Yesterday at the Analyst call, Bharti Airtel executives denied to cut call tariffs. However, shortly after they announced Airtel Freedom Plan which is the Biggest Marketing Gimmick by Bharti Airtel.
Airtel is clearly worried about two competitors – Reliance Communications and Tata DoCoMo and hence the new tariff plan. Airtel Freedom Plan is based on the core themes of DoCoMo’s Per Second Billing and RCom’s Simple Tariffs which the customers are demanding. Airtel’s marketing team designed this product to satisfy both – DoCoMo’s Micro Marketing Strategy, that Airtel is also on Per Second Billing and it is the simplified tariff – Just two rates, one for OnNet and other for Offnet irrespective of other factors.
Airtel Freedom Plus vs Simple Reliance Tariff:
If a customer talks for a minute or over, then Airtel’s Freedom plan is expensive by 20% to 44% depending on the terminating network. If it is an OnNet call, user ends up paying 20% higher and for OffNet call user ends up paying 44% higher tariffs than Simple Reliance.
Disclosure: I directly HOLD negligible quantity of both RCom and Bharti Airtel stocks.
You should also know that Airtel has not changed Tariffs during roaming. That means billing remains at / Minute and old bulky rates of Rs 1 / home state call and Rs 1.5 / std call are applicable. SMS are also the Same Rs 1 and Rs 1.5
Let MNP come and see the churn.
On the contrary, Reliance per sec plan comes with even Roaming (Incoming/Outgoing) is also charged with 1 p/sec,l which makes this as one of the Unique proposition today available in the market.
I found simply reliance a simply great plan.
I am using reliance mobile CDMA postpaid. for a year it was on Joy 149 plan .Bill used to be in range of 1000 to 1200, as there were many STD calls, as well as local call usage was high.
I called call center and got it changed to Simply Reliance plan. I could see the benefit in a month . With the same usage this months bill is Rs. 294 only . [first i blinked my eyes to check if it was 1294 🙂 ha ha….]