Airtel Quietly Discontinues Rs 189 Voice-Only Plan in India, Rs 199 Becomes New Minimum Recharge

Bharti Airtel has quietly discontinued its Rs. 189 voice-only prepaid plan, effectively raising its minimum recharge price to Rs. 199. The move signals a shift towards data-centric offerings, aligning with the broader trend in India's telecom market. The discontinued plan was popular among users who primarily relied on voice calls, such as senior citizens and rural customers with limited data needs. With this change, Airtel's entry-level plan now includes data and digital benefits, increasing the monthly cost for customers seeking simple calling services.

Airtel Quietly Drops Rs 189 Plan, Rs 199 Now Minimum Recharge

Bharti Airtel has updated its prepaid plan offerings, with the company's website now showing the new Rs. 199 plan as the new minimum recharge option, instead of the previous Rs. 189 voice-only plan. The discontinued plan was popular among users who mainly relied on calling services, such as senior citizens, rural customers, and those using a secondary SIM for voice calls.

The Rs. 189 plan offered unlimited calls across all networks and was designed for people who did not use mobile data regularly. With its removal, customers who only need voice services will now have to spend more, even if they do not use data or other digital features. The Rs. 199 plan, which now serves as the entry-level recharge, includes both data and added benefits that may not be relevant to all users.

The new base plan of Rs. 199 offers Airtel prepaid users unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day, and 2GB of data for 28 days. Once the data limit is used, customers will be charged 50p/MB. Airtel has also bundled extras such as free Hello Tunes and a 12-month subscription to the Perplexity Pro AI tool with the plan. While these additions may appeal to some, they offer little value for people who only need a low-cost plan for voice calls.

The company has not made any official statement about this move. According to a Digit report, some industry experts say this change is part of a larger pattern in India's telecom market, where companies are gradually phasing out voice-only plans to focus on data-driven services. As smartphone use increases and more people go online, operators are reshaping their offerings to match new usage habits. However, this shift also widens the gap for budget users in rural and low-income segments, who now have fewer affordable options for basic calling needs.