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Reliance Jio has quietly discontinued its most affordable prepaid plans that offered 1GB data per day at ₹209 (22 days) and ₹249 (28 days). The change means Jio subscribers will now need to move up to the next available plan priced at ₹299, which offers 1.5GB data per day with 28-day validity, according to industry channel checks.
Jio’s ₹209 and ₹249 plans moved offline
As per NDTV Profit, a Jio executive told that the discontinued plans are no longer available for online recharge but may still be purchased at physical retail outlets. This effectively resets Jio’s online base plan to ₹299, aligning with the entry-level packs offered by rivals Airtel and Vodafone Idea.
Industry base tariff shifts to ₹299
Airtel and Vodafone Idea’s prepaid plans also start at ₹299 for 28 days, but both competitors offer only 1GB per day, making Jio’s revised base slightly more competitive with 1.5GB daily quota. With this move, the industry-wide base price for monthly prepaid plans now stands at ₹299, raising the minimum spend for users.
Tariff hikes expected in late 2025
Industry analysts expect this change to be a precursor to another round of tariff hikes across telecom operators between October 2025 and January 2026. As per NDTV Profit’s report, Ankit Jain of ICRA told that the upcoming increase is likely to be smaller than last year’s hikes, capped at 15–20%, compared to the 19–21% revision in 2024.
“A tariff hike is imminent. We expect it to be less than last year, under 15–20%. Going forward, operators may increase tariffs more frequently than once every two years,” an ICRA analyst said.
If implemented, the move could push the industry’s average revenue per user (ARPU) from ₹200 in FY25 to around ₹220 in FY26.
5G investments driving revisions
Experts note that operators including Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea are under pressure to improve cash flows to support their ongoing 5G rollout and spectrum-related investments. Reliance Jio, while not confirming timelines, has previously maintained that tariff corrections are necessary to sustain network expansion.
The last major hikes in 2024 triggered some customer migration to BSNL, but analysts believe private players are unlikely to alter plan validity this time, instead focusing only on headline price increases.
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