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India’s telecom landscape is gearing up for another shake-up: Reliance Jio (Jio) Bharti Airtel (Airtel) and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are reportedly planning to raise mobile data tariffs by roughly 10 % within the coming months. Phone and internet bills in India got much more expensive in mid-2024. For a lot of people the cost of their plans jumped by about 12% to 25%. This new adjustment is seen as part of what the industry calls “tariff repair” - aligning prices with rising costs 5G investments and the operational heft of running nationwide networks. We note that while no formal announcement has yet been made subtle changes are already in motion: for instance Jio and Airtel have removed older entry-level 1 GB/day prepaid plans and now list base plans starting at ₹299 with 1.5 GB/day - up from ₹249 previously. Analysts expect the hike to occur between December 2025 and June 2026 as predictions from brokerages like Axis Capital indicate. What to expect as a Consumer? So if you’re a mobile user here’s how this could play out: Base prepaid/recharge plans may increase by -10% meaning a plan that costs ₹299 could go up to -₹330 17% increases where older plans were discontinued. Elimination of ultra-cheap “entry” slabs: cheaper plans may be phased out pushing users toward higher per-month spends. Companies might add more expensive options (premium tiers). Theyll offer special perks to make the higher price seem fair like faster internet connection (priority network access) better 5G speeds or more data (higher data caps). The hike may disproportionately affect “mid- and premium-tier” users rather than the very low-cost segment as subscriber churn risk is greater for price-sensitive users. Similar commentary was made in earlier industry analysis. The Bigger Picture: Why providers are doing it? 5G rollouts and network upgrades are capital-intensive. Operators need to build density expand fibre acquire spectrum and support higher data loads. The industry ARPU (Average Revenue Per User) has been low in India compared to global peers squeezed by years of price wars and ultra-cheap data. Now companies are shifting focus from subscriber count to monetization. Financial health: With margins under pressure telecoms are looking to stabilise earnings especially with speculation of IPOs or large investments looming for some players. What you can do? Monitor your current plan: check validity data/day included benefits. If your plan is an older low-price variant it may be at risk of being phased out. Choose the plans that last for a few months (like 3 or 6 months). Providers often give you a better deal for choosing these longer plans and it lets you keep the current lower price for a longer time. If you dont use your phone much look at different phone companies (operators) or try using a dual-SIM phone to find a better deal or wait for special sales. Evaluate your real usage: If you don’t consume high data switching to a lighter plan might offset the impact of price increases. A 10-15% price increase might not seem huge right away but it will definitely cost users more money each month. Theyll have less access to the cheapest options and there will be a much bigger difference between the basic and premium plans. While providers argue this is needed to maintain quality roll out 5G and stay financially viable for consumers it signals the end of an era of “ultra-low cost unlimited everything” mobile plans. The cost of connectivity in India is going up - albeit from a still relatively low base.
