Airtel’s Rs 99 prepaid plan, which is also the cheapest prepaid plan with bundled SMS advantages, is now apparently offering SMS perks.
Last month, telecom companies announced prepaid pricing increases. These plans also lowered the perks that come with the entry-level plans when tariffs rose. Initially, SMS advantages were not included in Vodafone Idea or Vi’s basic prepaid plans. Following complaints from competitor telco Jio that the lack of SMS perks was making it difficult for users to port out, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) issued a regulation stating that users can port out to other telcos with any prepaid or postpaid plan.
Airtel’s Rs 99 prepaid plan, which is also the cheapest prepaid plan with bundled SMS advantages, is now apparently offering SMS perks. According to Telecom Talk, the telecom is offering 200 MB of data, Rs 99 in talktime, one paise per second rate calls, and Rs 1 for local SMS, and Rs 1.5 for STD SMS. The plan has a 28-day validity period.
SMS advantages from Vodafone Idea or Vi are charged at Rs 42 and Rs 51, respectively. The Rs 42 sports package includes unlimited SMS score alerts for a live cricket event. The Rs 51 package, which includes 1GB of data and 28 days of validity, also excludes outgoing SMS advantages. Vodafone Idea offers a prepaid plan for Rs 155 that includes 300 SMS, 1GB of data, unlimited calls, and 24 days of validity.
Jio changed its most basic daily data prepaid recharge Jio plan, which is priced at Rs 119, earlier this month. When the plan was first offered, it came with 1.5GB of daily data and a 14-day validity period. This plan allows you to make unlimited voice calls and use Jio applications, but it does not include SMS. Jio has now updated the plan advantages to include 300 SMS as part of the package. Despite the 20% increase in charges, Jio stated that it continues to offer the lowest rates.
Users can switch to a competing telecom while keeping their old number thanks to Mobile Number Portability (MNP). Subscribers must first send an SMS to their service provider, after which a request will be made, which might take four to five days.
