Airtel - Now Unlimited Plans have restrictions on download speeds

mithun · 17th February 2009, 10:41

Another link :

Airtel screws unlimited plan users | Gaurish Sharma Live

vikram_d · 17th February 2009, 11:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by govigov

the limit on their unlimited plans are as under:

128 kbps = 10 GB download limit per month
256 kbps = 15 GB download limit per month
384 kbps = 20 GB download limit per month
512 kbps = 25 GB download limit per month
1 Mbps = 150 GB download limit per month

Well I have a 1mbps connection and I have crossed my download limit by a huge amount. But I am not seeing any throttling happening. I am still getting the same through put that I was getting earlier.

Gill · 17th February 2009, 13:23

Quite a news it is. I checked with customer care,they told that it is yet to be implemented in Punjab.The cap is limited to NCR.

Fillmore · 18th February 2009, 10:02

If they do this then they should start displaying the Usage stats on their website against your login acccount.
Currently if you have an unlimited plan they do not display Usage stats, These stats are available only for Limited plans.

Wonder if they are going to change this

nevertouchme · 19th February 2009, 08:42

Actually this news is true. I am an AIRTEL Broadband user for about 3.5 years now. Since day before yesterday, the connection speeds were kind of slow than usual. I am on a 512 kbps unlimited plan. I called the support number now, thinking may be there was an outage or some thing. The rep confirms that, " Sir, there is no outage- But you have reached your limit."

I was surprised and I asked him to show me the web page of theirs where I can look up that particular information. Reply was, "Sir- the website is not updated yet, we have sent you a letter regarding this".

He directed me to log on to my airtel account and check how much have I used till date. Oops! it's 71 GB since my last billing cycle. He says some thing about the Fair Usage Policy and I have already crossed 71GB, thus connection speed will drop to 256 KBPS.

He then asked me to go to speedtest.net to check my connection speed. Viola! Indeed, they have reduced my connection speed.

Airtel - Now Unlimited Plans have restrictions on download speeds-upload.jpg

The rep told me that my cap was 40 GB. It will be 512 KBPS till 40 GB and 256 KBPS going forward. I took his word on that, but when I googled now, some forums say that it's 25 GB.

I will wait for the letter/courier and shall see what's the cap.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fillmore

If they do this then they should start displaying the Usage stats on their website against your login acccount.
Currently if you have an unlimited plan they do not display Usage stats, These stats are available only for Limited plans.

Wonder if they are going to change this

Yes, even last year when I wanted to check my usage, they told me the same thing. But, now you can lookup your stats by going to airtel website.

Cheers,
Jai

Nikhilb2008 · 19th February 2009, 11:40

It's official. Someone at some other forum uploaded this screenshot.

tsk1979 · 19th February 2009, 13:34

I don't think calling these plans "Unlimited" is really Fair. Airtel should rename its plans to Limited and "Less Limited" Plans.
This is what happens when there is no decent competition in the market. If only MTNL/BSNL up their service and support, things will become much better

shajufx · 19th February 2009, 14:42

So, these plans can no longer be called 'Unlimited Plans' !! Hope they are not going to cut the speed of other plans due to this. I am on a 2 Mbps 4 GB limit plan, I can feel the speed is considerably low since 4 or 5 days. Hope it improves.

harry10 · 19th February 2009, 15:30

Anyone from NCR experiencing this?
Am still getting the same speed as usual.

suman · 19th February 2009, 15:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by harry10

Anyone from NCR experiencing this?
Am still getting the same speed as usual.

Well, I was just going to post - I'm pretty sure I've crossed the 15gig limit (can't check now 'cos the Airtel site is under maintenance) & I had my daughter check out the speeds this afternoon. Our download speed was 298, upload was 305 so seems pretty OK to me (we're on 256)

tsk1979 · 19th February 2009, 15:36

Suman this throttling may be in trial phase so all users may not be affected. Once they perfect it, they are going to implement it for everybody. As long as they announce and inform users that they no longer give Pure unlimited plans its okay. But I expect they will do what they did in the days before TRAI told them to stop calling 64kbps broadband

Zappo · 19th February 2009, 16:10

Meri maano... switch to sarkaari, maaibaap broadband... thats BSNL. I think this is the only thing which the BSNL has managed to perfect in so many years. Its the smartest choice that I even made.

Eddy · 19th February 2009, 16:21

My only worry with them is that they will present me with a huge bill, even if I am on an unlimited plan. Ala Sam.

HappyWheels · 19th February 2009, 16:58

So, does the cost also come down, pro-rated to the period where we are offered a lower speed???

Ok, ok... guess I am asking for the impossible!

Zappo · 19th February 2009, 17:16

Eddy, believe me, when I took the call to switch over to BSNL I was filled with trepidation. The excessive bills, no support and what not. However my earlier provider (Sify) had by then pissed me off so badly that I just wanted a switch at any cost.

Airtel proved to be extremely sarkari in their approach (red tapism) which surprised me and then infuriated me after a while. They were just taking me for a ride all along.

Then I took the call to spend a little and go for BSNL. Initial costs for BSNL were much higher than any other ISP. However today I can say that they are far better in every respect. They do not overbill, even if they used to earlier, plus of course I have now remote telnet scripts running to ensure that the modem switches off by itself at 2 in the morning and restarts.

About support, what I have found is that 24x7 swagatham service (1500) works like a charm in sorting out the issues. And if you are not satisfies you keep lodging the problem with 1500 for consecutive days. Within 7 days a honcho calls you up to inquire about the problem and then the whole of BSNL staff gets going to sort out the issue no matter how big.

Uh huh! BSNL is definitely changing... for the better.

17th February 2009, 10:41	#31
mithun BANNED Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cochin Posts: 2,195 Thanked: 268 Times	Another link : Airtel screws unlimited plan users \| Gaurish Sharma Live
	() Thanks

17th February 2009, 13:23	#33
Gill BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Mohali Posts: 701 Thanked: 16 Times	Quite a news it is. I checked with customer care,they told that it is yet to be implemented in Punjab.The cap is limited to NCR.
	() Thanks

18th February 2009, 10:02	#34
Fillmore BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 492 Thanked: 580 Times	If they do this then they should start displaying the Usage stats on their website against your login acccount. Currently if you have an unlimited plan they do not display Usage stats, These stats are available only for Limited plans. Wonder if they are going to change this
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 11:40	#36
Nikhilb2008 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 5,196 Thanked: 10,136 Times	It's official. Someone at some other forum uploaded this screenshot. Attached Images
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 13:34	#37
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,817 Times View My Garage	I don't think calling these plans "Unlimited" is really Fair. Airtel should rename its plans to Limited and "Less Limited" Plans. This is what happens when there is no decent competition in the market. If only MTNL/BSNL up their service and support, things will become much better
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 14:42	#38
shajufx Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: BLR & Singapore Posts: 1,806 Thanked: 831 Times View My Garage	So, these plans can no longer be called 'Unlimited Plans' !! Hope they are not going to cut the speed of other plans due to this. I am on a 2 Mbps 4 GB limit plan, I can feel the speed is considerably low since 4 or 5 days. Hope it improves.
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 15:30	#39
harry10 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Faridabad/Delhi Posts: 2,712 Thanked: 3,622 Times View My Garage	Anyone from NCR experiencing this? Am still getting the same speed as usual.
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 15:36	#41
tsk1979 Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 23,717 Thanked: 22,817 Times View My Garage	Suman this throttling may be in trial phase so all users may not be affected. Once they perfect it, they are going to implement it for everybody. As long as they announce and inform users that they no longer give Pure unlimited plans its okay. But I expect they will do what they did in the days before TRAI told them to stop calling 64kbps broadband
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 16:10	#42
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,918 Thanked: 2,652 Times	Meri maano... switch to sarkaari, maaibaap broadband... thats BSNL. I think this is the only thing which the BSNL has managed to perfect in so many years. Its the smartest choice that I even made.
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 16:21	#43
Eddy Team-BHP Support Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Delhi Posts: 9,386 Thanked: 13,292 Times	My only worry with them is that they will present me with a huge bill, even if I am on an unlimited plan. Ala Sam.
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 16:58	#44
HappyWheels Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 4,106 Thanked: 537 Times	So, does the cost also come down, pro-rated to the period where we are offered a lower speed??? Ok, ok... guess I am asking for the impossible!
	() Thanks

19th February 2009, 17:16	#45
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,918 Thanked: 2,652 Times	Eddy, believe me, when I took the call to switch over to BSNL I was filled with trepidation. The excessive bills, no support and what not. However my earlier provider (Sify) had by then pissed me off so badly that I just wanted a switch at any cost. Airtel proved to be extremely sarkari in their approach (red tapism) which surprised me and then infuriated me after a while. They were just taking me for a ride all along. Then I took the call to spend a little and go for BSNL. Initial costs for BSNL were much higher than any other ISP. However today I can say that they are far better in every respect. They do not overbill, even if they used to earlier, plus of course I have now remote telnet scripts running to ensure that the modem switches off by itself at 2 in the morning and restarts. About support, what I have found is that 24x7 swagatham service (1500) works like a charm in sorting out the issues. And if you are not satisfies you keep lodging the problem with 1500 for consecutive days. Within 7 days a honcho calls you up to inquire about the problem and then the whole of BSNL staff gets going to sort out the issue no matter how big. Uh huh! BSNL is definitely changing... for the better.
	() Thanks