TRAI sees no urgency to intervene on Jio, Airtel entry-level tariff plan issue

India’s telecom regulator had sought details from Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel on the reported withdrawal of their entry-level prepaid tariff plans, but does not see any immediate need for intervention, PTI reported on Friday, citing sources at the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

The regulator asked both companies for factual positions after reports that the operators had removed their basic ₹249 plans, which offered 1 GB of data per day for 28 days.

One operator confirmed the withdrawal and filed the required information with TRAI, while the other said the plan remains available but only through its physical outlets, according to the report.

The replies are reportedly being examined for compliance, but TRAI has not found any urgency to intervene at this stage.

Reliance Jio and Airtel, India’s two largest mobile carriers by subscribers, have effectively raised the entry-level tariffs by discontinuing the ₹249 plan.

The plan remains available at Jio Stores, but not for new subscribers.

The cheapest option for new Jio subscribers is now ₹299 for 1.5 GB per day with 28-day validity.

Airtel has also removed its ₹249 plan from digital channels. Its entry-level plan now starts at ₹279 a month for 1.5 GB per day, compared with ₹249 earlier for 1 GB.

Vodafone Idea (Vi), the debt-laden third-largest operator, is expected to follow suit as it seeks to improve average revenue per user (ARPU) and shore up finances.

Last month, outgoing CEO Akshaya Moondra said Vi would withdraw its ₹299 plan in Mumbai, with plans to phase it out across other markets.

Analysts say the restructuring of tariff slabs could pave the way for another round of price hikes of 10–15% this year, without changes to validity or data volumes.

The last major round of increases in 2024 lifted tariffs by 10–21%, boosting revenues but also triggering some subscriber losses, particularly to state-run BSNL.