The Quiet Rise of the Hidden Tariff
Imagine choosing what you think is a ₹ 799 prepaid recharge, confident you’re paying for a fair deal: 1.5 GB per day, 84-day validity, unlimited voice calls. Then you blink — and your options have changed. Suddenly, the ₹ 799 plan isn’t listed where you expect; the ₹ 899 option shines instead. And the unlimited voice-calls-with-data bundle you thought you’d bought? It now might exclude something you relied on, or quietly shift you into a higher cost.
That’s not just an upset user experience. It’s a sign of something deeply troubling: when a telecom giant such as jio hides or revises value plans in ways that favour its bottom line, rather than full transparency to consumers, then the regulator must pay attention. customers deserve clarity. We deserve fairness. So let’s unpack exactly what has happened, what it means, and why this could be a precedent for tariff creep across the industry.
The Plan, the Disappearance & the Misdirection
What does the ₹ 799 Plan offer
For some time, jio offered a prepaid pack at ₹ 799, which gave:
1.5 GB of high-speed data per day.
Validity of 84 days.
Unlimited voice calling and 100 SMS per day.
This plan was listed under “Value Packs” or “Affordable Value Packs” on Jio’s site.
The Disappearance and “Hidden” Status
But then:
• The plan started becoming harder to find in the standard listing of plans. While some sources say the ₹ 799 pack is still available, many users found it missing from the usual categories.
• Many media / telecom-news outlets reported that the ₹ 799 plan had been removed entirely, replaced by an ₹ 899 plan offering similar benefits + a JioSaavn Pro subscription.
• Yet jio officially claimed that the plan remains available via certain channels (their website/app / third-party), though not displayed in the usual lists.
The Misdirection
This creates a misleading situation: a consumer logs in thinking they’ll pick the ₹ 799 option; they don’t see it easily; the cheaper pack appears hidden. Meanwhile, the ₹ 899 pack appears “default”. The shift may seem subtle, but for price-sensitive users, the difference adds up.
If indeed the plan is still live but hidden only for practical purposes, then the principle of transparency is breached: users should get access to the publicly-advertised value option. If the plan is discontinued, then the switch should be explicit, not obscure.
What’s Changing – Data, Calls & Tariff Structures
Loss of Data Benefits?
You mention that with certain 84-day packs, the data per day (or unlimited voice + data) has changed. Indeed, while the ₹ 799 plan offered 1.5 GB/day for 84 days, industry watchers note that 5g access or other add-ons may now be reserved only for higher-priced plans. For example, all 1.5 GB/day plans – including ₹ 799 – reportedly no longer include 5g access, where earlier maybe higher-value plans did.
Higher Minimum Tariff
The removal or non-promotion of the ₹ 799 plan signals a shift of the minimum tariff level upward. One analyst article states, “customers seeking a similar data allowance must now opt for the ₹ 889 plan” after the ₹ 799 pack was discontinued.
This means what used to cost you ₹ 799 is now being marketed at ₹ 899 (or various “replacement” packs at a higher cost). That’s a ~12.5% increase at the entry level for the same or very similar benefits.
Hidden in “Value/ Affordable” Category
The plan still may exist, but is reportedly listed under “Value Packs” instead of the main “Popular Plans” category. That makes it harder for many users to notice or select.
This categorisation shift serves two purposes from a business perspective: it keeps the plan alive (so regulators or comparisons can’t say “deleted”) while reducing its visibility (so fewer new users pick it). That’s a subtle form of “tariff steering”.
Why This is a Matter of Concern
Consumers Lose Out on Choice & Transparency
If a user cannot easily find the ₹ 799 plan, or must go through extra steps, or is simply funneled toward a higher price pack, then the user’s freedom to choose the cheapest appropriate plan is diminished.
Transparency demands that all valid options be easily visible — particularly value plans.
Tariff Creep Under the Radar
By hiding or obscuring value plans, jio (and potentially other telcos) can raise the average revenue per user (ARPU) without broadcasting a large “price increase” headline. In the absence of explicit hikes, consumers may feel they’re getting the same deal when actually the baseline cost has gone up. industry sources explicitly tie this to an ARPU push ahead of an IPO.
Regulatory and Equity Implications
The regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of india (TRAI) sets rules around fair and transparent disclosure of tariffs. If telcos begin structurally shifting the baseline upward by hidden manoeuvres, the regulatory framework may need to respond.
Also, users from lower-income strata — who rely on lower-cost value plans — are disproportionately affected by such hidden increases. The telecom sector has social as well as commercial significance.
What To Do – For Users, Regulators & Opponents
For Users
Before recharging, always search explicitly for the ₹ 799 plan (or your target price) rather than assuming the first listed pack is best. Some media reports say it is still available, though hidden.
Compare the benefits: daily data cap, validity, 4G/5G access, OTT subscriptions, SMS/call allowances. The higher-priced “replacement” plan may offer extra perks, but only if you need them.
Use third-party recharge apps and verify plan codes; some report that the deal is still live via certain apps even if not promoted.
For Regulators
• TRAI should review whether value-tier plans are being effectively removed or hidden without adequate disclosure to consumers.
• There should be clarity on whether plans are “withdrawn” or simply “less visible”; either way, the shift must be transparent.
• Monitoring of ARPU growth and entry-level tariff increases is essential to avoid unfair consumer impact.
For industry Observers and Media
• Track whether this is a one-off or a broader strategy across telcos: akin to what with initially removed of the ₹ 249 plan earlier.• Expose how benefits have changed (e.g., 5g access removed from cheaper plan tiers) and whether consumers are fully informed.
Final Word – A Call for Open Eyes
The saga of the ₹ 799 plan of jio is more than a single tariff change. It is a microcosm of the shift in indian telecom-sector strategy: value-tier plans are being quietly moved, hidden, or replaced by slightly costlier ones. For many users, the difference between ₹ 799 and ₹ 899 is substantial — especially when you’re choosing a long-validity pack.
If you’ve been recharged into a ₹ 899 pack when you expected ₹ 799, you’re not alone — and you’re entitled to ask questions. Why was the cheaper plan harder to find? Was the benefit set identical? Was the data/validity/5G benefit the same? And was the higher cost clearly communicated, or just the “first visible” option?
In short: transparency matters. Regulation must keep pace. And you, the user, must stay informed. Because when telecom giants quietly nudge the baseline upward, the aggregate impact across 500 million+ users can be enormous.
click and follow Indiaherald WhatsApp channel