Airtel, Jio Discontinue ₹249 Recharge, Push Subscribers To Higher Data Plans

Affordable short-term recharges are slowly disappearing. After Reliance Jio dropped its ₹249 prepaid plan, Bharti Airtel has now followed suit by discontinuing its own ₹249 pack. Widely seen as Airtel’s most accessible entry-level option, the plan offered 1GB data per day, unlimited calls across local, STD and roaming, plus 100 SMS daily, all with a 24-day validity. It was a favourite among users who wanted a low-cost, flexible recharge without committing to longer packs.

A notice on the Airtel Thanks app has confirmed the move: “Effective 00:00 Hours, Aug 20, 2025, recharge 249 will be discontinued,” With this, the pack has officially vanished from Airtel’s recharge catalogue.

Reliance Jio Drops Two Budget Packs

Reliance Jio has quietly withdrawn two of its most affordable prepaid options, effectively raising the entry point for subscribers. The ₹209 plan (22 days, 1GB/day) and the ₹249 plan (28 days, 1GB/day) have both been discontinued, according to industry sources.

With these gone, the ₹299 pack now stands as Jio’s cheapest online option. It offers 1.5GB of daily data with 28 days validity, making it the new base recharge on Jio’s app and website.

A Jio executive told NDTV Profit that while these packs have disappeared from the digital catalogue, they “may still be purchased at physical retail outlets.” However, for most users who recharge online, the starting tariff has effectively shifted upward to ₹299.

Airtel’s ₹249 Pack Bows Out

Airtel’s ₹249 prepaid plan, once a favourite for customers seeking short-term validity with essential data and calling benefits, is now history. Its removal is expected to push users towards costlier options in Airtel’s lineup.

So far, the company has not introduced a direct replacement and has stayed silent on whether a similar plan will return at a higher tariff. The move, however, mirrors a broader industry trend - telecom operators are steering subscribers toward longer-duration or premium recharges, often bundled with streaming or extra perks.

For regular users, especially those who valued affordability and flexibility, the end of the ₹249 plan may feel like another squeeze on budgets. The gap left behind could be strongly felt by customers who need data and calls but aren’t keen on committing to pricier, long-term packs.

Airtel Outage Adds to User Woes

As Airtel prepared to phase out its ₹249 recharge, it was hit by another setback - a major service outage that left thousands of users frustrated. On Monday, complaints surged, with many pointing to issues on the Airtel Thanks app.

Data from outage tracker Downdetector showed reports spiking to over 3,500 around 4:30 PM IST, reflecting the scale of disruption. For subscribers, it was a double blow: service troubles arriving on the very day they discovered one of their most popular budget plans was being retired.

For now, Airtel customers have little choice but to pick from the operator’s existing prepaid options. Whether the company launches a fresh replacement -possibly at a higher tariff- is something users will be watching closely.