Mobile Packages in India
India's mobile market is dominated by three private operators - Jio (largest), Airtel, and Vi (Vodafone Idea) - plus state-owned BSNL. Jio disrupted the market in 2016 with free data offers and permanently drove prices to among the lowest in the world. Indian prepaid plans are priced in INR with 28-day or 84-day validity cycles. All major operators offer unlimited calls with tiered data - 1.5GB to 3GB per day being the standard.
Operator Directory
Compare available networks and open operator pages.
Country Context
Pricing depends on local taxes, policy, and network competition.
Activation Methods
USSD, official app, SMS, and web portals by operator.
India Operators
Jio
Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited launched commercial services in September 2016 with a revolutionary offer - free unlimited 4G data and voice calls for 6 months. This disrupted India's telecom market completely, forcing Vodafone, Idea, Airtel, and Docomo to slash prices dramatically. Several operators shut down entirely. Within 3 years, Jio became India's largest telecom operator by subscribers. Today Jio serves over 490 million subscribers, has deployed 5G in 500+ cities, and operates India's largest fiber broadband network (JioFiber) alongside its mobile services.
Entry Plan
Rs. 155 (28 days, 2GB/day)
Best 28-Day Plan
Rs. 299 (28 days, 2GB/day + unlimited calls)
App: MyJio App
Jio packages
Airtel
Bharti Airtel is one of India's largest telecom operators and is widely chosen by urban and premium users for strong call quality, broad 4G coverage, and fast 5G rollout. Airtel prepaid plans usually center around 28-day, 56-day, 84-day, and annual validity cycles with unlimited calls, 100 SMS per day, and layered OTT or music benefits in higher-value packs. Airtel Thanks App remains the primary self-care channel for recharges, usage tracking, bundled subscriptions, and support.
Entry Plan
Rs. 179 (28 days, 1.5GB/day)
Best 28-Day Plan
Rs. 299 (28 days, 1.5GB/day + OTT)
App: Airtel Thanks App
Airtel packages
Vi (Vodafone Idea)
Vi, formerly Vodafone Idea, offers prepaid and postpaid mobile plans across India with a strong focus on Hero Unlimited benefits such as weekend data rollover, binge-all-night usage, and Data Delight. Vi remains especially relevant for users who want OTT-heavy recharge packs, weekend rollover, and postpaid entertainment bundles. Its 5G rollout is improving, while the Vi App continues to be the main channel for recharge, usage management, add-on benefits, and support.
App: Vi App
Vi (Vodafone Idea) packages
BSNL
BSNL is India's state-owned telecom provider with one of the widest legacy footprints, especially in semi-urban and rural areas. Its prepaid catalog remains broad, with many plan vouchers and STVs spanning entry packs, medium-validity voice-plus-data packs, and long-validity annual recharges. BSNL is still expanding 4G while relying on its large existing user base and value pricing. BSNL Selfcare, website recharge portals, and retail outlets remain the main ways to activate and manage plans.
Entry Plan
Rs. 107 (28 days, 1GB/day)
Best 28-Day Plan
Rs. 197 (28 days, 2GB/day)
App: BSNL Selfcare
BSNL packagesOperator Comparison Table
| Operator | Network | Entry Plan | Best 28-Day Plan | 5G | Market Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jio | 4G / 5G | Rs. 155 (28 days, 2GB/day) | Rs. 299 (28 days, 2GB/day + unlimited calls) | Yes | ~50% |
| Airtel | 4G / 5G | Rs. 179 (28 days, 1.5GB/day) | Rs. 299 (28 days, 1.5GB/day + OTT) | Yes | ~35% |
| Vi | 4G | Rs. 179 (28 days, 1.5GB/day) | Rs. 299 (28 days, 1.5GB/day + OTT) | Limited | ~12% |
| BSNL | 4G | Rs. 107 (28 days, 1GB/day) | Rs. 197 (28 days, 2GB/day) | No | ~3% |
India Mobile Market Context
India is the world's second largest mobile market with over 1.1 billion mobile subscribers. The market is dominated by three private operators: Reliance Jio (launched 2016, ~50% market share), Bharti Airtel (~35%), and Vi/Vodafone Idea (~12%). State-owned BSNL holds the remainder with its legacy wireline and growing 4G presence.
India has some of the lowest mobile data prices in the world - a direct result of Jio's 2016 disruption that offered free data for months and forced competitors to slash prices. Today, 1GB of data in India costs approximately Rs. 7-10, compared to Rs. 100-150 in Pakistan and $5-8 in the USA.
Unlimited voice is standard
All major operators offer truly unlimited voice calls - no per-minute charges.
28-day and 84-day cycles
Standard validity cycles are 28 days or 84 days rather than strict calendar months.
Daily data caps dominate
Data is typically 1.5GB-3GB per day with full-speed throttling after the daily limit.
SIM verification rules
5G is available from Jio and Airtel in 100+ cities, and SIM registration requires Aadhaar card (national ID).
Which Operator Should I Choose?
Jio
Best for: budget users, rural/semi-urban areas, 5G early adopters, JioTV/JioCinema users.
Pros: cheapest plans, widest 4G coverage, strong 5G rollout.
Cons: call quality sometimes lower in dense urban areas.
Airtel
Best for: premium users, urban areas, business users, those wanting OTT bundles (Amazon Prime, Disney+).
Pros: best call quality, fastest 4G speeds in cities, good customer service.
Cons: slightly more expensive than Jio.
Vi (Vodafone Idea)
Best for: existing Vi users, those wanting weekend data rollover, specific OTT bundles.
Pros: competitive pricing, weekend data benefits.
Cons: 5G rollout slow, network quality declining in some areas.
BSNL
Best for: rural areas without private network coverage, senior citizens (simple plans), landline bundling.
Pros: cheapest entry plans, government backing.
Cons: slower data speeds, limited 4G coverage, no 5G yet.
Useful USSD Codes
| Action | Jio | Airtel | Vi | BSNL |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Check balance | *333# | *123# | *199# | *123# |
| Check data | *333# | *123*10# | *199# | *123*1# |
| Customer care | 198 | 198 | 199 | 1503 |
| Activate plan | MyJio App | Airtel Thanks App | Vi App | BSNL Selfcare App |
Mobile Number Portability (MNP) in India
You can switch operators while keeping your number. Process:
1. SMS "PORT [your 10-digit number]" to 1900
2. You'll receive a UPC (Unique Porting Code) - valid for 4 days
3. Visit new operator's store with UPC + Aadhaar
4. Porting completes in 2 working days
5. Minimum lock-in: 7 days on current network before porting
5G in India (2026 Status)
Jio: 5G available in 500+ cities across India - widest coverage
Airtel: 5G in 100+ cities - strong urban coverage
Vi: 5G rollout in progress - limited cities
BSNL: No 5G yet - 4G rollout ongoing
5G plans are included in standard recharge packs - no separate 5G plan needed on Jio and Airtel.