Current tariffs unsustainable: Airtel’s Sunil Mittal – Times of India

NEW DELHI: A tariff hike is needed in the telecom sector as current rates are “unsustainable” and market conditions will be seen before a call is taken, Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Mittal said.
Mittal said Airtel is of the firm view that tariffs need to go up. “Current tariffs are unsustainable but Airtel cannot move without the industry moving or the regulator moving,” Mittal said. Industry needs a tariff hike at some point in time, he said, adding “we will have to see the market conditions to do it”.
In August this year, Mittal had described 16GB data consumption a month for Rs 160 as a tragedy. The company has maintained that average revenue per user (ARPU) should rise to Rs 200 and eventually to Rs 300 for a sustainable business model.
Airtel’s mobile ARPU stood at Rs 162 for the September quarter, up from Rs 128 in Q2 FY20, and Rs 157 in the preceding June quarter.