BSNL comes out with data add-on plans but most are useless so stay away from them

BSNL, one of the biggest telecom operators in India, is trying hard. But it's not moving anywhere, mostly because even as other operators have entered the fast lane with 4G BSNL still continues with 3G. And that is the reason why most of the data add on plans that it has come out within the last few days are useless. in a bid to fight Jio, Airtel and others, BSNL has come out with various data add-on plans for its postpaid users, which aim to give users up to 30GB data.


The data-on plans from BSNL start at Rs 240. This Rs 240 plan gives users 3.5GB data. Then there is the Rs 340 plan that gives 5.5GB data. Next is the Rs 666 data-on pack that gives users 11GB monthly data. From here we move into the high-value plans. The Rs 901 data add-on plan brings users 20GB while the Rs 1711 plan gives them 30GB.

Now, the weird bit is that not only these plans are too expensive compared to what Jio and Airtel are offering, given that BSNL only offers 3G these are also impractical plans. Using 3G and usually unreliable and slow BSNL network it is nearly impossible to even exhaust 5GB data plan on its networks.

So here is our recommendation: If you are still using BSNL SIM card, see if you can move to something better. It is possible that in your area no other network is available or may be BSNL offers best coverage -- in rural Indian, BSNL at least gets signals -- but just in case some other option available from Jio, Airtel or Vodafone, get that, especially if the SIM from these companies supports 4G in your area.

Of late, it has become fashionable among companies to offer more and more cheap data to telecom subscribers. But even as the price of the available data has fallen, the networks have not improved. Result is that even though people have access to 20GB or 30GB data every month, poor download and upload speeds mean they can't even use 10GB of this data, unless they are relentless in streaming videos on YouTube and Facebook.