Bharti Airtel has made a silent but significant change to its prepaid portfolio in India by discontinuing the ₹189 voice-only plan, effectively raising the minimum recharge threshold to ₹199. The move reflects a clear shift in strategy — away from voice-focused offerings toward data-centric plans — aligning with the evolving landscape of India’s telecom market.

Key Points

Airtel discontinues the ₹189 voice-only plan across India.

₹199 prepaid pack becomes the new entry-level recharge option.

Experts say the move signals a broader industry transition toward data-based plans.

The new ₹199 plan includes 2GB data, unlimited calls, and added digital benefits.

The change impacts senior citizens and rural users who rely on voice-only services.

Airtel Phases Out ₹189 Plan: Focus Shifts to Data-Driven Services

Airtel’s official prepaid listings now show the ₹199 plan as the new base recharge option, replacing the earlier ₹189 voice-only pack. The discontinued plan was primarily used by customers who preferred calling over data usage — such as senior citizens, rural customers, and users maintaining secondary SIMs for voice calls.

The ₹189 plan provided unlimited voice calls across all networks for 28 days but lacked bundled data benefits, catering to a niche yet loyal segment of users. With its removal, those customers will now have to pay more, even if they do not require data or digital perks.

Details of the New ₹199 Minimum Recharge Plan

The new ₹199 prepaid plan now acts as the entry point for Airtel users. It offers:

Unlimited voice calls across all networks

2GB of data for 28 days

100 SMS per day

Free Hello Tunes and a 12-month Perplexity Pro AI subscription

Once users exhaust the 2GB data limit, they will be charged ₹0.50 per MB. While this plan offers added digital benefits, many voice-only users may find it unnecessarily expensive for their needs, especially those who do not use data or AI-based services.

Industry Perspective: A Shift Toward Data-Centric Telecom

According to industry experts, Airtel’s decision reflects a larger trend across the Indian telecom industry, where operators are transitioning away from basic calling plans toward integrated data-based services. The shift is being driven by the surge in smartphone adoption, increased digital consumption, and rising data dependency across urban and semi-urban regions.

A Digit report highlights that telecom providers are now prioritizing Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) growth, and low-cost voice-only plans contribute less to this metric. As a result, companies like Airtel are gradually restructuring their plan portfolios to include more value-added services and digital partnerships.

Impact on Rural and Budget Users

While the move aligns with the growing demand for data, it also poses challenges for certain user groups — particularly senior citizens, rural consumers, and low-income users who primarily depend on voice communication. For them, the ₹189 plan served as a cost-effective option to stay connected without the added expense of unused data benefits.

Now, with ₹199 as the minimum recharge, these users face a higher monthly cost for basic voice connectivity. Telecom analysts suggest that the absence of budget voice-only plans could lead to a digital divide, especially in regions where mobile data usage remains low or unreliable.

Conclusion

Airtel’s quiet discontinuation of the ₹189 voice-only plan marks a pivotal step in India’s telecom evolution. As data becomes the central focus of mobile connectivity, operators are reshaping their offerings to reflect new digital behaviors. However, the change also underscores a growing challenge — balancing technological progress with affordability and inclusivity.

With ₹199 now serving as the new minimum recharge, Airtel’s strategy clearly indicates that the era of voice-only plans may be coming to an end, paving the way for a more unified, data-driven telecom ecosystem in India.