Airtel makes the Rs 349 recharge its entry-level 2GB daily data and Unlimited 5G plan as analysts project ARPU could reach Rs 325 by FY29.
Bharti Airtel has reshaped its prepaid portfolio, making the Rs 349 recharge the entry-level daily-data plan that qualifies for Unlimited 5G. The 28-day plan now combines 2GB of daily high-speed data with Unlimited 5G access, reflecting Airtel’s broader push toward higher-value plans and stronger monetisation of its 5G network.
The portfolio change also comes as Airtel expands its data add-on range, including the Rs 100 Blockbuster Pack and Rs 200 Box Office Pack. Together, the changes point to a clearer separation between basic connectivity and higher-value data and entertainment offerings.
Airtel Rs 349 Plan Gets 2GB Daily Data
The Rs 349 Airtel prepaid plan now offers 2GB of high-speed data per day for 28 days, along with unlimited local and STD voice calls and 100 SMS per day.
More importantly for 5G users, the plan qualifies for Airtel’s Unlimited 5G benefit. Eligible customers can use 5G data over and above the regular daily data allowance when connected to Airtel’s 5G network. (airtel.in)
This makes the Rs 349 recharge the effective entry point for Airtel customers looking for a daily-data plan with Unlimited 5G. Airtel’s recent portfolio restructuring removed several lower daily-data options, including multiple 1GB and 1.5GB-per-day plans.
The change gives Airtel a simpler structure at the lower end of its daily-data portfolio while simultaneously raising the minimum price at which customers can access the combination of 2GB daily data and Unlimited 5G.
Airtel’s Unlimited 5G Has a 300GB Commercial-Use Threshold
While Airtel markets the benefit as Unlimited 5G, its terms specify that the plans are intended for personal and non-commercial use.
Airtel states that data usage above 300GB in 30 days is considered commercial usage. The company reserves the right to suspend, modify or throttle services in cases involving commercial or fraudulent use. (airtel.in)
The 300GB figure should therefore not be interpreted as a simple monthly data allowance that automatically cuts off Unlimited 5G. Instead, it is the threshold Airtel uses in its terms to identify potential commercial usage.
For ordinary smartphone users, the distinction is unlikely to matter in most cases. However, customers using a mobile connection as a replacement for fixed broadband, particularly for extremely high-volume downloads or other heavy usage, should be aware of the condition.
Rs 100 Blockbuster Pack Adds 6GB Data
Airtel has also refreshed its standalone data add-ons.
The Rs 100 Blockbuster Pack provides 6GB of additional data with 30-day validity. It does not include Unlimited 5G and requires an active base plan with service validity.
The pack is aimed at customers who exhaust their regular daily data allowance and need additional high-speed data without replacing their primary recharge.
Airtel is also bundling entertainment access with the Rs 100 Blockbuster Pack through Airtel Xstream Play Premium, which provides access to a collection of OTT platforms.
Rs 200 Box Office Pack Brings 30GB Data
The Rs 200 Box Office Pack takes the add-on approach further by combining a larger data allowance with multiple entertainment subscriptions.
The pack provides 30GB of high-speed data with 28-day validity. Unlike the Rs 349 base plan, this data add-on does not qualify for Unlimited 5G.
The entertainment benefits include Prime Video Mobile Edition, Zee5 Premium, JioHotstar Mobile and Airtel Xstream Play Premium for the applicable validity period.
This gives Airtel customers an option for combining additional data and entertainment without moving to a more expensive base prepaid plan.
Airtel Is Simplifying Its Prepaid Portfolio
The Rs 349 change is part of a broader restructuring of Airtel’s prepaid portfolio.
Several lower-priced daily-data plans have disappeared from the company’s recent portfolio, leaving fewer choices below the 2GB-per-day level. The result is a more concentrated range of plans aimed at users with higher daily data requirements.
The strategy is commercially significant because Airtel has been pursuing premiumisation across its mobile business. Rather than competing purely on the lowest recharge price, the operator is attempting to encourage customers to migrate toward plans that generate more revenue per user.
The approach also gives Airtel more room to monetise its growing 4G and 5G customer base through higher data consumption, premium services and bundled digital benefits.
Airtel’s ARPU Could Reach Rs 325 by FY29
The prepaid restructuring comes as analysts expect Airtel’s average revenue per user to continue rising.
HSBC projects Airtel’s mobile ARPU to increase from Rs 264 in the June 2026 quarter to Rs 277 in FY27, Rs 310 in FY28 and Rs 325 in FY29. The brokerage expects premiumisation, higher data usage and another industry tariff increase to support the progression.
Airtel’s actual mobile ARPU stood at Rs 264 in Q1 FY27, up 5.6% year-on-year. The company has also been benefiting from customers moving toward higher-value plans and increasing 4G and 5G usage.
The Rs 325 figure is therefore an analyst projection rather than a target formally announced by Airtel.
Premiumisation Is Becoming Airtel’s Key Strategy
Airtel’s latest prepaid changes fit into a wider premiumisation strategy.
The company has increasingly focused on migrating customers toward higher-value plans, expanding postpaid adoption and monetising the growing use of mobile data. Its 5G network is becoming another tool in that strategy, particularly as Airtel develops premium connectivity products such as Fast Lane, which uses network-slicing technology.
This approach contrasts with a purely volume-led strategy where operators compete primarily through lower prices and larger data allowances.
For Airtel, the objective is to increase the value generated from its existing subscriber base while continuing to expand high-speed connectivity.
What the Rs 349 Change Means for Users
For prepaid customers, the biggest impact is straightforward: Rs 349 is now the key entry point for Airtel’s 2GB-per-day plans with Unlimited 5G.
Customers who need less data can still find lower-priced options with different benefit structures, but the company’s daily-data portfolio now places greater emphasis on the 2GB-per-day segment.
Users who regularly consume more than their daily quota can supplement the base plan with data add-ons such as the Rs 100 Blockbuster Pack or Rs 200 Box Office Pack.
The changes also make Airtel’s plan structure easier to understand. The base recharge provides service validity and the core daily data allowance, while separate add-ons can be used when customers need additional data or entertainment.
Airtel’s Next ARPU Opportunity
Airtel’s latest portfolio changes show that its prepaid strategy is increasingly focused on monetisation rather than simply maximising the number of available plans.
The Rs 349 plan provides a relatively affordable entry point to 2GB daily data and Unlimited 5G, while higher-priced plans and add-ons give Airtel opportunities to increase spending among heavier users.
If data consumption continues to rise and customers migrate toward premium plans, Airtel could continue expanding ARPU without relying entirely on subscriber growth.
The larger question will be how customers respond if the company continues reducing lower-value plans. With Jio and Vodafone Idea competing aggressively on price and benefits, Airtel will need to balance premiumisation with affordability to protect its subscriber base.
For now, the Rs 349 plan marks a clear shift in Airtel’s prepaid strategy: 2GB daily data and Unlimited 5G have become the new baseline for customers seeking a mainstream high-speed daily-data plan.
