Beware - Airtel's Unlimited Internet Plan includes Unlimited Nagging



Airtel offers Unlimited Internet Plans at different prices across India. As with other Internet Service Providers, "unlimited" means you will get the service at a specified speed till you reach a particular bandwidth limit (10GB in the plan I opted for).  Upon completion of consumption of that built-in limit, the Internet speed is revised as per a previously agreed bill plan till the end of the current bill cycle.

Misusing a TRAI directive (that states 'service operator should provide alert to the customer at the time of login to the network when his usage reaches 80% of the data usage limit bundled with the plan and to ensure that such alert shall be provided at each login after data usage crosses the said limit of 80%') Airtel presents a nagging ad to 'purchase additional at your original "high speed"' and if you don't opt for it you have to fill a pesky CAPTCHA each time you restart your Internet connection (or just close the window every time it appears). Does TRAI approve of the ad & the stupid CAPTCHA?

This highly annoying "alert" obviously seems to be designed to discourage subscribers from consuming more than the "high speed" bandwidth data limit. In that case, the plan is not truly "unlimited". Why mislead & annoy customers? And why does TRAI ask service providers that a alert be provided AT EACH LOGIN after data usage crosses the said limit of 80%? Isn't reminding gently once or twice enough?

Related: Low bandwidth? Try mobile version of popular websites on PC/laptop

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