This PC World news feature came as a shock:
According to the revised “Fair Usage Policy” (FUP) for many regions where Airtel offers broadband service, a user on an unlimited data transfer plan avails the usual full speed until he reaches 40GB data transfer. Beyond this the transfer speed gets cut by a whopping 50 percent.
Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy can be obtained here. The different unlimited plans on the tariff section on Airtel’s Website have a link to the FUP.
Why a Fair Usage Policy?
A very small number of customers use an excessive amount of the network bandwidth, to the extent that it can impair the experience of others. The intent of Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy is to provide the optimum internet experience to all customers.What happens in Fair Usage Policy?
Under the policy we have defined fair usage levels for unlimited data transfer plans and needless to mention, the usage levels set are very generous such that most customers will not be affected by the Fair Usage Policy.On reaching the fair usage level, the plan speed would be rationalized by up to 50% for the rest of the monthly billing cycle. You would also be redirected to a page which will inform you that the speeds for the rest of the billing cycle month would be as per the Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy.
Please note that the speeds would be upgraded to the normal speeds at the start of the next billing cycle.
What’s the impact of Fair Usage Policy on data transfer limits?
We assure you that the data transfer limits remain unlimited and no change has been made in the same.
I called Airtel’s customer care (at 7:30 AM IST today, Case #65790515) to check, but the support executive didn’t have any information on the same, and said it might be hoax.