Aircel is playing the price card to maintain its stronghold in the voice communication segment of the telecom sector. Aircel knows well that India is a price sensitive market and tariffs matter more than quality of service here which is why it has launched new low priced on net and off net local calling vouchers in Mumbai and Maharashtra circle. Aircel seems to be taking advantage of the reduced call carriage and termination charges to offer these low tariffs.
In Mumbai circle it is offering Rs. 197 pack which gives 1,20,000 local on net seconds and 24,000 off net seconds with 28 day validity and a Rs. 199 voucher which gives unlimited local Aircel to Aircel calling capped at 3000 mins post which it will be charged at 10p/min with 28 day validity. In Maharashtra circle it is offering Rs.35 STV which gives 48,000 local on net seconds with 28 day validity.
| STV denomination | Benefit | Validity | Circle |
| 197 | 1,20,000 local on net and 24,000 local off net seconds | 28 days | Mumbai |
| 199 | 3000 mins free on net calling after that 10p/min | 28 days | Mumbai |
| 35 | 48,000 local on net seconds | 28 days | Maharashtra |
First Videocon with its launch of 25p/min voice calling tariff voucher and now Aircel with its low priced local calling offerings are examples of smaller operators protecting their turf through the tariff game to combat the incumbents who will look for a price hike post auctions to make up for the heavy investments made in purchasing spectrum. Operators like Uninor and aircel who will be spending very less in the auction or operators like Videocon and MTS who have not even participated in the auction are better placed to pass on the interconnect charge reduction to the end users.
Inputs : Suraj Pande
