Shares of Bharti Airtel, India’s second-largest telecom operator, rose 2.16% to ₹1,951 in early trade on Wednesday. At 10:19 AM, the stock was trading 1.35% higher at ₹1,935.40 on the National Stock Exchange (NSE).
The rise comes after Bharti Airtel discontinued its ₹249 prepaid plan offering 1 GB of daily data. The company now offers a minimum of 1.5 GB per day at ₹319, effective immediately. The move follows a similar change by Reliance Jio, which replaced its 1 GB/day plan with a 1.5 GB/day plan at ₹299. Analysts expect Vodafone Idea to adopt a similar strategy. Experts say the change aims to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) for telecom operators.
Bharti Airtel Q1FY26 Results:
- Net Profit: ₹5,948 crore, up 43% from ₹4,160 crore last year
- Revenue from Operations: ₹49,463 crore, up 29% YoY
- EBITDA: ₹28,167 crore with a margin of 56.9%
- India Business Revenue: ₹37,585 crore, up 29% YoY and 2.3% QoQ
- ARPU: ₹250 per user per month, up from ₹211 last year
The company’s strong quarterly results were driven by robust performance in India and a rebound in its African business. Growth in the mobile segment and homes business contributed to improved revenue and profitability.