Airtel 3G services discontinued in Kolkata?

mithun

Adept
After wasting a couple of 100 rupees trying to renew my 3G data pack on my Airtel connection in vain, I finally decided to pay a visit to the nearest Airtel relationship centre today. I was told that Airtel has discontinued all 3G services in the Kolkata circle!

Airtel has always been using Vodafone's 3G network in Kolkata as it did not have a valid license here and to the best of my knowledge the workaround has wrinkled a few eyebrows at TRAI/Govt lately.

Now, I have been using this connection for over 10 years and I need a little bit of 3G connectivity daily. Hence my queries:
1. Is the 3G services permanently discontinued in Kolkata Circle by Airtel? Their executives seem clueless.
2. Is MNP a hasslefree procedure? How quick is it to transfer to say Vodafone retaining my number?
 
MNP is 7 or less days hassle-free.

There will be a 12-24 gap between airtel sim being deactivated and vodafone sim being activated.
 
If you're planning to port over to a new network just for the 3G, i can personally recommend Aircel 3G. Get really good speeds all over Howrah and Calcutta.
 
I shifted from Vodafone Karnataka to Airtel for the same reason. Was pretty much hassle free for me. Took me around 7 days of waiting.
 
Yes, it is discontinued till the case is cleared by courts and Airtel legally licenses. Since we are in India this could take forever. Best switch to Vodafone or Aircel.
 
Thx for clarifying, who'd have thought it. This is actually an important point.

Is there any unambigious way to find out in which circles operators have licenses for ?

I ain't going to believe what the sales guys say.
 
That's because Mumbai is a separate telecom circle from Maharashtra whereas Bangalore comes under the same telecom circle as Karnataka.
 
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