To take on competitors like Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, state-owned BSNL has come up with a one-year 3G data plan that offers 80 GB of 3G data for Rs 4,498.
That translates to roughly Rs 56 per GB with a one-year validity.
In comparison, others like Idea and Bharti Airtel also offer similar scheme, but they are structured different.
In Airtel’s case, one has to recharge with Rs 1,450 initially, and then keep paying 54 rupees for every GB used for one year.
Under Airtel’s scheme, 80 GB of data over one year would cost Rs 5,770, which is almost 30% costlier than BSNL’s offer.
Idea too has a similar offer, under which 80 GB will cost around Rs 5,500 per year.
However, there are two key differences between the plans of BSNL on the one hand and Idea and Airtel on the other.
The private operators give you the flexibility to consume lower number of GBs if you wish to, and pay a lower amount.
Besides, they also provide both 3G and 4G connectivity, while BSNL’s 4G service will take almost another year to be operational in most areas.
Another restriction is that BSNL’s schemes are valid only till Nov 30. After Nov 30, the rates and plans are likely to change.
Reliance Jio was also supposed to offer cheap plans, but as of now, it has priced its data at around Rs 80-125 per GB.
OTHER PLANS
For those who do not require as much data, BSNL also offers 60 GB for Rs 4000, also valid for one year. That translates to Rs 67 per GB, which is the cheapest such plan in India at present — even when compared with Airtel and Idea’s offers.
It also unveiled two more yearly plans — 36 GBfor Rs 2,800 and 18 GB for Rs 1500.