Airtel foolish ₹2000 cashback offer

Recently Airtel and Nokia collaborated to offer ₹2000 cashback under the scheme named  "My first smartphone offer". I tried to figure out how if this scheme is really good or just another foolish joke by Airtel. If the calculations are done on the basis of current plans which of the customers use, I found this offer to be foolish Joke.

Let us take a look on T&C that I found on Amazon.in 

1.The “Airtel Pre-paid - INR 2000 Cashback Offer”, also called as “My First Smartphone” offer (“Offer”) is being provided by Bharti Airtel Limited (“Airtel”) to any new/existing pre-paid subscriber who wishes to avail of Airtel’s mobility services on Nokia 7 Plus

2.1 Subscriber is eligible for total Cashback from Bharti Airtel upon meeting specified conditions:

2.2 Cashback: Subscriber is eligible for total Cashback of Rs. 2000 which will be split over a period of 36 months from the date of putting in their Airtel Sim in the Device: Nokia 7 Plus

1. The cashback will be credited to the Subscriber’s Airtel Payment Bank account.
2. Subscriber shall receive in Airtel Payments Bank account the cashback in two tranches

4.1 First Tranche: Rs. 500 will be given at the end of first 18 months; and the Second Tranche: Rs. 1500 will be given at the end of 36 months

1. Customer does not need to return the Device to avail the cashback.
2. The first Airtel Mobile SIM card inserted in the Device is deemed associated with the offer, the cashback will be given on the Airtel Payments Bank account on this mobile number subject to the following:

6.1 For cashback of Rs. 500 in first 18 months:
• Subscriber must recharge the Airtel Mobile number associated with the Offer atleast once every calendar month for 18 months; AND
• A recharge of minimum Rs. 3500 over the period of preceding 18 months should be done on the Device.
For cashback of Rs. 1500 at the end of 36 months:
• Subscriber must recharge the Airtel Mobile number associated with the offer atleast once every calendar month for 18 months; AND
• A recharge of minimum Rs. 3500 over the period of preceding 18 months should be done.

If we try to meet the above conditions with popular affordable plans 

i.e. ₹509 for 90 days/3 months

then we will be able to pay in 18 months i.e 6 Cycles

₹509 X 6 = ₹3054

wait here... 

Look at 6.1 1st point- recharge atleast once every calendar month and total of min ₹3500, still, we are not able meet the above conditions

To satisfy this we will try to recharge with ₹10 in remaining months ie. 12 months 

Now after taking this foolish headache, customer will pay

₹3054+₹120 (₹10 X 12 months) = ₹3174  

Still, he failed 😞

Now, we will have to recharge with ₹326 more (₹326 +₹120=₹446) to meet this requirement to get ₹500 only. 

No benefit yet, sorry its ₹54 cashback after 18 months of sh...  hahaha 😖

Ok we met these conditions somehow and moved to avail the next ₹1500 

Same conditions applied again but this time we will get ₹1500 after 3 years. 

So airtel is paying up ₹1108 after 3 years, if we recharge all the months (which is difficult to remember with 90 days plans).

Now look at another recharge offer of ₹169 and compare this to ₹ 509 plan

We will be getting  1Gb data instead of 1.4Gb and still our total will be ₹3211 for 19 cycles in 18 months. (₹283 less than ₹3500). 

This is how Airtel is making fool by giving a headache, not any useful benefit to its customers.

I thanks Mukesh Ambani to bring Reliance Jio, which is doing its business best way by providing 4G services at affordable prices to the whole country, fewer customers and still making profits.