Thread: Airtel Billing and Faults of CC Need good suggestion urgently

Ok First off, I have had really good experience with Airtel from the time I took the connection (Oct 08) till Apr 09. But recently there was a huge problem. Here goes:

On October 2008 I took a 799 Unlimited plan and had been using it for more than 5 month. At the end of April 2009 I had to leave delhi for a few months. For this I called the toll-free number to cancel my account, however they told me to retain the account since cancellation will take a lot of time and getting the connection back can be a hassle.

The person I was talking to provided me with a 250 Rupees per month plan with a good speed but limited browsing. He called it a Retention Plan About a few GB's free and then would cost a certain amount per MB. I agreed to this which was implemented somewhere at the end of April.

I returned on 4th July and started to use the internet to check emails and do some light browsing for a few minutes. We kept the modem on most of the time and even for late nights but did not browse since out laptops would be kept off. For the month of June-July cycle we even paid the bill of 150 Rupees because we had already payed an advance before leaving.

Recently, we got a bill for the month of July (payable by Aug 6th) of more than 7,400 Rupees!! I called customer care (as soon as I got the bill), The representatives said that I had taken a package based on hourly charges, 25 Rupees per hour! That was just crazy, I asked them why did they not clearly state what kind of connection it was, was it hourly or per/MB, why not give a warning not to use it at all. If I had known it was per hour I would not have kept my modem on all night and even all day! I filed a complaint with Customer Care they said they will respond before 6th to resolve the issue. I received one call within this time when unfortunately I was not present and my mom told to call at my home number to get me, I did not get any call after that, the complaint is still unresolved in their system. Its been past 6th Aug and we have received about 3 calls reminding to pay the bill.

I changed my plan to an Unlimited 650/- immediately (according to the CC rep. But later came to know there is no such plan for South Delhi, there is a 749/-) after 2 or 3 days it was implemented, we starting using the connection normally.

Again, on 20th Aug (dont rem exact date) when I received my second bill...it was about 16,400 rupees! I really dont know what the hell is going on. I recently had a major medical procedure (both Hip Joint Replacement) on 23rd July and cannot take this stress at all. Initially I was ready to pay a certain amount (which they denied as they dont give compensation for 7,000+ Rs.) and asked for the full. I have decided I wont pay anything now, as it was their fault by miss-communicating the plan details and not changing it to UL the second time. And they have caused a lot of stress regarding this to my parents and me.

Whats the best course of action? I am at my wits end!

Airtel normally will not give in WRITING any reply to
emails, other than general statements.
Will call you on phone usually.

Now go to
Broadband plans | Broadband Internet Tariffs | New Offers & Plan in India from Airtel
and select Delhi.
Take a print out of all Tariff plans. ( required later )
or save the web page.
There is no hour based plan/s and
have have been discontinued
long back.
Send email , to cc.delhi@airtel.in ( *check this)
that you will not pay as you have been
misled to take the so called Plan250 and you have not
agreed to any time based plan

If not agreed, mention you will apply to consumer court for
false and misleading information by Airtel.

Endorse copy to appelate officer also

consumer court may decide
that you pay the original tariff for all months, since April 2009.
and as Airtel does not have any written request from you
for change of plan etc., or you have an acknowledgement/
confirmation from them about tariff plan change.

.









.

Thank you for the promp reply. I will take a print/copy webpage for all the plans and keep it with me.

I will also email cc.delhi@airtel.in. However, could you please elaborate on underlined sentence of the last paragraph you wrote?

Thankyou again! its been a bad ride.

Originally Posted by essbebe

consumer court may decide
that you pay the original tariff for all months, since April 2009.
and as Airtel does not have any written request from you
for change of plan etc., or you have an acknowledgement/
confirmation from them about tariff plan change.

Sorry. It is only guess work.
and a compromise idea.
You can continue to ask/press for full waiver,
as it was not your fault

Does the printed bill show Data download details.
if seen it will be in your favor.

Para two:
The Consumer court needs written documents to
award compensation etc , and may decide
to give an award like this.
Airtel appealate usually settles in customer's favor ,
to avoid bad publicity
or loose a customer.
( they have a customer retention section also. )

I have emailed at care.NCR@airtel.in, as I thot this was the same email address saved in Gmail drafts, after sending the message I checked the email and it was care.NCR@airtel.in instread of cc.delhi@airtel.in. Hopefully both of them are fine.

Will post after they reply. Thanks for clearing out the last part.

I suggest you contact the Nodal Officer and the Appellate Authority as well. These people have the authority to do things that usual customer care reps don't. For more details, visit Airtel Broadband Services: Reach Airtel

Hi

I have similar problem as you have explained above.I.e Due to lack of information/clear communication from Airtel, I was charged huge amounts
for turning on modem.

Requesting your advise on the steps to take. Also,kindly let me know the process you have followed and the results.
I m giving complete details of my scenario below :


My Uncle had unlimited plan till April 2009. As he left for US in April, my grandfather thought of cancelling broad band plan and he was suggetsed
to go for basic retention plan of Rs.250. In May 2009,plan was switched to Rs.250 - Retention plan.
No one used the net till July 1st(thats when i came to hyd) thats when i switched on the modem and tried to access the internet. I called cc to find out about the plan and
my limitations.I clearly asked them to let me know my usagelimitations and everything regarding the plan.I was not informed that shouldnot switch on the modem if i am not using

it and was also given wrong information about the plan-i was told that
i can use 15hrs/day where as it is 25hrs/month. On July15th, I got a call from cc that i exceeded the limit by 303mbps and i have to pay Rs.8000 aprrox.
I asked him if he can block the internet and i asked him there's no way i would reach that amount as the usage was only for few hours
that aslo not daily. I asked him to place complaint which he didn't. That time i dont know that if I place a complaint i will
be given a reference number which he didn't give me.

From the next day onwards i been receiving calls like these and this process i came to know that
switching on the modem will also be counted into no. of hours of usage i.e when I placed 2nd complaint.
By the time bill reached home, it was Rs.14,551. I spoke to many cc agents regarding this issue. Even when I am in classes i used to get calls about this.
When I spoke to one of the agents who called in response to the 2nd complaint i placed, I was told that she would pass a request to waive 90% of the
amount.Later she asked me to pay Rs.3,110 which is approx 21% of the whole amount.
I paid that amount.After paying this amount also, I was receiving calls about payments to be made. Every time I get a call,I need to explain the
issue right from the beginning and provide them all the complaint no's and receipt no. of the amount i paid. I agreed , paid enough though i didn't use
because neither I have time nor patience...I don't have a clue of whats happening. I can't explain the mental trauma i went through.


I thought the problem is solved, but after few days they began to call me again asking me to pay Rs.1,357. When I asked them why i need to pay again?
I was told that the entire amount was not waived. So, I paid that amount again. For few days i was peaceful, I got calls from them again that i need to pay Rs.8,372 for the

period july 26th-aug7th and Until now what all i paid is for the billing period June 26th- July 25th. Now I don't have any words to speak. They didn't even tell me why i need

to pay Rs.8,372. They just gave sms to my mobile before they starting calling me.
They didn't even send me a paper statement for Rs.8,372.
When i went to Airtel relationship center that is where i came to know that it is for that period(july26th-aug7th). I wasn't even there in hyderabad during that time. I was

shown the usage for this period. You are charging me this amount just because i switched on the modem? she told me i won't be charged more than Rs.50 if it is for modem, it is

because i used i was using i been charged. If they are charging me for switching on the modem,then the amount should be same for all the days as the common spike is always on.
The usage she showed me displayed varying amounts each day. I don't understand when i wasn't in hyderabad how can she give me that usage?
My grandfather he don't know anything about the system or internet and the system is switched off. when i got call from cc on aug7th in response to 2nd complaint they told me

about the modem and immediately i called my grandfather to unplug the spike(because he don't know what is modem thats why i asked to unplug spike).

Still,I did not receive any proper response/solution to my problem and its getting complicated day by day.

In case you have followed/enquired about filing consumer complaint, please provide me details of that process.As compliants with courts require written proofs,and as all

conversations/exchanges with airtel are verbal through calls, I dont have written proofs.

As per your convenience,Please give reply in thread or my mail id is pshravya@yahoo.com.

Please advise.

----------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by xheavenlyx

Ok First off, I have had really good experience with Airtel from the time I took the connection (Oct 08) till Apr 09. But recently there was a huge problem. Here goes:

On October 2008 I took a 799 Unlimited plan and had been using it for more than 5 month. At the end of April 2009 I had to leave delhi for a few months. For this I called the toll-free number to cancel my account, however they told me to retain the account since cancellation will take a lot of time and getting the connection back can be a hassle.

The person I was talking to provided me with a 250 Rupees per month plan with a good speed but limited browsing. He called it a Retention Plan About a few GB's free and then would cost a certain amount per MB. I agreed to this which was implemented somewhere at the end of April.

I returned on 4th July and started to use the internet to check emails and do some light browsing for a few minutes. We kept the modem on most of the time and even for late nights but did not browse since out laptops would be kept off. For the month of June-July cycle we even paid the bill of 150 Rupees because we had already payed an advance before leaving.

Recently, we got a bill for the month of July (payable by Aug 6th) of more than 7,400 Rupees!! I called customer care (as soon as I got the bill), The representatives said that I had taken a package based on hourly charges, 25 Rupees per hour! That was just crazy, I asked them why did they not clearly state what kind of connection it was, was it hourly or per/MB, why not give a warning not to use it at all. If I had known it was per hour I would not have kept my modem on all night and even all day! I filed a complaint with Customer Care they said they will respond before 6th to resolve the issue. I received one call within this time when unfortunately I was not present and my mom told to call at my home number to get me, I did not get any call after that, the complaint is still unresolved in their system. Its been past 6th Aug and we have received about 3 calls reminding to pay the bill.

I changed my plan to an Unlimited 650/- immediately (according to the CC rep. But later came to know there is no such plan for South Delhi, there is a 749/-) after 2 or 3 days it was implemented, we starting using the connection normally.

Again, on 20th Aug (dont rem exact date) when I received my second bill...it was about 16,400 rupees! I really dont know what the hell is going on. I recently had a major medical procedure (both Hip Joint Replacement) on 23rd July and cannot take this stress at all. Initially I was ready to pay a certain amount (which they denied as they dont give compensation for 7,000+ Rs.) and asked for the full. I have decided I wont pay anything now, as it was their fault by miss-communicating the plan details and not changing it to UL the second time. And they have caused a lot of stress regarding this to my parents and me.

Whats the best course of action? I am at my wits end!