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Airtel introduces new Freedom Plan Packages 

02 Aug 2021

  • Breaking shackles for youth to stay connected
By Imsha Iqbal  Airtel, recognising the shift in the data consumption of mobile service users, has now liberated their customers by providing many more offers within a single recharge.  Airtel Sri Lanka Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Ashish Chandra, in an interview with The Morning Business, stated that the data usage has doubled in every internet user and more people are online, especially during the pandemic-induced lifestyle, either working from home or learning from home.  Without debate, Airtel is popular among the youth of Sri Lanka. Speaking with Chandra, he expressed the importance behind identifying the network necessity of the youth since they share the biggest user market, and that has driven their success so far as a mobile services provider.  “Currently, their (the youngsters’) biggest requirement is to be connected to the world through the internet. They don’t want restrictions with their usage that has been provided. Therefore, they want to break free from every shackle that they have,” noted  Chandra, saying that Airtel has simply acted upon the need behind their young clients.  Adding on the Freedom Plans that Airtel has recently introduced, he said that it is in fact, about breaking shackles. The data packages that have been provided in these introduced plans are meant for the youth.  “The youth are currently not satisfied with two things: one, is the amount of data that they get and the value that they pay. These need to have a balance. They need much more data for the value they pay and that is what we bring in the freedom pack,” explained Chandra, saying that data and cost go hand-in-hand at this point of internet usage when it comes to data consumption.  “Second one is the high speed. They do not like buffering. The youth are always watching videos. They do not like buffering,” he said, emphasising the need behind Airtel’s introduction of these freedom packages.  “We were working on this for one-and-half years. We were investing in our network into a buffer free 4G network,” he noted, indicating that they were working towards providing what the customer needed at a time of skyrocketed need in connection, working through the internet and the change in the daily lifestyle. He said Airtel closely observed what needs to be done with the dynamic change of their service users.  He said that launching the network in every area has now been converted into 4G while ensuring the stable internet connection, and the mobile operator has established this network using the latest technology in spite of Airtel being the last network to be established in Sri Lanka thus far. It is already offering a buffer free network at a time of doubled network usage.  Accordingly, Airtel has given their prime focus on providing the user the latest technology for a range of affordable packages, and during such a time Airtel has done the most needful to their customer base. Per Airtel’s understanding, these mentioned requirements needed to be fulfilled, Chandra said with much emphasis.  “We are very much focused on the consumers. As far as marketing, we are focused on people and institutes such as universities and colleges.”  In terms of Sri Lanka bringing the number portability facility, Airtel sees the facility as an opportunity. Chandra affirmed, “Sri Lanka bringing a portability facility is absolutely an advantage. The reason why we believe so is that in accordance with our experience, Airtel is the world’s second largest telecommunication company in terms of the number of customers.”  The number portability facility enables the mobile service customers to retain their numbers when changing the service provider and the Government of Sri Lanka announced this facility in 2020, with the anticipation of the facility coming into effect by this year. Since, all telecommunication providers in the country have agreed to look forward to collaborating in this portability facility, giving consumers the freedom to switch to any service provider in the country.  Chandra further highlighted: “We are running operations in many countries and our experience says that when a company is focused on the customers, in providing customers much more valued, simplified, and honest service, we will be rewarded by the more customers.” Therefore Airtel focuses on becoming the best services provider in the field of mobile services. Accordingly, he believes that Airtel would be absolutely benefitted by this going-to-be-introduced facility in Sri Lanka along with their latest range of service packages.  Speaking about the introduced Freedom Plans, Chandra said: “The market (of mobile services providers) is struggling with too many choices. If we look at the market service providers, there are 40 to 50 varieties of packages. This needs to be simplified,” implying that an extraordinary number of choices might possibly lead the customers in failing in finding what the customers need in reality.  “We want everything to be provided to the customer in one package. Depending upon your spending, once the client buys this pack, he does not need anything else to be subscribed. That is the whole purpose of launching this pack,” he clarified, is the simplicity of the package towards the customer, which is the major purpose behind Airtel unleashing this range of mobile service plans.  Accordingly, Airtel has no plan in launching another range of packages other than what is there already, said Chandra, implying that Airtel has identified the customer needs when it comes to mobile services in Sri Lanka.  When it comes to the global presence of Airtel, the mobile services provider has been active in the African continent other than in Asia.  When it comes to the establishment of Airtel in Sri Lanka, Airtel looks forward in moving far from what is already there in the number of towers, in other words, service expansion. Airtel already has established 2,300 towers across the island as Airtel is providing coverage in all parts of the country at present.  Chandra expressed that the reason why Airtel stands out in the market among the other mobile service providers is that since the past decade, Airtel has focused on the best data connection, despite it being 3G or 4G.  “Covid-19 has proven that further, and the need for data is increasing every day. Data is becoming critical for consumers. The customers would love their new Airtel experience,” expressed Chandra.  “At the same time, these new Freedom packages provide five times more value to the customer,” he said, elaborating that the 599 package provides the customers with more than Rs. 3,000 worth of service under the usual data charges.  He further stated that there is no plan on diversifying the company into other segments like other leading players in Sri Lanka do, on The Morning Business’ inquiry in that regard.  On a concluding note, Chandra stated that he absolutely believes Sri Lanka has been a good market for Airtel as Bharati Airtel first ventured out of their home country and Sri Lanka was their first international investment, and the company made their investment when Sri Lanka is going through a challenging phase, but the company had faith that Sri Lanka, in fact, has the potential as an investment.  Bharati Airtel Lanka commenced commercial operations of services in Sri Lanka in 2009, and it is registered under the Board of Investment (BOI) in Sri Lanka. Airtel Lanka provides digital mobile services which include voice, data, and enterprise solutions.  


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