Airtel drops select prepaid plans to steer users to higher-value recharges
Bharti Airtel has discontinued four prepaid packs, including the ₹299 plan, in a selective premiumisation move. Analysts estimate the change could lift monthly ARPU by ₹4–12 as 20–30% of affected users migrate to costlier plans, ahead of an anticipated broader tariff revision.
What happened
Bharti Airtel discontinued four prepaid recharge plans, including its popular Rs 299 tier, pushing users toward higher-priced packs. Analysts estimate monthly
Key facts
- Rs 299
- Rs 579
- Rs 619
- Rs 649
- Rs 199
- Rs 219
- Rs 349
- 16%
- Rs 4-12 ARPU increase
- 20-30% users
- Rs 5-6 ARPU increase
- 2%
- Rs 12 annualised ARPU improvement
- Rs 4 FY27 ARPU uptick
- December 2026
Why this matters
Airtel’s premiumisation move signals improving pricing discipline in Indian telecom, potentially strengthening sector economics and raising the strategic value of scale assets.
What to watch
- Airtel prepaid ARPU and churn disclosures in the next quarterly results.
- Management commentary on the percentage of affected users upgrading versus porting out.
- New Airtel tariff actions across circles or postpaid-to-prepaid plan rationalisation.
- Jio/Vodafone Idea revisions to entry prepaid plans and port-in offers.
- TRAI mobile-number-portability data and sector-wide prepaid recharge trends.
- Evidence of a broader industry tariff hike following this selective move.
- Monitor whether Airtel removes additional sub-₹350 prepaid packs or changes plan validity/data allowances.
- Track Jio and Vodafone Idea promotional plans, especially price points immediately below Airtel's new entry-value ladder.
- Recharge distributors and fintech apps may increase incentives for higher-value Airtel recharges to protect transaction volumes and commissions.
- Consumer-facing retailers may lean further into low-ticket offers, BNPL/EMI, loyalty rewards and bundled digital services if recurring telecom costs rise.