Airtel 4G-LTE - review and some tips (Bengaluru/Dongle/Linux)

Airtel has introduced 4G-LTE services in 4 cities as of now:

• Bengaluru (Bangalore)
• Kolkata
• Pune
• Chandigarh

NOTE: Although I describe the known options, my usage review pertains to Bengaluru + USB Dongle + Linux Ubuntu 12.04 OS.

Devices:

• Desktop router, which can serve up to 10 simultaneous users (5 users tested fine on the demo piece), and you can also plug in a phone;
• USB Dongle (Huawei) SIM based, has data storage. (Note: it's the straight type, not flip, and 1 inch wide, so the neighboring port(s) will be inaccessible).

Cost:

• Desktop router is INR 4999;
• USB dongle is INR 2499.

Billing plans (postpaid):

• Unlimited 4G - 6/8/9/18/30/50 GB per month for 950/1250/1399/1999/2999/4799 INR respectively per month.
• Advance rental - 3/6/9/18/30/50 GB per month for 5999/6999/7999/9999/13999/23999 INR respectively for 6 months; USB dongle free with this.
• After monthly limit exhausts speed drops to 128 kbps, no rollover for unused bandwidth.

Technology: EDGE/GPRS.

Speed:

• Maximum claimed 20 Mbps, seen 19 Mbps (download throughput up to 2 Mbps);
• Average claimed 10 Mbps, seen 8 Mbps (download throughput up to 1 Mbps);
• Average signal strength seen 60% to 80%;
• Cross country automatic switch-over to next highest speed available in non-4G areas (not tested yet).

OS: Available for both Windows and Linux. Installer and dialer included for both.

Notes:

• During 1 month of running, dongle being on almost round the clock, there was only one downtime of just few minutes.
• The dongle heats up slightly by the end of the day.
• I setup a WiFi hotspot on my laptop (with Linux Ubuntu 12.04) and was able to serve up to 5 users at same speed within a 2-floor, 2400 sqft house.
• On Linux Ubuntu (12.04) some strange conflict is there with Tata Photon+ which is recognized only occasionally after installing Airtel 4G-LTE. The support executive suggested to uninstall Photon device before installing this (on both Windows and Linux) as the devices (Airtel, Photon) are both Huawei. Also, sometimes the dialer would not start, when executed after system restart. Peculiar workaround is to open terminal and CD to the device folder (/media/airtel) and suddenly the dialer would come up :-?
• Another strange behavior - if user who initiated the connection is logged out (or switched), hotspot needs to be turned on, or the other user will not get the connection. (I login with personal user, who is administrator, connect and switch to another user, who is the working user).

I am quite satisfied with this service as of now and recommend it. Will keep posting updates. Queries are welcome.

Disclaimer: I am only a user and not associated with Airtel or any of its agents.

Thanks for sharing this fantastic review.

I am in Delhi and I cant wait to get my hands on a 4G connection but those prices need to come down really. I hope Reliance JIO takes the lead to cut down prices which going by their mobile services venture back in the 90's looks like they would bring the prices down for everything. It was Reliance back then who got a mobile phone in every hand or every hand that wanted a mobile phone

Airtel is charging about Rs100 per GB which is a lot of money per GB. I would love to see that come down to about Rs10 for providers with good networks and Rs5per GB for the ones who dont have very good networks RIL must launch asap

Yes price is too much for now ,

currently i am with Tokina (wired wifi) and paying approx 15 per gb at 4mbps with good service
and MTNL (2mbps with no speed cap :P )



100 per gb is to much for now ...... waiting for other companies to launch and make price fair for users with their competitions

IMPORTANT!
INSTALLER SECURITY ISSUE in LINUX

I just read this thread no: 42791 on this forum only


and realized that the 4G-LTE dialer installer leaves behind a security hole by putting the NOPASSWD for ALL option in sudoers. This is a lazy hack to bypass security while installation, and possibly for regular run too. Like Nick_H says on his thread, this chap who seems to be from Huawei, and not Reliance or Airtel, is at fault.

So, after installing on Linux be sure to edit /etc/sudoers and comment out any line(s) having
ALL ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD:ALL

Edit using
sudo visudo

Nice review itssri... What marks would you give out of 10 for Airtel 4G service?

What does it mean when you put in brackets (Bengaluru/Dongle/Linux)?

He means to say he used this at Bangalore using a dongle to connect on a Linux OS computer.

Originally Posted by Tubelight

Nice review itssri... What marks would you give out of 10 for Airtel 4G service?

Would be between 7 and 8. Minus marks for cost per GB, minor issues with dialer and security issue.

Originally Posted by Neetu800

What does it mean when you put in brackets (Bengaluru/Dongle/Linux)?

Yes, like OneManArmy explained

This is off-topic but I will clear your curiosity. I put it that way so that maximum key words are exposed in the title. Such titles help people searching for info to zero down to specific topics as well as the general topics. So people searching for any one or combination of the words - airtel, 4g, lte, review, tips, bengaluru, dongle, linux - will know from the title that this post has info related to all those words.

Speed looks very good but the prices are way too high. I dont think there would be many takers at that price.

I want one of these connections please. Any discount for people below poverty line? Unfortunately I cannot afford to pay such extortionate prices. Hopefully one day these prices would come down or may be RIL will launch with a lot better price.

@Voodoogirl
Try some voodoo on Airtel's management so they bring the prices down under your spell

Originally Posted by OneManArmy

He means to say he used this at Bangalore using a dongle to connect on a Linux OS computer.

Thanks!

The rates are quite high! But then if the service is good and the speeds as mentioned then those who can afford it will obviously pay that amount!

Do we have time based plans ? what about prepaid tariff? ......Airtel does not have 4g license in AP, only reliance & aircel .....

@Time based plans

I was wishing for that aswell. If I get an hours time on 21mbps Thats going to be wonderful lol

Originally Posted by Admin

@Time based plans

I was wishing for that aswell. If I get an hours time on 21mbps Thats going to be wonderful lol

Yep, we can easily download 4-5 GB ......today i managed to download 1.5GB in 30minutes on airtel 9rs/30min plan......

Are there any prepaid plans as well, or is it just post paid?

Ive heard that Airtel 4G hasnt done that well....may it be because of the tariff rates? But even still the tariffs have been reduced, what about the general service and speeds?

Originally Posted by Tubelight

Are there any prepaid plans as well, or is it just post paid?

I had occasion to talk to the customer service yesterday to inquire about billing cycle. Here's the additional info I gathered. Again, this pertains to Bengaluru area.
1. The (postpaid) billing cycle is common to all subscribers - 5th to 4th of succeeding month. Subscriptions starting on other days are billed prorata for the first partial month ending on 4th of succeeding month.
2. They do have prepaid offers which are same as postpaid, but prepaid SIMs are not available at the moment.
3. They do have plans to roll out the service to additional locations but no information is available currently.

You can find general information and latest offers at airtel dot in slash 4g (admin/moderator: please put this as proper link as I still cannot post link).

Thanks for the info itssri! Think the prepaid sims make take some time then, unless another isp comes in first with prepaid tariffs, then Airtel will rush in with the prepaid offers!

How is your 4G connection going, any complaints yet?

Originally Posted by Popcorn

Ive heard that Airtel 4G hasnt done that well....may it be because of the tariff rates? But even still the tariffs have been reduced, what about the general service and speeds?

The service is available in only 4 locations - Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Kolkata and Pune. And, it has just been around for a few months. So, we cannot really say that it "hasnt done that well!"

What do we have to compare it with? Of the 4 locations, I feel it is doing extremely well in Bengaluru - I peeked into the supplying agents bill book and saw hundreds of receipts for 4G. Bengaluru is certainly the happening place for new technology.

But, we do have a bad experience with Airtel's landline ADSL connection. Some truck rammed into the distribution box of our neighborhood connection pool around 4 months back and they are yet to replace the box, even after tens of complaints and talks with the highest local officials. I came to know that it involves 3 agencies - Airtel, an outsourced field technical support company and a supplier, who cannot decide among them on who would bear the 10k worth replacement cost. I feel Airtel is behaving like a government behemoth in this matter.

My suggestion - don't go for cable based connections - opt for the wireless service, which involves only one agency, Airtel, and less physical infrastructure.

Originally Posted by Tubelight

How is your 4G connection going, any complaints yet?

Our 4G connection is working extremely well. I have seen maximum download throughput of up to 2.2 Mbps on 60% signal strength, which is like 20 Mbps connection. I also tried it in the outskirts of the city (Nandi Hills - 50km) and it works fine in lower modes too when 4G signal is not available. However, it is not seamless. We have to disconnect the dialer and connect again.

Originally Posted by itssri

I have seen maximum download throughput of up to 2.2 Mbps on 60% signal strength, which is like 20 Mbps connection.

You are truly blessed

I cant wait for 4G to be launched here. Airtel gave Delhi a miss Reliance 4g was supposed to be launched one of these days but that has not happened yet. I have used connections at 1Gbps speed abroad and it fills a hard drive before I finish my cup of tea but having a 20mbps connection here in India would be a dream come true