Thousands of Airtel customers who claimed a complimentary one-year Perplexity Pro subscription through the Airtel Thanks app are now noticing a paused status on their accounts. While the message may look alarming, it does not necessarily mean the subscription has been canceled. Here is what is actually happening and what you can do about it.

What You Need to Know

  • The free one-year Perplexity Pro offer via Airtel has ended for new activations, but existing users should still have access until their 12-month period expires
  • A paused status usually means the promotional period has ended and a payment method needs to be added to continue
  • Users who do not want to upgrade should remove payment details or cancel auto-renewal to avoid accidental charges
  • The card requirement is an anti-fraud measure by Perplexity, not a change in Airtel's offer terms

Why the Subscription Shows as Paused

Airtel partnered with Perplexity in July 2025 to offer eligible prepaid, postpaid, broadband, and DTH customers a free one-year Perplexity Pro subscription valued at roughly Rs 17,000. The offer was available through the Airtel Thanks app and required no payment details at the time of activation.

The promotional claim period ended on January 17, 2026. Users who activated before that deadline are entitled to the full 12 months of Pro access from their activation date. However, many users are now seeing a paused status because Perplexity has introduced a global requirement to add a valid payment method for continued access.

According to Perplexity, this is an anti-fraud measure designed to verify genuine users and prevent abuse. The company has stated that cards will not be charged during the remaining free period and that billing will only begin if the user explicitly upgrades to a paid plan after the trial ends.

How to Resume Your Subscription

If your Perplexity Pro subscription shows as paused, here is how to restore access:

Open the Perplexity website or app and navigate to your account settings. Look for the subscription or billing section where you will be prompted to add a valid credit or debit card. Once the card is added, Pro access should resume immediately within the remaining duration of your free period.

Airtel and Perplexity have confirmed that no charges will be applied during the free period. The card is held for verification purposes only, and automatic billing will only begin if you choose to continue with a paid plan after the trial expires.

How to Avoid Automatic Renewal Charges

If you do not plan to continue with a paid Perplexity Pro subscription after your free period ends, take these steps:

Go to your Perplexity account settings and navigate to the billing or subscriptions section. Check whether a payment method is saved on your account. If you have already added a card, turn off automatic renewal or cancel the subscription before the free period ends.

If you have not yet added a payment method but want to avoid any future prompts simply ignore the upgrade request. Your access may remain limited to the free tier of Perplexity once the Pro trial expires, but you will not be charged.

The Bigger Picture: Trust and Transparency

The situation highlights a growing tension in India's telecom and AI bundling strategy. When Airtel first announced the Perplexity Pro partnership, the no-strings-attached nature of the offer was its biggest selling point. The later introduction of a mandatory card requirement has left many users feeling misled.

Airtel has maintained that the commercial terms of its deal with Perplexity have not changed and that the payment prompt originates from Perplexity's global billing system, not from Airtel. However, for users who signed up based on the original promise of a truly free year of AI access, the distinction offers little comfort.

As more telecom operators bundle AI services with their plans, the Perplexity episode serves as a cautionary tale. Clear communication about payment requirements, even for free trials, is essential to maintaining consumer trust.

Bottom Line

If your Airtel Perplexity Pro subscription is paused, adding a card will restore access immediately without any charges during the free period. If you do not want to upgrade after the trial ends, remember to cancel auto-renewal. The experience is a reminder that free AI offers often come with fine print, and it pays to read the terms before signing up.