Discussion Airtel Prepaid: Extend 28 days Incoming(only) Validity with Rs.100 Topup

[Sivabhaskar]

Does outgoing calls still works?

.
Yes, they do.

After topping up with Rs.100 on the June 9th, my current validity dates are:

Outgoing Validity: July 6
Incoming Validity: July 13

 

[saketk11]

I saw this happen to one of my Airtel prepaid numbers last month. So I tried it for both of my Airtel prepaid numbers today, and it worked again. I am not sure if this is a glitch, or if Airtel is providing this as a number retaining(!?) facility.

You can try this out if you are going to be using your Airtel prepaid number ONLY for incoming calls and incoming SMS.

Steps:
1) Wait for Outgoing Validity (if any) to end.
2) Wait for Incoming Validity (7 days grace period) to end.
3) Topup with Rs.100.

Results For My Numbers:
1) Talk Time (Main Balance) = Rs.81.75 got added to existing main balance
2) Incoming validity got extended by 28 days

Essentially, the incoming validity got extended for (Rs.100 - Rs.81.75) = Rs.18.25. Normally, we'd have to use the Rs.45 recharge to extend the Incoming Only validity, which gives us no main balance talk time.

I am curious to know if this works (or if this had been already working) for anyone else.

P.S:
If our main balance is equal to Rs.45 or more, auto-recharge happens (after 3 days) by deducting Rs.45 from our main balance for 28 days incoming validity. Airtel provides a way to stop that from happening by dialing the USSD code *121*777#. However if we do that, I am not sure if the Rs.100 Topup would extend the validity when we have Rs.45 or more as existing main balance.

does this 28 days extension been happening specific to ur sim/ ur circle ?

previously used rs45 auto deduction and also used *127*777# for stopping auto deduction. but never tried Rs100 top-up.

Airtel havent mentioned, neither any other person have highlighted this?

I am planning to PORT one number to airtel prepaid.

 

[Sivabhaskar]

does this 28 days extension been happening specific to ur sim/ ur circle ?

previously used rs45 auto deduction and also used *127*777# for stopping auto deduction. but never tried Rs100 top-up.

Airtel havent mentioned, neither any other person have highlighted this?

I am planning to PORT one number to airtel prepaid.

.
I am not aware if different telecom circles make a difference in this scenario.

For Airtel Prepaid, there are 2 circles in my state:
1) Tamil Nadu circle
2) Chennai circle

All of my numbers are of the Tamil Nadu circle.

I don't think there are much differences between the 2 circles these days. It used to matter during the earlier days, when Roaming Charges were a thing while travelling between circles.

There are no intra state roaming charges anymore.

The only visible changes that I notice when I go to my place in Chennai, are:

1) The letter 'R' gets displayed next to the mobile tower signals on my mobile, indicating that I am on a 'Roaming' network.

2) Mobile Data does not work unless I turn ON the 'Data Roaming' feature in my mobile.

To be honest, I had not tried the new Rs.100 top up (with reduced talk time) before this year, either. I guess most of us do not use top ups nowadays, ever since they stopped offering Full Talktime. When I tried it the first time this year, I did it because I was offered some good cashback on the Freecharge website. And I did not want it to go to waste. That is the reason why I even tried the 100 top up in the first place. And therefore I stumbled upon the 28 days validity extension, accidentally.

So to answer your question, I am not sure if the 100 top up would make a difference between my circle (Tamil Nadu) and your circle (Maharashtra, I'm assuming based on your profile).

May be Airtel is offering (secretly!?) this feature as a gesture during Covid-19 days. Because users from this forum have reported that the 48 data pack (3GB Data for 28 days) is also acting as a main pack, by offering 28 days validity (like what the 100 top up is doing).

May be these are (100 and 48) Covid gestures by Airtel, or may be this is a glitch in the Airtel systems. I am not aware of that. As far as I know, there have been no formal announcements regarding these from Airtel.

As for you, I would suggest you to have a friend or relative in your telecom circle who has Airtel Prepaid, do the 100 top up and test it out for you, especially if you are planning to port your number to Airtel just for this feature.

 

[saketk11]

.
I am not aware if different telecom circles make a difference in this scenario.

For Airtel Prepaid, there are 2 circles in my state:
1) Tamil Nadu circle
2) Chennai circle

All of my numbers are of the Tamil Nadu circle.

I don't think there are much differences between the 2 circles these days. It used to matter during the earlier days, when Roaming Charges were a thing while travelling between circles.

There are no intra state roaming charges anymore.

The only visible changes that I notice when I go to my place in Chennai, are:

1) The letter 'R' gets displayed next to the mobile tower signals on my mobile, indicating that I am on a 'Roaming' network.

2) Mobile Data does not work unless I turn ON the 'Data Roaming' feature in my mobile.

To be honest, I had not tried the new Rs.100 top up (with reduced talk time) before this year, either. I guess most of us do not use top ups nowadays, ever since they stopped offering Full Talktime. When I tried it the first time this year, I did it because I was offered some good cashback on the Freecharge website. And I did not want it to go to waste. That is the reason why I even tried the 100 top up in the first place. And therefore I stumbled upon the 28 days validity extension, accidentally.

So to answer your question, I am not sure if the 100 top up would make a difference between my circle (Tamil Nadu) and your circle (Maharashtra, I'm assuming based on your profile).

May be Airtel is offering (secretly!?) this feature as a gesture during Covid-19 days. Because users from this forum have reported that the 48 data pack (3GB Data for 28 days) is also acting as a main pack, by offering 28 days validity (like what the 100 top up is doing).

May be these are (100 and 48) Covid gestures by Airtel, or may be this is a glitch in the Airtel systems. I am not aware of that. As far as I know, there have been no formal announcements regarding these from Airtel.

As for you, I would suggest you to have a friend or relative in your telecom circle who has Airtel Prepaid, do the 100 top up and test it out for you, especially if you are planning to port your number to Airtel just for this feature.

i had used airtel prepaid Rc48 in 2018 and 2019 many times and eveytime i got 3gb data and 28 days validity.

 

[Tinu]

Since I’m outside India,How to activate auto renewal which I’m having around 400 Rs in the main balance to retain the number.