Telecom net operator Bharti Airtel on Sunday announced significant cut in pre-paid mobile data rates following the footsteps of Idea Cellular.
In line with Idea Cellular, Bharti Airtel, the largest telecom operator in India, is offering more data to mobile users without increasing the price of the data package.
ALSO READ: Idea Cellular slashes mobile internet price
While Bharti Airtel is promising up to 67 percent benefit from mobile data package, Idea Cellular offered only up to 45 percent gains to its pre-paid customers. Both Idea Cellular and Bharti Airtel did not offer the data benefits to their post-paid mobile subscribers. More than 95 percent of mobile subscribers of Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular are pre-paid customers.
Bharti Airtel announced data savings on both monthly packs and sachet packs. On the other hand, Idea Cellular offered data benefits to sachet packs only.
The increase in mobile Internet to pre-paid consumers, most of them are youth, is aimed at enhancing the data use among Indians. Recently, Reliance Jio Infocomm said it has 1.5 million data customers on trials and they consume around 26 GB of free data per month.
ALSO READ: Reliance Jio adds 1.5 mn test users and they use 26 GB data
Airtel data offer
Airtel mobile subscribers need to pay the existing rate of Rs 655 for 4G / 3G monthly recharge pack and get 5 GB data against 3 GB earlier, enjoying 67 percent increase in effective benefit. Similarly, the Rs 455 pack for 4G / 3G service now offers 50 percent more data by increasing data benefit to 3 GB from 2 GB. The Rs 989 4G / 3G pack from Airtel will now offer 10 GB data against 6.5 GB earlier, offering 54 percent more benefits.
Bharti Airtel announced major benefits on sachet packets for 2G / 3G / 4G services. Customers need to pay Rs 25 for 2G pack and gain 45 percent more data by getting 145 MB against 100 MB earlier. The telecom operator is offering the 580 MB pack on 4G / 3G network against 440 MB earlier for Rs 145, promising 32 percent more gains.
Airtel said its Rs 5 one day 2G data pack offers 30 MB keeping in mind non-regular/first time users, particularly in rural markets. This basic data package from Airtel offers 48 percent increase in data benefits.
Ajai Puri, director – Operations (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel said: “These refreshed data packs will help drive consumption and boost the uptake of mobile internet in the country. Given the deepening smartphone penetration and Airtel’s roll-out of data networks across India, we believe these packs will also drive affordability and bring new users online.”
The existing operators in the India telecom industry are gearing up to face challenges from the 4G launch of Reliance Jio Infocomm soon. India’s mobile Internet consumers are going to experiment better quality networks and cost effective data packages shortly. Recently, telecom industry reports said Bharti Airtel will withstand the pressure from the $20 billion investment in 4G venture by Reliance Jio.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
