Airtel Launches New International Roaming Packs; Offers Free Incoming Calls

Bharti Airtel on Wednesday announced its new international roaming (IR) packs. The new international roaming packs will offer bundles of data, free India calling minutes, free messages, and free incoming calls. Airtel's new international packs will come with options of one day and 30 days validity.

The company will also announce 10 days pack by mid-October. One of the highlight features of the new international packs is it can be activated through the Airtel website, myAirtel app as well as customer contact centres. Airtel prepaid and postpaid customers can activate the new international roaming packs at any time and pay only when actually used. The packs are available for US and Canada, Singapore, UK, and the UAE.

In the US, Canada, UK, and the UAE, the one-day international pack will cost Rs. 649 (also being referred to as a $10 pack). Unfortunately, the company has not announced rates for the 10-day pack as of now, but said it plans to launch them around around $45 (roughly Rs. 3,000).

Airtel's 30-day international pack for the US, the UK, and Canada costs Rs. 4,999, and offers 3GB data alongside unlimited incoming calls. It also offers 400 minutes of 'free' calls to India and unlimited texts to India. Consumers will have to pay Rs. 3 per MB post pack data charge while all calls to India and within local destinations will be charged at Rs. 3 per minute post the 'free' minutes.

The 30-day international pack for the UAE costs Rs. 3,999, and is identical to the US, UK, and Canada pack, with one major difference - outgoing calls to India and within the local destination will cost Rs. 10 per minute once the 'free' minutes expire.

The one-day international pack for the US, Canada, UK, will offer 300MB data alongside unlimited incoming calls and 100 minutes of India calling, and unlimited texts to India. Consumers will have to pay Rs. 3 per MB post pack data charge while all calls to India and within local destinations will be charged at Rs. 3 per minute post the 'free' minutes.

In the UAE, the one-day international pack is nearly identical to the US, UK, and Canada, however, just like the 30-day pack, outgoing calls to India and within the local destination will cost Rs. 10 per minute once the 'free' minutes expire.

As for Singapore, the 30-day international pack will cost Rs. 2,499. Users will get 3GB data alongside unlimited incoming calls. Just like other 30-day packs, users will get also offers 400 'free' minutes calling to India, and unlimited texts to India. Consumers will have to pay Rs. 3 per MB post pack data charge while all calls to India and within local destinations will be charged at Rs. 3 per minute post the 'free' minutes.

The one-day international pack for Singapore costs Rs. 499, and offers 300MB data alongside unlimited incoming calls and 100 minutes of India calling, and unlimited texts to India. Consumers will have to pay Rs. 3 per MB post pack data charge while all calls to India and within local destinations will be charged at Rs. 3 per minute post the 'free' minutes.

Commenting on the new international roaming plans, Ajai Puri, Director - Operations (India & South Asia), Bharti Airtel said, "The new roaming packs are in line with our commitment to provide our customers a seamless international roaming experience and great value. The number of Indians traveling overseas for leisure and business is growing rapidly and our new IR packs ensure that customers get no bill shocks and have the convenience of always keeping their phones switched on, wherever they are."