Reliance Jio effect: Latest BSNL, Airtel, Idea plans offering unlimited calling, free GB

New Delhi: With Reliance Jio now offering free calling services and disruptive data pricing, mobile telecom service providers have started launching recharge plans offering unlimited voice calls, and various data benefits, in order to retain users.

Here are the latest plans of BSNL, Idea, Airtel, DoCoMo and Reliance Communications that are competitively priced:

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd is offering a new unlimited calling plan that seeks to compete with rivals like Reliance Jio, Airtel and Idea Cellular.

BSNL has unveled a new recharge plan of Rs 339, which offers unlimited calling and 1GB data free. The plan is valid for all customers whether they use 2G, 3G or 4G handsets. BSNL is yet to launched its 4G services in most of the places. BSNL’s offer, however, is available for both existing and new customers and there are no hidden conditions.

In addition to the Rs 339 recharge, it also unveiled another pack priced ranging bewen Rs 100-150, varying from circle to circle, that gives free calling to other BSNL numbers across India.

In addition, the company also recently unveiled another offer under which anyone can recharge with Rs 786 and get Rs 900 talktime and 300 MB of free data.

It is also giving free 300 MB of data to all new customers.

The state-owned company is expected to launch 4G in about half of its circles in 2017.

While Airtel and Idea offer unlimited calls to any network in India plus 1 GB of 4G data for Rs 345.

In contrast, the other two have limited the 1 GB data to those with 4G handsets.

Despite this, Tata DoCoMo continues to remain the cheapest option for such unlimited plans.

The company gives 5 GB of 2G or 3G data plus unlimited calls for Rs 348, which is  five times more data for the same price.

Reliance Communications’ also announced a similar offer of unlimited calling for Rs 149.

However, when subscribers tried to avail of the offer, they were informed that the scheme is valid only for new customers. The original statement from RCom did not specify that the offer was only for new joiners.