2 weeks ago
Jio relaunches Prime with one-year price guarantee on mobile plans
Reliance Jio is one of the biggest phone companies in India.
Jio has brought back a special program called Jio Prime.
With Jio Prime, you pay ₹300 one time.
In return, Jio promises that the price of your phone plan will not go up for one year.
So even if Jio makes its plans more expensive later, Prime members can keep paying today's price.
The guarantee lasts until September 5, 2027.
Jio also gives members extra perks like Google Gemini Pro and lots of cloud storage.
Jio says its regular ₹299 plan will stay the same for everyone.
Another phone company called Bharti Airtel did the opposite and removed four of its cheap plans.
This made people worry that prices would rise, so Jio's announcement helped calm those fears.
Jio relaunched its Prime Membership programme for a ₹300 one-time fee, offering a one-year price guarantee on eligible plans.
The guarantee lets members recharge eligible plans at today's prices until September 5, 2027, even if tariffs rise.
Jio confirmed its base ₹299 28-day prepaid plan, with 1.5GB daily data, JioHotstar, 5,000GB JioCloud storage and Google Gemini Pro, continues for all users.
Jio Prime members receive ₹600 in cashback vouchers for new JioHome/JioPC connections and new Jio SIM additions.
The move contrasts with Bharti Airtel's removal of four 28-day prepaid plans, which Goldman Sachs said could raise Airtel's wireless ARPU by ₹16-19 per month and boost EBITDA by 6-8%.
Articles differ on whether Airtel's discontinued line-up included its ₹299 prepaid plan.
- Who
- Reliance Jio, India's telecom operator, and its competitor Bharti Airtel
- What
- Reintroduced the Prime Membership Programme with a one-year price guarantee on eligible plans
- Where
- India
- When
- Announced in August 2026; price guarantee valid until September 5, 2027
- Why
- To reassure subscribers over tariff-hike concerns while remaining focused on expanding its customer base
Jio's price-stability strategy
Airtel's tariff restructuring
Tariff approach
Jio's price-stability strategy
Jio maintains current tariffs and offers a one-year price guarantee to lock in subscribers worried about price hikes.
Airtel's tariff restructuring
Airtel discontinued four 28-day prepaid plans to steer users toward costlier options, a move Goldman Sachs called the most meaningful wireless tariff change since June 2024.
Growth vs profitability
Jio's price-stability strategy
Jio appears focused on acquiring more subscribers rather than pushing through a tariff increase, with analyst Faisal Kawoosa calling it a smart strategy.
Airtel's tariff restructuring
Airtel's plan removals could increase India wireless ARPU by ₹16-19 per month and deliver a positive EBITDA impact of 6-8%, according to Goldman Sachs.
Key facts
- Company
- Reliance Jio
- Membership fee
- ₹300 one-time
- Price guarantee
- One year, valid until September 5, 2027
- Base plan
- ₹299 prepaid, 28 days, 1.5GB daily data
- Member benefits
- Google Gemini Pro and 5,000GB JioCloud storage
- Vouchers
- ₹600 total (₹300 for JioHome/JioPC, ₹300 for new Jio SIM)
- Competitor move
- Bharti Airtel discontinued four 28-day prepaid plans
- Analyst estimates
- Brokerages projected a 15% tariff hike by December 2026; Goldman Sachs sees Airtel ARPU up ₹16-19 per month
Quotes
Reliance Jio representative
Company spokesperson describing the Prime membership guarantee
“The operator appears to have decided that maintaining current tariffs is a better strategy for now. At the end of the day, raising prices is not easy in India, as has been seen in the mobile services market. Demand often comes under pressure when prices rise. This move suggests the telco remains focused on acquiring more subscribers, rather than pushing through a tariff increase.”
thehindubusinessline.com
“Jio Prime enables additional price certainty for the future, allowing customers to continue recharging their preferred eligible Jio plans at today’s prices, irrespective of any future price revisions during the price‑guarantee period. The guarantee will remain valid for one year, until September 5, 2027.”
thehindubusinessline.com
Sources
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