Airtel
Reviews and Complaints

This was on 29 apr 07, when I dialed 555 to retrieve my voice mail and got an regret message stating - cannot retrieve because I was out of city limits. Where as I was not. Hence i, for obvious reasons called up 121 - customer service, where I got to speak to mr ravi. This was at around 2000 hrs. He gave me an alternate no. Of [protected], to retrieve my messages, adding that I need to keep voice mail activated on only one type of situation where as I had kept it on for two - unavailable and busy. The later part of his voluntary information I found totally distorted, as the same setting was kept even in earlier days and it worked. I hung up my mobile and dialed the no. Given to me. Here I was asked for mobile password, which I had no clue about. Hence I again dialed 121, where I again got to speak to ravi, where he told me to type "tpin" and send it as text sms to 121, which will then help me generate my password. Following his instructions, I did exactly same as I was guided to. But instead I received an sms stating sorry, "match not found." I called up again and got to speak to javed. He totally non-cooperative, put me on hold and there I continued to be in. I hung up my call. I again tried what ravi had told me to do, this time assuming I had heard 't' for 'p' or may be 'e' hence typed 'ppin' and even 'epin' and smsed to 121 but it just did not work. Frustrated, by now, I called up airtel once again, and got to speak to javed again. After speaking to him, and before I could get my solution, my line was cut. I called up again, and again got javed this time and again I was put on unending hold, when I told him that I wanted to speak to ravi. I thought of trying one last time, and hence called up again - and this time got sujata on line, and explained to her entire problem once again, as I had done before to ravi and javed and also told her about the solution ravi gave that was not working out. Additionally asked her to put me through ravi on line, else to their manager, when she too put me on a never ending hold.

That was it, when I decided to write a complaint against this. It's just not working out - the attitude of the staff, how ill informed they are... What are they doing there in customer care department when they cannot cater for customers complaint, else don't even know where to direct them or guide them, properly.

This is regarding my postpaid Airltel mobile card with Number [protected] under the name j parabrahman which i have took earlier after submitting all required documents. In the month of January 12 2007 my wife has surrendered the card towards cancellation at the nearest Airtel mobile office near NCS theater , vizianagaram-535002, Andhra Pradesh after clearance of all dues as on that date and she has taken a new prepaid card with number [protected] under the name j s lakshmi from the same service center. Now we have received a bill of Rs.5071.42 towards the postpaid card which we have already surrendered. when we made a test ring to the same mobile number somebody is using the same number which we have surrendered in the month of January as stated earlier. The same matter we have informed to the service center 2 months back when we received the first bill after clearing all our dues they informed us that they will rectify this matter. But as we have subsequently got the second bill for the mobile which some other person is using which obviously mean that the service center people given the surrendered card to some one else or they are using the surrendered card for their personal purpose.

The biggest televenture like Airtel with numerous service centers but with the service people who misguide the innocent people and do the mischiefs like this for their personal benefits was never expected from our end.

As I did E-recharge on 27th April at around 9:33 pm for Rs1225/- on my mobile # [protected] and followed by this I got E-recharge successful message also from airtel. But the amount 1002/- did not get credited to my balance account. After that I tried calling customer care through my mobile but the there were no option in IVR so as to reach to customer care people. So I went on to reach Airtel office near jayadeva hospital, bannerghatta road. And I lodged one complaint having # CINEY042717041600 and they said they can’t help right now as its 11:30 pm and no technical backbone was there. Without getting any help and assurance I had to come back disappointedly.

Now next day morning (i.e. today) I talked to customer care people through one landline phone. And I talked to Mr Sridhar and Mr. Kumar (Supervisor) and they give me assurance that it will get rectified by 6:30 pm evening. Hoping to see get it rectified…

Having done this I wanted to know the mental harassment myself and my family and friends faced when they could not contact me during emergency. Who is going to compensate this? and I had to make call to them from outside landline. Is this not a pain?

My Appeal to all customer care executives “please please please do not ignore any customer complaints, take them seriously and fix them instantly”

Regards,
Subrato

Concerned All,

I am Madhu Mishra & my husband Mr. M.K. Mishra using airtel sim for last Two-Three years. There is no Airtel signal / very Feeble signal in our area. We have raised several complaints in Customer Care. But they have not solved this problem. They said they are going to plant a tower near by our area i.e. in Rampura. But till now the network quality is very poor & worst in this area. Due to the network problem the call gets disconnected, we are not able to make calls & voice quality is bad also.

We stay at Keshav Puram near metro station and here the network coverage is weak. Only 1 or 2 bars are shown in the mobile and most of time no signal even ‘Airtel’ is disappeared.

On 24th April 2007 i activated my GPRS for internet but till now i haven't got my internet settings, so i m not able to use internet, i had lost Rs100 from my account. Very bad service!

I have been using a number as prepaid connection. The number is recharged on 25/04/2007 for 360 rupees and at about 8.30 pm there is a message saying that this number is moved to postpaid plan and the cell phone disconnected. The clarification sought on 26/4/2007... the customer care at number [protected] says that my number is activated on some other name is postpaid plan... contact prepaid dept... then the customer care [protected] when contacted says that this is postpaid contact the other dept... i have wasted 2 hrs explaining the problem at last some complaint is registered but nothing has been done so far my number is disconnected for more that 14 hrs now. Very poor customer service!

That i deactivate my gprs i.e, airtel live , mms on 21st feb 2007 inspite of all this airtel deducted my rupees from my account there after i talk with airtel customer executive at about 11:40 am on 24th april 2007 above the same and he admitted that gprs was deactivated then why airtel send message about thanks for using airtel live and deduct my account. problem has not been solved! very bad service!

When I send MMS to my e-mail ID , money is getting deducted but no MMS is actually sent. I do not understand if there are some problems with the phone settings then why the hell money keeps on deducting. I called so many times to the customer care, they say MMS is activated.

I switched from postpaid to prepaid on 10th Apr 2007. My cell No. is [protected]. I paid Rs. 850/- towards my last bill and Rs. 200/- towards Refilling charges for prepaid SIM. My postpaid services were deactivated from 12th Apr 2007. I received postpaid bill amounting around Rs. 500/-. Since than my prepaid services have not activated even though I personally visited ARC at Spectrum Tower, Malad, where I submitted my documents on 13th Apr 2007.

There is no satisfactory reply from Airtel.

I booked connection under scheme offered for NTPC employee, so I have paid Rs. 799.00 Rental for 2 years through cheque.

I got my first bill in December 2006. I complained that for given as friend & family number you have charged Rs. 1.75 & for all numbers you have charged Rs. 1.75 per call. Airtel representative assured me that he will rectify the problem & extra amount bill adjusted in next bill. I paid bill. Again next month I got the bill having charges Rs. 1.75 per call without adjustment of previous extra amount. I complained again he assured me he will solve the problem & excess amount will be settled in bill. Many times i complained at help desk & nodal officer. Every one assured me solution within 48 hours. The nodal officers are not attending my calls. They have changed my account number & scheme. In the new scheme they charging very high call rates. I have paid rentals Rs.799.00 for two years. They are adjusting any amount & disconnected my phone.

I am getting any authority where i can complain for such fraud.

It has been over a week, and with 2 complaints already logged to Airtel Customer care, my broadband 512Kbps connection just does not work. There is 50% packet loss. The first complaint was surreptitiously closed and on my checking up, they unapologetically informed me that the complaint has been closed, so we will log another one. When will it be resolved... it will get resolved within 2 days is the standard reply. Now I know how it gets resolved. I have been suffering for one week with virtually no service at all and they care too hoot about it. No wonder AIRTEL SUCKS.

A copy of Letter to the General Manager, Customer Service:

We regret to inform you that we are absolutely disgusted with your service. Our Directors blackberry connection [protected] has been disabled for the past three days; inspite of our paying the entire dues, putting him and our organization into a lot of discomfort. We are aghast on the ineptitude of your support team. While placing on record our total displeasure this is to also formally intimate you about the cancellation of our 12 cug connections with immediate effect. The details of which have already been passed on your Mr.Joseph, Mob No.[protected], [protected]. CUG connections at our Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad offices are also being cancelled with immediate effect.

Regards
Haritha (Manager Customer Support and Business Development)

To whom it may concern

I like to inform you some fact regarding a new connection of airtel pco. For which I am facing financial loss.in the 1st week of april 2007 one mr. Partha chakraborty appeared before me. Said to a representative of m/s princep traders of calcutta 90 (An authorized dealer of airlel) to market an airlet pco.

I thought it will be good investment and for that I have placed an order.

The said mr. Chakraborty came to me on 14/4/07 with a telephone for pco and asked me for payment.

I gave him rs.1499/- and he told other technical know how will be told by airtel personnel by 16th. April 2007 10-00am

The line was activated and the telephone no. Was [protected].

Soon after departure of mr. Chakraborty I found the call charge as told by him, is much higher. Next morning i. E., from 15th april 2007 the telephone became dead.

The dealer m/s princep traders is reluctant to speak with me.

Very poor service!

I just discovered that an ID Thief purchased over $350 in services from Airtel.

After calling my Bank and going through the ID Theft dance, I decided to call Airtel to 1) Warn them that fraud was occuring 2) Try and cancel any unused service purchased with my debt card and 3) See if they would investigate it further and/or give me information on who used my debt card information.

1) The Airtel Reps that I spoke to told me that "it was ok, your bank will credit your account." Apparently they don't understand or care that a wrong has been committed especially as they are profiting from it.

2) No account was created with my name, so they claimed there was no way of tracking down the services purchased with my debit card. Although they allowed a user, under an account with a different name, use a credit card under a completely different name to conduct business. I asked them to track down the account of the person who used my credit card number, they refused saying they couldn't. Under any country's laws, they must keep complete and accurate records of all their transactions- what they were saying was that they didn't want to track down the user (their loyalties apparently lie with their "loyal" customers as opposed to the identify victims harmed).

3) They refused to investigate at all. They were happy that they received $350 of business, paid for by my bank. I can't understand how a company can operate like this without the Justice Department or FCC investigating them? As my bank credited my funds, its not like I can pursue them in court.

DON'T SUPPORT THIS COMPANY. Until they want to act as a responsible business, people should search elsewhere for their needs.

I've been trying to download a hello tune, based on the information given in the website of Airtel, by calling a direct no. [protected]. I've tried it several times, it asks for options from the menu. If they've mentioned that this is a direct call no. Why is it so that they are charging people @6 INR per min and that too asking for questions and options from the main menu. Ideally a direct no. Shouldn't be asking so many questions and should directly start downloading the tunes. But this is not the case here and this according to me is fooling public. If they've mentioned in their site that this is the direct call no. then it shouldn't be asking for all the menu options, as listening to all the songs in the list is very costly (@6 Rs./min).

Thanks,
Manu.

I am Airtel Maharashtra circle customer. Since last 4 months I am struggling with Air tel to get refund and for deactivation of Missed Call Alert service which is being activated without any request in any form from my side. Whenever I call 121, they just tell me that matter will be resolved within next 48 hrs, but seems no end.

A copy of email to Airtel - Nodal Desk:

Hi Nodal Desk,

Thanks for the excellent services provided by you people to me. Your services were too good that I was not able to use internet services properly since I got this connection. I had to coordinate with you net engineers six to seven times and every time they visited my place they had only solution of get my PC formatted. yesterday while formatting my PC I lost 3-4 important softwares from my computer. Anyhow I have no strength to enjoy your services any more. I went to my house yesterday by taking half day from my office for which I had to sacrifice half of my one day salary I.e. 1000Rs, so that I can meet your engineer and get this problem resolved but your engineer Mohinder didn't had any time to visit my place. He is very busy person, I understand. I just want one more favor from you people that you discontinue this connection both Net as well as phone as soon as possible. I have registered this request of mine at your customer care and my registration no is 8418174. Also previously I registered a cancellation request for top Up plan. Please make sure that I am not charged a single penny from today onwards.

AAJ TAK : I am copying this mail to you people so that you can make people aware about this excellent service provided by Airtel people. This will help the people to think thrice before they go for the services of Aitel. This will be the biggest favour to people. I was of the opinion that airtel being the big company will be able to provide best services in the market. But these people have let me down. I am sure that other people will also be of the same opinion and it is the right time to wake them up and make them realize the reality.

Thanks & Regards
Vaibhav Aggarwal
Fidelity Business Services India Pvt. Ltd.

Important: Any comments or statements made in this email are not necessarily those of Fidelity Business Services India Pvt. Ltd. or any of the Fidelity group companies. The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. if you have received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. All e-mails sent from or to Fidelity Business Services India Pvt. Ltd. may be subject to our monitoring procedures

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: Aggarwal, Vaibhav
Sent: 10 April 2007 05:34
To: 'nodal.[protected]@airtel.in'
Cc: 'appellate.[protected]@airtel.in'; '[protected]@india-today.com'
Subject: Highly disappointed by airtel broadband services

Hi Nodal desk

I am Vaibhav Aggarwal. My airtel no is [protected]. Getting an Airtel Broadband connection was the biggest mistake of mine in my life till now. I am facing problems while accessing internet right from the beginning. I have already written about this to Nodal desk before also. I also registered a complaint regarding the same with customer care department of Airtel. My complaint registration no was 8309503. The problem which I am facing is that whenever I switch on my DSL 220 modem my PC slows down. Also I am not able to access the net. Every time when A net expert visit my place he suggest me to get my PC formatted. I had formatted my c drive and then called the engineer again but he again suggested to format the PC. I don't know how many times I have to format my PC. My PC works fine when the modem is switched off. Also I can not get my PC formatted fully as I don't have any CD writer to get the Back up for all the files and softwares which I have saved on my hard drive. Since my net is not working I can not transfer them to my Email Id also. I think the engineers employed by the airtel are not capable enough to solve the net relating problems. If they don't understand the problem, the only solution they have is to suggest the formatting of PC. If you can solve the problem well enough and if you can not than please cancel my connection as I don't have enough time to write again and again or to attend your engineer's visit again and again. I have written about this to CORE also, a consumer court's website, I am also marking this mail to AAJ Tak so that other consumers should also think twice before they apply for Airtel services.

Thanks & Regards
Vaibhav Aggarwal
Fidelity Business Services India Pvt. Ltd.
EXTN : 1326
EMAIL : vaibhav.[protected]@fidelity.co.in
Important : Any comments or statements made in this email are not necessarily those of Fidelity Business Services India Pvt. Ltd. or any of the Fidelity group companies. The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. if you have received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer. All e-mails sent from or to Fidelity Business Services India Pvt. Ltd. may be subject to our monitoring procedures.

I am using the airtel prepaid sim. Company has disconnected my outgoing call facility many times for verification. I have submitted many times the verification documents but I have to face this problem many times. First my company disconnected my outgoing facility on 1 Dec. and and on 7 Dec the service continued. But from one month I am facing this problem many times. Now I m frustrated. Whenever I call customer care they said that your verification is alright and your cellphone will be working within 24 hours. But today again company has disconnected my outgoing as well as incoming service. Now I m going to consumer court for logging my complaint.