Airtel reduces bundled data on Unlimited 5G add-on packs

Bharti Airtel has reduced the bundled data benefits included with its Unlimited (UL) 5G data booster packs. These add-ons were introduced in July 2024 to allow customers on plans without Unlimited 5G access to upgrade their data benefits.

At present, Airtel offers Unlimited 5G data only to subscribers on prepaid plans that include at least 2GB of data per day. To extend this benefit to users on lower-tier plans, Airtel launched three UL 5G add-on packs priced at Rs 51, Rs 101, and Rs 151. These packs enable customers on 1GB and 1.5GB daily data plans to access Unlimited 5G data.

When first launched, the add-ons provided Unlimited 5G data for the remaining validity of the base plan, along with additional fixed data of 3GB, 6GB, and 9GB, respectively. Unlimited 5G data is available only in areas with 5G coverage and does not count towards the standard daily data quota.

Airtel has now reduced the fixed data bundled with these packs. According to the company’s website, the Rs 51, Rs 101, and Rs 151 add-ons now include 1GB (down from 3GB), 2GB (previously 6GB), and 3GB (earlier 9GB) of extra data, respectively. Once this quota is exhausted, data usage is charged at 50 paise per MB. These add-on packs are visible only to customers on eligible base plans.

Subscribers on 1GB or 1.5GB per day plans can continue to access Unlimited 5G data through these add-ons, subject to a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) cap of 300GB over 30 days. Data consumption may be significantly higher on 5G networks, as Airtel allows all available data benefits to be used over its 5G network.

The reduction in bundled fixed data with Airtel’s UL 5G add-on packs could also indicate a broader shift in the operator’s pricing strategy. With Unlimited 5G benefits increasingly being positioned as a premium feature, Airtel may be seeking to push customers towards higher-value base plans that already include 2GB or more daily data. This adjustment could be an early step ahead of a wider tariff rationalisation, where entry-level plans offer fewer bundled advantages while higher-priced plans deliver more comprehensive benefits. While Airtel has not announced a formal tariff hike, changes of this nature are often seen as a precursor to revisions in plan structures and pricing across the portfolio.