Airtel 4G: Not the fastest network, claim subscribers

SHILLONG: Airtel, the country’s major player in the mobile connectivity sector, recently launched its 4G services in Shillong and has been running ad campaigns on national television claiming that its 4G service provides the fastest internet network, but subscribers have been complaining that they do not get 4G speed in the city.
Several subscribers who had upgraded their services from 3G to 4G in the hope of getting faster internet connectivity have now complained that there is no 4G service throughout the day even in the prime locations of the city like Police Bazar, Dhankheti and Laitumkhrah. Some subscribers claimed that the 4G symbol appeared on their mobile phone signal only in the late night hours and even then the internet connectivity is slow.
Another subscriber, who has been using the 4G service for the last one month, alleged that the Airtel ad campaign on TV which claims that a movie can be downloaded in three minutes on Airtel 4G network was misleading. The subscriber also wondered if Airtel could actually prove its claims by downloading a movie in three minutes in Shillong.
Some subscribers pointed that the Airtel 4G banners and hoarding put in several parts of the city had been removed and wondered if the company had withdrawn its 4G services in Shillong.
When contacted, Airtel, Head of Communications, North East and Assam, Satyajit Bora, denied that 4G services have been withdrawn in Shillong.
“Our 4G service is fully active and we will soon introduce it in other towns and cities of the region as well,” he said.
Reacting to a query about the removal of hoardings from the city, he said the decision for installation and removal of ad hoardings is taken by Airtel Corporate office in Gurgaon and added that the regional office had no say on the matter.