Airtel 4G services now available with new plans starting at Rs. 450.
Bharti Airtel has announced the lowering of its 4G data charges by up to 31 percent in Kolkata, Bangalore, Pune and Chandigarh circles. The move is likely to boost adoption of the fourth-generation wireless broadband services in the country.
“Airtel will offer 4G speeds at 3G price-points to make fourth generation wireless broadband services more affordable and stiffen the challenge for new competition,” Times of India quotes a top Airtel executive as saying. w
As per the revised rates, Airtel’s 4G plans start at Rs. 450, down from Rs. 650. Airtel will be offering 2GB, 3GB and 4GB of 4G data usage at monthly rentals of Rs. 450, 650 and 750 respectively.
However, these packs don’t include access to Airtel’s 4G entertainment library services. These services will be available for plans priced from Rs. 999 and above.
Moreover, Airtel 4G users now get 45 GB and 80 GB of data on Rs. 2,999 and Rs. 4,799 plans respectively, as compared to earlier levels of 30 GB and 50 GB respectively.
It’s notable Airtel is the only 4G service provider in the country. Reliance Jio Infocomm is expected to launch its 4G services later this year – which is expected to heat up the competition in the segment. However, experts believe Airtel’s move was “inevitable”.
“Data markets need to be developed, and a logical way of doing that is by increasing affordability since 4G has not seen meaningful traction in India yet in the absence of an evolved devices ecosystem. In that sense, Airtel’s decision to cut data charges also makes potential 4G tariff offers from new competition like Reliance Jio Infocomm less attractive,” Mahesh Uppal, director of Com First (India), a consultancy dealing in telecom regulatory affairs is quoted as saying.
Fomer VSNL chairman & managing director B K Syngal says Airtel is unlikely to get massive benefits from the move. “It is a consumer-friendly move to increase penetration but is unlikely to result in serious market expansion since Airtel’s 4G operation is confined to only four cities,” he said.
Airtel’s 4G tariff cuts come shortly after the company along with rival telecom operators announced a massive cut in 2G data charges.
Source: Times of India