Airtel announces unlimited calling postpaid plans, bundled with data, for Rs 1,199

Gearing up for intense competition in the mobile services market, Bharti Airtel today announced new postpaid plans including one that offers unlimited mobile calls along with bundled 3G/4G data for Rs 1,199. “Under the new ‘Infinity’ plans, for Rs 1,199, customers will enjoy unlimited voice calling - local, STD, and on national roaming - along with 100 SMS per day, 1GB 3G/4G data and free subscription to Wynk Music and Wynk Movies,” an Airtel release said here. Under another plan, it will offer unlimited voice calling along with 100 SMS per day, 5GB 3G/4G data and free subscription to Wynk Music and Wynk Movies for Rs 1,599. While the content subscription on Wynk Music and Wynk Movies is free, the data access charges will apply. Mobile companies including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea have opened new frontiers in data services war as they gear up to take on Reliance Jio, which is all set to launch 4G services in coming months. The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has slashed price of 4G LYF handsets by 25 per cent to Rs 2,999. The LYF handset comes bundled free Jio SIM. Reliance Jio is offering 90 days of free unlimited 4G mobile internet and voice calling in the SIM cards. Industry watchers say that Jio, which has already onboarded over 15 lakh customers in the trial launch stage, may offer high-speed data at very low price or may bundle free voice calls to lure users in the world’s second-largest smartphone market. Confronted by the looming threat, mobile services companies have been announcing an effective reduction in mobile internet rates by packing in extra data for the same price. Following rate cuts by major operators Airtel and Idea Cellular, Vodafone too recently came out with promotional schemes offering up to 67 per cent more data for 2G, 3G and 4G services at no extra cost during this month. In a release issued today, Bharti Airtel’s Director - Operations (India & South Asia) Ajai Puri, said, “With ‘myPlan Infinity’, we are making voice calls free for our customers and offering them the flexibility to combine this benefit with their individual data requirements”. With the new price points, the company has made the proposition even more affordable and the move will benefit customers with very heavy voice usage, he added. The new plans will also offer a pay-as-go-rate of 50p/MB after the prescribed data limit is exhausted. PTI Disclaimer: Reliance Jio is owned by Reliance Industries, who also own Network18, the publisher of Firstpost and tech2.