Jio comes up with new tariffs with IUC of 1000 minutes weaved in

Reliance Jio has introduced a new set of plans worth Rs 222, Rs 333, Rs 444 and Rs 555 valid for 28 days, 56 days and 84 days (for last two ) respectively, along with additional interconnect user charges (IUC) weaved in. The new plan is a bid to ensure that customers do not move away from telco because the IUC rates, the telco weaved in, this month onwards.

According to a statement by the company, each of the new tariffs come with 1000 minutes of offnet IUC minutes, which would have cost users Rs 80 if purchased separately. The plans also have data worth 56GB, 112 GB and 168 GB worth of data.

This is the second rejig telco has made In its price plan since introducing IUC of 6 paise per minute, which led to an immediate backlash from subscribers on social media. It has also withdrawn its prepaid packs of Rs 19 and Rs 52, which means that tariff plans will now start from Rs 98 for its 350 million-plus subscribers.

This move will prevent subscribers from migrating, attracting new ones and will also boost average revenue per user (ARPU) for the telco. For telecom operators, changes in prepaid tariffs make an impact on ARPU as more than 90% of subscribers are still on such plans.

Jio said September quarter profit rose by more than 45% from the year earlier, but sustained another ARPU drop to Rs120 from Rs122 in the previous quarter ended June, and from Rs 156 a year ago.