Cash-strapped Vodafone Idea on Tuesday announced a hike in pre-paid tariffs, a day after rival Bharti Airtel jacked up rates.

India’s No. 3 telecom player said it would increase mobile call and data tariffs across plans by 18-25 per cent for prepaid customers with effect from November 25.

“The new plans will start the process of ARPU (average revenue per user) improvement and help address the financial stress faced by the industry,” Vi said. Analysts believe Jio will also now increase tariffs.

Vodafone Idea has increased the minimum value of recharge by 25.31 per cent for 28 days to Rs 99 from Rs 79.

In the popular unlimited talktime plans, the rates have been hiked in the range of 20-23 per cent. The lowest plan bundled with 1GB data per day with 28-day validity will cost Rs 269 from November 25, from Rs 219 at present.

The price of the 84-day validity plan with 1.5 GB per day data limit will cost Rs 719 instead of Rs 599. The 365-day plan with 1.5 GB per day data limit will go up 20.8 per cent to Rs 2,899. It is now priced at Rs 2,399.

The company has also increased the price of low-value data top-up by 20 per cent. The Rs 1,499 annual prepaid plan, which comes with a fixed data limit of 24GB at 4G speed, will go up by 20 per cent to Rs 1,799 from November 25.

Prices of other data top-up plans have been increased in the range of 18 per cent to 21 per cent. The 3GB and 12GB top-up will be at Rs 58 and 118, respectively, instead of Rs 48 and Rs 98, at present.

Top-up of 50GB and 100GB will be Rs 298 and Rs 418, respectively, instead of Rs 251 and Rs 351 at present.

The company has overall announced an increase in tariff across 16 mobile services plans.

Vodafone went ahead with the hike despite steadily losing customers.