Hi,
Last year on my Airtel bill (Eg. Nov 2008) for mobile number 9901833100 I noticed discripancies on the roaming charges: Although I had a plan for "All india 1" (have a copy of the plan that explicitly says Re 1/- for STD on roaming) I found them charging double. Several time I complained through customer care (121) only to discover they do not work on complain but only read-out some sample statements all the time. Went to customer care office on Indira nagar 100 ft road two times and they agreed that they are incorrect. They said they don't have access to old bill and I have to come later with bills copy again another day (Probably they wanted to tell me they are too busy to solve my problems). I did not follow that route. I sent several mails to 121@airtel.co.in and ccare@airtelindia.com about the complain and asked to cancel my connection. When it did not work I got one nodal officers email ID (not of bangalore) and send a mail to them asking address for Bangalore Nodal officer -- but that was also not replied. I had a contact number from my office where I called but the guy did not pickup the call (I wrote to him about the problem through email). Finally I sent a registered letter to the Chairman citing all the problems and asked him to sort it out. No reply was made for that -- do not know whether it has reached his office or not. Meanwhile almost regularly I was getting calls from different people of Airtel who starts discussing the problem from the beginning. I was tiered to tell the same story to all of them who at the end said he/she will rectify the problem but did not revert back anymore. Eventually I recomputed the bills based on the plan charge shown in the plan copy that I carried and paid it. I also sent a final mail asking to close the connection immediately without further consideration (as otherwise on previous attempt they did not close the connection and kept telling stories). I wrote to them if they dont settle the bills they I have to approach consumer court. Till how I had hope that they will act on it even if they are slow. Instead I received an unsigned letter from some Mr X stating that if I dont pay the remaining amount they will file lawsuit against me and the letter said "its a computer generated letter and does not require signature". No one signed it either. Relating to previous threats on phone that they said me if I dont pay the bill I will be in trouble, I understood one angle of the philosophy. This person used harse language (called me idiot) and I noted his mobile number and complained that next time he does it again I will goto police station with his number -- I think this is the same guy who called my friend and told him he is from a courier and wants to deliver a bank courier to me so he needs my other contact number.

I think Airtel is trying to threaten by all means to collect money from its customer. As everybody is scared of spending personal time in court room, they usually tend to pay the money even if they are not legitimate.


I have kept following proofs with me:
* Bill plan for all india 1 that says Roaming STD is charged Re 1/- with a monthly rental of Rs 399/-
* All the e-mails (including the last termination request mail, corrected bill computation)
* Few mails I sent to 121 for "informational" purpose that says I talked to some person from Airtel customer care who said something
* Scanned copy of the registered letter sent to the chariman (It contains all the proof)
* Incorrect bills
* Tokens of the customer care of Indira nagar branch when I spoke to them correct the bills

Let me know where I can submit them.