Respected Sir,

I have two Airtel connections -
9890061769 - This number is in my name but being used by my Dad. I have opted for 1 yr validity at the beginning of this year.
9860718196 - This number is in my Moms name and I activated it under the Airtel lifetime prepaid scheme.
I did not have any issues with my 1st number until I opted for 1 yr validity. For the second number the call rates were exorbitant until TRAI slashed rates in the beginning of this year. I am facing problems ever since.

The problems I am facing on both numbers for the past 1 year are very similar. They are:

1. Unwanted subscriptions to service - Bollywood fusion - Deducting 15 Rs/day
2. Unwanted subscriptions to jokes sms service. - Deducting 2 Rs/day
3. Unwanted subscriptions to cricket live scores sms service. - I don't have any idea. Probably deducting on per month basis.
4. Unfair deductions for hello tunes. 10 Rs once and 30 Rs/month thereafter. None of the numbers have any caller tune. You can call and verify.
5. Unfair deductions for downloads. It says "You have downloaded xxxxx game/app" and 30 Rs deducted per download. These keep coming intermittently. Note that my parents have not activated GPRS services on any of the phones so it is impossible to download anything.
6. Unwanted deductions of 3 Rs per day on 2nd number. Customer care argues that it is to keep call rates low and wont deactivate this service inspite of my instructions.

I stay in Pune. My parents stay in Ahmednagar which is 120 kms away from Pune. They have no idea about deductions being made because they don't know how to read SMS from inbox. The only way they come to know is when the balance is less than 1 Rs and they are unable to call me. I keep checking their SMS inbox whenever I visit them or they visit me.

I have tried calling customer support several times during the past 1 year and asking for refunds. Its become a regular nuisance. Sometimes they agree and refund, most of the times they don't. They say that our system is showing date and time of usage. They say - "System cannot lie. You are lying.". I try to explain them that - "How can I access your services without GPRS?". They have no answer. My parents are old and unfamiliar with mobile and internet services. All they know is how to answer and make a call. They have no idea how to use address book or read/send SMS, let alone WAP, GPRS and other advanced services. They are very busy with their lives and barely watch TV. How would they be interested in some silly jokes, cricket scores or bollywood gossip? I even thought of bearing the loss and asked them to stop all services immediately but inspite of my repeated instructions they have not done so. My parents keep getting those messages and money is being debited from their account. My parents recharge with topup of 100 Rs/week/phone but what they are getting is calls worth not more than 20 Rs. I am afraid that my parents have lost nearly 10,000/- Rs let alone the mental torture we have been facing. They have to go to a PCO to call me inspite of having their own mobile connection.

This is an ultimate case of harassment by Airtel. I checked with my friends and only those who have opted for prolonged validity are being harassed in this manner. Most of them have moved to other operators already but haven't complained to anyone. I feel that Airtel is deliberately doing this to get rid of the lifetime customers because they have promised to give incoming local calls absolutely free which was obviously a publicity stunt to sell more connections.

I demand that Airtel should refund 10,000/- Rs in cash for the false deductions and Rs 300,000/- in cash as a compensation for the mental torture and harassment they have caused me and my parents. I am not interested in any other mode of compensation because I am planning to terminate their services immediately. I am sure Airtel is going to deny all allegations but there is ample proof. I have all text messages that they keep sending for deductions for the services that I cannot even access. Also there is ample proof from prior cases that I have read about in your forum itself.

I am not much hopeful that this complaint is going to be of much use because customer is just a pawn that large corps like Airtel can abuse in any way they want. Its a shame on TRAI that they are unable to control such unethical practices. If there is no outcome then I would only be left with the option of resorting to mass negative campaigning against Airtel so that others don't fall into the same trap. I am determined to end this.

Hoping for the best.

-Tausif