In India, telecom companies are marketing 5G as free, but in reality, users have to purchase large data plans to experience 5G. In Airtel and Jio, 5G benefits are available only with plans offering 2GB or more daily data, whereas Vi provides unlimited 5G facility even to its 1GB plan users.
Free 5G Plan: In India, telecom companies like Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) are marketing 5G as free, but in reality, users are compelled to buy larger data plans for the 5G experience. In Airtel and Jio, 5G benefits are only available with plans that offer 2GB or more daily data, while Vi extends the advantage of unlimited 5G to its users on 1GB and 1.5GB daily data plans as well. This situation is due to the still limited 5G coverage in India and the plan structures of the companies.
Additional Payment Required for 5G Speed
In India, telecom companies are promoting 5G as free, but in reality, users have to purchase higher data plans for the 5G experience. Companies like Airtel and Jio offer 5G benefits only with plans that provide 2GB or more daily data. This means that users with smaller data plans are not receiving the advantage of 5G speeds.
Users of Reliance Jio, Airtel, and Vodafone Idea (Vi) have been informed that there might be a capping on Unlimited 5G Data. The 5G data limit for Airtel and Vi is 300GB, whereas no such limit has been specified for Jio's prepaid users.
Why Haven't Companies Launched 5G Plans Yet?
Telecom companies are still engaged in expanding 5G coverage. This is why no company has launched dedicated 5G special plans. Currently, 5G is being offered as an additional benefit with 4G plans.
Experts suggest that a widespread expansion of 5G coverage in India might require waiting until at least 2027. In many areas, indoor coverage is not good, leading users to face issues like call drops and connectivity problems.
Which Users Are Affected?
Users who have purchased 1GB or 1.5GB daily data plans cannot avail the benefits of Unlimited 5G on Airtel and Jio. In contrast, Vodafone Idea (Vi) is offering unlimited 5G data to its users even on 1GB and 1.5GB plans.
This implies that the claim of "Free 5G" is only true for users purchasing larger data plans, while users with smaller data plans might have to pay extra.
The 5G experience in India is not yet entirely free or unlimited. Telecom companies are only providing 5G benefits to users who purchase large data plans, and coverage expansion is still in progress. It is essential for users to choose the right option by considering their data plan and coverage.
