Private telecom companies like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio are likely to increase mobile tariffs by July or August 2025, earlier than the previously expected November–December timeline.
Experts say the timing is ideal due to low competition and continued support from regulators.
Why Telecoms Are Raising Prices
According to Mahesh Uppal, Director at Com First (India), companies like Airtel and Jio are well-positioned to raise prices.
Since Vodafone Idea and BSNL are facing difficulties, there is little risk of customers switching to competitors.
Also, TRAI has not blocked any price increases, encouraging private players to go ahead with tariff hikes.
What Happened During the Last Hike
In July 2024, all major telecoms raised their prices by 10% to 27%:
Airtel raised its cheapest prepaid plan to ₹199 (from ₹179)
The basic postpaid plan went up to ₹449 (from ₹399)
Although BSNL gained some new users by keeping prices unchanged, it didn’t last. By May 2025, BSNL lost 1.35 lakh subscribers, while Airtel added 2.5 lakh and Jio added 27 lakh users.
Industry Leaders Want Pricing Changes
Gopal Vittal, CEO of Bharti Airtel, said India has some of the lowest telecom rates in the world, which need to be “fixed.”
He suggested a new pricing model instead of the current flat-rate system to ensure future growth and investment.
Akshaya Moondra, CEO of Vodafone Idea, also supported raising tariffs every nine months, citing the tough market conditions in India.
What This Means for Customers
Users should get ready for higher costs on prepaid and postpaid plans, especially the basic ones.
While companies say the hikes are needed to keep the industry healthy, they also raise concerns about affordability and access—especially for millions who depend on low-cost mobile services.
