Airtel customers to get 5G at existing rates in 8 cities initially

Airtel on Thursday said its customers across eight cities will get access to the new 5G Plus services at existing rates until the roll-out is more widespread. The announcement follows Reliance Jio’s recent promise that customers will get 5G at affordable rates.

The new bouquet of services went live in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur, and Varanasi on Thursday.

Apart from Airtel’s entire portfolio of services, it will allow superfast access to high-definition video streaming, gaming, multiple chatting, instant uploading of photos, among other features.

In an important clarification, the company said customers need not change their subscriber identity modules (SIMs) since existing Airtel 4G SIMs are 5G-enabled.

Customers in these cities will start enjoying the service in a phased manner as the company continues to construct its network and complete the roll-out.

“Customers who have 5G smartphones will enjoy the high-speed Airtel 5G Plus on their existing data plans until the roll-out is more widespread,” the company said in a release. The company plans to cover the whole of urban India in 2023, and reach nationwide coverage by March 2024.

The company stressed that the 5G Plus service has a list of compelling advantages for customers. It runs on a technology that has the widest acceptance in the world with the most developed ecosystem. “This ensures that all 5G smartphones in India seamlessly work on the Airtel network,” the company said.

The company also announced that data speeds after the 5G roll-out will be between 20 and 30 times faster than earlier.

It has also promised super-fast call connect, along with a much better voice experience. The 5G Plus network will also be kinder to the environment with its special power reduction solution. The company said 5G Plus revolutionises education, health care, manufacturing, agriculture, mobility, and logistics.

The Indian economy is expected to rake in $455 billion between 2023 and 2040 as a direct result of 5G, according to the GSM Association — the global industry association representing over 750 mobile network operators.

Establishing Connection

• New bouquet of services went live in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Siliguri, Nagpur and Varanasi
• Customers in these cities will start enjoying the service in a phased manner
• Plan is to cover the entirety of urban India in 2023, and cover the entire country by March 2024
• Firm stressed that the 5G Plus service runs on a technology that has the widest acceptance in the world with the most developed ecosystem
• $455 billion amount Indian economy is expected to rake in between 2023 and 2040 as a direct result of 5G