Rising prices for data and devices are a concern for the rapid spread of digitization, Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on Wednesday.
The comments come amid a recent increase in the minimum monthly top-up plan by about 57 percent by the country’s second-biggest telecom company Bharti Airtel.
“The increase in data or device costs is a concern as it impedes rapid digitization,” said Chandrasekhar.
The minister said he was not fully aware of Airtel’s increase in mobile tariffs and the ministry may approach the telecoms regulator train to consider whether the increase will have short-term or long-term effects.
He said that due to the Russia-Ukraine war, there has been an impact on prices around the world and the impact of data price needs to be studied.
Bharti Airtel has increased the minimum top-up price for the 28-day mobile phone service plan by about 57 per cent to Rs. 155 in eight counties including Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh West.
The company has discontinued its minimum top-up plan of Rs. 99 under which it offered 200 megabytes of data and calls at a rate of Rs 2.5 Paise per second. In Haryana and Odisha, Airtel is now offering the Rs 155 plan with unlimited calls, 1GB data and 300 SMS.
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