Ever since Reliance Jio set in motion its unlimited data and call plans, operators like Airtel and Vodafone are scrambling to offer new recharge plans to match the competition. Operators across pan-India are coming up with lucrative prepaid plans every other day now.
Bharti Airtel has rolled out a new Rs. 3999 prepaid recharge plan offering year-long validity of unlimited calling and data. India’s largest telecom operator seeks to corner Jio's disruptive practices with its new plan. The company has also revamped some of its existing plans including the monthly Rs. 349 plan which offers unlimited calls and data for 28 days.
In case you were wondering, whether to choose Airtel’s yearly or monthly plan we are here to help. Before we proceed, you need to understand what exactly do both the plans offer.
Airtel Rs. 3999
Airtel's latest recharge plan allows subscribers to avail unlimited local/STD calls, free outgoing national roaming, 100 SMS per day and 300GB. The plan is valid for a period of 360 days. There is no capping on daily data usage or calls you make in a day or week, provided that calls are made for non-commercial usage.
Airtel 349
Airtel's Rs. 349 plan offers subscribers unlimited local, STD and roaming calls along with 1.5 GB data per day for a validity period of 28 days. The recharge also comes with 100 SMS per day.
So which plan is right for you?
Airtel’s Rs. 3999 yearly plan is a great option for consumers with mild usage who don’t want to be bothered by constant recharges every month. While Rs. 3999 plan may seem steep since you are paying in one go, the plan is totally economic for your pocket. The plan actually gives you year’s worth of calls and data at mere Rs. 11 per day.
You are also up saving Rs. 400 with the yearly recharge. If you opt for monthly recharges you end paying Rs 4387 over a year( calculated Rs. 349 per 28 days). Moreover, with the yearly plan, you don’t have to worry about recharge plan getting expensive.
Another benefit with the long-term plan is you can use data as per your discretion. Airtel 3999 plan doesn’t have per day data limits for the day. Most users may not use 1GB data per day so they can make use of entire data according to their needs. In addition, the plan doesn’t limit your calls to the threshold of 250 minutes per day or 1000 minutes per week.
On the other hand, Airtel’s 349 plan is great if you don’t want to lock away your money for a year. There is always a possibility of getting more lucrative offers in the future. You have freedom of changing your operator if you are not satisfied with their service.
The 349 plan is also better option for people with higher data usage. The plan offers 1.5 GB data per day which translates to around 550GB for a year. Besides, you can have the flexibility of changing your plan if you have more data needs per day.
Overall, Airtel’s 3999 plan is a great deal in the end. Things are finally settling down following the end of Jio’s free services, and prices are more likely to go upward in the near future. Settling for the yearly plan gives you protection from the price rise in future.
If the annual plan isn't your thing, Airtel also has cheaper alternatives. Airtel 1999 plan can get 125GB data with unlimited local/STD, roaming and SMS benefits for a period of 180 days. Or go for Airtel 999 plan that gives unlimited voice calls and 60GB data for 90 days.
Note: Please check for the eligibility of these plans by heading over to My Airtel application or contact customer care support.