Airtel and Jio have been offering consumers free unlimited 5G data since 2022. With a combined 5G subscribers of more than 125 million, both companies have been promoting their 5G services to users.
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A report suggests these companies will soon discontinue their unlimited 5G plans and start charging consumers for the service. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming changes.
5G Plans To Be More Expensive Than 4G, Unlikely To Have Unlimited Data
According to a report by the Economic Times, Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel will soon stop offering unlimited 5G data to consumers for free. Both companies could charge 5-10 per cent extra to consumers for 5G starting in the second half of 2024.
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Furthermore, analysts believe both telecom operators could raise their tariffs by up to 20 per cent in September 2024. This is likely to improve their monetisation and increase their revenue along with the end of unlimited 5G data.
With the commercial rollout of 5G services across the country, Airtel and Jio could end the unlimited 5G data it offers consumers. Moreover, both carriers could bring 5G-specific plans with 30 to 40 per cent more data than their 4G counterparts.
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These plans will help them boost their ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) to around Rs.250 from the current Rs. 200. Currently, both Airtel and Jio provide consumers 5G speeds with unlimited data at the existing rates of 4G plans.
Experts predict the 5G subscribers in India could exceed 200 million by the end of this year, a massive increase from the current base of 125 million. According to the International Telecom Union, India has the lowest data tariffs in the world, with plans starting at $2 per month.
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Jio, Airtel and Vi last hiked their tariffs in November 2021 by increasing their plans by 19 to 25 per cent. Another tariff hike is likely to take place this year in the latter half of 2024 as companies put an end to unlimited 5G.
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Abeer is a tech enthusiast who keeps track of all the trending gadgets and smartphones. During his free time, he can be found playing the latest PC games or binge watching TV shows.