Airtel cuts international roaming data charges by 99%

The company also plans to launch a $45 medium duration pack with 10 days validity by middle of October 2016

Bharti Airtel on Wednesday launched international roaming packs, offering free incoming calls, free calling minutes and texts to India. The roaming packs also come bundled with data.

Airtel said the data rates for international roaming have been effectively reduced by 99 per cent, as it would now be charging Rs 3 per MB, down from Rs 650 per MB earlier.

The roaming packs come with a two different validity periods — a day and 30 days.

The one-day pack was designed for short trips. For Rs 649 (about $10), customers would get free incoming calls, free texts to India and 100 free minutes, as well as 300 MB of data.

After the pack was exhausted, data will be charged at Rs 3 per MB, calls to India at Rs 3 per minute and local outgoing calls at Rs 3 per minute.
 

The 30 days pack offers connectivity through long duration trips for Rs 4999 (appx. $75) and is loaded with data and India calling benefits. Apart from free incoming calls and texts, the pack is offering 3 GB of data, 400 free minutes to India. The post pack rates are similar to one-day pack.
 

Airtel said with the holiday season around the corner, it plans to launch a $45 medium duration pack with 10 days validity by middle of October 2016.

“The number of Indians traveling overseas for leisure and business is growing rapidly and our new IR packs ensure that customers get no bill shocks and have the convenience of always keeping their phones switched on, wherever they are,” Ajai Puri, Director – Operations (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel said.