Thread: Need suggestion over handling Airtel's Notorious Tactics.

Hi! everybody,
I wanted to know how to handle this notorious tactic followed by Airtel in my case.
I had been a customer of Airtel since 2008. I had been using their unlimited plan that came to me around 650/month.
In the month of July,2010 I finally decided to disconnect my Airtel connection as due to busy schedules, I couldnot surf the internet at all.
On talking about this, the retention dept. just convinced me by giving me some discounts and also a plan with charges only 250/month for 30 hours. The Airtel people didnot give me any other details about this plan ( As this plan was hiding a very notorious fact, which i came to know later).

As usual I was not at all getting time to use internet at my home, and this went on for almost 2 months ( and as expected i was getting a normal bill 250/month ), when suddenly as if a a bolt of lightning stuck me when i learnt that the next bill i had to pay was 2427/- .

I reported this to the customer care, and then they told me how actually i got the bill. They told me that the plan i was given, produces bills even if the modem is kept switched ON.
As the fact was never made known to me ( and i usually keep my modem ON, since 2008, when i first applied for AIRTEL connection), i was sure the fault was not my side. And it was purely their duty to make me aware of such thing that is crucial. ( AIRTEL makes audio records of these conversations that they can verify from )

Anyhow, after having conversations everyday for 1 month, ultimately they settled the matter by changing my plan into 400/month unlimited and thus giving me a total waiver of 1967 Rs.

However I felt very cheated for all this because they had again changed me to an expensive plan. I realised that they did all this intentionally. So, immediately after recieving the settlement waiver requested, I decided to get rid of the connection completely. So, i just sent them disconnection request.

Airtel officers, on getting the request, contacted me and blackmailed me to continue the connection, otherwise the waiver would be cancelled, no matter they have committed it to me on phone ( and also on mail * i have this mail )

They are continously sending me bills every month, even when i have launched my requests of disconnecting the line several times since 3-4 months, ie the day i got the inflated bill. In fact they even always tell me by phone and mail that my request is registered, and the connection would be disconnected. But still, no action is taken. And it is going on since almost 3 months. On the contrary of all this, they harrass me every day with almost 7-8 auto/manual calls from collection.

Can anybody guide me how to handle this notorious business tactics of AIRTEL ?

I'm sorry to say this but the mistake is on your part. In a time-based broadband plan, you need to switch OFF you modem when you're done using else it'll keep on counting as long as the modem is ON. Modem auto-dials as it's on PPPOE mode and not on bridged mode.

You can either contiue with what they have offered you (Rs. 400 per month plan) or you can disconnect your broadband connection and pay the dues (Rs. 1967).

Try emailing airtelpresence@airtel.in and see what they have to say about this. I'm sure they won't agree with you as the mistake is on your part. I would have done/said the same thing if I were in their place.

Originally Posted by iChaitanya

I'm sorry to say this but the mistake is on your part. In a time-based broadband plan, you need to switch OFF you modem when you're done using else it'll keep on counting as long as the modem is ON. Modem auto-dials as it's on PPPOE mode and not on bridged mode.

You can either contiue with what they have offered you (Rs. 400 per month plan) or you can disconnect your broadband connection and pay the dues (Rs. 1967).

Try emailing airtelpresence@airtel.in and see what they have to say about this. I'm sure they won't agree with you as the mistake is on your part. I would have done/said the same thing if I were in their place.

So, you mean it's not their mistake, to tell me the details about this plan, especially when this plan is very different from the other plans i opted from AIRTEL. This plan was given by them as part of AIRTEL's retention process. While switching me to this plan, they never ever told me that the plan needs the MODEM switched OFF. They just told me, to enjoy with this cheaper plan.
How on earth, i would automatically dream about the modem issue in a new plan given to me ?????? I am very sure it's a company's duty to let the customer become aware of each and every pros and cons, especially when something is related to their billing.

@ Vishwas
Try posting your issue with complete details at Consumer Court Forum forum in the mobile service providers section here : Telecom - Mobile Service Providers at consumercourtforum.in

Once you post your complaint there send me a PM here or on my admin id there... will request some one to look into it for us and see if they can do something about it with better results then their customer service department.

though i have already posted it previously

/f40/airtel-broadband-fake-billing-25676/#post40104 of the same website you mentioned



I added a post again there, today.

Anyways, thanks for the response.