Airtel, Idea, Vodafone hike mobile Internet rates

Major telecom companies Airtel, Idea Cellular and Vodafone have halved the amount of data downloads on 2G networks under certain tariff plans, pushing up the cost of using mobile Internet services.

Customers will, for instance, have to pay about 25 per cent extra to download 1 GB data.

All the three companies, which dominate India's mobile services market with about 53 per cent share, have reduced the quantum of Internet download and/or validity periods on various packages they were offering, as per their websites.

They were offering 1 GB (or 1024 MB) Internet usage until recently for about Rs 125, which has been reduced to 525 MB.

Now, to get 1 GB of Internet usage, Airtel customers will have to shell out Rs 156, and in case of Idea Cellular it will cost Rs 154, valid for use within 28

days in Delhi.

These rates are about 25 per cent higher than the previous ones. On Vodafone network, same will cost user Rs 155 for use within 30 days.

In Mumbai, the 1 GB pack will now cost Rs 154 on Airtel and Idea networks and Rs 155 on Vodafone networks.

It will be valid for 30 days.

Besides, Airtel has reduced the validity of Rs 98 packs in Delhi by half, from 28 days to 14 days as well as data usage limit.

The companies did not specify the date or time from when these rates were changed.

They are required to file changes in tariff structures with Telecom Regulatory Authority of India.

This is the second hike in 2G Internet rates by these companies in less than a year.