Will Jio's ₹300 Prime plan really save you money? Here’s the full breakdown..
Reliance Jio has recently introduced a ₹300 subscription for Jio Prime. The main benefit of this membership is that even if mobile plan prices rise in the future, Prime users will continue to pay the old rates. For instance, if you are a Prime member and have been recharging with the ₹500 plan, you will continue to pay only ₹500 for it, even after the plan's price increases later. Customers need to pay ₹300 to secure this price protection for one year. Jio has stated that Prime members will be able to recharge at the old tariff rates until September 5, 2027.
But as a customer, will spending ₹300 actually result in savings? Let’s break down the math.
How does Jio Prime help you save money?
Jio's most popular plans include the ₹799 plan for non-5G users and the ₹899 plan for 5G users. Both plans offer a validity of approximately three months (84 days and 90 days). Trends since 2018 show that whenever telecom companies raise prices, the hike exceeds 15%. Consequently, a similar increase of 15% to 20% is expected next time.
If there is a 15% hike, the ₹799 plan would rise to approximately ₹918.85, and the ₹899 plan would go up to around ₹1,033.85. This is a conservative estimate; the increase could be as high as 20%. This means that following a 15% hike, you would have to pay an extra ₹120 for the ₹799 plan and an extra ₹135 for the ₹899 plan. To keep the SIM and benefits active, one typically needs to recharge at least five times a year on average. In other words, over the course of a year, you would spend an extra ₹600 (calculated as ₹120 x 5) on the ₹799 plan and an extra ₹675 on the ₹899 plan. Even after paying the ₹300 membership fee, you would still realize direct savings of ₹300 and ₹375, respectively.
Additionally, there is the separate cost of data vouchers. A typical user often recharges with data vouchers intermittently as the need arises; the prices of these vouchers will also increase following the tariff hike. However, Jio allows users to queue multiple unlimited recharge plans in advance. This means that even as your one-year Prime membership nears its expiry, you can purchase advance recharges at the old rates, resulting in significant savings.
There are other benefits as well. Jio Prime members will receive priority customer care support, a ₹300 cashback, and access to various other offers.
Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Dainik Jagran. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.
