Bharti Airtel discontinues popular prepaid plans and raises tariffs

Bharti Airtel has discontinued several popular prepaid recharge plans and increased prices for others, effective August 12. Among the removed options is the widely used ₹299 monthly plan, which provided 1.5GB of daily data; customers must now opt for a ₹349 plan to receive similar benefits. Other discontinued plans include the ₹179 entry-level plan, the ₹455 84-day plan, and various mid-range options such as the ₹579, ₹619, and ₹649 packs.

In addition to discontinuing plans, the company has raised the price of the ₹859 plan to ₹899. The Chamber of Trade and Industry (CTI) has formally protested these changes, labeling the trend ‘digital inflation.’ CTI Chairman Brijesh Goyal has written to Union Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, requesting government intervention to prevent telecom companies from raising tariffs without approval. The CTI warned of potential protests if the government does not act within 15 days, noting that increased costs will disproportionately affect students, the elderly, small business owners, and low-income families.