HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, June 28: Bharti Airtel (‘Airtel’) has announced revisions to its mobile tariffs, effective from July 3, 2024. This decision is part of the company’s strategy to achieve a sustainable business model for telecommunications in India by ensuring the mobile Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) exceeds INR 300.
Airtel’s leadership highlighted the importance of this ARPU threshold to support significant investments in network technology and spectrum, as well as to secure a modest return on capital. “We believe that an ARPU upwards of INR 300 is essential for the financial health of the telecom industry in India,” a company spokesperson stated. “This will enable the necessary investments in infrastructure and technology to enhance service quality.”
The revised tariffs reflect a modest price increase, particularly for entry-level plans, ensuring affordability for budget-conscious consumers. The adjustment translates to less than 70 paise per day, minimising the financial impact on these users..
While the rate of daily data add-on (1GB) will see an increase by Rs 3, rising from Rs 19 to Rs 22, in the case of 365-day validity plan offering 2GB/day, the increase works out to as high as Rs 600, as rates are set to rise from Rs 2,999, all the way to Rs 3,599.
In the unlimited voice plan category, tariff has been raised from Rs 179 to Rs 199, marking a Rs 20 increase in this 28-day validity plan that offers 2GB of data to users.
“We have ensured that there is a very modest price increase (less than 70 paise per day) on entry-level plans, in order to eliminate any burden on budget challenged consumers,” Airtel said announcing revision in its mobile tariffs.
Bharti Airtel said it has maintained that the mobile Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) needs to be upwards of Rs 300, to enable a financially healthy business model for telcos in India.
Among the unlimited voice plans, Airtel has raised tariffs in the ballpark range of about 11 per cent, and accordingly rates are revised from Rs 179 to Rs 199; from Rs 455 to Rs 509; and from Rs 1,799 to Rs 1,999.
In the daily data plan category, the Rs 479 plan that comes with a 56-day validity and 1.5GB/day, has been increased to Rs 579 (20.8 per cent hike).
The 1GB/day plan with 28-day validity has been tweaked from Rs 265 to Rs 299, whereas the 1.5GB/day offering has increased from Rs 299 to Rs 349.
In the longer 84-day validity plans subscribers will have to shell out Rs 140 more (in absolute terms) depending on the offering. Here, the 1.5GB/day offering has been raised from Rs 719 to Rs 859, while the 2GB/day offering has been raised from Rs 839 to Rs 979.
The data add-ons too have become dearer — for 1GB and one day validity, the rates have been increased from Rs 19 to Rs 22; and in case of 2GB, the prices will move from Rs 29 to Rs 33. The 4GB add-on, with 65-day validity, has been hiked from Rs 65 to Rs 77.
These new rates will apply across all service regions, including Bharti Hexacom Ltd. circles. Customers can review the updated tariffs on the Airtel website (www.airtel.in) starting July 3, 2024. (With inputs from PTI)
