Airtel withdraws four prepaid plans

Bharti Airtel has discontinued four prepaid plans priced at Rs 299, Rs 579, Rs 619, and Rs 649, forcing existing users of the popular Rs 299 pack to choose from fewer and more expensive options. The removed plans will be replaced by the Rs 349 pack, marking a 16% price increase for those customers. Although Airtel has not publicly commented on the decision, industry insiders suggest the company aims to boost average revenue per user (ARPU).

The Rs 349 plan provides unlimited 5G data, addressing the issue of subscribers on the Rs 299 plan frequently depleting their data allowances and topping up or recharging. Experts speculate this could be part of a larger industry trend towards higher tariffs as telecom operators focus on improving ARPU and realizations. During its earnings call, Airtel's Executive Vice Chairman Gopal Vittal acknowledged the need to adjust tariff structures, stating that capping ARPU with unlimited data at low prices is not sustainable. Airtel's ARPU grew 5.6% to Rs 264 in Q1 of the current fiscal, the highest among major operators.