Airtel subscribers will now pay more for international calls

New Delhi: In the face of financial pressure, private sector telecom major airtel has increased international call rate tariffs by up to 10 percent for some

destinations for all customers and reduced certain benefits on add-on services for its pre-paid subscribers.

“Tariff rationalisation is a continuous process and a function of market dynamics. With the correction of tariffs for a few international destinations, we continue to remain competitive and deliver value to our customers,” an airtel

spokesperson said.

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Also, all the schemes which allowed its pre-paid customers to get flexibility on billing plans, reduce call rates during roaming, etc, will now have fewer benefits.

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Airtel has reduced validity of such schemes to six months from one year. The company also reduced the benefit offered under wireless Internet service on mobile phones - GPRS. It is now giving 1 GB data download limit for Rs 98 instead of 2 GB offered earlier.

Airtel has, however, reduced the regular data download price of its 2G and 3G network to 10 paise per 10 KB from 30 paise per KB offered earlier, a company official said. For the quarter ended 30 September, 2011, airtel posted

decline of 38.17 percent in its net profit at Rs 1,027 as compared to Rs 1,661 crore reported in the same period a year ago. This was the seventh consecutive quarter in which the company registered a decline in profit.

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Earlier in July, airtel had announced up to 20 percent increase in tariff for pre-paid users. Later, other telecom service providers also increased rates of their services. Airtel had over 171 million mobile phone subscribers by

end of August, 2011.

PTI