Several players, including MTNL, Airtel, Idea Cellular and Aircel have launched new and cheaper 3G data plans aiming for the heavy users.
The cheapest 3G plans are from MTNL, followed by the private players such as Aircel and Airtel.
MTNL Mumbai offers unlimited 3G for just Rs 1,250 per month. MTNL Delhi offers 1 GB for Rs 22.50 if you are willing to pay for 200 GB at one go. In other words, if you make a payment of Rs 4,500, you get 200 GB of data, which you can use at any time over the next six months.
The plan is by far the cheapest on offer anywhere in India from any company. For example, according to it, 5 GB will cost only Rs 112.5 and 10 GB will come for Rs 225.
However, if your usage is less, you may opt for the Rs 5000 yearly plan that gives 100 GB of data. In effect, you will be paying about Rs 420 per month.
What is more, MTNL's SIM cards can be used anywhere in India as it has a free data roaming agreement with BSNL. MTNL also offers 1 GB for Rs 76. The data, however, has to be used within a week.
The next cheapest plans are from Aircel. Aircel is offering 5 GB for Rs 697 and 10 GB for Rs 997. In addition, these two plans are unlimited -- you can continue to browse at 128 kbps (2G speed) even after you have crossed the data limit, during the validity period of one month.
The third cheapest 3G plans are from BSNL. It is offering 5 GB for Rs 750 per month and 10 GB for Rs 1,100 per month.
The fourth cheapest plans are from Reliance Communications. However, these bulk plans can only be availed of on the company's USB stick, not on 3G-enabled mobile phones. Reliance is offering 5 GB at Rs 800 and 10 GB at Rs 1,100. However, like Aircel's, these plans are also 'unlimited', though the speed will reduce drastically after you cross the limit. Reliance also offers 15 GB for Rs 1,300 per month.
The fifth cheapest plans are from Airtel and Idea Cellular.
[Click on chart below for details]
Airtel and Idea are offering 4 GB for Rs 750 and 10 GB of 3G data for Rs 1250 per month.
Idea also has a 6 GB 3G data plan costing Rs 850 per month. If you pay Rs 100 more (total Rs 950), you can get 6 GB of 3G data plus unlimited 2G-speed data for one-month on Idea too.
The most expensive 3G data plans continue to be offered by Vodafone and Tata DoCoMo. Both are offering about half the amount of data that the above operators are offering, for the same amounts.
For example, Vodafone offers 3 GB for Rs 850, while Tata DoCoMo offers 2 GB for Rs 750 per month. However, on the USB-dongle, Tata DoCoMo offers 5 GB for Rs 850.
MORE DETAILS:
MTNL has NOT put an '*' on the scheme details, which seems to indicate that the plans are actually unlimited, unlike the 'fast-till-you-hit-10-GB' plans launched by private operators. It has not specified any 'fair usage limits' either.
In addition, MTNL's 16.66 GB for Rs 850 plan is actually a 100 GB for 6 months plan. In other words, depending on the fine-print, it will almost certainly be possible to carry over unused 3G data in a month to the next one. In other words, you may be able to use as much as 75 GB in one month and compensate for it by using only 5 GB for the next five months.
However, there are two down-sides to MTNL's offers:
1) MTNL's 3G network supports only a maximum speed of 3.6 Mbps (and the speed cap may be carried over to BSNL roaming as well.) On-the-ground rates are 1-2 Mbps in Delhi. Besides, BSNL's 3G network is not the best in many places.
2) To avail of the Delhi plan of 100 GB for 6 months, customers will have to pay for six months in advance. In other words, they have to do an easy recharge of Rs 4,999 to get 100 GB of 3G data for the next 6 months. To avail of the Rs 1,250 per month unlimited-3G-data plan on Mumbai SIMs, users will have to pay for two months at once. In other words, they have to make an easy recharge of Rs 2,500 to get unlimited data for the next 2 months.
