New Delhi, Aug. 13 -- A major telecom tariff hike remains on the cards for later this year, according to analysts, despite Bharti Airtel already raising effective prices by scrapping its Rs.299 entry-level plan to push users towards higher-priced plans. The telecom operator also removed its Rs.319 (30 days), Rs.579 (56 days), Rs.619 (60 days), and Rs.649 (56 days) prepaid plans.

The move has put Vodafone Idea in the spotlight, forcing the cash-strapped operator to choose between following suit to improve its average revenue per user (Arpu) or holding prices steady to grab market share, analysts said.

"We believe this is an advancement of the next round of tariff hikes (expected in December 2026) on select plans. For now, we are not assu...