Voda triggers data price war

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New Delhi: Intensifying the data price battle among telecom players, Vodafone India on Tuesday slashed its data charges by up to 80 per cent in three circles.
The new, cheaper rates will be rolled out nationally in a phased manner. The telecom operator has reduced the price from 10 paise per 10 KB to 2 paise per 10KB for Karnataka, UP West and Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh circles.
“The rate cut from 10p/10KB to 2p/10KB will make Internet access affordable for customers who use mobile Internet in a limited way,” Vodafone said in a statement.
These rates, the company said, would be applicable to all pre-paid and post-paid customers using 2G network on a ‘Pay as you Go’ basis in these circles.
As part of its strategy to “democratise” data, Vodafone is educating current and potential us-ers about how Internet can add significant value to them.
According to industry sources, since the last two years 3G services in India have been cheaper than 2G. However, Vodafone’s move will bring the rates of 3G and 2G data services at par, they opine.
Currently most of the telecom operators are offering 2G at 10 paise per 10 KB. But, this move by Vodafone is set to build pressure on other telecom players.
However, a leading telecom operator claimed that it was already offering 2G data services at 1 paise per 10 kb in nine circles. “Therefore, we don’t need to follow Vodafone. We have been focusing on data from long ago,” said the company official.
Even Uninor has rolled out four new tariff vouchers in Andhra Pradesh which offer extra talktime with lifetime validity.
Upping the ante, Vodafone India has also introduced a super value offer for new post paid customers in AP in which all customers acquiring a new post-paid connection between June 1, 2013 and August 31, 2013, can choose from a variety of gift options.