Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Jio has quietly launched a new Rs 189 prepaid plan in India amid backlash over its voice and SMS-only packs for allegedly not allowing any data top-ups (which Jio has since clarified on). For Rs 189, Jio now offers a cost-effective option that has free voice and some data benefit on top that should help ward off the ongoing controversy. Some online reports suggest that Jio had a Rs 189 plan before which was discontinued for some reason, calling this a relaunch.
Jio has created a whole new tab for the Rs 189 plan categorizing it as an “affordable pack.” Jio usually categorizes its plans with data benefits per the amount of data it offers. The Rs 189 plan offers 2GB lumpsum data which is to say that it gives you 2GB “high-speed” 4G data in total with a validity of 28 days. 5G is not available on this plan.
As for the benefits, the Rs 189 prepaid plan comes with unlimited voice calling, 300 SMS along with 2GB of data for a period of 28 days. For Rs 198, Jio offers 2GB high-speed data per day, along with unlimited 5G, and OTT benefits like JioSaavn Pro for a period of 14 days.
The launch comes at a time when Jio is facing potential backlash over confusion that it doesn’t allow data add-ons on its voice and SMS-only plans. However, that is not the case. Jio has confirmed to financialexpress.com, that customers subscribing to the new Rs 448 and Rs 1,748 plans can recharge with data add-on packs. These data packs, such as those priced at Rs 11, Rs 19, and Rs 29, are available through all Jio recharge channels. The voice and SMS-only plans were launched after a TRAI directive made it mandatory for telcos to hace standalone special tariff vouchers (STVs) for voice calls and SMS.
