Overview
- Airtel announced Priority Postpaid on Tuesday, May 19, saying the service uses 5G standalone network slicing to reserve a virtual portion of the network for postpaid customers so they keep steadier speeds and call quality when the network is crowded.
- The company has begun backend enablement so existing postpaid subscribers are auto‑enabled and prepaid users can switch via the Airtel Thanks app or stores, but the service works only on phones that support 5G SA and have required software updates.
- Plans are tiered and priced from roughly ₹449 to ₹1,749 plus GST with different bundles of OTT apps, cloud storage and family options, a structure Airtel frames as a move to raise average revenue per user after years of low‑price unlimited plans.
- Experts and consumer advocates have raised net neutrality questions and urged the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to review the rollout to ensure other users do not suffer degraded experience or that specific apps are not unfairly advantaged.
- Airtel said vendors including Nokia and Ericsson helped enable slicing, a capability already used for targeted services in markets such as the United States, Singapore and the United Kingdom, but commercial impact here will depend on device compatibility and any regulatory response.