REf: ACcount Number: 10277964, Complaint number 5622158, dated 13-10-2011

Dear Sir,

This complaint is following a similar complaint, lodged in the month of september, following a problem, that is yet to be rectified from the month of August 2011.

12th August 2011
I had Requested for a plan migration from the Flexi 499 plan to the Turbo 75 plan (which entails a speed upgrade to 4MBps, and a flat monthly rental rate of Rs. 1699 -which is essential for the business that I run). I was informed, that the plan would change by the 5th of September (next billing cycle)


10th September 2011
My plan had not been changed, in addition to which, I received an extremely irregular bill for the month of august, which was over billed for an amount of Rs. 12,205/-, due to a system error, where it multiplied two entries over a period of 12 hours, for the entire month, adding up to a massively inaccurate bill. After having mailed them and called airtel repeatedly, almost every day for the month of september. They informed me that for "some reason", the plan migration hadn't happened, and it would happen by the next billing cycle, (2nd of October). They however, finally managed to give me a waiver of the excess amount, after a series of frustrating calls with inexperienced and untrained "customer service representatives"

2nd October 2011
I receive a confirmation call that my plan has been migrated. My speed is upgraded, adn I am under the impression that all is finally well.

13th October 2011

I receive once again, the bill for the month of September, an overbilled amount of Rs. 3,620/-, due to the same system error that caused the previous bill's over-billing Furthermore, it is brought to my attention, that the billing plan due to my plan migration has not been shifted to the Turbo 75 plan, and is still on the Flexi 499 (Rs. 25 per hour). Furious, at the misinformation given to me wherefore they have upgraded my speed, and confirmed that my plan has been upgraded, whilst continuing to bill me at the previous plan's rates, I registered a complaint about both the overbilling, as well as the plan migration (Ref: 5622158). I spoke to a customer representative called Promod (interatction ID: 34903920), who assured me that the issue would be resolved within two days, and I would get a call back from the billing department.

17th October 2011
Having not yet received a confirmation call, message, or any indication of resolution of my complaint. I call customer care once again, and speak to another customer service representative, Mr. Kabballe (Interaction ID number: 36127920) who informs me once again, that it will be rectified as soona s possible. and he needs 2 days more to sort out the issue.

21st October 2011
Once again,Receiving no indication whatsoever, of any effort taken by airtel to resolve this issue, I call customer care again, and speak to another represtentative called Mr. Stephen (Interaction id number 37884662), and I inform him that, they'd better rectify the billing issue, because, I don't want my line disconnected because of their mistakes. He assures me that will not happen, and continues to tell me that he needs 2 more days.

24th October 2011
Yet again, having received no indication from airtel's side, I decide to take this to a higher authority. I contact the nodal Officer's numbers, which promptly disconnects me when it tries to transfer my call to an officer. I tried this multiple times, and finally decided to take this up further.... However, the same scenario pertained with the Appellate officer's numbers

28th October 2011
Being frustrated, with nobody to turn to, I express my discontent in an e-mail to airtel to which I received assurance from a "Priyanka Murthy" that Everything would be taken care of ASAP.

1st November 2011
My airtel Landline and broadband is disconnected. I call the Appellate authority at 1745 hrs, and finally manage to get through, and speak to a Mr. Shajan. He asks me to hold the line, while he checks the details, and conveniently disconnects the line, after which I am not able to get through to the appellate's line once again, and He has not called back.


The amount of mental harassment that Airtel has put me through over the last 3 months has been absolutely outrageous, and I can only conclude that Airtel is in over their head. Their customer care is beyond unsatisfactory and I demand a refund for the entire overbilled amount, and compensation for the mental harassment that, that has made my business suffer as a result of built up tension.

Yours,

Nipun Nair