Indian telecom operators including Jio, Airtel and Vi have recently hiked their mobile tariff plans to increase their average revenue per user (ARPU). From July 3, the prices of all mobile recharge plans of these telcos have increased by up to 25 percent, affecting both prepaid and postpaid plans.

Telecom companies justified this hike by saying that mobile ARPU is quite low and needs to be increased. Along with the plan hike, Jio and Airtel also announced restrictions on the availability of 5G internet speeds. Currently, the only operator providing 5G services announced that 5G data will be available only with plans offering 2GB daily data or more.

So, which 5G prepaid data plan is the cheapest, Jio or Airtel? Both the telcos have 5G data plans with monthly validity. Let’s take a detailed comparison of the cheapest 5G plans of Jio and Airtel, focusing on price, validity, data benefits, and additional features.

Jio’s cheapest prepaid mobile 5G plan

Reliance Jio offers its cheapest 5G plan at Rs 349. The plan comes with a validity of 28 days and offers a total data allowance of 56GB. Users can enjoy 2GB of high-speed data per day, after which the speed is reduced to 64 Kbps. Additionally, the plan includes access to 5G data, allowing seamless high-speed internet usage in 5G network areas.

The plan also includes unlimited voice calls, 100 SMS per day, and several complimentary subscriptions. Users get access to JioTV, JioCinema, and JioCloud. However, it is important to note that the JioCinema subscription does not include JioCinema Premium, which means some premium content may not be available under this plan.

Airtel’s cheapest prepaid mobile 5G plan

Airtel’s cheapest 5G plan costs a little more, i.e. Rs 379. This plan offers 1 month validity and 263GB data, i.e. about 8.5GB data per day. This plan offers unlimited local, STD and roaming calls as well as 100 SMS per day.

Airtel also offers additional benefits with this plan, such as unlimited 5G data, which can be used in 5G network areas beyond the plan’s data limit. Users also get a free HelloTune, allowing them to set any song as their caller tune at no additional cost. Additionally, users can enjoy Airtel’s Wynk Music, which offers access to a huge library of songs.

So then which telecom company offers better value?

Both Jio and Airtel offer attractive 5G prepaid plans that cater to the needs of different user bases. While Jio’s plan is slightly cheaper and offers essential subscriptions like JioTV, JioCinema and JioCloud, Airtel’s plan offers more data allowance, free HelloTune and access to Wink Music. Interestingly, Airtel also offers a plan priced at Rs 349, but it offers 1.5GB data allowance per day.