Letter to TRAI and DOT about unfair "Airtel Fair Usage Policy".

My letter to TRAI and DOT about unfair "Airtel Fair Usage Policy".

I request other broadband users to email the TRAI and DOT about unfair "Airtel Fair Usage Policy". Let us come together through this forum and fight this unfair policy. Irrespective of the end result we all should write to the necessary authorities about such unfiar policies and voice our protest.

This call is not just for Airtel users but to all internet users becasue if this AFUP is allowed then every ISP in India will follow suit and wreck broadband in India.

I also request other users to post their response/email here in this forum

Dont forget to mention your name, address and phone as anonymous emails will not be considered.

Dear Sir,

I would like to congratulate TRAI on its efforts to publish this Consultation paper on Broadband QoS - "Bandwidth required for ISPs for better connectivity and improved quality of service". I really admire TRAI for its initiative, forethought and the enduring work for a better quality of telecom service in India despite apathy from several quarters including the government.

With this letter I would like to bring to your notice a controversial and unfair
decision of Airtel Broadband with subject to "Airtel Fair Usage Policy".
Airtel Fair Usage policy has become the latest nightmare for the customers of
Airtel Broadband.

"Airtel Fair Usage Policy" or AFUP is totally unfair on customers with Unlimited
broadband plans as Airtel has decided to cap all unlimited plans starting from 15GB for 256kbps and reducing the speed to 128kbps for further downloads. Unlimited plans cannot and should not have restrictions on either the promised speed or unlimited data.

As per information/emails received by customers from Airtel, the limit on unlimited plans are as follows:

128 kbps = 10 GB data limit per month - after that speed reduced to 64kbps
256 kbps = 15 GB data limit per month - after that speed reduced to 128kbps
384 kbps = 20 GB data limit per month - after that speed reduced to 192kbps
512 kbps = 25 GB data limit per month - after that speed reduced to 256kbps
1 Mbps = 50 GB data limit per month - after that speed reduced to 512kbps

Airtel users have confirmed that their speeds have been reduced to half of what their package promises.

Once the unlimited broadband data is capped, it ceases to be an Unlimited plan. When the speed is reduced to less than the minimum 256kbps it ceases to be a TRAI defined broadband connection. Airtel in fact is violating the very
TRAI definition of broadband connection in India and this will be a very serious lapse by Airtel.

Airtel had merely suggested AFUP in its response to TRAI's consultation paper on "Bandwidth required for ISPs for better connectivity and improved quality of service". But now Airtel has gone ahead and implemented AFUP. This means that Airtel is enforcing data transfer limits on their supposedly unlimited plans without the consent of TRAI or its own customers. Does this not amount to cheating or fraud on its customers and in direct violation of TRAI's guidelines on broadband?

We have always believed Airtel to be different from other ISPs in India.They have always charged a premium and continue to do so for unlimited plans. Initially everything felt just right with Airtel Broadband. But things are apparently changing for the worse. Only TRAI can protect consumer interests from the wrath of such mind numbing decisions that put barriers in nascent growth of broadband in India.

Lots of Airtel's users have posted their grievances in various forums and blogs.

You can see story unfolding here :-


I sincerely request you to consider this letter as a complaint against unjust Airtel Fair Usage Policy and/or any other ISP in India which indulges in putting barriers in broadband speed/data caps and thus hindering the growth of broadband in India.

I would like TRAI to investigate the reasons behind implementation of such a policy by Airtel that hinders growth and that is contrary to TRAI's guidelines.

I look forward to the speedy resolution of this problem and I sincerely hope that you will do the needful and ensure the interests of telecom consumers in India are safeguarded.

regards

Code:

Sudhir Gupta, Advisor (MN),
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India,
Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan,
Jawahar Lal Nehru Marg, New Delhi-110 002.
Tel. No.011-23220018, Fax No.011-23212014
E-mail : sudhirgupta at trai.gov.in
Authorized to Issue: Advisor (MN)

Shri M.C. Chaube, Advisor (QoS) Ph: 
011- 23230404, Fax No 011-23213036 Email: advqos at trai.gov.in  

Sh.  S. K. Gupta,  Advisor  (CN), 
Tel.No.+91-11-23217914,  Fax:  +91-11-23211998  or  email  at 
advcn at trai.gov.in or cn at trai.gov.in. 

DOT
GRIEVANCE   REGISTRATION   FORM   
http://grievance.nic.in/Netizen/arpgn.asp?wci=grievance&wcu

Done. United we stand, divided we fall !!

thanks a lot.. maybe they can do something about it.

Done... Complained to DOT and TRAI ...Wish they do something to the airtel retards

Done

Can I copy the above data (with my contact details) and email from my side or i need to use my own matter.

OK SENT THE MAIL TODAY

good initiative ... reps for you ... i will send a mail to them in a couple of days ... i have already expressed my concerns about this on a few posts on this forum ...

Originally Posted by pisces_m

Can I copy the above data (with my contact details) and email from my side or i need to use my own matter.

Yes i had emailed them like that. Copy-pasted the quoted content and fixed my details towards the end.

Originally Posted by cool_techie_tvm

Yes i had emailed them like that. Copy-pasted the quoted content and fixed my details towards the end.

ok.. will the same content in mail from many users serve the purpose!! wouldnt it seem like spamming to them ... thats why i thought i will send a mail with different content a few days later ...

That is why the thread starter had posted to mention name, address and contact details in the email. Else they would be considered spam.

some relief for delhi if true, http://sushubh.net/3347-airtel-delhi-ncr

yup i see it here too.. Airtel Fair Usage Policy is not applicable in Delhi YET

Wow Airtel has started blocking VOIP services too in some parts of India...

Thats the Trial...i think airtel buddies will now think twice, before taking such irritant steps...:x

yea.. heard that.. pretty horrible decisions made by them recently!!

You mean VOIP things like - Skype??

I dont think they can block Skype. Maybe services like Vonage are blocked..

if google/ms were to start VOIP it would be fun..

I checked this morning, Skype is fine.
If they remove Skype, then I will disconnect the service. I use Skype extensively for calling US toll free conference call numbers.

Yahoo VOIP is working fine but i think Airtel is doing something. Because from last 2-3 days i am able to connect only after 2-3 attempts to the mobile caller in US. Hope they dont block Yahoo or Airtel is gone.

Anyone using VOIP services like Vonage? Please verify whether it is working for u or not.

services like skype should work , i gues vonage may not!!

I have lodged a complaint to the DOT from the grievance.nic.in site and also emailed to the TRAI id's listed before.
What more can we do on this?
Any idea about lodging complaint in the Consumer Forums?

The Action Status Details for the complaint lodged with DOT shows this now:

Received by : Department of Telecommunications
Forwarded To : M/s.Bharti Airtel Ltd.
Address : Narendra Gupta
: Director Legal & RA
: Unitech World Cyber Floor,
: Tower-A,4th Floor, Sector-39
: Gurgaon, Haryana
: narender.gupta@airtel.in
Date of Action : 19/02/2009

I had emailed them. But PGRAMS -:- Grievance Registration Form is giving me Invalid Characters (" " " " " " = = = = = " " ?) appearing in Subject Content

Just remove any special characters like " or = appearing anywhere in the address fields and complaint body.
I also had the same issue.

Thanks. Had to do some editing in the content.

My reference no DOTEL/E/2009/00611

i Hope the admin would add these address also to my first post

i believe... Consumer Online Resources & Empowerment Centre is ideal as it is supported by Govt. of India

FILE YOUR COMPLAINTS here.
Core Centre

Select Services -- then ISP -- then continue with registering ur complaint

Consumer Coordination Council (CCC)
Supported By, DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS (Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, Govt. of India)

Code:

CORE Centre
NITS Complex
A 20-21, Sector 62
NOIDA - 201 307 (UP)
Tel: 0120- 4235448, 2404273

Email: director at core.nic.in, webadmin at core.nic.in, cccdel at del3.vsnl.net.in,

Your Grievance is Successfully Registered. Note your

Registration No. DOTEL/E/2009/00631

for future reference.

Status of my query

Registration No : DOTEL/E/2009/00611
Name : Praveen
Received by : Department of Telecommunications
Forwarded To : M/s.Bharti Airtel Ltd.
Address : Narendra Gupta
Director Legal & RA
Unitech World Cyber Floor,
Tower-A,4th Floor, Sector-39
Gurgaon, Haryana
narender.gupta@airtel.in
Date of Action : 20/02/2009

According to the Airtel Fair Usage Policy

1."a small number of users" are those who use more than a mere 10-13% of data usage.
2. "A generous usage level is" = 10-13% data usage.
3 Slow speeds 128/256/384kbps can impair Airtel's network performance.

With Airtel axing speeds even in 128/246/348kbps that impairs Airtel's network performance then it is safe to say that Airtel can shut down its ISP business.

Airtel has no right to be a internet traffic cop

i still don't understand this generous n non generous thingy...

Hi Friends,

I got response for the complaint given.

They requested me to first exhaust the 3tier grievance redressal mechanism of service provider and in the event of not being satisfied with their response,you may approach Dot with documentary proofs of exhausting the 3 tier channel of service provider.(i.e copy of correspondence with customer care center,Nodal Officer and appellate authority of service provider)

They also C.C the letter to Airtel Zonal manager and asked him to take necessary action in the matter and to intimate the subscriber directly.

Anyone else got the same response,let us know.

Regards,
S.Ajith

i have to yet get a reply.

airtel = :001_9898:

thnkx dude........I jst nw sent a mail to the concerned people and also completed the Grievances form.......hope tat sme gud happens.........bt these guys(airtel) do anything 4 money f**k craps.......

I have also sent the mails from my end.
I have added two cc i) nodel.west@airtel.in and ii) wecare.west@airtel.in

Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently: sudhirgupta(at)trai.gov.in

regards

plz tell me if we exceed the limit of Fair usage policy , will i be charged extra or only will the speed be affected ? imo thats why im getting such low pings during online games these days ......

very nice initiative

i would like to do the same!!

thank you a lot!

I am sure I do not use 25 Gigs of download every month. F-Up is an excuse airtel has to not provide full quality services to their customers.

I used to be on an unlimited usage 1 Mbps plan which sufficed my interest. One fine day, I got a call from Airtel marketing executive during my lunch hour, advising me to switch to 2 Mbps unlimited connection in the same price. I agreed.

Then within three weeks, I was calling up airtel because the speed I was getting was less than 120 kbps download and about 64 kbps upload. After holding the phone for more than 25 minutes, the "executive" got back saying that my speed was at 256 kbps because of F-Up, at which I was amazed. I said I had asked for 2 Mbps as we watch some YouTube, and he said YouTube is free. But then I said, it must be free, but I would like bandwidth to watch it. He said he will send an "engineer" to have it checked.

The data transfer restrictions have ever so increased. Nowadays, Airtel has also started charging calls for customer grievance if you call 121. You have to wait for hours to file a complaint. The people who answer the call do not understand what the problem is, and then they say they will send an "engineer" to your residence during your office hours when you are not at home.

Once, this "highly qualified engineer" who knew everything about my Mac laptop which I had with me, away from home, visited and told my grandmother that that internet is working just fine, when all I was complaining was about speed.

They took over 14 days to correct the problem, which apparently was an FUP problem.

Then they called me over the next 14 days repeatedly, to tell me that they had fixed the servers, and within a week, I was again facing the same problem, with their "fixed" servers.

I have tried using a 5GB limit data card as my primary connection on my laptop, and I have never run out of bandwidth.

I complain regularly to airtel_presence through my twitter @arjunsinghal

Airtel is cheating the customers definitely.

The telecoms industry has redefined the word "unlimited".

The way they advertise and sell these "unlimited" plans is certainly unfair, although I do think that we, the customers, should do our bit to check what we are actually buying. Having done so, I do not feal that I am being cheated in any way by my 2Mb plan which allows me 15Gb at full speed. I knew what I was buying.

However, I don't think that Arjunsinghal is alone in his experience, and I feel that he has most definately been cheated. The very least that Airtel should do is restore him to his previous plan.

I guess this is just a stealthy method of getting people off those truly unlimited plans.

@arjunsinghal I faced the same problem, they reduced my speed on 22nd Dec 2010 in the name of FUP. I was able to get my usual speed after 5 days only on 27th Dec 2010.

They are using FUP as a form of harassment, if you get FUP'ed then it takes a lot of time to get your original speed back.

Talking to them through twitter does help sometimes but not always.
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What should we do?

While dealing with Airtel be very careful and check your bill regularly, Airtel will add unwanted services to your account and will try to bill you for it, this practice of faulty billing is common if we get a new connection from them or if the connection is older then 2 years because after 2 years or so people do not check the bills that closely.

If you are an Airtel customer and you are not cheated or harassed by them then you are lucky, you are not safe and you will be cheated by them in the future.
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We cannot do anything about the Airtel FUP policy as Airtel is bribing government officials on a regular basis and they will not take any action against Airtel.