Just days after Reliance Jio came out with its Rs 399 family offer to promote 5G services, Bharti Airtel has riposted with an offer of unlimited 5G data for all customers in an attempt to retain its high-paying users.
Analysts said the 5G war will increase the competitive intensity in the higher revenue-generating segment, and thus delay any industry-wide tariff hikes.
However, they said the adoption of 5G would be slower than 4G because of the high cost of the gadget as only about 30-35 per cent of the 150-170 million smartphones shipped in India on an annual basis are 5G enabled.
All postpaid customers and those prepaid customers with a data plan of Rs 239 and above can now access unlimited 5G data on their compatible devices, India’s second-largest telecom operator said in an exchange filing on Friday.
Customers can simply log on to their Airtel Thanks App and claim the offer. The telecom operator said that the step has been taken to encourage its customers to experience the power of the Airtel 5G Plus network.
“We are obsessed with delighting our customers with best-in-class products and services. This introductory offer is in line with the philosophy of wanting our customers to be able to surf, stream, chat and enjoy multiple benefits at blazing speeds without having to worry about data limits.
“We hope our customers enjoy the power of world-class Airtel 5G Plus,” said Shashwat Sharma, director of consumer business, Bharti Airtel, on the launch.
At present, the Airtel 5G Plus service is available to customers in over 270 cities across the country. On February 27, the company surpassed the 10 million unique customer mark on its 5G network nationally.
Jio has made a determined push to acquire higher paying post-paid customers to increase its average revenue per user (ARPU) with the launch of new plans for the segment, aimed at attracting Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea’s premium customers as well as pushing its existing prepaid ones higher up the price ladder.
Reliance Jio, the telecom unit of Reliance Industries, has introduced a new set of postpaid family plans called Jio Plus at Rs 399 per month.
