Airtel drops broadband tariffs by up to 43%

prakhar18 · 28-07-2009, 12:45 PM

On info highway 1Mbps speed connection tariff at Rs 1,699 from Rs 2,999 a month
512 kbps connection charge cut by 31 per cent from Rs 1,599 to Rs 1,099 a month
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Thomas K. Thomas
New Delhi, July 27,2009

In what could trigger a speed war in the broadband segment, Bharti Airtel has decided to drop tariffs for its various broadband plans by up to 43 per cent.
The company has reduced the monthly fee for 1Mbps speed connection from Rs 2,999 to Rs 1,699 and is also offering additional free value-added services such as games and software worth Rs 500.

Unlimited download Bharti Airtel has also dropped tariff for the 512 kbps connection by 31 per cent from Rs 1,599 to Rs 1,099 a month, making it one of the cheapest fibre optical cable-based broadband services in the market.

Both these plans offer unlimited download capacity.

Mr K. Srinivas, Joint President, Telemedia Services, Bharti Airtel, told Business Line, “Our internal survey has revealed that subscribers are using more and more bandwidth. From just an average usage of 4Gb a month, broadband users are now using up to 8 Gb. Clearly this kind of usage needs higher speed. The reduction in tariffs is to present an industry first – increased access to ‘true and rich’ broadband experience by making high speed broadband more affordable and offering VAS content on broadband that enriches the customer’s experience.”

Value addition Bharti has packed in value-added services such as games on demand and anti-virus software. Additionally, download limits on 8 Mbps and 16 Mbps plans have been doubled to 50 GB and 100 GB respectively.

Bharti’s move comes even as other telecom players including Tata Teleservices and Reliance Communications are going aggressive on their wireless broadband offerings through third generation technology. Tata Communications, for example, is promising up to 3Mbps speed on its Photon Plus data card.

Mr Srinivas, however, claims that since Bharti Airtel’s broadband services are based on fibre optical cable, it offers superior quality. “It is a known fact that nothing can compare to fixed line broadband as subscribers will get the assured speeds all the time. In the wireless segment, speeds vary depending on the number of users on the network and spectrum availability,” he said.

Both Tata Tele and RCoM also have fibre optical cable-based broadband services and may follow suit with better offerings for the consumer.
Airtel was the first to launch a 16Mbps broadband connection earlier this year. The company offers fibre-optical cable based services in 95 cities and has just over a million broadband users.

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/...2851510400.htm

NucleusKore · 28-07-2009, 01:30 PM

Thank you fo rth einformation. I just called customer care to migrate from 384 UL to 512 UL, they do not seem to be aware of the changes. I will go to the AirTel office today evening.

I FEEL.........................

THE NEED FOR SPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED

NucleusKore · 28-07-2009, 03:13 PM

I just got through to another guy at AirTel customer care (Karnataka)

384kbps/1mbps day/night @ Rs. 1099 p.m. + tax
512kpbs/1mbps day/night @ Rs. 1299 p.m. + tax

Night = 2200 hrs to 0600 hrs

FUP caps as earlier, not applicable for night usage.

I am going to the AirTel office at 5 p.m., will confirm the above and post here again.

chesss · 28-07-2009, 03:48 PM

arre awesome , but what about 128/256 , any drops there ?

**ico** · 28-07-2009, 05:02 PM

FUP?

desiibond · 28-07-2009, 05:09 PM

FairUsagePolicy. you cross a certain download limit and connection speed will be reduced by 50% (not applicable for 256kbps customers)

NucleusKore · 28-07-2009, 05:38 PM

Above plans confirmed as I have mentioned.

I upgraded to 384 kpbs/1 mbps UL

hellknight · 28-07-2009, 06:43 PM

What does 384 kbps/1 Mbps means?

desiibond · 28-07-2009, 07:11 PM

connection speed

NucleusKore · 28-07-2009, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hellknight

What does 384 kbps/1 Mbps means?

See post #3

**vamsi_krishna** · 28-07-2009, 07:18 PM

The problem with airtel is that, they don't provide their services in small cities and towns.

ravi_9793 · 28-07-2009, 07:18 PM

Airtel updated plans:
http://airtel.in/experience/

paroh · 28-07-2009, 07:46 PM

so wht will bsnl and mtnl do will they also slash there prices?
Now there is very huge difference in the price of airtel and mtnl (NOW i can say airtel is cheap as compare mtnl and bsnl ( 512Kbps,1Mbps,2Mbps)

All connection are unlimited

Airtel 512Kbps -1099
Mtnl 512Kbps- 1299

Airtel 1Mbps-1699
Mtnl 1Mbps-3999

Airtel 2Mbps-2999
Mtnl 2Mbps-8999

As now Airtel make a real price difference as compare to mtnl.
I don't know about FUP whether it is applicable with airtel or not. If there is any FUP still price is really good.

dreams · 28-07-2009, 10:56 PM

seems gud..I now have a plan 799, which I believe is UL 256kbps speed..Normally I used to get 30-40kbps speed from downloadin thru IDM. If I go for 1099 or 1299 what would be my download speed??

Can sum1 using the above 2 plans throw some light on the real d/l speed they get??

T i A

keith_j_snyder2 · 28-07-2009, 11:11 PM

U guys need to see this:
http://afup.broadbandforum.in/

NucleusKore · 29-07-2009, 12:04 AM

I have seen this FUP bogeyman being raised a lot. Assuming you leave your PC on 24 hours a day, and download at full speed, how many days would you take to reach the limit?

http://afup.broadbandforum.in/how-do...fup-affect-me/

DO you really download so much?

And what is BSNL's quality of service?
We have an internet connection in our college library, BSNL, which is down more often than it's up. Not to mention friends who keep cursing, but have no other option as the local government here hasn't given AirTel permission to trench in certain localities.

I applied for 1099 (explorer) today, will post the results here.

Rockstar09 · 29-07-2009, 01:00 AM

Guys, i think FUP is Fully UNFAIR Policy rather than Fair Usage Policy ....

...LOL!

prakhar18 · 29-07-2009, 02:00 AM

The Great part about this changes in the tariffs is the download cap limit. It has greatly being increased.

Also Is FUP applicable for unlimited plans?

And i personally think Rs 1099 + Tax is the best plan, considering one is getting 512Kbps. Or any suggestions on the a better plan. I download heavily.

manishjha18 · 29-07-2009, 02:45 AM

hey man--i am using bsnl night plan (2-8)--and its great--i am able to download 2 movies daily via torrent-no sweat

gaurav_indian · 29-07-2009, 06:22 AM

I hope MTNL does it also. 15th august is coming up and they will introduce new plans.

NucleusKore · 29-07-2009, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockstar09

Guys, i think FUP is Fully UNFAIR Policy rather than Fair Usage Policy ....

...LOL!

Ok, when you say unlimited plan, any restriction is unfair. But show me any operator who gives you an "unlimited" plan better. My friends in the US are always surprised when I say "unlimited" plan. They have no such thing, just fast connection with large caps, sometimes unofficial.

Quote:

Originally Posted by prakhar18

The Great part about this changes in the tariffs is the download cap limit. It has greatly being increased.

Also Is FUP applicable for unlimited plans?

And i personally think Rs 1099 + Tax is the best plan, considering one is getting 512Kbps. Or any suggestions on the a better plan. I download heavily.

Yes FUP is applicable for unlimted plans ONLY. How can you think of an FUP for a plan you pay for your used bandwidth.

And your idea of the plans is wrong, the newspaper write up is not correct. Please refer post #3 in this thread for the tariff and bandwidth.

casanova · 29-07-2009, 08:58 AM

Way to go. I hope Reliance drops it to.

prakhar18 · 29-07-2009, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NucleusKore

Yes FUP is applicable for unlimted plans ONLY. How can you think of an FUP for a plan you pay for your used bandwidth.

OKay, But then Having FUP for Unlimited Plans defeats the purpose of the UNLIMITED plan itself.

And how do they know or rather how will we know that we have touched the upper limit of download? Why reduced speeds?

NucleusKore · 29-07-2009, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prakhar18

Why reduced speeds?

Quote:

Originally Posted by prakhar18

And how do they know or rather how will we know that we have touched the upper limit of download?

You answered your own question

At least they do not slow it to a crawl.

dreams · 29-07-2009, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dreams

seems gud..I now have a plan 799, which I believe is UL 256kbps speed..Normally I used to get 30-40kbps speed from downloadin thru IDM. If I go for 1099 or 1299 what would be my download speed??

Can sum1 using the above 2 plans throw some light on the real d/l speed they get??

T i A

any1 on this??