New Delhi: In a clever yet controversial move, state-owned Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has quietly made its recharge plans up to 20 per cent costlier without hiking headline prices – by slashing validity periods and forcing customers into more frequent top-ups.
Subscribers were shocked on Wednesday when several popular plans underwent silent revisions. The flagship ₹997 plan, earlier offering 160 days’ validity, has been trimmed to just 120 days. Similarly, the ₹1,999 plan now gives only 300 days instead of 365. The 2,399 plan stands reduced from 600 to 425 days – effectively raising the monthly cost from ₹333 to ₹399 in some cases.
Industry watchers have called it a “backdoor price hike”. “BSNL has kept the sticker price unchanged to avoid backlash, but their shorter validity means users pay more annually,” said a telecom analyst. With private rivals like Jio and Airtel already commanding premium tariffs, BSNL’s move has left its loyal, budget-conscious user base – largely in rural and semi-urban pockets – fuming.
The revisions come amid BSNL’s aggressive 4G rollout and efforts to stem losses, powered by the government’s ₹3 lakh crore revival package. Officials defend the changes as “rationalisation” for better network sustainability.
As millions scramble to understand the revised maths, one thing is clear: even the “cheapest” telco just got pricier – without saying it aloud.