Indian telecom operator Bharti Airtel has launched its new voice and SMS-only plans. Now that the wait for voice-only plans has ended, accompanied by a strong message that tariff plans are not going to be cheaper going forward, you may now be looking for voice-centric plans from Airtel. If you are a voice-centric user with little or no data usage, this story serves as your one-stop source of information for choosing your prepaid tariff plan now. Voice-centric users can be classified into two segments: voice-only usage on a basic handset and voice-centric usage on a smartphone with little or no data usage.
Also Read: Breaking: Airtel New Voice and SMS-Only Prepaid Plans Start at Rs 499
Need for Data in the Smartphone Ecosystem
Even if you are a voice-only user, let’s say you purchased a new smartphone, the ecosystem will require you to use data for activating the phone to properly enable the device and utilise all services without unwanted notifications urging you to activate by connecting to the internet. If we consider the app ecosystem, such as banking or self-care apps, they are designed in such a way that a customer can fully avail of the services only by using data. Therefore, there is every possibility built around a customer to use data to some extent. However, if you are using a basic phone without any modern-day OS or apps, you can simply insert the SIM, activate it, and use it. Thus, users fall into one of these two categories.
Now that the classification is done, let's look at the voice and SMS-only plans and voice-centric plans available for Airtel users.
Airtel Voice and SMS-Only Plans
1. Airtel Rs 499 Prepaid Plan – 84 Days
Airtel's new entry-level voice and SMS-only prepaid plan is priced at Rs 499. The plan, at an effective price of Rs 6 per day, comes bundled with unlimited voice calls and 900 SMS messages, with a validity of 84 days. Additionally, Airtel Rewards include a three-month Apollo 24/7 Circle membership and free Hello Tunes.
2. Airtel Rs 1,959 Prepaid Plan – 365 Days
The next available voice and SMS-only plan comes with yearly validity. The Airtel Rs 1,959 yearly plan offers unlimited voice calls and 3,600 SMS messages, valid for 365 days. Additionally, Airtel Rewards include a three-month Apollo 24/7 Circle membership and free Hello Tunes. This plan comes at an effective price of Rs 5 per day. If you know your long-term usage will remain stable and plan to use a basic phone, this plan is perfect for you.
Who Can Opt for These Plans?
As of this writing, no other plans offer voice and SMS-only benefits, and Airtel users have only these two options. So, if you intend to use a secondary number on a basic phone or smartphone, and plan to use data with a Wi-Fi connection or top-up with Airtel data packs, you can opt for either of these two plans.
We have already written a piece explaining all Airtel Data Packs available to prepaid users as of January 2025. You can read it to understand all the data pack options available to you.
Airtel Prepaid Data Packs: Airtel Data Packs Explained in Jan 2025
What’s the Perk?
If you are using a basic phone with support for HD voice or a smartphone with VoLTE (Voice over LTE), you get to enjoy HD voice quality compared to the old days of 2G/3G calling. This is an enhanced, upgraded technology available with current Airtel plans.
Airtel Voice-Centric Plans
You may not belong to the category of users who keep data always on, but you might need a little data for instant messages, emails, banking, or informational purposes that don't consume much data. You may simply enable data when needed while on the go and stay connected to Wi-Fi at home or work. For such users, the following plans are suitable:
Also Read Bharti Airtel Year-End Review: Key Milestones and Developments in 2024
1. Airtel Rs 199 Prepaid Plan – 28 Days
Airtel's Rs 199 is the entry-level voice-centric prepaid plan. The plan, at an effective price of around Rs 7 per day, comes with unlimited voice, 100 SMS per day, and 2GB of data, with a validity of 28 days. Additionally, Airtel Rewards include access to the Airtel Xstream App for free content and free Hello Tunes. Post-quota data will be charged at 50 paisa per MB.
2. Airtel Rs 219 Prepaid Plan – 30 Days
The next available plan in this segment is the Rs 219 plan. The plan, at an effective price of around Rs 7 per day, comes bundled with unlimited voice, 300 SMS, and 3GB of data, with a validity of 30 days. Additionally, customers receive Rs 5 talktime in their account. Airtel Rewards include access to the Airtel Xstream App for free content and free Hello Tunes. Post-quota data will be charged at 50 paisa per MB.
3. Airtel Rs 489 Prepaid Plan – 77 Days
The Rs 489 prepaid plan offers unlimited voice, 600 SMS, and 6GB of data, with a validity of 77 days. This plan has an effective price of around Rs 6 per day. Airtel Rewards include a three-month Apollo 24/7 Circle membership, access to the Airtel Xstream App for free content, and free Hello Tunes. Post-quota data will be charged at 50 paisa per MB.
4. Airtel Rs 548 Prepaid Plan – 84 Days
For those looking for 84 days of validity, Airtel offers the Rs 548 plan. The prepaid plan, at an effective price of around Rs 6.50 per day, comes with unlimited voice, 900 SMS, and 7GB of data. Airtel Rewards include a three-month Apollo 24/7 Circle membership and free Hello Tunes. Post-quota data will be charged at 50 paisa per MB.
5. Airtel Rs 2,249 Prepaid Plan – 365 Days
For users seeking a yearly plan with minimal data, Airtel offers the Rs 2,249 plan. This prepaid plan includes unlimited voice, 30GB of data, and 3,600 SMS, valid for 365 days. Airtel Rewards include a three-month Apollo 24/7 Circle membership and free Hello Tunes. Post-quota data will be charged at 50 paisa per MB. This plan has an effective price of around Rs 6 per day.
Also Read: Airtel Working on India’s First AI-Enabled Sovereign Cloud Solution
Conclusion
Airtel's network now comes with inbuilt AI-powered spam protection. This means Airtel users receive suspected spam alerts for incoming spam calls and SMS. With the above plans, you also get to enjoy spam protection and VoLTE on a compatible phone. The best part is that you can use the data even on a 5G network with the plans that come bundled with it. However, due to the high speeds, the data may be consumed quickly, especially with preloading or buffering features enabled. Overall, these are the two voice and SMS-only plans and five voice-centric plans available for Airtel prepaid users as of this writing. Considering the effective prices of the plans discussed above, Airtel prepaid users can enjoy services and experience Digital India for as cheap as Rs 6 per day.
