If you are planning an International Holiday with family or friends or travelling for work, the definite concern of staying connected is one thing that arises while roaming abroad. But worry not, as Indian telecom operators Airtel, Jio, and Vodafone Idea offer International Roaming (IR Packs) to stay connected while travelling overseas. If properly aware and aptly used, these plans and the benefits offered will save you from hefty mobile bills and charges. But the offerings from multiple providers may be confusing, so through this story, we tried to analyse and help you understand the IR packs available from Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio on a high level.
IR Packs availability: Prepaid and Postpaid
Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio offer International Roaming (IR) packs in prepaid and postpaid segments. So, worry not as you have IR packs in both cases, but the benefits and usage flexibility will vary as per prepaid and postpaid. Different IR packs have different countries mapped with them, and the benefits would vary accordingly for the same tariffs an operator offers.
International Roaming Pack Countries
This is the core aspect of the offerings and plays a significant role while deciding which are the most flexible plans available for customers looking for a truly global and seamless experience. Also, IR Packs differ in the number of countries the packs work and the benefits offered by them. Generally, the IR packs, which come bundled with benefits that work seamlessly across multiple countries, offer customers a hassle-free experience.
Dubbed World Pass, Airtel has a One Plan offering for travelling to 184 countries, where Set 1 consists of 119 Countries and Set 2 consists of 65 Countries.
Vodafone Idea's Postpaid IR Pack offerings are valid across 81 countries, where set 1 consists of 29 countries and set 2 consists of 52 countries. Coming to the prepaid segment, Vodafone Idea has 3 IR Packs valid for 41 countries and for other IR Packs, where set 2 consists of 24 countries and set 3 consists of 30 countries.
Jio has International Roaming packs valid for 22 countries, value packs valid for 123 countries and Standard PayGo IR service charges that can be used across 161 countries.
Validity Options
Airtel offers the highest IR Pack validity options, and Vodafone Idea's validity options are confined to a month of travel. On the other hand, Jio has the least number of IR pack validity options available to customers.
| Sl. No | Airtel Validity in Days | Vodafone Idea validity in Days | Jio Validity in Days |
| 1 | 1 | 1 Day, 24 Hours | 1 |
| 2 | 10 | 4 | 7 |
| 3 | 30 | 7 | 28 |
| 4 | 90 | 10 | 30 |
| 5 | 365 | 14 | |
| 6 | 28 |
Airtel International Roaming Packs
Airtel offers prepaid and postpaid IR packs and options for data and voice packs to add extra benefits. However, Airtel offers just one uniform offering - World Pass - for travel across 184 countries in prepaid and postpaid segments so that customers don't need to worry or look after the country of travel. Airtel World Pass packs are applicable across all operators in the covered countries. If the customer has not taken an IR pack from Airtel, they can use high-speed data for prices as low as Rs 1.5 per MB for set 1 countries and Rs 3 per MB for Set 2 countries. However, after the high-speed data quota of your pack expires, the internet speed is throttled at 80 Kbps for all postpaid international roaming pack users. Airtel users can activate the IR packs in advance, which can be used upon landing in the destination country.
Also Read: Airtel World Pass: International Roaming Packs Explained
Airtel Prepaid IR Packs
| Sl. No | Pack Price | Validity | Data | Voice | SMS | Country Set |
1 | 649 | 1 Day | 500 MB | 100 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India | 10 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 250 MB | 50 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India | 10 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
2 | 899 | 10 Days | 1 GB | 100 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 10 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 500 MB | 50 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 10 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
3 | 2998 | 30 Days | 5 GB | 200 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 20 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 2.5 GB | 100 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 20 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
4 | 2997 | 365 Days | 2 GB | 100 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India | 20 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 1 GB | 50 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 10 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
5 | 755 | 5 Days | 1 GB | Data Top-up | Set 1 | |
| 500 MB | Data Top-up | Set 2 | ||||
6 | 756 | 5 Days | 100 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India | Voice Top-up | Set 1 | |
| 50 mins free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India | Voice Top-up | Set 2 |
Airtel Postpaid IR Packs
| Sl. No | Rental Price | Validity | Data | Voice | SMS | Country Set |
1 | 649 | 1 Day | 500 MB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 100 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 10 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 250 MB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 50 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 5 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
2 | 2999 | 10 Days | 5 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 100 min/day free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 20 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 2.5 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 100 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 10 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
3 | 3999 | 30 Days | 12 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 100 min/day free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 20 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 6 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 200 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 10 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
4 | 5999 | 90 Days | 2 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 900 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 100 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 1 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 450 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 100 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
5 | 14999 | 365 Days | 15 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 3000 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 100 Free SMS | Set 1 |
| 7.5 GB, Post usage Unlimited at Reduced Speeds of 80 Kbps. | 1500 min free local outgoing calls, incoming calls and calls to India. | 100 Free SMS | Set 2 | |||
| 6 | 755 | 5 Days | 1 GB | Postpaid Data Top-up | Set 1 | |
| 500 MB | Postpaid Data Top-up | Set 2 | ||||
| 7 | 2499 | 10 Days | 5 GB | Postpaid Data Top-up | Set 1 | |
| 2.5 GB | Postpaid Data Top-up | Set 2 | ||||
| 8 | 14999 | 30 Days | 30 GB | Postpaid Data Top-up | Set 1 | |
| 15 GB | Postpaid Data Top-up | Set 2 |
Vodafone Idea International Roaming Packs
Vodafone Idea offers separate prepaid and postpaid IR Packs for the benefit of customers. Although Vodafone idea claims its IR Pack offerings as truly unlimited, the terms and conditions have a definition which says any commercial or non-retail usage, such as cumulative duration of outgoing or incoming calls greater than 120 minutes per day and or data usage greater than 1 GB per day is subject to scrutiny and appropriate action. So, there is nothing truly unlimited in Vodafone Idea's IR Packs. If availed IR pack, after consumption of high speed data, usage will be charged at Rs 1 per MB. Also, pay-as-you-go charges for data without any IR pack cost around Rs 563 per MB to Rs 1536 per MB. Vodafone idea users can book the IR packs 60 days in advance.
Vodafone Idea Postpaid IR Packs
| Rental Charges | Validity | Data | Outgoing Local & to India | Outgoing to Rest of World | Incoming Calls | SMS | ||
1 | Rs 599 | 24 Hrs | Free | Free | Rs 35 / min | Set 1 | Free | Free |
| 300 MB | 50 Min | 10 sms | Set 2 | Free | ||||
2 | Rs 2999 | 7 days | Free | Free | Rs 35 / min | Set 1 | Free | Free |
| 2 GB | 200 Min | 25 sms | Set 2 | Free | ||||
3 | Rs 3999 | 10 days | Free | Free | Rs 35 / min | Set 1 | Free | Free |
| 3 GB | 300 Min | 50 sms | Set 2 | Free | ||||
4 | Rs 4499 | 14 days | Free | Free | Rs 35 / min | Set 1 | Free | Free |
| 5 GB | 500 Min | 100 sms | Set 2 | Free | ||||
5 | Rs 5999 | 28 days | Free^ | 1500 | Rs 35 / min | Set 1 | Free | Free |
| 5 GB | 500 Min | 100 sms | Set 2 | Free |
Vodafone Idea Prepaid IR packs
| MRP | Validity (in Days) | Data | Voice | Countries | |
1 | 695 | 1 | 1 GB | Outgoing Calls (Local + Calls to India) FREE (Upto 120 mins per day) Post 120 Free mins, Rs 1/min will be charged on outoging calls for the rest of the day | Set 1 |
| 300 MB | 50 | Set 2 | |||
2 | 2695 | 4 | 4 GB | Outgoing Calls (Local + Calls to India) FREE (Upto 120 mins per day) Post 120 Free mins, Rs 1/min will be charged on outoging calls for the rest of the day | Set 1 |
| 1.2 GB | 200 | Set 2 | |||
3 | 3495 | 7 | 7 GB | Outgoing Calls (Local + Calls to India) FREE (Upto 120 mins per day) Post 120 Free mins, Rs 1/min will be charged on outoging calls for the rest of the day | Set 1 |
| 2 GB | 200 | Set 2 | |||
4 | 4695 | 10 | 10 GB | Outgoing Calls (Local + Calls to India) FREE (Upto 120 mins per day) Post 120 Free mins, Rs 1/min will be charged on outoging calls for the rest of the day | Set 1 |
| 3 GB | 300 | Set 2 | |||
5 | 6995 | 28 | 15 GB | Outgoing Calls (Local + Calls to India) FREE (Upto 120 mins per day) Post 120 Free mins, Rs 1/min will be charged on outoging calls for the rest of the day | Set 1 |
| 5 GB | 500 | Set 2 |
There are also other prepaid packs IR 295, IR 1495, IR 995 for a set of countries.
Also Read: Comparing Airtel, Jio, Vodafone IR Packs, Check Who Offers the Best
Jio International Roaming Packs
Jio has no separate prepaid, and postpaid packs as these 5 IR Pack variants offered by Jio are the same for both segments. However, a first-time IR user must activate IR service by latching to Jio Network, which is a hassle for any unexpected travel scenarios. Jio's Unlimited IR Pack benefits are valid across 22 countries but are applicable only on select partner networks. Jio's Unlimited IR pack options are unavailable for the most popular destinations, such as Switzerland, Japan etc.
Jio Value IR Packs
| Sl. No | Price/Rental | Validity | Data | Voice/IR Usage | SMS | Countries | Wi-Fi Calling | Notes |
| 1 | 1102 | 28 | Rs 933.90 | ISD 5 | 100+ | Wi-Fi calling facility is allowed only for call back to India | Incoming calls on Wi-Fi calling can be received from anywhere in the world at Rs 1. Outgoing SMS over Wi-Fi calling is not allowed. All incoming text messages will be delivered without any charge. | |
| 2 | 1101 | 28 | Rs 933.90 | ISD 5 | 100+ | Without Wi-Fi calling | Incoming calls on Wi-Fi calling can be received from anywhere in the world at Rs 1. Outgoing calls over Wi-Fi calling are not allowed |
Jio Unlimited IR Packs
| Price, Rental | Validity | Data | Voice outgoing | Voice Incoming | SMS | Countries | |||
| 575 | 1 Day | 250 MB high speed data thereafter unlimited at 64 kbps | Outgoing calls to India & local 100 mins. Incoming Call Free | Incoming Call FREE | 100 SMS | 22 | without WiFi Calling | Incoming calls from anywhere in the world by enabling Wi-Fi calling feature will be free | Outgoing calls over Wi-Fi calling are not allowed |
| 2875 | 7 Days | 250 MB/day high speed data thereafter unlimited at 64 kbps | Outgoing calls to India & local 100 mins per day. Incoming Call Free | Incoming Call FREE | 100 SMS/day | 22 | without WiFi Calling | Incoming calls from anywhere in the world by enabling Wi-Fi calling feature will be free | Outgoing calls over Wi-Fi calling are not allowed |
| 5751 | 30 Days | 5 GB high speed data thereafter unlimited at 64 kbps | Outgoing calls to India & local 1500 mins | Incoming Call FREE | 1500 SMS | 22 | without WiFi Calling | Incoming calls from anywhere in the world by enabling Wi-Fi calling feature will be free | Outgoing calls over Wi-Fi calling are not allowed |
Conclusion
Jio's IR packs appear as something but hardly offer anything called global experience through its pack benefits, which are valid across 22 countries on select partner networks. However, the flexibility of the countries discussed above will give you an idea of the countries these IR pack benefits work. IR service rentals will not apply on postpaid in Airtel and Vodafone idea when a customer activates any of the IR packs. Vodafone idea offers 24 hours, 4 day and 7 day validity packs. Jio's offerings are nowhere in the competition to be even compared. For a global traveller looking forward to a seamless travel experience, Airtel World Pass packs stand apart with unified plans valid across 184 countries. Airtel also has the advantage of multiple validity options as customers can opt for as low as one-day or a 365 days plan. Airtel users can also enjoy the lowest pay-as-you-go data usage benefits without any active IR Pack. Airtel IR Packs stand apart from a consumer experience perspective if we consider the number of countries covered with packs, validity options, data and voice add-ons, and competitive standard IR charges without any Active IR pack.
With these IR Packs experience popular travel destinations and ensure you get a seamless experience while streaming, video calling or sending photos and videos to your loved ones. Travel the world and speak your heart out to your loved ones with these handy IR packs.
