Post tariff hikes: Users could spend Rs 47,500 crore more, trade up data plans

Kolkata & Mumbai: Consumer spending on telecom services (inclusive of taxes) is set to jump by around Rs 47,500 crore annually on the back of hefty tariff hikes by India’s top telcos and higher rates for mobile users using 5G services.

Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel took decisive steps towards effective 5G monetisation by making it much costlier for consumers to avail of premium next-gen mobile broadband services. The minimum charge for a Jio user to go 5G is now 46% higher. For an Airtel user, it is 71% costlier, a person familiar with the matter said.