By Abhay Ray 
Introduction
Telecom service provider Bharti Airtel has discontinued its entry segment prepaid plan priced at ₹249. The company has followed suit from its rival Jio who too discontinued its entry-level plan priced at ₹250. Airtel quietly discontinued the plan for users, forcing them to now opt for an expensive prepaid plan priced at ₹299. The plan discontinued by Airtel, priced at ₹249, provided 1GB of data daily for 28 days, it also offered unlimited voice-calls and 100 SMS per day. Importantly, it offered benefits like free HelloTunes, Perplexity Pro AI, and Xstream Play to subscribers. Jio also removed its ₹249 plan, which offered 1GB of daily data for 28 days. Jio no longer has any plan with a 1GB daily data limit. Its cheapest 28-day plan now starts at ₹299, offering 1.5GB of daily data.
Airtel Customers – Say goodbye to Airtel’s ₹249 plan
The ₹249 pack has been widely used by prepaid customers seeking short-term validity combined with essential calling and data benefits. Its discontinuation is expected to push users towards higher-priced alternatives in Airtel’s portfolio.
At present, Airtel hasn’t rolled out a direct replacement for the discontinued product, and the company has remained silent about whether a similar plan will make a comeback at a higher price point. The move, however, does align with a growing trend in the Indian telecom sector: operators are nudging subscribers towards longer-duration or more premium recharges, often with bundled services like streaming subscriptions or additional perks. For regular users who relied on the ₹249 plan, the shift might feel like yet another squeeze on affordability, particularly for those who preferred flexibility to commitment. The removal of this pack may leave a noticeable gap for those who need data and calls but don’t want to shell out for longer or pricier options.
Why was the plan removed?
During the earnings call meeting held recently, Gopal Vittal, the Vice-Chairman and Managing Director of Bharti Airtel, shared his thoughts on the pricing of data services in India. He pointed out that data prices in India are quite low compared to other countries, even those with lower average incomes. Vittal explained that the way prices are set in India is unbalanced. He noted that at the basic service level, people already receive a lot of data, calls, and messaging for a low price. Because of this, many users see no reason to upgrade to more expensive plans. He added that it’s unfortunate that wealthier individuals are often paying less for services, while those who are less fortunate do not need to be charged more.
While the move will boost the Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) for Airtel and Jio, a pricier prepaid recharge plan will pinch the common man. The decision taken by these two telecom operators could be replicated by VI who will also try to gain headwinds for people switching over from other operators.
Industry Impact
The discontinuation of the ₹249 recharge plan by both Airtel and Jio reflects a clear industry-wide shift toward increasing profitability. Telecom operators are focusing on boosting their Average Revenue Per User (ARPU), a key metric for financial growth. By phasing out low-cost plans, companies are encouraging customers to move toward higher-value packs with more data and bundled benefits, which aligns with the growing demand for 5G services. This move could also pressure Vodafone Idea (Vi) to revise its prepaid portfolio in a similar direction. While the strategy benefits operators in terms of revenue, it may create affordability concerns for low-data users, ultimately redefining consumer spending patterns in the Indian telecom sector.
Conclusion
The discontinuation of Airtel’s ₹249 prepaid plan signals a strategic pivot in the Indian telecom sector, where affordability is slowly giving way to profitability. By eliminating budget-friendly options, leading players like Airtel and Jio are steering users toward higher-value packs, bundling more services but at a steeper price. While this may strengthen revenue and support investments in next-gen services like 5G, it creates challenges for customers who relied on economical recharges for flexibility and short-term use. Unless a direct alternative emerges, many subscribers will face higher monthly expenses or be forced to reconsider their usage habits. The change highlights a growing imbalance in India’s mobile service pricing, where operators seek financial sustainability but risk alienating price-sensitive consumers who form a significant part of their user base.
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