Q: What is Free Zone powered by Google?

Free Zone powered by Google is an exciting new product that allows airtel mobile users to access Google+, Gmail and Google Search without incurring data charges - no data plan needed. It’s available on most internet-enabled mobile phones.

Q: How do I use Free Zone?

You can access Free Zone using any default phone browser. You'll need to sign in with your Google Account in order to use Google+ and Gmail through Free Zone. If you don’t have a Google Account you can create one easily by going to http://g.co/freezone.

Q: How does Free Zone benefit me?

When you use Google+, Gmail and Google Search through Free Zone on your mobile phone, you won’t be charged for data. You can use Free Zone even if you haven’t subscribed to a data plan with airtel.

Q: Which products can I use free of data charges in Free Zone?

You can use Google+, Gmail and Google Search free of data charges with a fair usage cap of 1 GB per month.

Q: Is there an upper limit to the free usage of the products under Free Zone?

You can use Google+, Gmail and Google Search free of data charges with a fair usage cap of 1 GB per month.

Q: How long will I be able to use Free Zone?

You will be notified about any changes to Free Zone’s pricing structure by airtel well ahead of time.

Q: On which mobile phones can I use Free Zone?

Free Zone is available on most internet-enabled mobile phones.

Q: Which browsers can I use with Free Zone?

No,Free Zone should be accessed with your phone's default browser. Amongst third-party browsers Opera Mini can be used to access Free Zone.

Q: Can I use Free Zone on my smartphone or Android device?

Yes, you can. Free Zone is available on most internet-enabled mobile phones. It is optimized for non-smartphones or feature phones, but it will work on a smartphone as well.

Q: Can I use Free Zone on my computer or tablet?

No, you can only use Free Zone on internet-enabled mobile phones.

Q: What happens if I click on a link, a picture or an attachment?

If you click on a link that takes you outside Google+ or Gmail or if you want to view an email attachment, you will need to pay data charges. Before you are charged, you will see a notification page, you can purchase a data plan or you can proceed further with the default pay-as-you use data charges.

Q: What happens when I click on a link in the search results page?

When you click on a link in the search results page, you don’t pay anything. The first page(s) linking from Google Search are free, for pages thereafter you will need to pay for data usage (but don’t worry, before you are charged, you will see a warning page with the option to sign up for a data plan if you want.) So for example, if you click on a search link to a Wikipedia article, you won’t pay anything. But if you click on a link within the article, you will be charged for the data costs incurred for loading that link.

Q: How many times can I click on a link for free?

Every time you click on a link in the search results page it is free. So if you have clicked through to a link and want to find out more, simply return to your search page and you can click on another link or search again for free. There are no limits on the amount of searches you can make. However there is a fair usage cap of 1 GB per month to avoid misuse.

Q: Who can I contact if I have problems with Free Zone?

Please contact airtel Customer Care by dialing 121 from your phone.

Q: Why am I unable to login to Free Zone?

If you have 2-step verification enabled on your Google account then it will not work with Free Zone. (Gmail users can enable 2-step verification – its purpose is to receive an SMS from Google every time they log in.)

Q: Can I still use Free Zone if I travel to another country?

No. Free Zone is offered free of charge by airtel in India only. Once you leave the country you will be on roaming, which is not covered by Free Zone.

Q: How do I get help for Google+, Gmail and Search?

You can get help at support.google.com

Q: I used Free Zone on my smartphone and I think I got charged for the usage. Why is that?

Accessing Free Zone via a smartphone on airtel is free. However, based on the installed apps and your phone's settings, a smartphone can run a number of background tasks, widgets, or apps (unrelated to Free Zone) that use data and could incur charges.

Q: I've tried to use Free Zone, but it is not working. What could be wrong?

While Free Zone can be used on most internet-enabled phones you could run into issues if you are using:
• A smartphone which does not allow you to change the APN settings
• A phone that does not support the security certificates we use with Free Zone*
• A BlackBerry phone
• A Google apps account to login, please create a @gmail.com account and try again
• 2-factor authentication on your Gmail account
• A browser with cookies disabled
* For example, Nokia Series 60 phones prior to the 3rd edition (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_60 for more details)