Telcos in India hike prices to boost revenue

Private operators, saddled with high levies and rising debts, seek to turn around sagging fortunes

A vendor checks his mobile phone while waiting for customers in the old quarter of New Delhi. Internet users in India have had a dream run paying the world's lowest data prices.
A vendor checks his mobile phone while waiting for customers in the old quarter of New Delhi. Internet users in India have had a dream run paying the world's lowest data prices. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

Internet users in India have had a dream run paying the world's lowest data prices - a gigabyte here is available for less than 15 Singapore cents.

Such affordable data, powered by cheap smartphones, has fuelled India's Internet addiction and helped quadruple the number of active users from 111 million in June 2012 to 451 million in March this year.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 09, 2019, with the headline Telcos in India hike prices to boost revenue. Subscribe