While we expected more service providers to reduce the mobile data charges in order to increase usage locally, leading service providers in India have quietly increased their 2G data plan rentals.
Leading mobile service providers in India like Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular has suddenly raised their rates of the 2G data plans in an apparent bid to increase margins over sales. As per the new plans, Airtel subscribers in Delhi and Mumbai would now get just 525 MB of free 2G data for the Rs. 125 plan and would have to pay Rs. 154 for 1 GB of 2G data.
Similarly, Idea Cellular has increased the 1 GB 2G data plan to Rs. 151. The sudden increase in prices of 2G plans comes as a shocker especially at times when service providers like Reliance and BSNL have reduced their 3G data plans for rates lower than these. Reliance, for example, gives 1 GB of 3G data for just Rs. 123, thus making it more preferred over the 2G plans.
