Airtel Data Card

Mac Sami

A search on these forums has answered some of my questions, but I still need clarification.

If I am in India for 1 month and want to access the internet with my laptop, I believe I need:

1. Airtel Data Card
2. Airtel SIM Card

http://www.airtelworld.com/datacard/tariffs.htm talks about various tariff plans - are they daily, monthly, what's the minimum contract etc? I have struggled to find any useful information on their web site.

I have relatives in India who can purchase the necessary equipment for me in time for when I arrive - but I want to make sure I purchase the correct equipment.

Any advice much appreciated.

Thanks.

amyl

Data card??!! u mean Cord!

well I have used IR and Bluetooth to access the Internet using my handset.

and as I remember its very easy these days to get internet access using ur handset. Just send an activation sms - u will be charged with some nominal activation charges and then some will be deducted EVERY DAY until u deactivate the service with another sms. Not sure if they are charging per 10KB data transfer as Hutch did for me a year back.

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Mac Sami

Umm, no. I mean Data Card. Please see:

http://www.airtelworld.com/datacard

I have made no mention of wanting or intending to use a handset. As my original post says, I want to use a data card, and I believe the Airtel data card requires a sim card to be put in it (i.e. an Airtel sim card), to be able to allow my laptop access to the internet.

My questions again:
If I am in India for 1 month and want to access the internet with my laptop, I believe I need:

1. Airtel Data Card
2. Airtel SIM Card

http://www.airtelworld.com/datacard/tariffs.htm talks about various tariff plans - are they daily, monthly, what's the minimum contract etc? I have struggled to find any useful information on their web site.

amyl

oh...data cord...thats a new thing...for me!

Might be interesting to work with if the speed is any better than the normal handset access I get. Wud try it next time. Am sick of that dial up anyways.
I was talking about an alternative way of accessing the internet using a handset with bluetooth and an Airtel/* SIM.

boundlesstraveler

Mac Sami- Thanks for bringing this question up! I have looked into this option as well, but have not figured out what to use. Nor have I figured out what plan would be the best. So I'm looking forward to replies to this post (and adding a few questions of my own)!

What would be the best chocie- Airtel or Reliance?

Is there any Data Cards for newer laptop models that has the Express card slot instead of the PCMCIA slot?

Computer people...

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Mac Sami

This isn't an option for us, but thanks anyway.

I know the Airtel data card + Airtel sim will work - just there seems to be very little information with regards to the tarriffs i.e. are they monthly / daily etc, is there a minimum contract period etc?

pundabee

Airtel's homepage isn't exactly precise. In order to use the data card you probably need to sign up for a postpaid 6 or 12 month contract (and you need a permanent address in India etc.).

It is understandable that you would want a data card (it is easier than having to plug a cable into a phone), but I think you will find it complicated to actually get one.

When we where in India we had varied experiences with Airtel offices. In Kochi, Kerala, everything went smoothly. We got a prepaid Airtel SIM from Hutch without any problem (providing photos, passport copy and the address of our hotel). We then went to the Airtel office and got unlimited Internet access for Rs. 250 a month. Unfortunately, Airtel in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, were completely inflexible when we had to renew the Internet connection a month later. They demanded proof of residence.

What you could consider is to buy a data card in the UK (can be had relatively cheaply on Ebay), get a prepaid Airtel SIM in India, get an Airtel unlimited Internet connection for your prepaid SIM at an Airtel office (if this is still available), and use your SIM in your data card (disclaimer: I don't know if this will actually work, but can't see why not).

It will save you the hassle of convincing Airtel that you qualify for buying a data card.

By the way, maybe you could explain why using a phone and a lead isn't possible? For the price of a data card you can actually buy a new, unlocked phone with Bluetooth and a data port.

abfab

I've just bought an Airtel datacard for my laptop in India yesterday, and am up and running!

The Airtel datacard cost me 5000Rs.

I was told by the airtel salesman that I had to buy a datacard in order to be able to use their data services and that I couldn't use a mobile with a data cable.

I think might have been wrong however, as I've received a couple of SMS on my Airtel pre-pay mobile offering me GPRS services. I decided to buy a datacard anyhow though as it was much simpler, and it wasn't clear what the cost of GPRS via a pre-payed sim was.

The monthly tariff options ofered to me with the datacard, where 399Rs for 500mb, 599Rs for 1000mb, and 999Rs for unlimited data per month.

I asked several times about the minimum term for a contract, and was assured each time that there was no minimum term, and if i required, I could cancel in writing anytime after 1 month.

I am guessing that the main obsticle for a tourist hoping to get a datacard will be meeting the requirements for identification.

As the account is post-paid only, you will need a proper verifyable Indian address for them to send the monthly bills to in order to be able to sign up.

They apparantly send someone to the address you give on the application within 5 days to speak to you to confirm the address, and they will cancel the sim card if you are not there.

The sales guy actually came to my address to collect payment and deliver the card in person, as the verification.

One big advantage of Airtel over Reliance is apparantly that, as the Airtel datacard is GSM and takes a Sim, if you cancel the account, you can reactivate it next time you visit India by buying another data-sim from Airtel.

The Reliance card is CDMA, so it has no Sim, and if you cancel it, then you will need to buy a whole new datacard to reconnect!

gautam

Does this mean that i can use a airtel data card & combine it with tata indicom SIM or for that sake any other companies SIM ??

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sunilg

Hi,

Last year, we did an all-india ride on 2-wheels (www.xbhp.com/gir/blog) and we used Reliance Data card to update our blogs and the website. I must say that we never had to face any connectivity problem ANYWHERE except Jammu & Kashmir state. We had uninterrupted net connectivity throughout without any problems whatsoever even in states like Bihar, Jharkhand, and Orrisa which are considered technologically not-so-advanced. It was working fine even in Sikkim.

Speed was awesome in smaller centers, though in big cities like Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai it was a little slower due to congestion.

Reliance data card costs around 4500 INR and has several different tariff plans, ranging from 400 INR to 1500 INR (unlimited); and you get several free SMS and free talktime too depending upon the plan you buy, so you won't have to buy a cellphone.

but as already pointed out by Abfab, being a foreigner, getting a Reliance data card might be a tricky affair for you. Try getting it on the name of someone you know (or your relative, if any) in India.

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abfab

I asked the salesman if the Airtel datacard was locked, but he couldn't understand the question no matter how I phrased it!

However I've been told by other sources that apparantly, all the Indian datacards (and phones) come locked to their suppliers network, so I don't think you could use a Tata Indicom sim in an Airtel datacard.

Anders

The salesman was wrong. I have used GPRS service on a Airtel prepaid SIM in a mobile with a data cable to the laptop.

amyl

Such GPRS service easily available and activated in just over a min on any prepaid card is what I would prefer than going for an expensive data card...well of course if data card is giving a higher bandwidth than GPRS and I am on high data transfer I would think of the card.


Sometimes these customer service ppl are a real nuisance. What irks me more is under a single roof I get different answers from different ppl on tables.

and then u will have an all together different response on the tollfree helpline.

tmcat

I agreed. I was in Delhi in Feb for 2 weeks. Bought Reliance Data card and subscribed 650 Rs monthly plan. The connection was awesome. Once I even did MSN with friends on a moving car! Incredible India!

The painful part is to get into 'right' queue and get the right sales person. Also, need a local name/ address to start the plan.

Mac Sami

Firstly, thanks for your response. It's the first straight answer I've have!

I feel a data card will be easier, as it can be left plugged in, and there is no messing around with phones. We don't have a bluetooth phone, otherwise that would have been a feasible option.

From what you've said, the best option would be to get:
1. A UK data card (say off eBay or wherever), and
2. An Airtel prepaid SIM card, with unlimited internet access for Rs 250.

Can I just confirm that the SIM card can be purchased for just one month? We have relatives in India who can purchase the SIM card, as they will have proof of residence etc, so that isn't a problem.

Many thanks for your help!