There’s some disappointing news for millions of mobile users across the country. Telecom companies are gearing up to make their recharge plans more expensive once again. According to a report by ET, analysts suggest that the continued rise in the number of net users for the fifth straight month in May has encouraged telecom operators to consider raising tariffs. As a result, mobile charges could increase by 10-12 per cent by the end of the year. Previously, mobile companies raised their base plan prices by 11-23 per cent in July 2024. Experts indicate that the next round of price hikes may also feature tiered pricing, where data allowances are significantly cut to push customers towards purchasing additional data packs.
In May, the number of mobile users hit a remarkable 29-month high, with active users reaching nearly 1.08 trillion. Market leader Reliance Jio Infocomm saw a gain of 5.5 million active users, boosting its market share by 150 basis points to 53 per cent. Meanwhile, Bharti Airtel added 1.3 million active users.
To align with 5G advancements
Now, tariffs are set to align with 5G advancements. As per brokerage firm Jefferies, the rapid customer growth of Jio and Airtel, along with Vodafone Idea's loss of users, has created a ripe environment for increasing tariffs. The upcoming price adjustments will likely vary based on factors such as data usage, speed, or time.
Experts anticipate that telecom companies will target mid and premium customers more aggressively, aiming to soften the impact on everyday users.
Meanwhile, Ananth Technologies, a Hyderabad-based Indian firm, is the first private company in India to enter the satellite broadband market using indigenous satellites. Recently, the company obtained approval from IN-SPACe to launch its satellite services, while Starlink is still in the process of securing similar authorisation. With the capability to offer speeds of up to 100 Gbps, Ananth Technologies plans to deploy a 4-ton geostationary (GEO) communication satellite into orbit, aiming for an initial investment of Rs 3,000 crore.
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