<ul><li><keyword id="6354287" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharti-airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> said that it has shut down 3G services in Kolkata. </li><li>Last year, the chief executive officer of Airtel <keyword id="521074" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gopal-Vittal">Gopal Vittal</keyword> said, “The demise of 3G technology is rapidly drawing near. </li><li>High-speed data 3G services were launched amidst great fanfare in 2011 -12, triggering growth in smartphones.</li></ul>Weeks after the government said that it will auction 5G spectrum, and three years since Reliance Jio launched <keyword id="122479" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="4G">4G</keyword> services, the once-prized 3G services are being phased out. Bharti Airtel made the first move as it has<a href="https://www.teleanalysis.com/news/3g/airtel-shuts-down-3g-services-in-kolkata-31048"> shut down 3G services</a> in Kolkata, and all its customers were notified to upgrade to 4G handsets. However, the telecom operator will continue to provide 2G data services for customers who use feature phones only. The company claims that most of its consumers have already upgraded their handsets and it can use its 3G spectrum to strengthen the quality of its 4G services. “We plan to re-farm all of our 3G spectrum across India and deploy it for 4G in a phased manner. Also, it complements the smartphone ecosystem, which has now gravitated overwhelmingly towards 4G only devices,” said Randeep Sekhon, chief technology officer of Bharti Airtel. ‘Demise of 3G’ After a spurt in demand for 4G services, the company said that it plans to phase out 2G and 3G services and use the premium airwaves to make way for the new technology. Last year, the chief executive officer of Airtel Gopal Vittal<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/airtel-to-start-phasing-out-2g-3g-for-4g-says-gopal-vittal/articleshow/66381263.cms"> said</a>, “The demise of 3G technology is rapidly drawing near since standalone 3G services is scarcely generating any meaningful revenue.” High-speed data 3G services were launched amidst great fanfare in 2011 -12, triggering growth in smartphones. The service remained premium for many years until a price war triggered by Reliance Jio in the data market took away pricing power from top operators like <keyword id="15492" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vodafone">Vodafone</keyword>, Idea Cellular and Bharti Airtel. Around nine years back, the spectrum auction brought a bonanza for the government as it made a whopping $15 billion from the first-ever auction of telecom airwaves. Even as 4G LTE is popular now, the country is all set for yet another mobile technology shift as the government announced plans to<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-indian-government-wants-to-raise-6-trillion-from-the-largest-5g-spectrum-auction-ever/articleshow/69787896.cms"> auction 5G airwaves</a> soon. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-indian-government-wants-to-raise-6-trillion-from-the-largest-5g-spectrum-auction-ever/articleshow/69787896.cms">The Indian government wants to raise ₹6 trillion from the largest 5g spectrum auction ever</a>

The beginning of the end of the 3G era in India begins in Kolkata as Airtel preps for the 5G life

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45630717.cms" /> 
 
While the world is having a gala time this Christmas, Airtel subscribers are not so happy with the recent tariff change that the telecom operator has introduced. “Bharti Airtel has started charging standard data rates for Voice over IP (VoIP) data usage on all Internet data packs and plans,” a Telecom Talk report revealed. 
 
As per the new <a href="http://www.airtel.in/Airtel3G/tariff.html">policy issued on Bharti Airtel’s website</a>, “All Internet/data packs or plans (through which customer can avail discounted rate) shall only be valid for Internet browsing and will exclude VoIP (Both incoming/ Outgoing). VoIP over data connectivity would be charged at standard data rates of 4p/10KB (3G service) and 10p/10 KB (2G service).” 
 
The move comes at a time when WhatsApp is planning to roll out free voice-calling option on its application. And as we all are aware that this messaging app had given a tough competition to SMS services in India, experts now believe that may soon secure a top position even in regular calling options. 
 
Image: Youtube.com

Airtel Asks You To Pay Extra For VoIP Services On 2G And 3G

How to check balance in Airtel

If you are an airtel customer, there are three ways to check your data balance. Here we discuss all those three ways. 1. If you use android, download <keyword id="3337145" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="MyAirtel-app" source="Orion">myAirtel App</keyword> to check the data usage, offers and plans in detail. 2. Visit airtel self-care service online and check the 3G/4G data usage. 3. You can use data balance check code to find out the net balance. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Airtel data balance check via MyAirtel App" comment="subhead" text="Airtel data balance check via MyAirtel App">Airtel data balance check via MyAirtel App</cmsannotation> Download Airtel App at <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.myairtelapp&amp;hl=en">https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.myairtelapp&amp;hl=en</a> Signup and login with your airtel mobile number. You will see the airtel main balance, data balance and data validity displayed on the app dashboard. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Airtel data balance check via Airtel self-care service" comment="subhead" text="Airtel data balance check via Airtel self-care service">Airtel data balance check via Airtel self-care service</cmsannotation> Airtel self-care service is similar to Airtel App. Visit the page Airtel Self-care help at <a href="https://www.airtel.in/s/selfcare/">https://www.airtel.in/s/selfcare/</a> Enter your mobile number and login using OTP (One Time Password) sent to your mobile number. On the self-care service dashboard, you will find the airtel main balance and data balance. Airtel data balance check via USSD Code Use the USSD codes given below to check the data balance and main balance. Dial *123# for checking the calling balance and validity of your Airtel mobile number Dial *121# and enter 5 for checking Airtel 3G/4g net balance using airtel codes. For checking airtel data balance, you can use any of the above mentioned ways. Make use of the following airtel USSD codes to know about data balance main balance and other airtel services. Airtel Own Mobile Number Check Code *121*1# or *121*9# or *121*2# Airtel Main Balance Check Code *121*2# See Also - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/what-is-the-airtel-balance-enquiry-number/articleshow/71174595.cms">What is the airtel balance enquiry number</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/how-to-activate-airtel-sim/articleshow/69721108.cms">How to activate airtel sim</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/how-to-check-airtel-offers/articleshow/69646638.cms">How to check airtel offers</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/how-to-port-airtel-to-jio-mobile-number/articleshow/74313547.cms">How to port airtel to jio number</a>

How to check Airtel Data Net balance

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/46275169.cms" /> In order to boost its data revenue, telecom giant <keyword id="6354287" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> today rolled out its first pan-Africa customised 3G smartphone to lure users who love accessing Internet using their handsets. The device has been priced at $53, a PTI report revealed. 
 "As <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword>, we are focused on migrating, existing and new customers from the traditional feature phones to <keyword id="6355645" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="android">android</keyword> smartphones to take advantage of Airtel's 3G networks. We anticipate high uptake levels within the first six months of operations," the news agency quoted Christian de Faria, Airtel Africa CEO, as saying. 
 Looking at the specification, the handset runs on the <keyword id="1853424" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Android-KitKat">Android KitKat</keyword> platform. It has been equipped with a memory of 4GB ROM and 512MB RAM, with a 32GB external memory capacity. The crucial part of any phone is its battery, and this new device from Airtel has a battery life of 1300mAh. This smartphone, which has a qualcomm dual core Central Processing Unit (CPU), has front and rear 3 mega pixel cameras, the PTI report said. 
 
Currently, the handset is available in the markets of Seychelles, Uganda and Burkina Faso. As per the statement issued by the company, this would also be launched in 14 other Airtel Operating Countries over the next few weeks. 
 
Bharti Airtel is driving the new smartphone campaign to boost data adoption across Sub-Saharan Africa. The statement further added that the region is currently witnessing one of the strongest growths in the usage of mobile data across the globe. 
 
With a presence across 17 markets, Airtel, at present, has the widest 3G network in the continent. 
Image: wikimedia

Airtel rolls out pan-African smartphone to boost 3G business

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47877359.cms" /> To expand pan-India <keyword id="604145" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="3G-network">3G network</keyword>, <keyword id="6354287" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Bharti-Airtel">Bharti Airtel</keyword> will invest $1 billion (Rs 6,400 crore) in this financial year. This move will spread its network in new as well as existing circles and will also deploy <keyword id="2926443" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="Data-spectrum">data spectrum</keyword>. 

	"Airtel will roll out 3G networks aggressively over the first six months (of this financial year) as it has acquired additional 3G airwaves in many circles to plug coverage gaps," a person familiar with the matter told the Economic Times.
 <keyword id="2062234" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Sunil-Bharti-Mittal-led">Sunil Bharti Mittal-led</keyword> Bharti Airtel will take a decision over investing more funds to expand 3G network by September end after getting a fix on whether revenue growth has met the target, said a second person. 

	"We have no comments and as a policy do not give service-specific capex details," a spokesman said in an e-mailed response to ET's queries on 3G-related investment. 
 India's No. 1 mobile carrier will roll out 3G networks over the first six months and "would look at upfronting this capex in the first half " itself, <keyword id="521074" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Gopal-Vittal">Gopal Vittal</keyword>, managing director &amp; CEO for India &amp; <keyword id="52011" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="South-Asia">South Asia</keyword>, had said earlier. Meanwhile, the proportion of its 3G sites increased to 33.3% of the total in the quarter ended March 2015, from 22.6% compared to last year, brokerage <keyword id="6365707" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UBS">UBS</keyword> wrote in a recent report. 

	Airtel's 3G drive comes as widespread adoption of 4G is still some time away. Industry experts believe a key reason is creation of a robust, pan-India fallback data services option since 4G coverage is likely to be patchy over the next six months or more and confined. 
 

	UBS said in its report that Airtel's 4G rollout could play second fiddle to 3G in absence of compatible devices. "We believe 3G will meet the mass market's data needs in India, given the wide gap between the 3G and 4G ecosystems," UBS said. 
	 
	(Image: Reuters)

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The beginning of the end of the 3G era in India begins in Kolkata as Airtel preps for the 5G life

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Airtel Asks You To Pay Extra For VoIP Services On 2G And 3G

BI India Bureau

How to check balance in Airtel

BI India Bureau

How to check Airtel Data Net balance

BI India Bureau

Airtel rolls out pan-African smartphone to boost 3G business

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Airtel to invest Rs 6,400 crore to expand 3G services

BI India Bureau