Reliance Jio impact: Airtel to now offer 10GB 4G data for Rs 259

Under the new offer, customers with new smartphones will be entitled to 10GB 4G data on a recharge of Rs 259. The offer is limited to 4G handsets and can be availed within 30 days from the purchase of a handset. However, pack prices may vary from circle to circle.

"Net interest costs of Rs 1,603 crore have risen from Rs 1,053 crore in the corresponding quarter last year – largely due to increased spectrum related interest costs," Airtel said in a statement. (Reuters)
"Net interest costs of Rs 1,603 crore have risen from Rs 1,053 crore in the corresponding quarter last year – largely due to increased spectrum related interest costs," Airtel said in a statement. (Reuters)

The country’s largest telecom operator Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced yet another affordable high speed data offer for its customers purchasing new 4G mobile handsets. Bharti as well as the other incumbent operators have been unveiling cheaper data offers to counter the tariff packages unveiled by Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Under the new offer, customers with new smartphones will be entitled to 10GB 4G data on a recharge of Rs 259. The offer is limited to 4G handsets and can be availed within 30 days from the purchase of a handset. However, pack prices may vary from circle to circle.

The user will get 1GB data credited instantly and the rest 9GB can be claimed by the customer through MyAirtel App. A single user can avail three recharges within 90 days on the offer and each recharge will be valid for a period of 28 days.

Ajai Puri, director – market operations, Bharti Airtel, said, “We are proud to have pioneered 4G network for users in India. This invitational offer has been designed for our data savvy customers who can now experience high speed broadband on Airtel’s 4G network with their new devices.”

Also read | Reliance Jio may extend your free 4G data period

The offer was initially introduced in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh last week and has now been rolled out on a pan-India basis, across all brands of 4G handsets.

The telcom major had earlier rolled out another lucrative data offer, where consumers were offered 30GB 4G Internet data over a period of 90 days, for Rs 1,495. The company had also slashed its data prices by 80%, soon after Reliance Jio stepped in with its 4G data offering.

Not only Airtel but other incumbent telcos came out with discounted offers after Jio’s launch and free offer.

Vodafone India also introduced the exact same offer as Airtel last month; consumers with new smartphones can avail 10GB 4G data at the price of 1GB. The offer is valid till December 31,2016.

Idea Cellular followed the footsteps of Airtel and Vodafone and offered a 67% discount on its 3G/4G Internet offers earlier. Government-owned BSNL, too, has upped the ante to counter the new entrant in the telecom sector.

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First published on: 20-10-2016 at 06:25 IST