Airtel has recently revised some of its popular prepaid recharge plans, aligning with a directive from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). These changes primarily focus on providing Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs) with voice and SMS benefits, while reducing or eliminating data offerings in some plans. This move appears to cater to users who primarily use their phones for calls and texts and not for data-heavy activities.
Revised Airtel Prepaid Plans
Airtel has updated two of its existing prepaid plans:
- Rs 509 Plan: This 84-day plan now offers unlimited voice calls and 900 SMS. The previous version of this plan included 6GB of data, which has now been removed. Users will still get additional perks like free access to the Airtel Xstream app, Apollo 24/7 Circle membership, and Hello Tunes. The effective monthly cost of the plan is approximately Rs 170.
- Rs 1,999 Annual Plan: This plan now provides unlimited voice calls and 3,600 SMS over a period of 365 days. The 24GB of mobile data that was included earlier has also been removed in this revised plan. Similar to the Rs 509 plan, users will still have access to Airtel Xstream app, Apollo 24/7 Circle membership, and Hello Tunes. The effective monthly cost of the plan is approximately Rs 153.
These changes indicate a clear shift towards providing voice and SMS focused plans in response to TRAI mandates.
TRAI Mandate and Market Context
The TRAI directive mandates that network operators offer STVs specifically for voice and SMS services. This allows users to pay for only the services they need, without being forced to purchase bundled data they may not require. This has implications for 2G users, dual SIM users, and people in rural areas who might not need data plans.
In December 2023, TRAI issued this directive, which aims to make tariffs more customized. There are around 140-150 million people in India who still use 2G services. These users will now have to pay more for the same services under the new mandate. Airtel’s adjustments reflect a response to this directive.
Impact on Users
The reduction in data benefits in these revised plans means users who need data will have to purchase separate data packs. This change is not a price increase, but rather a restructuring to separate voice/SMS and data plans. It is likely that this move will lead to a price increase for the end customer as they now have to separately pay for data. Airtel still provides other plans that offer unlimited benefits to users, besides the packs which focus on voice and SMS.
Additionally, charges for SMS beyond the free limit are set at Rs 1 for local and Rs 1.5 for STD. The company has not launched new plans but instead restructured the existing offerings.
This is the second price hike by Airtel in less than a year. It is a trend where other telecom operators soon follow suit if one raises tariffs.
Sources:
https://www.indiatoday.in/technology/news/story/airtel-revises-2-popular-prepaid-recharge-plans-check-out-latest-benefits-2668560-2025-01-22
https://www.newindianexpress.com/business/2025/Jan/23/airtels-new-tariff-makes-it-pricier-for-base-users
https://m.economictimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/airtel-introduces-prepaid-voice-and-sms-only-plans/articleshow/117457287.cms