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Telecom updates are not always about new announcements, and what Airtel has done is proof of that. The company has quietly changed its popular unlimited 5G data add-on packs, lowering the bundled data while retaining similar prices. On the surface, it seems little may have changed with these plans, but for typical users the value proposition has shifted significantly. These add-ons have been popular with lower-end daily data plan buyers who wanted access to Airtel’s unlimited 5G network without moving onto more expensive base plans. Now that Airtel has updated the JioPhone competitor’s benefits it offers to its users, let us take a look at what has changed and how much will change for daily usage.

Revised Data Benefits for Rs 51, Rs 101 and Rs 151 Packs

Airtel had launched the Rs 51, Rs 101 and Rs 151 unlimited 5G add-on packs in July of 2024. When they first came into the market, those packs provided a very reasonable amount of extra data, so they could be an inexpensive add-on for users who don’t necessarily have that much data per day.

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As per the revised listings, Airtel has now lowered the bundled data with all three packs. The Rs 51 pack, which previously used to come with 3GB of data, now provides only 1GB of data. The Rs 101 plan becomes 6GB to become 2GB, and the Rs 151 pack was brought down from 9GB to be left with 3GB. There is no price change, but the effective value of data in all allowances has been slashed to around a third. This is a big drop for those who relied on such packs to prevent overage charges.

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Unlimited 5G Access Still Included

Although the bundled data has been reduced, 5G is still unlimited with Airtel’s add-on packs. After the bundled data runs out, customers can still get on to Airtel’s 5G network. But if the usage is beyond the bundled limit, then each MB will cost 50 paise.

All users do not see these add-on packs. They are generally restricted to customers on specific base plans, often those with less than 2GB of daily data.

Why These Airtel Add-On Packs Were Important

For users on 1GB or 1.5GB per day plans, these add-ons were a convenient quick fix. Airtel has already been offering unlimited 5G data to subscribers who opt for plans with at least 2GB per day. If you slipped below that level, these packs were the cheapest way to buy faster speeds and heavier usage without moving up to a pricier plan.

Given the restrictive data limits, that balance is far less appealing. That same price now gets you a much smaller amount of buffer before having to pay up for data, possibly driving up what frequent users would spend overall.

Fair Usage Policy and Things to Keep in Mind

Airtel’s add-on packs, like all unlimited 5G products, feature a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) limit of 300GB over 30 days. (On a superfast 5G connection, that barrier can be hit sooner than you think — particularly if you regularly stream videos or download large files.)

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Both the companies have not given any official reason for cutting down data benefits. It’s just that the change has been rolled out quietly; hence, users now need to be scrutinising plan details before recharging.

Final Thoughts

Airtel’s new unlimited 5G add-on packs still offer quite a bit of what they promise at their core, but there is significantly less to go round than there used to be. Now, with consumers in many cases forced to pay the same amount for a substantially smaller chunk of data, the balance of that equation is different, and particularly so for those who used those packs to carefully wrangle daily data costs. If you expect to be refilling (or already rely on) these add-ons, consider your usage, and shop around. The packs still get access to 5G speeds, but the data cushion is smaller, so you’ll have to watch how much you’re using more carefully.


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