Airtel SIM Card for Tourists

Airtel is one of the largest mobile network operators in India. With excellent coverage, fast speeds, and affordable rates, Airtel SIM cards are a great option for tourists visiting India. This guide provides key information about using Airtel SIM card and eSIM in India as a foreign traveler.

I. Quick facts about Airtel

Airtel is the second largest mobile operator in India after Jio. Key facts:

• Founded year: 1995
• Full company name: Bharti Airtel Limited
• Types of services provided: Mobile telephony, Fixed line telephone, Broadband, Satellite television, Payments bank, Digital television, Internet television, IPTV
• Number of subscribers: 496.91 million subscribers worldwide as of June 2022.
• Coverage: Covers 18 countries across South Asia, Africa and Channel Islands. Countries included are India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and more.
• Estimated number of network of stores, agents: Not specified in the source, but Airtel being one of the largest telecom companies must have a vast network across its areas of operation.
• Customer support:
  • On-call customer support available.
  • Support offered in major local languages of areas of operations like Hindi, English, Swahili, etc.
  • 24×7 customer support available via call centers and digital channels.

Airtel has over 300 million mobile subscribers across India. The network has wide coverage across the country offering 2G, 3G and 4G connectivity.

II. India Airtel Coverage and Speed

1. Airtel coverage in India

Airtel has excellent coverage across India. It covers all major cities, highways, rural areas and tourist destinations.

Some key aspects about Airtel’s coverage in India:

• Pan-India coverage: Airtel has a presence across all 22 telecom circles in India covering all states and union territories. This gives it widespread coverage.
• 4G in over 2500 cities: Airtel provides high-speed 4G/LTE services in over 2500 towns and cities across India. This covers most urban areas and major tourist destinations.
• Good rural presence: Airtel has invested heavily in improving its rural coverage by installing towers across remote villages. This ensures good connectivity on highways and rural tourist spots.
• Roaming across India: Airtel offers seamless coverage while travelling across different states and circles without needing to change SIMs.

In summary, Airtel has one of the most extensive mobile networks across India covering urban metros, rural villages, highways and popular tourist attractions. Its pan-India coverage is a major advantage for travellers.

2. Airtel speed

Airtel offers good data speeds across its coverage footprint:

• 4G speeds: Airtel offers 4G with speeds up to 40 Mbps in major cities. In smaller towns and rural areas, average speeds range from 5-12 Mbps which is decent.
• 3G speeds: Its 3G network offers typical download speeds of 1-5 Mbps and upload speeds of 512 Kbps which is enough for basic usage.
• 2G speeds: 2G speeds are capped at 40-60 Kbps for internet browsing on Airtel’s network. This allows basic text and voice services only.

Real-world data speeds may vary depending on location, network congestion, device etc. But overall, Airtel provides fairly good data speeds for most tourist requirements across urban and rural areas.

III. Airtel connectivity options for travelers to India

As a tourist traveling to India, you can get connected on Airtel using:

IV. Best Airtel SIM card for tourists & cost

Here are the best Airtel SIM card options for tourists along with indicative costs:

Plan Name	Validity	Data Benefits	Calling/SMS Benefits	Price (USD)
Rs. 349 recharge	56 days	6GB Data (1GB/Day for 56 Days)	Unlimited calling, 100SMS/day	~$4.4
Rs. 399 recharge	56 days	1.5GB per day for 56 days	Unlimited calling, 100SMS/day	~$5
Rs. 479 recharge	84 days	2GB data per day + 6GB extra	Unlimited calling, 100SMS/day	~$6
Rs. 599 recharge	84 days	2GB data per day	Unlimited calling, 100SMS/day	~$7.5
Rs. 1,199 recharge	365 days	1.5GB per day + additional 6GB	Unlimited calling, 100SMS/day	~$15

Airtel postpaid eSIM for latest iPhones and iPads allow you to use cellular data through eSIM profile. Postpaid billing has monthly rentals and data charges.

So tourists have two main options – Airtel prepaid tourist SIM for short trips or postpaid eSIM for Apple users wanting greater convenience. Costs range from $1 to $5 for initial connection.

V. Does Airtel India support eSIM?

Yes, Airtel India supports eSIM (embedded SIM) services. Here are some key details:

• eSIM allows users to digitally provision and activate a cellular plan on their compatible device without having to use a physical nano-SIM card.
• Only certain high-end smartphones and tablets from brands like Apple and Samsung support eSIM connectivity.
• To activate an Airtel eSIM plan, users need to download the Airtel Thanks app and follow the instructions to scan a QR code or enter profile details.
• Airtel offers both prepaid and postpaid eSIM plans that provide identical benefits as standard nano-SIM plans like data, calling, SMS etc.

So while Airtel has launched eSIM services, these are not easily available for foreign tourists visiting India currently. Using a physical Airtel prepaid SIM is still the better choice for non-Apple users. iPhone/iPad owners can activate Airtel postpaid eSIM if they have an Indian address.

VI. Where can you buy an Airtel SIM card and eSIM?

1. Where to buy Airtel SIM for India?

You can easily find prepaid Airtel SIM card at the following places across India:

• Airtel stores/outlets: Airtel has thousands of company-owned stores and outlets across India where you can buy SIM cards.
• Airport counters: Major airports like Delhi, Mumbai have Airtel counters at arrival terminals for tourists to buy new SIMs.
• Online delivery: A prepaid Airtel SIM card can be delivered to your hotel in major cities by ordering online.
• Multi-brand stores: Most mobile retail stores, supermarkets etc. also sell Airtel prepaid SIMs.

So tourists have multiple convenient options to buy prepaid Airtel SIM card on Airtel website.

2. Where to buy India Airtel eSIM?

Airtel postpaid eSIM activation for iPhones/iPads is more complex for tourists:

• Requires Indian address proof which tourists won’t have
• Activation and profile download happens through Airtel Thanks app
• Limited to certain corporate-owned stores in metro cities

Your best option is to try contacting Airtel India customer service to check feasibility of eSIM activation without local address proof as a foreign tourist with valid passport. But there are no clear tourist-friendly channels to buy Airtel India eSIM currently.

VII. How to activate Airtel India SIM/eSIM?

1. How to activate an India Airtel SIM card?

Follow these steps to activate your prepaid Airtel SIM card after inserting into your phone:

1. Turn on mobile data on device
2. Open browser and go to Airtel self-care portal: www.airtel.in/selfcare
3. Choose prepaid as your account type
4. Enter the prepaid SIM number
5. Complete verification process by entering personal details and OTP
6. Accept terms and conditions
7. Choose your preferred recharge pack
8. Make payment to activate SIM

That’s it! Your Airtel prepaid SIM will activate within minutes.

2. How to activate Airtel India eSIM?

To activate Airtel India postpaid eSIM on your iPhone/iPad:

1. Download Airtel Thanks app from App Store
2. Register and log in to the app with your credentials
3. Under the eSIM tab, click on “Get eSIM” and follow prompts
4. Complete eKYC verification and upload your address proof
5. Make payment for your preferred postpaid plan
6. Once approved, the Airtel eSIM profile will be sent to your device over-the-air

However, tourists without Indian address proof will not be able to complete eSIM activation via the app. You need to contact Airtel customer service directly in such cases.

VIII. India Airtel Call & SMS Rates

Here are the latest calling and messaging rates on Airtel prepaid for tourists:

Call Type	Rates for prepaid plans (in USD)
Local/STD calls to any network	$0.019/minute
Calls to other Airtel numbers	$0.0094/minute
Income SMS	$0.013/SMS
Outgoing SMS	$0.019/SMS
Calls to landline	$0.016/minute
Airtel to Airtel USSD service	Free
Wings service	$0.13/month
Local VAS	$0.025-0.063/service
VALUE ADDED SERVICES	$0.063-0.19/service
Popular outgoing International destinations	$0.038-0.088/minute
Popular incoming International destinations	$0.013/minute
Zero connectivity charge	Calls within 200 minutes – Free
Zero connectivity charge 2	Calls within 200 minutes – $0.63

So overall, local and national calling is quite affordable on Airtel prepaid at ₹0.50 to ₹1.15 per minute. ISD calls have higher rates starting at ₹5 per minute. SMS costs ₹1-1.5 per message within India.

IX. Useful USSD Codes for Airtel India

USSD codes allow you to access useful settings and account info directly on Airtel. Some handy codes include:

• *123# – Check balance
• *123*11# – Check data balance
• *123*4# – Check last 5 calls details
• *123*5# – Quick recharge menu
• *121*6# – Check Airtel Money balance
• *121*2# – Activate caller tunes

Simply dial these codes directly on your Airtel mobile to use USSD based services.

X. How to Top-up India Airtel SIM card/eSIM

Adding balance/data to your prepaid Airtel SIM card is easy and convenient through multiple recharge options:

• Online payments – Recharge online using Airtel Thanks app or Airtel online portal using your credit/debit card, PayPal etc.
• Offline payments – Top-up offline through Airtel retail stores, multi-brand outlets or local payment points. Just provide your number and choose your pack.
• Vouchers – Purchase top-up vouchers from stores, vendors, etc. and enter the code to recharge.
• SMS/USSD – Dial *121# and follow menus for secure payment and instant recharge through SMS.

For Airtel postpaid, monthly bills can be paid conveniently through the Airtel Thanks app by card/netbanking. So tourists have multiple convenient channels for mobile/data recharges while travelling in India on Airtel.

XI. Alternatives to India Airtel SIM card

Some alternatives travellers can consider instead of Airtel in India:

• India eSIM now is one of the top Jio eSIM’s suppliers, from $6-$29.9 you can own an eSIM with 1-10GB data during your travel.
• Jio – Leading operator with pan-India 4G coverage and affordable data.
• BSNL – State owned telco, limited 3G connectivity, affordable voice
• Vi – Private player, excellent connectivity in metro cities
• Local SIM – Get a pay-as-you-go SIM of local operator in each city for cheaper calls

However, Airtel remains the most preferred choice for tourists because of its excellent nationwide coverage, high speed 4G network, and competitive rates.

XII. FAQs about Airtel in India

XIII. Final Words

Airtel offers the best cellular connectivity for tourists in India with its extensive high-speed 4G coverage, affordable prepaid plans and easy SIM availability. Just activate an Airtel SIM card on arrival and stay connected across your travels within India through Airtel’s nationwide mobile network.