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Reliance Jio has quietly withdrawn two of its most affordable prepaid options, effectively raising the entry point for subscribers.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.