Reliance Jio has removed its ₹249 prepaid plan (1 GB/day for 28 days) starting August 18, pushing users to choose more expensive options.
Now, the lowest plan on Jio’s site starts at ₹299 for 1.5 GB/day, while the ₹349 plan gives 2 GB/day for 28 days. This leaves no low-cost, low-data plans available.
Airtel and Vodafone Idea Pricing
Airtel and Vodafone Idea (Vi) have matched Jio’s new pricing:
Airtel: ₹299 (1 GB/day, 28 days), ₹349 (1.5 GB/day, 28 days)
Vi: ₹299 (1 GB/day, 28 days), ₹349 (1.5 GB/day, 28 days), ₹408 (2 GB/day, 28 days)
Both companies may increase prices again soon. Airtel’s Vice Chairman, Gopal Vittal, has hinted at more “tariff repair” to keep profits steady.
BSNL: The Affordable Alternative
BSNL offers much cheaper prepaid plans, especially in the Western Uttar Pradesh region:
₹141 plan: 1.5 GB/day for 30 days
₹148 plan: 2.2 GB/day for 30 days
BSNL’s ₹141 plan is 52% cheaper than the ₹299 plans from Jio, Airtel, and Vi, making it a great choice for users who want to save money.
Competition Intensifies in Telecom
Jio and Airtel continue to lead the Indian telecom market, while Vodafone Idea keeps losing users. According to TRAI data for June 2025:
Jio added 1.9 million users
Airtel gained 763,482 users
Vi lost 217,816 users
Airtel’s revenue market share reached 40% in FY25, thanks to higher-value customers and price hikes.
Jio’s move to remove its cheapest plan also helped boost Reliance Industries’ stock, which rose 2.84% the next day.
