Reliance Jio, India's largest telecom operator, was the reason why India saw a rapid expansion of digital tools and technology. Today, we consume 1GB of data like it is nothing. Back in 2015, this 1GB of data would have cost Rs 250 on average, and wouldn't even be easily available in all the regions. There are many who weren't happy with what Jio's entry to the market did to the competition. But one segment of India was happy - and that was the consumers. For the first time ever, data and voice calling became so cheap that it barely made a scratch on the household budget of Indian families.
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Cut to 2025, and nine years of Jio's arrival, India still offers data at one of the cheapest rates, but not as much as what it was a few years back. It was natural that Jio will raise the tariffs for the consumers at one point. The industry wouldn't have been able to survive on as low tariffs as what it was in 2018. The tariffs have moved up in a stage wise manner.
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The tariffs today are again moving towards a more expensive end. In fact, the whole structure might change and the way we pay for data and voice calling now could look a lot different in a few years. This would allow the investors and the telcos to make a return on their investments. However, that would also put more and more pressure on the pockets of the Indian consumers. India is a price sensitive market, and the telecom business is vital and highly competitive. Apart from Jio and Airtel, no other telco in the country is able to make a rupee on their investments.
It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming months and years. For now, share your thoughts in the comments below.
