Jio vs Airtel: Plans Compared Post Tariff Hike

Bharti Airtel Ltd. raised mobile tariffs by 10% to 21% on Friday, following Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.'s announcement the previous day. Airtel's new tariffs are set to take effect on July 3.

"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," the Sunil Mittal-led telecom firm said announcing the revision in mobile tariffs.

Reliance Jio announced a 12-27% hike in mobile tariffs and also restricted the access of unlimited free 5G services for customers. Jio's new plans will also come into effect from July 3.

This move has reshaped the landscape of mobile recharge plans, prompting comparisons between the two's offerings. Here's a detailed look at how the plans from both telecom giants stack up against each other:

Reliance Jio's revised plans now come with increased prices across various durations:

Monthly Plans:

• The base plan previously priced at Rs 155 is now Rs 189.

• The price of the 2GB/day plan for one month has been increased from Rs 299 to Rs 349.

• Two-month and three-month plans now cost Rs 629 (from Rs 533) and Rs 859 (from Rs 719), respectively.

Yearly Plan:

• The annual plan, which was Rs 2999, has been revised to Rs 3599.

Jio has also introduced new unlimited 5G data plans alongside these revisions.

Data Add-On Plans:

• Rs 19 for 1GB data (previously Rs 15)

• Rs 29 for 2GB data (previously Rs 25)

• Rs 69 for 6GB data (previously Rs 61). .

Updated Postpaid Plans:

• The Rs 299 plan is now priced at Rs 349.

• The Rs 399 plan has been revised to Rs 449.

Bharti Airtel has also been proactive in adjusting its prepaid plans to remain competitive:

Monthly Plans:

• Rs 199 plan with 28 days validity, providing unlimited calls and 2GB data.

• Rs 299 plan with 28 days validity providing unlimited calls and 1GB data.

• Rs 509 plan with 84 days validity, providing unlimited calls and 6GB data and additional unlimited 5G data.

• Rs 349 plan with 28 days validity 1.5 GB data and unlimited calls

• Rs 579 plan with 56 days validity 1.5 Gb data and unlimited

• Rs 859 plan for 84 days validity with 1.5GB data and unlimited calls

• Rs 3599 plan for 365 days validity with 2GB data and unlimited calls

Longer Duration Plans:

• Airtel's Rs 2999 annual plan includes unlimited voice calling, 2GB daily data, and additional benefits such as Apollo 24|7 Circle and free Hello tunes.

Data Add-On Plans:

• Rs 22 for 1GB

• Rs 33 for 2GB data (Before Rs 29)

• Rs 77 for 4 GB data (Before Rs 65)

• Rs 148 for 15GB data

Source: Airtel and Jio Exchange filings

The mobile tariff hike from mobile operators comes immediately after the 10th spectrum auction, which ended in just two days with muted response from the industry.

Earlier, Jio had raised mobile service rates in December 2021 along with Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea. In between, Airtel raised the entry-level mobile services plan by about 56% to Rs 155 from Rs 99 earlier in early 2023.

Post Vodafone Idea Limited's hike in tariff rates, here is the comparison of new prepaid and postpaid plans of Jio, Airtel and VI.