Airtel discontinues Rs 49 prepaid recharge, raises entry-level pricing

The companys prepaid packs would now start from the Rs 79 smart recharge and offer up to four times more outgoing minutes of usage to customers along with double data, Airtel said in a statement.

With a focus on improving realization, Airtel on Wednesday announced revisions to its prepaid plans, raising its entry-level pricing by nearly 60 percent.

The telecom operator said it has discontinued its Rs 49 entry-level prepaid recharge. The company's prepaid packs would now start from the Rs 79 smart recharge and offer up to four times more outgoing minutes of usage to customers along with double data, Airtel said in a statement. ''This change is in line with the company's focus on offering superior connectivity solutions. Airtel customers on entry-level recharge can now stay connected for longer without worrying about their account balance,'' Airtel said.

The revision is effective from July 29, 2021.

The Rs 79 plan packs in Rs 64 talk time, and 200 MB data, with the validity of 28 days.

The latest move is significant as telecom operators are focusing on raising average revenue per user (ARPUs). Last week, Airtel had upgraded its postpaid plans, while earlier this week, the enterprise arm of Vodafone Idea (VIL), Vi Business, announced a range of new postpaid plans for corporate customers saying upgraded plans would be bundled with various benefits.