Hi,I'm not an Indian citizen. I'm coming from abroad to live in Chennai on my gap year for about 6-8 months.I heard Airtel has the best 3g coverage in India. I was wondering if Airtel is the best network for Chennai and Tamil Nadu for using 3g on my phone?I normally go through about 2gb of data where I live. So can I get a similar plan in India?Also what's better and safer, postpaid or prepaid?I've read and heard stuff about people with prepaid waking up to find random things they didn't request being charged to their phone, does this happen on postpaid?Also what is the cheapest way to make calls within my own network?And why is it so hard to get a sim card in India? So many documents... -.- Sent from my HTC Desire using Tapatalk
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Thinking of getting Airtel in Chennai, is it worth it and what should I get?
- Thread starter sintaku
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Stupid terrorists made everyone's life harder. thats the reason for so many docs. i recommend Aircel instead of Airtel for chennai. its the oldest private operator in chennai. so it has better coverage in terms of 2g. 3g services are started by private operators very recently, so 3g coverage is all most same between operators. 3g in chennai is provided by Aircel, Airtel & Vodafone.
x720
Incoherent Poster
You do need to be careful with prepaid, just to make sure that your operator doesn't activate any value added service without your consent. That said, quite a few add on packs are cheaper on prepaid than on post paid. Its your call 🙂
About 3G, take your pick.
http://www.airtel.in/Airtel-3G/tariffs.html
http://bsnl.co.in/service/3G/3G_files/3g.htm
http://www.vodafone.in/3gworld/pages/3g_serivces.aspx?hc=5&cid=che
About 3G, take your pick.
http://www.airtel.in/Airtel-3G/tariffs.html
http://bsnl.co.in/service/3G/3G_files/3g.htm
http://www.vodafone.in/3gworld/pages/3g_serivces.aspx?hc=5&cid=che
Stupid terrorists made everyone's life harder. thats the reason for so many docs.
i recommend Aircel instead of Airtel for chennai. its the oldest private operator in chennai. so it has better coverage in terms of 2g. 3g services are started by private operators very recently, so 3g coverage is all most same between operators.
3g in chennai is provided by Aircel, Airtel & Vodafone.
I was reading that I needed proof of identity and proof of address, do I have to have different proofs or can I just use my passport for both?
Is 3g coverage pretty good? Because I don't plan to get any broadband, I was thinking of wirelessly tethering my phone for my laptop. Would that be ok, or is 3g pretty bad in coverage?
You do need to be careful with prepaid, just to make sure that your operator doesn't activate any value added service without your consent. That said, quite a few add on packs are cheaper on prepaid than on post paid. Its your call 🙂
So postpaid doesn't have value added services getting "accidentally" activated without my consent? Only thing I was worried about with postpaid is that there isn't an upper cap on the bill, I don't want to be in a situation where I get a bill for lakhs. 🙁
i recommend Aircel instead of Airtel for chennai. its the oldest private operator in chennai. so it has better coverage in terms of 2g. 3g services are started by private operators very recently, so 3g coverage is all most same between operators.
3g in chennai is provided by Aircel, Airtel & Vodafone.
I was reading that I needed proof of identity and proof of address, do I have to have different proofs or can I just use my passport for both?
Is 3g coverage pretty good? Because I don't plan to get any broadband, I was thinking of wirelessly tethering my phone for my laptop. Would that be ok, or is 3g pretty bad in coverage?
You do need to be careful with prepaid, just to make sure that your operator doesn't activate any value added service without your consent. That said, quite a few add on packs are cheaper on prepaid than on post paid. Its your call 🙂
So postpaid doesn't have value added services getting "accidentally" activated without my consent? Only thing I was worried about with postpaid is that there isn't an upper cap on the bill, I don't want to be in a situation where I get a bill for lakhs. 🙁
x720
Incoherent Poster
From my experience, the chances of that happening with a post paid connection are less. On postpaid, you can set a credit limit on your line, also, you could check your unbilled amount via ussd codes as and when the need arises.
Oh you can set a limit? Also can you stop a postpaid account, as and when you want to? Can a foreign national get a postpaid account?I don't mind paying a bit more money, its just I don't want to have run out of money on my prepaid and not be able to make a call. -.-
x720
Incoherent Poster
Yes, you can set a limit. Afaik, you can close an account anytime. About the foreign national thingy, you'll have to wait for someone else to answer that .
Passport in your case is only identity proof as the address mentioned in your pp is not in India.If you are living in a daily rental lodge , get your deposit receipt+ letter in their letter head with their phone no as your address proof.If you are staying in weekly/monthly style lodge or furnished apartment, the receipt is enough as a local address proof.If you are staying with a freind or a non commercial place, try to get the prepaid sim in their name if they oblige.In chennai with normal id and address proof , you can geta pre paid sim in street. but in your case go to Aircel office ( spencer's building -mount road) or Airtel or vodafone office and try your luck.if you geta pre paidsim , put a small gprs or 3G pack and check signal and take it from there.India has tougher rules than most countries I have gone to get local sim!!An Indian from say Mumbai with a mumbai driver liecence / tax id etc has to go thro the same procedure like yours to get a local sim in chennai.Singapore - just passport . Hong kong pre paid- no need to show any proof !!!!!china prepaid- no need of proof.UK also cheap phone+with 20 pound talk time no need to show any ID proof.
Yup. I never even proved my address to get postpaid in the UK.
Well, but India is a ton cheaper than the UK for calls and stuff anyway.
India is one of the cheapest in the world for mobile voice calls.
there area countries still charging for incoming. In India with in the state incoming free other wise chargeable.
data cost not that cheap but still on a pre paid basis with out contract not too bad.
Well, but India is a ton cheaper than the UK for calls and stuff anyway.
India is one of the cheapest in the world for mobile voice calls.
there area countries still charging for incoming. In India with in the state incoming free other wise chargeable.
data cost not that cheap but still on a pre paid basis with out contract not too bad.
