Indian telecom operators have started adjusting select prepaid plans, signalling the onset of a broader industry-wide tariff increase. Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel have modified pricing for annual and short-term prepaid plans, while BSNL has reduced validity periods on some plans without changing the listed prices.
Prepaid Plan Adjustments by Major Telcos
Vodafone Idea raised the price of its ₹1,999 annual prepaid plan by 12% and the ₹509 84-day plan by 7%.
Bharti Airtel increased its entry-level voice-only ₹189 plan by ₹10. State-owned BSNL shortened the validity of certain lower-tier prepaid plans, keeping prices unchanged.
These changes reflect a gradual approach by telcos to restore profitability amid evolving market dynamics.
Industry Perspective
Vodafone Idea has lost some low-end users to competitors Airtel and Jio but has retained a portion of long-term subscribers. Earlier discounts on annual plans were tied to the absence of 5G services.
With offerings now comparable to rivals, Vodafone Idea is revisiting pricing to stabilise revenue. Management has indicated that future tariff increases are expected to follow a similar scale, with roughly a 15-month interval since the previous adjustment.
Summary:
Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel have raised prices on select prepaid plans, while BSNL shortened plan validity without changing prices. The adjustments mark the start of a potential sector-wide tariff increase aimed at restoring revenue amid competitive pressures and evolving service offerings.
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