[RM Motorsports]

My local cable tv operator also provides internet service. I pay annual Rs. 3000 for internet with unlimited data. Daytime speed hovers around 15-20 mbps. However from 11 pm to 6 am, speed sometimes reach around 40 mbps. I'm very happy with the service & speed as it serves my purpose.

I always prefer local cable / internet providers, as and whenever there is any problem, one phone call and they are at your service within 1/2 hour. Best is during monsoon when other DTH / ISP go down, local cable / internet is always running.

I hate these big DTH / ISP providers as they are nuisance to deal with. My office Airtel broadband is down since a month & half but no one has yet turned up inspite of repeated complaints. Only answer is staff shortage due to COVID

[LonelyPlanet]

Originally Posted by diyguy

exactly the reason why i responded so others can take advantage of the new reduced pricing. This is something they introduced, i think, very recently. This is beneficial for a few folks like you and me who are stuck with legacy technology without access to fiber.

I too am stuck with 2 Mbps with Airtel and promptly moved to 499 plan.
Added ACT as the primary ISP now.

Never imagined that I will need a redundant internet line at home !!

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

Would there be a ISP, who can provide the internet for couple of months in an year and keep the connection suspended for the rest of the time?

I need a provider who can activate/deactivate with just say, couple of day's notice.

Please advise!

Is it couple of consecutive months or at various times during the year?
You can get Jiofiber if available. The cheapest plan is just 399 for 30Mbps and then 699 for 100Mbps. Both come with unlimited data. You simply recharge when needed. There is an installation fee and deposit if Rs 1500 total but currently you get first month free so you recoup some of it. Then you can use it by simply recharging on their app or website. No need to call anyone to activate or cancel. After about 4 months you can do a weekly recharge for 199 to make sure they don’t cancel your account. You can do this twice a year as needed.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by RM Motorsports

My local cable tv operator also provides internet service. I pay annual Rs. 3000 for internet with unlimited data. Daytime speed hovers around 15-20 mbps. I always prefer local cable / internet providers, as and whenever there is any problem, one phone call and they are at your service within 1/2 hour.

That is actually dirt cheap. I'm going to opt for the 50 mbps Rs 8k yearly plan from my local cable guy later this year. Agree with you on the advantage for opting for an ISP from a local provider.

[diyguy]

Originally Posted by LonelyPlanet

Never imagined that I will need a redundant internet line at home !!

My main is Hathway at 200Mbps and redundant is Airtel at 24Mbps. I had 3 days downtime in June with Hathway and that time I added Airtel for redundancy and tried to close my BSNL landline. Have not been able to close bsnl due to their bureaucracy but have stopped paying their monthly bill since July, as the line was not working anyway. Considering this, the airtel reliability and now lower price for copper broadband, it is a pretty lucrative redundant approach.

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by bejoy

Airtel looted me for a while

Spoke to the Airtel Area Manager; he mentioned that this 499 plan was introduced on 8-Sept and Airtel will be automatically downgrading everyone on the up to 40mbps plans to 499 and that this process may take 4-5 days.

[DCEite]

Originally Posted by RM Motorsports

My local cable tv operator also provides internet service. I pay annual Rs. 3000 for internet with unlimited data. Daytime speed hovers around 15-20 mbps. However from 11 pm to 6 am, speed sometimes reach around 40 mbps. I'm very happy with the service & speed as it serves my purpose.

I always prefer local cable / internet providers, as and whenever there is any problem, one phone call and they are at your service within 1/2 hour. Best is during monsoon when other DTH / ISP go down, local cable / internet is always running.

I hate these big DTH / ISP providers as they are nuisance to deal with. My office Airtel broadband is down since a month & half but no one has yet turned up inspite of repeated complaints. Only answer is staff shortage due to COVID

Originally Posted by PPS

That is actually dirt cheap. I'm going to opt for the 50 mbps Rs 8k yearly plan from my local cable guy later this year. Agree with you on the advantage for opting for an ISP from a local provider.

I have extensive experience of both Local internet providers and ISP like Airtel.

The local internet providers can be a nightmare to deal with if a fault arises. I have waited for 3-4 days without internet in the past waiting for the local internet provider to fix the issues.

On the other hand, Airtel BB has very less downtime and if at all, they are just a complaint away (which can be even done by Airtel app), and they have TAT of 1 day - usually within a few hours the technician visits and problem is rectified.

Will never ever recommend someone a local internet provider even if it comes cheaper then the bigger ISPs.

[m8002?]

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Spoke to the Airtel Area Manager; he mentioned that this 499 plan was introduced on 8-Sept and Airtel will be automatically downgrading everyone on the up to 40mbps plans to 499 and that this process may take 4-5 days.

In my case, I got an SMS from Airtel telling that there is no data limit anymore on my existing plan. They were continuing to show the old monthly charges.
So I filed a ticket to change to the 499 plan and it was changed.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by Lobogris

Is it couple of consecutive months or at various times during the year?
You can get Jiofiber if available. You simply recharge when needed. There is an installation fee and deposit if Rs 1500 total but currently you get first month free so you recoup some of it. Then you can use it by simply recharging on their app or website. No need to call anyone to activate or cancel. After about 4 months you can do a weekly recharge for 199 to make sure they don’t cancel your account. You can do this twice a year as needed.

It is 2 consecutive months in an year. I am based overseas and carry my work into India at max for couple of months in an year. As such, I want to activate the connection on my arrival within a day's notice and similarly deactivate the same within a day pursuant to my departure.

I am NOT keen on doing weekly recharges after my departure. If possible, can keep the connection suspended. Does the JIO prepaid plan allow the same OR this weekly recharge twice an year necessary?

[libranof1987]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

Would there be a ISP, who can provide the internet for couple of months in an year and keep the connection suspended for the rest of the time?

I need a provider who can activate/deactivate with just say, couple of day's notice.

Airtel has a safe custody feature on the broadbad. It's 500/three months and can be activated/de-activated at a moment's notice. But from what we've understood, we have to call Cust Care every three months to extend. Not sure about international dialing for Cust Care.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

I am NOT keen on doing weekly recharges after my departure. If possible, can keep the connection suspended.

Originally Posted by libranof1987

Airtel has a safe custody feature on the broadbad. It's 500/three months and can be activated/de-activated at a moment's notice. But from what we've understood, we have to call Cust Care every three months to extend. Not sure about international dialing for Cust Care.

Have Airtel broadband connection in our office & we have opted for the 'safe custody' feature for 3 months as nobody really is going to office. Did not even have to make a single phone call. Everything was done via Twitter through DMs.

[Lobogris]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

It is 2 consecutive months in an year. I am based overseas and carry my work into India at max for couple of months in an year. As such, I want to activate the connection on my arrival within a day's notice and similarly deactivate the same within a day pursuant to my departure.

I am NOT keen on doing weekly recharges after my departure. If possible, can keep the connection suspended. Does the JIO prepaid plan allow the same OR this weekly recharge twice an year necessary?

You have to decide if convenience is worth paying a few $ per year or not. If you get something like Jiofiber, you simply recharge it online and instantly it starts working. Then you can wait about 4 months and do an online recharge on their website or app. Just takes a few seconds and costs $3 twice a year. It doesn’t have to be done every week. All they require is some usage every 90 days but it can be pushed to 4 or 5 months of inactivity. If $6 per year, the cost of one trip to Starbucks, is too much for you to have this convenience then you will have to look for some local broadband provider and deal with installation and disconnecting hassles on each trip.

Originally Posted by PPS

Have Airtel broadband connection in our office & we have opted for the 'safe custody' feature for 3 months as nobody really is going to office. Did not even have to make a single phone call. Everything was done via Twitter through DMs.

Yes. However Airtel charges a fee of around Rs 300 to 500 per month for this “safe custody”. You don’t need to pay anything on prepaid options.

[motorworks]

So I moved to ACT a year back, has been a decent experience, renewed for another 6 months. I paid Rs. 8600 upfront, 650 GB, 150mbps, and I get one month free, so about Rs.1100 each for 7 months.

However, I have been a bit frustrated with having to retain my Airtel broadband purely for the sake of hanging on to intercom in my apartment society. So the lowest plan they have is around 499, I managed to get some discount and now I have a monthly net bill of Rs.480, but the fact is that I dont use the Airtel broadband and neither make calls in the landline phone. I know its not a big amount, but just feel its a sheer waste of money. Any workaround for this?

[hothatchaway]

Is there a number one can call to initiate subscription to the Jio fibre prepaid plan? There is a 'book now' button but cannot generate an otp to register my number.

This is in South Kolkata

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by mayankk

Airtel upgraded my plan from 40Mbps to 100 for free. 500Gb monthly with rollover.
The cost is the same as as my earlier plan, and the modem was replaced for free as well. Guys may want to check with customer care if you are eligible.

Still on Airtel, and was paying 299 additional on my 999 plan at 200mbps.
Now Airtel have made the 999 plan unlimited. Pretty cool, and never had any downtime.