Indian advertising standards watchdog ASCI has pulled up telecom service provider Bharti Airtel for running misleading ads about tariff packs that it's offering. In one of its ads, Airtel claimed to provide “Free data for 12 months, worth Rs 9000.” However, as per Airtel’s own data rates, which is Rs 450 per 3GB, an actual data pack for 12 months will cost much lower than Rs 9000. ASCI also added that Airtel’s “unlimited data packs are not entirely free” since they are subject to specific tariff charges for which the customer is required to pay. The watchdog added that some data packs are valid for only 28 days and the 12 recharges of 28 days each do not add up to 12 months. Additionally, the advertising regulator pulled up out Airtel’s unlimited calling pack ads. It pointed out Airtel's disclaimer which mentions that ‘unlimited calling packs’ are capped at 1200 minutes per week. This means that the pack has fair usage policy (FUP) and the customer is paying for only 1200 minutes a week, and not “unlimited calls” as claimed by Airtel. Hence, ASCI said that the claim is “misleading and contravened Chapter I.4 of the ASCI Code as well as Clause 1 of ASCI Guidelines for Disclaimers” Here is what Chapter 1.4 of the ASCI code says: “A disclaimer can expand or clarify a claim, make qualifications, or resolve ambiguities, to explain the claim in further details, but should not contradict the material claim made or contradict the main…
