Airtel, Jio, Vi Reintroduce Call & SMS-Only Plans as TRAI Pushes for Affordable Options

Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea have introduced new cost-effective plans that offer voice and SMS-only recharge apart from regular recharge plans coupled with data benefits. The development came after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) push to the telecos to give options to those users not using data packs. 

“...to give consumers and option to pay only for service they require, TRAI has mandated a voucher exclusively for voice and SMS so that consumers not in need of data need not pay for it,” said TRAI in a notice on January 23. TRAI is currently examining the recently launched plans by telecos. 

Airtel introduced, two call and SMS-only, plans one for 365 days priced at Rs 1849 and the other for 84 days at Rs 469. Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio launched two plans priced at Rs 1748 and Rs 448 for 336 days and 84 days, respectively. Vodafone introduced a 270 days only call and SMS plan priced at Rs 1460.

The Downs and Ups Post Tariffs Hike 

The telecom giants gave a shock to their users when they first announced tariff hike in July last year across all prepaid and postpaid plans. Jio was the first to announce the hike and increased it by 12 to 25 per cent. Airtel and Vi followed the same trend. Airtel increased tariffs by 11 to 21 per cent whereas Vi by 10 to 21 per cent. 

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Consequently, the tariff hike took a toll on telecos as they lost substantial customers. According to a report published by TRAI in November, telecom giants like Jio, Airtel and Vi lost users as a consequence of price hikes by them in July last year. In just three months between July and September, Jio, Vi and Airtel lost close to 7.9 million, 1.5 million and 1.4 million customers, respectively. On the other hand, government-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam (BSNL) gained users due to its low tariff and added close to 7 million users from July to October period. 

After struggling for four months, Jio has started gaining its momentum back, Jio added 1.2 million users. Airtel and Vi, continued to witness users' loss, as of November 2024. BSNL, too, witnessed a dip in subscribers during the same period. 

TRAI’s efforts to make plans offered by telecos more affordable date back to time before the tariff hike. Earlier in December 2023, the regulator had issued similar guidelines particularly to benefit elderly consumers and those living in rural areas. 

“To mandate separate special tariff voucher (STV) for voice & SMS to give consumers an option to pay for the services they require in general and to provide benefit to certain segments of consumers especially the elderly persons and those living in rural areas,” said TRAI’s December guidelines.