Airtel is the leading telecom provider in India with millions of users. While the telco has been bringing about various changes in its offerings, little had been done in the international roaming space. But that changes now!
Airtel, on Wednesday, announced that it has revised its international roaming plans and services for its customers travelling abroad. While the new plans are certainly a welcoming change, Airtel has made some thoughtful changes that help its post-paid and prepaid international roaming customers in a big way.
To recall, the change comes three weeks after a complaint from an International Business Times staffer was raised with Airtel on the exorbitant international roaming bills. This quickly escalated as others raised similar concerns. But Airtel's prompt action in providing the much-needed solution for its international roaming customers is praiseworthy.
?Hello @Airtel_Presence!?
— Danish Manzoor | ದಾನಿಷ್ (@TellDM) February 5, 2020
Can you please stop defrauding me every time I travel international?
It’s just getting too tiring now.
Despite an International Pack, you need to stop over-billing me by disregard your own pack. Every single time.
Find someone else. Getting old⚠️
Airtel's revised international roaming services
"International travellers from India are growing at a rapid pace, a sizable number of them are first time travellers who come from tier 2 & tier 3 cities and have very unique needs from international travel. In addition, the needs of regular business and leisure travellers are also evolving continuously. Therefore, Airtel leveraged technology and digital platforms to develop innovative new features and products that cater to the emerging needs of different types of travellers," Airtel said in a release.
With the new changes, Airtel customers can track their data in real-time on international roaming, avoid ending up with high bills and more. Check out the full details below:
Real-time tracking: Airtel customers must download Airtel Thanks app to track their international roaming pack usage in real-time. This works for both prepaid and post-paid customers.
An end to exorbitant bills: This is a major step in the right direction. Airtel will cut off the data services as soon as the limit provided in the international roaming pack is exhausted to prevent over-usage and unwanted charges. Customers can opt for a top-up from within the Airtel Thank app to continue data services.
One-touch magic: If you wish to disable international roaming services, it is now possible with a single click through Airtel Thanks app.
Pre-booking packs: Customers can also pre-book international roaming pack up to 30 days prior to the travel dates. This feature was available to post-paid customers, but it comes to prepaid customers as well.
One plan, 82 countries: Airtel's new global pack now covers 82 countries for seamless travels.
Airtel's new international roaming plans
Airtel prepaid customers can choose from two global packs, priced at Rs 1,199 and Rs 799. Both plans come with 30 days validity, unlimited incoming SMS and 100 minutes of incoming and outgoing calls to India and host country. The Rs 1,199 plan additionally offers 1GB data.
Airtel is also working on a new plan that is catered towards heavy users. For Rs 4,999, Airtel post-paid and prepaid customers will get 1GB data per day, unlimited incoming calls, 500 minutes of outgoing calls to India and host country, and unlimited incoming SMS for a period of 10 days.
