As we celebrate a year of 5G services in the country, Airtel and Jio have been at the forefront of this technological leap. Initially, users enjoyed free data on their 5G mobiles in areas with 5G networks, but this is about to change. Both telecom giants plan to start charging for 5G services from the second half of this year.
Currently, Airtel and Jio offer 5G services exclusively on 4G prepaid plans, with analysts predicting a modest increase of 5-10 percent in charges compared to 4G. The move is seen as a strategy to recover the costs associated with providing advanced 5G services.
The expansion of 5G services by Airtel and Jio has been swift, with over 12 crore users combined. This number is expected to surpass 20 crores by year-end. However, other players like Vodafone have yet to launch 5G services, and BSNL is still working on fully implementing 4G.
Even with the introduction of charges, Airtel and Jio are anticipated to offer packs with 30-40 percent more data than the current limits, maintaining their commitment to providing high-value services to their growing user base. The landscape of mobile tariffs may see an estimated 20 percent increase, reflecting the investment and advancements in 5G technology.
