Hi All,

I am writing this with total disappointment with Airtel.

Name: Edwin Fernandez
Number: 98802-33343
Customer since 2003This is regarding my current outstanding bill for the above mentioned cell phone number. I am asked to pay Rs. 20,000 for nothing!! Customer care claims that I used 752mb of 3G internet.

After talking to several customer care reps, i decided that there is no use talking to them. So i decided to write a detailed email to Airtel. Please find below the email sent to them dated 18/06/2011.


To whomsoever this may concern,

First of all – I have lost all hopes on Airtel. And remember, I have been with Airtel since 2003. So, I’m not fooling.

Name: Edwin Fernandez
Number: 98802-33343
Rate Plan I was on: Dell Corporate Plan 199
Current Rate Plan: I have NO CLUE!
Credit Limit: Rs. 7,300/- (Atleast that’s what I was told by Customer Care)

This is regarding my current outstanding bill for the above mentioned cell phone number. I am asked to pay Rs. 18,000 for nothing!! Customer care claims that I used 752mb of 3G internet. Haha.. Joke!! - I didn’t activate 3G. I had opted for Mobile Office internet package (Rs. 98 for 2gb/MO), All this while, was I getting charged for 3G, while I was using Mobile Office??

This is NOT the first time my bill has a discrepancy. Previously you were charging me for MMS when I was using a Nokia 1202. I had to go through so many calls to get that rectified.

Two possibilities where I think Airtel fooled me with 3G:

First:
Initially, when Airtel launched 3G, I got a call from someone who claimed to be calling from Airtel. She said that I am using a 3G capable handset and so Airtel has activated 3G as I am a privileged customer. I told her that I am very happy with Mobile Office and I didn’t want 3G. Honestly, in my mind, at that point I didn’t want 3G as it was the initial stage and I wanted to see how things go at first and then subscribe to it. Then the lady asked me what handset I am using. When I told her that it’s a Samsung Galaxy S, she said that I have an option to turn off 3G on my phone and use 2G ONLY. And that makes it Mobile Office. I asked her a million times and she said she knew what she was talking. I immediately changed my phone settings from ‘WCDMA/GSM’ to ‘GSM’. And like she said, the phone showed an “E” and not a “H” on the phone’s status bar (E for Edge and H for HSDPA). So I trusted the lady. I continued using the phone and everything was going fine. I still got the same kind of connection speed.

Second:
Later, when I decided to find out about the plans available for 3G, I called 121. I spoke to a rep in customer care and after he gave me a few unclear details, he asked me to send an sms for complete details about 3G plans available. He asked me to send 3G to 121. I got a reply from 121 saying my request is taken and will revert back. Neither did I get any details, nor did I bother to find out anything. Just a reminder, my phone was still on GSM mode (2G mode). I didn’t bother to find out more about Airtel 3G is because I got to know from few of my colleagues here, that it was not worth it. And during this time, I was still getting the same connection speed.

I really don’t know when among these situations, Airtel activated 3G on my connection. Either ways, I was not aware about it and it’s NOT my mistake.


Now the funny part:
In the second week of May, I was shocked to get an sms from Airtel for a bill of Rs. 3,500. I immediately called 121 to know the details and what was astonishing was, the IVR said that my outstanding was 13,200. So I spoke to a rep and asked him what the problem was. He told me that I had used 3G internet and that’s why my bill was Rs. 3,500, but denied to discuss about the 13,200 for a while. Then he said that 13,200 was my outstanding and 3,500 was my bill for the previous month. When I told him that I have not used 3G, and I have used only Mobile Office, he started reading stuff from his records which I clearly didn’t understand at all. I told him that Airtel needs to fix my bill and that I am not going to pay. I asked the rep, why didn’t I get a call or a sms that I had crossed my credit limit of Rs. 7,300? He said that it is because it was not my billing date yet. I told him that the purpose of Credit Limit was to intimate the consumer about the usage before the billing date. Then I asked him for his manager and he connected me to another rep who claimed to be a manager (I am sure it was not a manager, because he didn’t know ANYTHING). He couldn’t tell me why I didn’t get a message about exceeding the credit limit. I had no choice, but to disconnect the call.

Towards the end of third week and beginning of fourth week of May, I got three messages from Airtel about exceeding my credit limit. It’s really funny that I had to remind Airtel to intimate me about it. Then I got a call from a lady about exceeding my credit limit and wanted me to make a payment with 24-48 hours. I asked for her manager, and she put me on hold and hung up on me. I have spoken to another manager from Airtel, but it was the same explanation again. NO ONE is ready to listen.

I cannot pick all your calls, as I work during the night and sleep during the day. I cannot stay awake (just because Airtel goofed up) and wait for some manager to call me and explain the same thing again and again. Please email me as i want documentation too.

When I spoke to few of my colleagues here, they also have the same picture about Airtel. Four people out of Six had a bitter story about Airtel.

Few questions in mind:

• Why didn’t I get an intimation about exceeding my credit limit on time?
• Why did Airtel start sending me messages, only after I asked them about it?
• Why was I charged for 3G, when I was using Mobile Office?
• After reading customer issues and bitter stories on the internet, Was I a fool to have stayed with Airtel for 8 years?
• Should I post it on Consumer forums, Facebook, make a website or is it really necessary to write an email to Mr. Mittal about this?

While all these question simply piss me off – I’m awaiting a response from Airtel with a better resolution.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________


Airtel's Response

__________________________________________________ _________________________________
Dear Customer,

Ref: Email Dated 21-05-2011 inquiring about received SMS stating received email reply email and mentioning your concern regarding high billed amount in th bill dated 03-06-2011 for your airtel Mobile number 9880233343.

Thank you for your email to airtel and the opportunity to assist you.

We realize that this situation must have inconvenienced you. However, we assure you a prompt action to solve the concern.

We would like to inform you that GPRS 98 has been activated on your account as on 11/11/2010 and the same has already been deactivated on 27/03/2011.For your reference, GPRS Charges are as follows:

o Monthly Rental - Rs 98/-(Prorate)

o Browsing - Upto 2GB is Free beyond which charges are 20KB @ 30 P

We wish to inform you that 3G zero Rental Plan has been activated on 27/03/2011 in your account. Please find below the break-up of applicable charges for 3G zero Rental service:

Monthly Rental :Nil
Browsing Charges: 30p/20 KB

We would like to inform you that as per the service request number 38047046 we have already been deactivated the 3G service on 19/06/2011.we reviewed your bill dated 03-06-2011 and have verified the charges of Rs.13126.50/- levied in your bill. There appears to be no overcharging in your account. We would like to assure you that we have deployed a state of the art billing system which ensures that your bill is always error free.
__________________________________________________ _________________________________


The reply from Airtel was nothing related to my actual complain. We exchanged alot of emails, but none of them addressed my concern. None of the replies from Airtel talk to the point. Every sentence will mean – PAY THE BILL. I don’t understand why nobody at Airtel is trying to understand the actual complaint. After talking to many self-proclaimed managers, I already know that 3G was activated on 27^th March and deactivated on 19^th June. BUT THE QUESTION IS – WHO ACTIVATED 3G, WHEN I WAS USING MOBILE OFFICE? I DIDN’T.

Even after i mentioned that i cannot talk on the phone as i do night shifts and will be sleeping during the day, i ONLY got calls from airtel. All the reps/managers who called me denied to send an email about what we discussed over the phone. Each time its a different person calling and they dont know anything about the issue or what was discussed with the previous managers. I have to explain the entire thing again. At the end of the call, they say they will consult the higher authorities and get back to me. The next time i get a call, its a different person and we are back to square one. I've spoken to atleast 12-15 managers who tell me that Airtel has a state-of-the-art billing system. Then, i got a call from a Manager named Rahul from Delhi. He said he is calling from the Head Office and said he will be the only point of contact and will resolve my problem. I never got another call from him. The next thing i know is, Recovery Agents were calling me to collect the money. They even came home twice asking me to make a payment. When denied, they left. But someone named Raj called my Sister on her number at 08:15pm on 9th August and yelled at her. He even used abusive words. He said we are just customers and have no option but pay the bill, if not he knows what to do. He called from 080-42837806. He has no rights to yell at my sister.

The recovery agents don't know anything about the problem/complaint. Their only moto is to get the consumer to pay. I got another call from a recovery agent on 25th August. When i asked him what my actual problem was, he didnt know anything about it. He raised his voice and said i used 3G and made calls and i have to pay the bill no matter what. He then asked me to explain the entire thing to him. He said he will come home on 27th August and discuss in person, but never turned up. On 29th August he called me again and asked me to pay the bill and tried to threaten me about Legal Notice and CIBIL. The same person called me at 10:01pm from 9035041141 to confirm if i will pay the bill.

This is not the first time there is a discrepancy in my bill. In September 2010, i came to know that Airtel was charging me Rs. 99 for MMS every month (don't know from how long) when i was using a Nokia 1202. I have had this connection for 8 years now, Why will i want to do something to lose my number? When Airtel disconnected my outgoing, i still continued to use the number, until they disconnected the incoming too. I expected Airtel to understand the concern and come to a resolution. Why will i keep my connection active until it was disconnected completely? I know i haven't done anything wrong.

I cannot make a payment of 20,000. If Airtel claims that i have used 752MB of Data, then its well within my 2GB limits for Rs. 99 Mobile Office which i subscribed for.

Awaiting for the Best!

Thanks in Advance.

Warm Regards,
Edwin Fernandez