The much awaited entry of Reliance Jio Infocomm into the 4G mobile Internet space is yet to force rival telecom network operators to change their mobile data pricing strategy.
Indian telecom market has 1,058.86 million mobile users including nearly 342.65 million internet subscribers (+3.31 percent), according to TRAI reports released in August 2016.
The broadband Internet subscriber base — including wireless and wired — grew 9.69 percent from 136.53 million in December 2015 to 149.75 million in March 2016.
The top five broadband (wired and wireless) service providers in term of subscribers, according to TRAI, are Bharti Airtel at 38.47 million, Vodafone at 27.76 million, Idea Cellular at 22.92 million, BSNL at 20.35 million, and Reliance Communications at 15.57 million.
Airtel saw maximum additions of 1.4 million new customers, trailed by Vodafone and Aircel who added 0.7 million new customers each, Idea Cellular 0.69 million, Telenor 0.03 million and MTNL 0.01 million new users.
Data business
2G data business is important for telecom network operators in India, though they also provide 3G and 4G in limited locations. Hence, 2G data tariff is central in the strategy of telecom operators in the country.
Despite the free voice and data offers from Reliance Jio for the next three months — till 2016 December-end, rival telecoms did not reduce the number of data plans or remove some of the low cost / high tariff plans.
Big operators such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea Cellular continue their data pricing model, which has assisted them in establishing in the Indian telecom market, despite huge challenges from Jio.
Just before the official launch of Jio 4G, Reliance Jio Infocomm Chairman Mukesh Ambani had criticised rivals saying competition has thousands of data plans to choose from. Jio has limited number of 4G data plans.
2G data plans
# Bharti Airtel
Prepaid
Airtel, the leading carrier at present, has its 2G plans starting from Rs 5 for 20 MB 2G data for a day, or unlimited 2G data for an hour at Rs 6, to Rs 48 for 275 Mb 2G data for a week, varying from circle to circle.
While the carrier charges Rs 175 for a 1 GB 2G plan for 28 days in some circles, other areas have plans as high as Rs 198 for 1 GB for 28 days or Rs 199 for 1024 MB 2G data.
Also, the high end plans of the carrier come in variations in circles of Rs 298 for 3.5 GB 2G data and unlimited 2G after the limit at 40 Kbps speed for 28 days, Rs 398 for 4GB 2G data followed by unlimited 2G data at 40 Kbps speed for 28 days, Rs 395 for 5 GB 2G data for 28 days, Rs 396 for 2 GB 2G data for 90 days, Rs 599 for 10GB 2G data followed by unlimited 2G data at 20kbps for 28 days, Rs 591 for 6 GB 2G data for 90 days etc.
For the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circle, the cost for 1 GB 2G data stands at Rs 175 for 25 days, while that of 3 GB 2G data is Rs 256 for 28 days. Similarly, in the Delhi-NCR circle, 1 GB 2G data is available for Rs 179 valid for 28 days and 3 GB 2G data is available for Rs 254 for 28 days. For the Maharashtra and Goa region 1 GB 2G data comes at Rs 175 for 21 days, while 3 GB 2G data costs Rs 296 for 28 days.
Postpaid
The 2G plans in this domain are uniform in all circles with a charge of Rs 175 for 1 GB 2G data for the bill-cycle period.
# Vodafone
Prepaid
The low-end 2G plans by Vodafone range between Rs 8 for 45 MB 2G data for 1 day, unlimited 2G for Rs5 for an hour, SuperNet 40 MB 2G data for Rs 7 for 1 day, 70MB 2G data for 2 days at Rs 12, 45 MB 2G data for Rs 8 for 1 day, 40 MB 2G data for Rs 9 for 1 day, 55MB 2G data for Rs 16 for 3 days, 85 MB 2G data for Rs 21 for 3 days etc. among various circles.
Mid-range data plans include Rs 175 for 1GB 2G data for 28 days and SuperNet 1 GB 2G data for Rs 175 for 28 days in different circles.
The high-end data plans are listed as unlimited 2G data at Rs 249 offering 3 GB and 40 Kbps speed for data after the limit for 28 days, unlimited SuperNet 2G plan for Rs 247 for 2 GB and 40Kbps speed post limit for 28 days, unlimited data at Rs 298 for 3GB with 40kbps post limit speed valid for 28 days, internet Combo packs including Day + Night plans at Rs 398 with 3GB 2G internet day and night data and 3GB night data valid from12AM to 6 AM for 28 days etc.
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region have 1 GB 2G data for Rs155 valid till 1 month and 3 GB 2G data at Rs 249 with 28 day validity. At the same time, the Delhi and NCR region have 1 GB 2G data for Rs 175 with 28 day validity along with 3 GB 2G data for Rs 249 valid for 28 days. For, Maharashtra and Goa region, 1 GB 2G data costs Rs 196 for 28 days, while 3 GB 2G data comes at Rs 299 for 28 days.
Postpaid
The postpaid monthly data plans begin from 1GB plan at a monthly rental of Rs 155, and go from unlimited 2GB monthly plan at Rs 199 with 40Kbps speed post 2GB usage, to unlimited 9GB monthly rental plans at Rs 699 with 40Kbps post 9GB limit speed.
# Idea Cellular
Prepaid
Low-end 2G plans vary from Rs 5 for 25MB 2G data with 1 day validity, Rs 25 for 150MB 2G data valid for 3 days, unlimited 2G data valid for 1 hour at Rs5, Rs 9 for 50 MB 2G data valid for 1 day etc. form circle to circle.
The mid-range 2G plans start from Rs 197 for 1.5 GB 2G data with 30 day validity, Rs 175 for 1 GB 2G data valid for 28 days, and Rs 209 for 1 GB day+1 GB night 2G data for 28 day validity.
The high-end unlimited plans are Rs 199 for 2 GB after which the speed is cut down to 40 Kbps till 3GB, and 10 Kbps thereafter, Rs 245 unlimited plan for 2.5 GB 2G data with 40 KBPS speed post limit valid up to 28 days, Rs 239 for 3GB data valid for 30 days with post limit speed of 40 kbps from 3GB to 4GB and 10 kbps thereafter, Rs 599 for unlimited plan for 8 GB 2G data valid for 28 days with 40 kbps speed post 8GB etc.
For its Andhra Pradesh and Telangana circle, Idea charges Rs 125 for 1 GB 2G data valid up to 1 month and Rs 248 for 3 GB 2G data with 28 day validity. Also for its Delhi and NCR region, 1 GB 2G data costs Rs 175 for 28 day validity and 3 GB 2G data costs Rs 255 for 28 day validity.`And, the 1 GB 2G data plan costs Rs 179 in the Maharashtra and Goa circle valid for 21 days, and 3 GB 2G data pack costs Rs 298 for 28 day validity.
Postpaid
The postpaid monthly data plans of the carrier range from Rs 155 for 1 GB 2G data bill cycle, Rs 197 for unlimited 2GB 2G data bill cycle with post limit speed of 40Kbps, Rs 399 for unlimited 4GB 2G data bill cycle with post limit speed up to 40Kbps.
# BSNL
The 2G plans of the state-run carrier scale from Rs 4 for 20 MB 2G data, valid for one day, 250 MB 2G/3G data at Rs 53 valid for 7 days, 1 GB 2G/3G data for Rs 68 valid for one day, 1 GB 2G/3G data at Rs 155 valid for 15 days, 1 GB 2G/3G data valid for 28 days at Rs 198, 2 GB 2G/3G data valid for a month at Rs 291, unlimited plan with 3 GB 2G/3G data and post limit speed of 80Kbps at Rs 629, and unlimited plan for 7 GB 2G/3G data with low speed post limit at Rs 751.
# Reliance Comm
The 2G plans of the operator vary from Rs 5 for 1 day validity of 30 MB 2G data, 100 MB 2G data at Rs 13 valid for 3 days, 250 MB 2G data for Rs 27 valid for 7 days, 500 MB 2G data for Rs 29 valid till 7 days, 1 GB 2G data for Rs 125 with 30 day validity, 2 GB 2G data at Rs 178 valid for 30 days, 4 GB 2G data at Rs 248 valid for 45 days, unlimited 2G data with low speed post 20 GB for 60 days at Rs 248 etc. depending on the circle.
# Aircel
Prepaid
Prepaid plans of 2G service for Aircel go from Rs 5 for 25MB 2G data for 1 day, Rs 8 for 35 MB 3G/2G data for 1 day, Rs 98 for 550 MB 2G data valid for 14 days, Rs 148 for 1 GB 2G data valid for 28 days, Rs 178 for unlimited 2G data for 1.5 GB and low speed post limit for 28 days, Rs 396 for unlimited 2G data for 15 days, and Rs 797 for unlimited 2G/3G data for 9.5 GB with 64 kbps speed post limit.
Postpaid
Postpaid plans begin at Rs 75 for 500 MB 2G data with post limit speed of 1p/50KB valid for 30 days, Rs 199 for 2G unlimited 2GB data valid for 30 days with low post limit speed, Rs 299 for unlimited 1 GB 3G/2G data valid for 30 days with low post limit speed and Rs 1399 for unlimited 3G/2G Data for 15GB and low post limit speed for 30 days.
# Tata Docomo
Prepaid
The prepaid plans of Tata Docomo range from 30 MB 2G data for Rs 2 valid for 1 day, 50 MB 2G data for Rs 9 valid for 1 day, 500 MB 2G data for Rs 59 with 2 day validity, 1 GB 2G data for Rs135 valid for 21 days, 1.5 GB 2G data for Rs199 valid for 1 month, Rs 249 for 2.5 GB 2G data valid for 56 days, and Rs 451 for 4 GB 2G/3G data valid for 28 days across various circles.
Postpaid
Tata Docomo has monthly postpaid offers from Rs 99 for 500 MB 2G data, Rs 199 for 1.5 GB 2G data, and Rs 299 for 2.5 GB 2G data.
Hope Indian telecoms will be offering less number of data plans in line with the strategy of Reliance Jio. Hence, comparison of the 2G data plans will be more easy for consumers, and sales professionals at these companies will be able to improve customer experience.
But Reliance Jio, which has only 4G internet services, will not succeed if it does not tap the low-end consumers with sache pricing model. In coming days, we will be analyzing the 3G and 4G prices of Jio rivals.
Vina Krishnan
editor@telecomlead.com