Airtel's online data packs become costlier for pre-paid users

Company now offering 1 GB of 3G data with 28 days validity for Rs 255 against charge of Rs 249 for same data usage with 30 days validity

Bharti Airtel's mobile internet packs, both 2G and 3G, sold online will cost more for pre-paid customers across the country.

The company has withdrawn discounts that it was offering for online purchase of mobile data packs, bringing the prices at par with internet packs sold offline through retailers.

"There is a slight change in few of our online prepaid data packs owing to the discontinuation of discounted offers on these," an Airtel spokesperson told PTI.

Also, sources said that Airtel has raised prices of 10 data packs.

For instance, earlier, the company used to offer 2 GB of 2G data for Rs 199 with a validity of 30 days if the recharge was done online. It has now been changed to 1.25 GB of data with 28 days validity.

In case of 3G, the company is now offering 1 GB of 3G data with 28 days validity for Rs 255 against charge of Rs 249 for the same data usage with 30 days validity.

Last week, Idea Cellular hiked mobile data rates by up to 100 per cent for pre-paid customers in the NCR region, becoming the first telecom operator to raise the tariff after Rs 1.1 lakh crore spectrum auction in March.

In a bid to improve profitability, telcos have been cutting back on discounts and freebies. Last year also, firms including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone and Idea had increased data as well as call tariffs.

After the March spectrum auction, industry associations had said there would be hike in tariffs as operators have to meet the commitment to the government.