Airtel hikes basic tariffs by almost 57% in seven regions

Bangalore:

Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telco by subscribers, has launched a new entry-level plan in seven regions, priced at 155 rupees, effectively increasing the base rate by nearly 57%, a spokesman said on Tuesday. .

The new scheme was rolled out in regions including Karnataka, Bihar and Rajasthan following the removal of the existing Rs 99 tariff, the spokesman added.

The company piloted the new scheme in the states of Odisha and Haryana late last year.

Telcos were widely expected to raise tariffs to boost revenues after spending billions in 5G auctions last year.

Airtel’s average revenue per user (ARPU), a key performance indicator for telcos, stood at Rs 190 in the September quarter, up 3.8% quarter-on-quarter and around 24% year-on-year.

When the tariff was last raised in November 2021, Airtel said ARPU needs to reach Rs 200 and eventually Rs 300 for a financially healthy business model.

Bigger rival Reliance Jio, the telecom arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, saw its ARPU rise slightly to Rs 178.2 in the December quarter from Rs 177.2 in the September quarter.

Jio disrupted the industry with price cuts in 2016 but hasn’t raised tariffs in more than a year.

(Aside from the title, this story is unedited by NDTV staff and published via a syndicated feed.)