Airtel Prepaid Plans Get Costlier: ₹299 Pack Replaced By ₹349 Offering

Bharti Airtel has discontinued four prepaid plans priced at ₹299, ₹579, ₹619 and ₹649 across India, according to a Moneycontrol report. The move comes as the telecom operator looks to simplify its prepaid pricing structure and improve average revenue per user (ARPU).

The biggest change is at the ₹299 price point. Airtel has replaced the plan with a ₹349 offering, effectively raising the price by 16%. The new plan provides 2GB of daily data for 28 days, compared with 1.5GB of daily data under the discontinued ₹299 pack.

The changes are part of Airtel's broader effort to reshape its tariff structure and encourage customers to move towards higher-value plans, the report said.

Airtel Looks To Repair Pricing Structure

Airtel Executive Vice-Chairman Gopal Vittal had highlighted the need to change the industry's pricing structure during the company's Q1 FY27 earnings call.

“The most important thing is to repair the pricing architecture,” Vittal said, arguing that unlimited data at very low price points limits ARPU growth and is not sustainable for telecom operators.

Airtel has retained its ₹199 entry-level plan, which offers 2GB of data for 28 days. The next option is the ₹219 plan, offering 3GB of data for 28 days. The removal of multiple plans narrows the price gap between some of Airtel's prepaid offerings.

Vittal said a shift towards larger data plans could allow telecom companies to improve ARPU over the next five to seven years without necessarily increasing prices at the entry level.

Tariff Changes Could Spread Across Industry

The latest restructuring comes as India's telecom operators seek higher returns from growing data consumption and continued investment in network infrastructure.

According to the publication, analysts estimate that operators could require another 10-15% tariff increase this year to support 5G investments and improve financial returns. Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea have already raised tariffs three times since 2019.

Airtel's latest move could allow it to increase customer monetisation without imposing a broad-based tariff hike. By removing multiple plans and creating a clearer pricing ladder, the company is attempting to encourage users to choose higher-value offerings.

Other private telecom operators, including Vodafone Idea, could also consider similar changes as they look to improve ARPU and strengthen their financial position.

If the industry does not achieve a more sustainable pricing structure through changes in customer plans, operators could eventually be forced to resort to broader tariff increases, according to the report.