Annual plans, previously priced at Rs. 2,999, will now cost Rs. 3,599, reflecting a Rs. 600 rise.

Voice plans are also being adjusted-

The Rs. 179 plan will now be priced at Rs. 199, while the Rs. 455 plan, valid for 84 days, will increase to Rs. 509. The Rs. 1,799 plan will see a hike to Rs. 1,999.

Data add-ons are affected as well, with costs increasing from Rs. 19 to Rs. 22 for 1GB, Rs. 33 for 2GB, and Rs. 77 for 4GB from July 3 onwards.

Turning to postpaid plans, Airtel’s revisions include pricing the Rs. 399 plan at Rs. 449, the Rs. 499 plan at Rs. 549, the Rs. 599 plan at Rs. 699, and the Rs. 999 plan at Rs. 1,199.

Airtel has emphasized its efforts to minimize the impact on entry-level plans, striving to limit increases to at least 70 paise per day, thereby easing the burden on the common consumer. Meanwhile, Jio has also announced adjustments to its plans: the lowest monthly plan, currently Rs. 155, will rise by 22 percent to Rs. 189, with other monthly plans expected to increase from Rs. 155 to Rs. 399 to Rs. 189 to Rs. 449.

Bi-monthly plans will see prices climb from Rs. 479-533 to Rs. 579-629, while three-month validity plans will range from Rs. 479 to Rs. 1,199, and annual plans will be priced between Rs. 1,899 and Rs. 3,599.

In the postpaid segment, Jio’s Rs. 299 plan will rise to Rs. 349, and the Rs. 399 plan will escalate to Rs. 449.

Following Airtel and Jio’s moves, Vodafone-Idea may soon announce similar revisions to its tariff plans. Companies are focusing on increasing ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) to bolster their financial performance, underscoring the rationale behind these tariff adjustments.