Hi

This is regarding the apathy shown by Airtel folks in resolving a billing issue.

I got my mobile number 9886658143 ported from the Vodafone to Airtel and on 31st May, 2012 the number got active from Airtel. Immediately after

the porting I called up the 121 customer care in order to understand my tariff and the customer care personnel explained me about the voice tariff

details for the Future value 299 rental plan. Note that with this 299 rental plan I was entitled to get 750 minutes of local+STD outgoing call along with

100 SMSes per day. No data package was part of this plan. I called up customer care again in order to activate the 3G services on my cell and inquired

about the different 3G data plans. During this call I was informed that I am entitled to 1 GB FREE 2G (GPRS) plan and was advised to use and exhaust

within a month and then move to appropriate 3G data plan. Then I further inquired the validity period of this FREE 2G data service and was informed

that till 29th June I can use this free 2G data service (because I was informed that the billing cycle to be 20th to the next months 19th and the bill

generation date is 20th). On 1s June I received a confirmation SMS informing me that that I am entitled to 1GB free data usage for the next one

month.

So I started using the FREE 2G data service. But on 19th June I find that my outgoing is blocked. When I called 121, I was informed that I have crossed

the credit limit and hence my outgoing was barred. I asked for a resolution and the Customer Care suggested me to pay 2900 rupee in order activate

my outgoing. I was kind of shocked hearing that my outstanding/un-billed amount to be so high since I knew that by no possible way I have crossed the

free 750 minutes of outgoing call and my SMS usage must not be more
than 100 a day. I asked for an explanation for such a high outstanding/un-billed amount and the customer care personnel informed me that since the

bill is not yet generated they can't tell me about my usage and if I want my outgoing activated I got to pay 2900 immediately. I called up 3 times to

the 121 Customer Care but all in vain without any explanation other than getting the Nodal Office number for further escalation. I called up the Nodal

Office (9972534865).

Here is a brief on my interaction(s) with different Nodal officers who attended the calls:

1. 19th June 2012 around 1:00 PM
Ms. Sindhu (Nodal office desk) tries to understand the problem and informs me that because of high data usage my outgoing is barred. When I

informed her that I have free 1GB data for the 1 month starting 31st May, and so far I would have used around 900-950 MB only the bill can not be

that high due to data usage, she told that the data related problem could be resolved only after bill generation. When I insisted for an interim solution

she told that my outgoing would be activated within 4 hours and this data discrepancy issue will be taken up once the bill is generated. So I was

waiting for my outgoing to be activated.

In the meanwhile I receive an SMS from Airtel that my outgoing is barred I got to pay up 2900 rupee in order to activate the outgoing (note that this

was the first time Airtel formally intimated me about barring my outgoing, so far they never bothered to inform me that my outgoing is barred).

Commonsense says inform first and then bar the facility.
Seeing this I called Nodal office again.

2. Same day around 4:00 PM
Ms. Premalatha (nodal Office desk) answered the call where she repeated the same as what was mentioned in the SMS. When I explained her about

my conversation with Sindhu, she assured me that the service would be restored within 24 hours and the complaint has been taken at the highest

priority.


3. 20th June 2012 around 9:30AM

I received a call from Nitesh (from number 9741202324 representing Airtel) who after hearing the whole issue advises me to pay 300 rupee to activate

my outgoing immediately. Since I haven't received any bill so far I didn't know my account number, he was kind enough to provide me the Airtel

account number. When I logged into Airtel self-care portal to pay Rs300/- I couldn't complete the transaction and hence I called up Nodal office again

( when I tried to reach Nitesh on the above mentioned number, it was switched off).

4. 20th June 2012 around 11:30 AM
Ms. Srilakshmi receives the call and upon hearing my conversation with Nitesh, she positively identifies him and rubbishes the restoration of service

upon the payment of Rs300/-. And repeats that I have to pay 2900/- to get the service restored. She was not even ready to listen what I wanted to tell.

Her entire conversation involved in reading out a prepared text.

5. Appellate officer Santosh - Same day around evening This person is worse than the last nodal officer I have interacted (Ms. Srilakshmi). Further he

says I have to wait till bill generation to proceed any further.

I had waited till 22nd afternoon for my bill generation.

6. So with the generated bill I called up Nodal Office again and this time a lady takes the call (by now I lost the track of the names) and registers my

complaint (complain id:44314038). When I asked her about why I have been charged for the data usage when I am under the limit (966 MB out of 1GB

free data), she explains that the data usage has been calculated pro-rated basis and since the 20th is the billing cycle I am not entitled to get 1GB free.

I got the shock of my life hearing this since this was completely opposite to what the 121 customer care personnel informed me when I called up on

31st May for activation of 3G services where she explained about the free 1GB 2G GPRS data. When I explained her the same she promised me further

investigation and a resolution by 48 hours i.e. 24th June without even bothering to offer me an interim solution.


7. In the meanwhile, I spoke to 121 Customer Care several times and also visited the Domlur Airtel Care Centre, but to no avail. It appears that so far no

one from Airtel has bothered to investigate about the misleading information provided to me, rather everyone is busy trying to convince me to pay the

bill. I am really disappointed with the kind of behavior Airtel people has shown towards me so far. It has been already 11 days since the outgoing

service is blocked and they did not even provide me any interim solution other than insisting to clear the outstanding which is so high because of the

misleading information provided me. No one bothered to investigate the misleading information providing part even after telling them all the details

in order help them in investigating further. From the very 1st day Airtel people has been very non-cooperating in solving the issue. Every time they

cited the high data usage rather than trying to find the root-cause of it.

Note that the Customer Care personnel informed me that my 1GB free data pack gets over with the bill generation but to my surprise I get an SMS

from Airtel that my 1GB free data pack expires on 25th June and I should upgrade to appropriate data plan in order to avoid 30 paisa/20kb thereafter.

With this message it is pretty clear that I was entitled with data usage of free 1GB till 25th and there is definitely some problem with the bill

generation. Please find the screenshot of the SMS attached.

8. On seeing this SMS I called up nodal office again: (25th June 2012 around 6:00 PM)

Mr. Vineeth patiently listens to the entire issue, but he also repeats the the same (i.e to pay up the bill). But when I reminded him the latest SMS

(informing me about the expiry of the 1GB 2G GPRS data offer), he agrees to investigate the matter and will resolve within 48 hours (i.e 27th June). He

further assures me of verifying the conversation I had with 121 customer care on 31st May. Since I was not happy with the resolution the same

complaint was re-opened. But so far there is no calls except a call in the 28th June morning (from Santosh representing Airtel, no. 9741202324), but

before he could inform me anything the call gets disconnected (Now I have every right to suspect that this disconnection is from his side). As I didn’t

receive any call since morning I called up 121 customer care in the evening to find out the resolution. The person attended couldn't provide any

resolution and tried to pass the call to his manager. But as lines were busy he promised me a call back. So far there were no calls from Airtel.

Whether it is prorated or not it doesn't matter. As the SMS on 25th clearly states that my FREE 1GB 2G data plan expires and I can choose a plan of my

choice. otherwise I will be
billed at 30paisa for20KB.

After the above SMS, the issue can be resolved in my favour even without going through the recordings of 31st May.

I am filing this complaint against Airtel for the following reason:

1. Indifferent attitude towards solving customers problem
2. Harassment at different levels
3. Service Blockage without siting proper valid reason
4. Waste of time and money of the customer.

I want the following from the Airtel in order to resolve this issue:

1. Immediate activation of the outgoing service with 3G data service
2. Waivers on the data usage which under the limit of 1GB
3. Further investigation on the misleading information
4. An official apology letter from Airtel for the harassment and blockage of service
5. Compensation for the waste of time and denial of service.

Regards
Abu
(Abu Bakkar Siddik Sarkar)
Ph: 9886658143. Complaint no: 44314038