Bharti Airtel has brought back its Rs 299 prepaid recharge plan in India, but the restored pack offers fewer benefits than its earlier version. The plan now provides 1GB of data per day, down from the earlier 1.5GB daily allowance, while retaining unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day for 28 days.
The relaunch is significant because Airtel has restored the same headline price without bringing back the original data benefits. Customers continue to pay Rs 299, but receive less high-speed data during the validity period. This effectively increases the cost of the data included in the recharge, even though the plan’s price has not changed.
The revised Rs 299 plan has appeared on Airtel’s prepaid recharge portfolio. Its return follows the company’s decision to remove the plan in August 2026 as part of a wider rationalisation of prepaid tariffs.
Airtel Rs 299 Prepaid Plan: New Benefits
The relaunched Rs 299 recharge offers the following benefits:
| Benefit | Revised Rs 299 plan |
|---|---|
| Price | Rs 299 |
| Daily data | 1GB |
| Total data | 28GB |
| Voice calling | Unlimited |
| SMS | 100 per day |
| Validity | 28 days |
| Cost per day | Around Rs 10.68 |
The plan is intended for customers who need unlimited calling and a modest amount of daily mobile data. However, users who regularly consume more than 1GB of data per day may need an additional data voucher or a higher-priced recharge.
What Has Changed Compared to the Earlier Rs 299 Plan?
The earlier version of Airtel’s Rs 299 recharge offered 1.5GB of daily data, along with unlimited voice calls and 100 SMS per day for 28 days. It also included unlimited 5G benefits for eligible customers.
The relaunched version reduces the daily data allowance to 1GB. Over the full validity period, this means customers receive 28GB of data instead of the earlier 42GB.
| Benefit | Earlier Rs 299 plan | Relaunched Rs 299 plan |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Rs 299 | Rs 299 |
| Daily data | 1.5GB | 1GB |
| Total data | 42GB | 28GB |
| Unlimited 5G | Included for eligible users | Not listed with the revised benefits |
| Unlimited calls | Yes | Yes |
| SMS | 100/day | 100/day |
| Validity | 28 days | 28 days |
The reduction represents a one-third cut in the plan’s total included daily data allowance. Based on the included data alone, the effective cost per GB rises from around Rs 7.12 to Rs 10.68.
For customers who mainly use mobile data for messaging, browsing and occasional video streaming, the revised plan may still be sufficient. Those who stream videos frequently, download large files or use their phones as hotspots may find the reduced allowance restrictive.
Airtel’s Effective Tariff Increase Without Changing the Price
Airtel’s move highlights how telecom operators can improve the value they earn from prepaid customers without necessarily announcing a direct increase in recharge prices.
The Rs 299 plan has returned at the same price, but with a lower data allowance. Customers who need the earlier level of data consumption may have to consider a more expensive recharge or purchase additional data vouchers.
This is effectively a reduction in the benefits customers receive for the same payment. It also raises the effective price of the included data, although the headline recharge price remains unchanged.
The change is relevant to Airtel’s broader focus on improving average revenue per user (ARPU). The company reported an ARPU of Rs 271 in Q2 FY27, compared with Rs 256 in the corresponding quarter last year.
However, Airtel has not publicly confirmed that the revised Rs 299 plan was introduced specifically to increase ARPU. The benefit reduction and the company’s wider revenue strategy should therefore be viewed as related market developments rather than a confirmed explanation for the relaunch.
Why Has Airtel Brought Back the Rs 299 Plan?
Airtel discontinued the Rs 299 plan in August 2026 as part of a broader prepaid portfolio rationalisation. The change pushed customers looking for a daily-data unlimited-calling plan towards higher-priced options, including the Rs 349 recharge.
The decision to restore the Rs 299 option comes after a period of slower mobile subscriber additions. Airtel added around 716,000 mobile subscribers in Q2 FY27, compared with approximately 3.3 million in the preceding quarter. Its mobile customer churn also increased to 2.9% from 2.6%.
The withdrawal of popular entry-level recharge options was cited by market analysts as one factor that may have affected customer additions and churn. Restoring the Rs 299 plan with a reduced data allowance could help Airtel retain a lower-priced option while maintaining a tighter set of benefits.
Airtel management has also indicated that the company will focus on other revenue-growth levers, including plan upgrades, postpaid services, international roaming and top-ups.
Is the Relaunched Airtel Rs 299 Plan Worth Recharging?
The answer depends on how much mobile data you use.
For customers who primarily need unlimited calling, messaging and up to 1GB of daily data, the Rs 299 plan remains an option with 28-day validity. But users who previously relied on the 1.5GB daily allowance and unlimited 5G access will receive less value from the restored plan.
Customers should compare the revised Rs 299 recharge with Airtel’s higher-priced prepaid options before recharging. The Rs 349 plan, for example, offers a higher daily data allowance and may be more suitable for users with heavier data requirements.
The important change is not the amount customers pay, but what they receive for that amount. Airtel has restored the Rs 299 price point, but not the earlier package of benefits.
