Many Airtel users are questioning the “unlimited” nature of the company’s 5G offering. While touted as a truly unlimited service, numerous reports from users on platforms like Reddit and Twitter, along with personal tests, suggest that the unlimited 5G might have undisclosed limitations. This article delves into the user experience and the truth behind Airtel’s 5G promise.
The Promise of Unlimited 5G
Traditionally, mobile data plans come with a daily or monthly gigabyte limit, after which speeds are throttled. However, “unlimited 5G” implies that in areas with 5G connectivity, data usage would be limitless at high speeds. This is a competitive offering, similar to what other network providers offer, aimed at retaining subscribers.
User Complaints and Initial Findings
Despite the “unlimited” claim, a significant number of Airtel users have reported receiving messages indicating that their data limit has been reached, even when on a 5G network. This has led to frustration and accusations of misleading advertising.
Initial tests conducted showed that even with 5G connectivity, data usage was capped, and the internet stopped working after a certain amount of consumption. The Airtel application itself showed “5G Data Top Up Unlimited,” yet the service ceased.
Uncovering the Hidden Terms
Further investigation into Airtel’s website and terms and conditions reveals some crucial details:
- Commercial Use Clause: Airtel’s terms state that the unlimited data offer is for “personal use” and not for “commercial purposes.” The company reserves the right to modify the service if commercial use is detected.
- Hotspot Clause: The terms also mention that “sharing of data where customer activated unlimited data shall not be allowed via hotspot.” However, extensive testing contradicted this, as significant data was used through hotspot without immediate restrictions.
- The 300GB Threshold: A deeper dive into the fine print within the Airtel application’s terms and conditions for yearly or monthly plans reveals a critical detail: if a user crosses 300GB of data usage, it will be considered “commercial use.” This effectively acts as a soft cap on the “unlimited” offering.
Testing the Limits: Hotspot and High Usage
Contrary to the hotspot restriction mentioned in the terms, tests demonstrated successful and substantial data usage via hotspot, with one instance showing 35GB used in a single day and another recording 145GB. Overall monthly hotspot usage was also observed to exceed 281GB.
Furthermore, the 300GB presumed limit was also surpassed, with total data usage (including mobile internet and hotspot) reaching over 343GB. This suggests that while there might be a soft cap, it doesn’t always strictly enforce at 300GB, and users can sometimes exceed it before encountering issues.
However, inconsistent behavior was observed, where data limits were reached even below 300GB, and at times, after restarting the phone, the 5G service would resume. There’s also ambiguity regarding whether the phone switches to 4G in the background, consuming the limited 4G data, even when 5G is displayed.
The Call for Clarity
The situation highlights a lack of transparency from Airtel. While 300GB is a substantial amount of data for most individual users, the term “unlimited” is inherently misleading if such a cap exists. Airtel’s marketing heavily relies on the “unlimited” tag, and users who recharge through third-party apps might not even see the detailed terms and conditions outlining these limitations.
There is a clear need for Airtel to provide clearer communication regarding its 5G unlimited data policy. Explicitly mentioning any fair usage policy or data caps directly alongside the “unlimited” claim would help build trust and prevent user frustration. The inconsistent application of these limits also points to potential network or system issues that need to be addressed.