TPF v/s Airtel - Long term review and comparison (Pick your poison)

[Chip]

@_rajat good post kind of mirrors my experience across both BB providers over the past 6-7 years.

Though I'd give a slight uptime edge to Airtel compared to TPF in my area. That said what you mentioned is perfect - TPF has WAY better support than Airtel.

The only reason I'd opt for another BB provider is cost there's no other reason to shift. ACT are you listening? I had contacted YBB but they said they dont serve my apartment colony LOL! My neighbour has one and I am former user. But I think they're still on CAT5/6 cable and not yet shifted to FTTH yet. So no loss there.

 

[jehunix]

@Chip Idk what area you are in but Prabhat Rd, Erandwane they're FTTH. All my friends have YOU FTTH at their homes too and they're on 300-500Mbps plan.

 

[jehunix]

TPF I had enquired but they have too much arrogance and refused to give me plan without OTT. NO way I'm paying for OTT. Also cost is literally 3x compared to ACT, YOU, Hathway...

I have ways of streaming things I need in 4K HDR - don't need their 30+ OTT bundle at all...

Airtel I had long back and I don't like cause its postpaid so cancelling is too much hassle and you can't pause when travelling, needed easily too ig. Also in general customer support is lacklustre since you have to talk to their customer care and all. But otherwise performance and routing was solid. Much better prices than TPF too!!

 

[jehunix]

I have talked to ACT btw. They will take 2-3 years to expand into central areas of Pune. Central Pune is hard for them too cause there are already too many providers here so hard to acquire customers too..

 

[Chip]

@jehunix you can pause airtel if you call the support call centre and you can also change it from pre to postpaid. I have done both. I live near KP and YBB has been around for 15-20 years now in this area so I am surprised coz I see no YBB FTTH cables in my colony buildings

Thanks for the update abt ACT. Guess it will be an indefinite wait for us in the main areas of the city.

TPF has a lite plan in the 100 and possibly 200 Mbps plan also. It has only 4 OTTs. I had subscribed to the former.

PS - I may take a biz Airtel plan and give up the personal connection

 

[jehunix]

@Chip I'm not gonna go for any plan less than 300Mbps. And higher speed plans with TPF and Airtel both are too expensive + lots of OTTs which I don't need coz I have Stremio setup on every TV and devices to take care of whole family's streaming needs..

ACT is mostly targeting PCMC, Hinjewadi, Viman Nagar, Wadgaon Sheri types of outskirt areas. I feel it'll take a long time for them to expand. Or they may not too. Can't say anything.

I'm currently happy for what I pay tbvh!! 3186 (500 Mbps 3 months main YBB FTTH) and 2475 (200 Mbps 3 months Hathway FTTH backup). Even combined its like 5.6k per month which is still cheaper than many TPF and Airtel plans!!

Why you are taking Airtel biz plan btw? What benefits you want that biz plan is offering?

 

[theOne235]

TPF has non-OTT plans only for 50 mbps and 100 mbps (1-3 months). Anything above that is bundled with OTT. Confirmed from customer support.

 

[_rajat]

TPF has a lite plan in the 100 and possibly 200 Mbps plan also.

Yes I am subscribed to the same plan. It's there in 300 Mbps plan as well.

I feel it'll take a long time for them to expand.

Yes, it might take them forever as TPF and Airtel have a monopoly in this part of the city(baner-balewadi). Back when TPF was known as TSBB, they didn't even let Jio enter in most apartments by bribing the RWA.
Jio had all the infrastructure ready, underground cables and everything but they never started JioFiber in my apartment. ACT is pretty new in Pune let's see how it goes for them because even if they get all the infrastructure ready, last mile connectivity is a gamble. Until then I have decided to bed myself with Airtel and TPF combo.

I have Stremio setup on every TV

Great, do share your experience.

 

[jehunix]

@_rajat Stremio experience is good. By default its just a video player but with addons I can play and stream torrents which are cached so loading 4K or even 20Gb+ content is breezy af too. And I'm paying like just $3 for that addon. Much better experince than playing any OTT app and I was able to stream every content I thought of. Even niche Marathi films too. I have it setup on every device - Apple TV 4K, Mi Box, all iPads and laptops home...

 

[Chip]

@jehunix I may be starting a biz so thinking of taking a biz plan. They give you a static IP and if I am not mistaken better uptime and service guarantees. Plus there are more options to choose from for e.g. 500 Mbps which is not offered in consumer plans.