Jio follows TRAI directive, launch monthly rental prepaid plan

Reliance Jio has become the first mobile operator to come out with a monthly rental prepaid plan, which recharges on the same date of every month, irrespective of the number of days.

The company has launched a Rs 259 plan, which offers unlimited calls, 1.5 GB data and 100 SMSes per day with a validity of one month.
For instance, if a user recharges with the new Rs 259 monthly plan on March 5, the next recurring recharge dates would be April 5, May 5 and so on.

The launch follows a January 27 directive from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), which had asked all the telecom operators to offer prepaid subscribers at least one plan voucher, one special tariff voucher and one combo voucher, which shall be renewable on the same date of every month.

Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea are yet to comply with the directive as the companies had sought more time from TRAI for implementation.
TRAI had given 60 days to telcos to implement the directive.

With the launch of monthly rental plans, prepaid subscribers will also be able to avail postpaid-like billing cycle, where bill is generated every month irrespective of the number of days in a month.

Currently, most of the prepaid tariff packs come with a predefined validity period of 28/56/84 days, but the regulator has received several references and complaints regarding the 28-day validity pack, which is touted as a monthly pack.

Customers have highlighted that with the 28-day validity pack, which is the most prominent tariff plan, they have to do 13 recharges a year. If the recharge can be done on a monthly basis, only 12 recharges have to be done in a year. Investing NewsEverything