Airtel, one of the country's leading telecom service providers, has come up with two voice-only recharge plans, following the guidelines from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (commonly known as TRAI). TRAI has instructed the telecom players (Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone-Idea) to launch voice-only prepaid plans which will target only 2G feature phone users. These plans will be scrutinised within seven days of launch.
Complying with the directive, Airtel has revised its voice-only plans by reducing the prices to make them more affordable for customers.
Airtel's revised voice-only plans
84-Day plan at Rs 469
- Earlier this plan was priced at Rs 499
- The revised plan is costing Rs 469 (which is Rs 30 less than the earlier pricing)
- Benefits:
- Unlimited voice calling across India.
- Free national roaming.
- 900 free SMS.
- Note: No data is included in this plan.
Target users: Ideally targeting for 2G feature phone users who require calling and SMS services without any need of data.
365-Day plan at Rs 1849
- Earlier, this plan was priced at Rs 1,959
- After the revision, this plan costs Rs 1,849 (Rs 110 cheaper)
- Benefits:
- Unlimited voice calling across India.
- Free national roaming.
- 3,600 free SMS.
- Validity: Full 365 days.
Target Users: It has been designed for the users who are seeking long-term voice and SMS benefits without any need of the internet data.
Key takeaways
- Airtel has reduced the prices of its 84-day plan and 365-day plan, offering competitive pricing compared to Jio.
- These voice-only plans cater to users without data needs, especially 2G feature phone users.
- With TRAI’s intervention, these plans aim to make basic mobile services more affordable for the masses.
Jio's voice-only plans: Comparison
Reliance Jio was the first to launch voice-only plans in compliance with TRAI guidelines.
84-Day plan
- Price: Rs 458
- Benefits:
- Unlimited voice calling across India.
- 1,000 free SMS.
- No data.
365-Day Plan
- Price: Rs 1,958
- Benefits:
- Unlimited voice calling across India.
- 3,600 free SMS.
- No data.
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