The prepaid market in India is no longer just about talk-time and data. Telcos are now competing on what extra benefits they can pack into their recharge plans — from OTT subscriptions to AI tools and music streaming. Here’s a breakdown of what Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are currently offering for free, and why it matters for users.
Airtel: From Apple Music to Perplexity AI Pro
Bharti Airtel has been steadily building its content and service ecosystem. After surprising everyone by giving away Perplexity AI Pro (worth nearly ₹17,000 annually), the operator has now extended Apple Music to its prepaid customers.
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Apple Music: Free for up to six months on select prepaid plans. After that, it continues at ₹119 per month.
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OTT Subscriptions: Airtel’s recharge packs include access to Netflix Basic, Disney+ Hotstar, Zee5, SonyLIV, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, SunNxt, and Aha.
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Plan Highlights:
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₹279 plan: 1 month validity + OTT bundle worth ~₹750.
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₹598 plan: Unlimited 5G data + OTTs for 28 days.
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₹1,729 plan: 84 days unlimited 5G + OTTs.
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AI Freebie: Perplexity AI Pro access bundled for all customers.
Airtel is clearly trying to position itself not just as a telco but as a full-fledged entertainment and productivity provider.
Jio: Big on OTT, But No AI Yet
Reliance Jio continues to lean heavily on its JioCinema Premium strategy, especially after scoring big with exclusive sports and entertainment content.
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JioCinema Premium: Free on most 5G unlimited data plans.
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OTT Benefits: Higher-tier plans include Disney+ Hotstar and SonyLIV, often bundled for annual or long-term recharges.
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Music: Jio has its own JioSaavn app, and many plans come with premium access bundled.
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Extras: Access to JioCloud storage and JioTV for live channels.
While Jio offers a wide entertainment lineup, it hasn’t yet ventured into AI or productivity freebies the way Airtel has.
Vodafone Idea (Vi): Still Catching Up
Vodafone Idea (Vi) doesn’t have the financial muscle of Airtel or Jio, and it shows in its freebies lineup. That said, Vi is still trying to appeal to entertainment-first users.
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Vi Movies & TV app: Comes free with most prepaid packs, offering a mix of movies, TV shows, and live channels.
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OTT Tie-ups: Some higher-value recharges also bundle Disney+ Hotstar for short durations.
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Music: Vi lacks a strong music partner compared to Airtel (Apple Music) and Jio (JioSaavn).
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Extras: Night-time unlimited data (12am–6am) and weekend data rollover are the main perks.
Vi’s approach is more about stretching value in data and offering light OTT extras, rather than big-ticket freebies.
Why This Matters for Users
For prepaid customers, these extras make recharges feel like mini-subscription bundles. Airtel is leading the charge with Apple Music and Perplexity AI Pro, Jio is doubling down on sports and entertainment with JioCinema Premium, while Vi is trying to carve a space with data perks and modest OTT benefits.
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Pick Airtel if you want a mix of music, AI tools, and OTTs.
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Go for Jio if your priority is sports, movies, and entertainment.
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Stick with Vi if you want affordable data plans with some OTT and late-night benefits.
The telco war is no longer just about who gives the most GBs — it’s about who gives the most value outside of data.
