Airtel = bad customer service

bigman · 26th September 2006, 22:25

For several days now I have been trying to get a ban on outgoing calls lifted off my sim. First the callcentre staff denied they had blocked outgoing calls. Then on my next call they agreed but did not know why outgoing calls had been blocked. They promised the block had been lifted and I would be bale to make outgoing calls in several minutes. That was several days ago. Still no sign of outgoing calls. This despite the account having close to 2,000RS of balance and service validity till July 2007.

I have emailed the 121 id and they promised to respond witin 24 hours. That was a few days ago. I have emailed their nodal and greviances people and still no response. This is pathetic customer service.

This whole situation is making me get very angry. I have had to purchase a new sim card and add credit to it despite having 2k on a card that some lame idiot at Airtel has decided to block outgoing calls on.

Also moderators please do not remove this thread like you did for my request for help with this matter yesterday for unknown reasons. Plenty of other people post threads for help.

Steeroid · 26th September 2006, 23:01

Why would they block outgoing calls on a PREPAID line? I'm assuming its a prepaid because you mentioned available balance and validity.

Prepaid call control is on the network - have balance, can call. This is unlike postpaid where call control is operator determined and can be invoked and revoked by the credit/collections team.

I doubt if any lame idiot on Airtel blocked your prepaid card - the only possible scenario is that you have exhausted your balance somehow. Probably a case of pocket dialling, where you left your phone in your pocket and it redialled the last called number. Check your call history and verify the call durations.

humyum · 26th September 2006, 23:55

Dude this happens when there is documents ka locha.Go the fellow from where u got the prepaid sim from and ask him that did he submit your documents and did u submit your entire documents while u got the sim?
If something seems doubtful go the airtel main office and again resubmit your documents.They will activate your sim within 24 to 48 hours.

bigman · 27th September 2006, 00:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by humyum

Dude this happens when there is documents ka locha.Go the fellow from where u got the prepaid sim from and ask him that did he submit your documents and did u submit your entire documents while u got the sim?
If something seems doubtful go the airtel main office and again resubmit your documents.They will activate your sim within 24 to 48 hours.

Thanks guys.

Yes it is prepaid which makes the thing even more infuriating.

The balance message thing still works and shows that there is more than 2000RS on the account. They admit that someone at Airtel has blocked outgoing calls. I have had the SIM for a good 6 months and have had similar balances since and had no problem. Would it take 6 months for the document thing to be flagged up ? The documents were submitted and when I phoned they did not cite this as a problem and even knew my name and address etc. I would not mind if they told me why the outgoing calls were blocked, but they cannot even be bothered to reply to emails. If they can confirm if it was a problem with papers then sure I will catch the bufoon ho sold me the SIM and give him a sound thrashing (after getting 2000RS of credit put on another SIM).

Steeroid · 27th September 2006, 00:15

They admit that someone at Airtel has blocked outgoing calls.

In that case Humyum is probably right. They're probably under pressure from law enforcement to block all lines that do not have identity documents - this may be because of the increased threat of terrorist activity.

humyum · 27th September 2006, 00:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigman

Thanks guys.

Yes it is prepaid which makes the thing even more infuriating.

The balance message thing still works and shows that there is more than 2000RS on the account. They admit that someone at Airtel has blocked outgoing calls. I have had the SIM for a good 6 months and have had similar balances since and had no problem. Would it take 6 months for the document thing to be flagged up ? The documents were submitted and when I phoned they did not cite this as a problem and even knew my name and address etc. I would not mind if they told me why the outgoing calls were blocked, but they cannot even be bothered to reply to emails. If they can confirm if it was a problem with papers then sure I will catch the bufoon ho sold me the SIM and give him a sound thrashing (after getting 2000RS of credit put on another SIM).

As Steeroid rightly said because of the ongoing terroist activities these people have started checking all documents and even if u have not submitted a copy of your ration card which u are supposed to submit while getting a prepaid sim card they block your account till you submit all the documents.
It tooks 6 months maybe because at the time when u brought the sim card it was chalta hai kind of attitude from the sim card vendor as well as the company where it was submitted but when the cops gave them a good bashing they started really getting strict.
From your experience i 100% think it has got something to do with the documents.Go to your sim card vedor and ask him to resubmit all the documents and u give him all the necessary documents xerox and your problem will definately be solved in 24 to 48 hours after he submits it in the airtel office.

rahul_intlad · 27th September 2006, 00:48

What exactly happens when you try to make an outgoing call,could you elaborate.

Is there any pre-recorded voice from airtel side telling you that outgoing calls are barred.

jkdas · 27th September 2006, 10:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

What exactly happens when you try to make an outgoing call,could you elaborate.

Is there any pre-recorded voice from airtel side telling you that outgoing calls are barred.

this can also happen if they are upgrading their network. Happened to me and many others at TVM (both Hutch and Airtel)

suman · 27th September 2006, 11:04

It could be due to the reasons mentioned by Humyum, it could also be an overzealous call center executive; too much of outsourcing has it downsides as well.......recently, they deactivated GPRS on my Blackberry handheld, WITHOUT any warning sms or call. On calling, they kept insisting that there was an amount outstanding. This was despite the fact that a ONE YEAR ADVANCE RENTAL for unlimited browsing was paid to the dealer UPFRONT, prior to activation and a ONE YEAR ADVANCE RENTAL for voice calls as well

.....and despite the fact that my usual Mobile is on their VIP list as a high end user (both numbers are supposed to be linked & flagged on their system)!

When we raised hell subsequently, they had no real answers why it had happened. All they did was restore features, apologize and raise the credit limit.

bigman · 27th September 2006, 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

What exactly happens when you try to make an outgoing call,could you elaborate.

Is there any pre-recorded voice from airtel side telling you that outgoing calls are barred.

Basically engaged (number busy type) beeps but a bit faster. BEfore anyone asks, yes I have tried different numbers etc at differing times of the day and am pretty sure they are no busy, plus the callcentre people admitted there had been a block placed on outgoing calls. I have emailed a few people at Airtel and finally today received an email from one of them telling me they had been trying to contact me on the dodgy phone number (this despite me telling them I had put a new sim in my phone as I needed to make calls

).

ravibhat · 27th September 2006, 12:21

AirTel customer service sucks from last couple of months, I own landline, broadband, 50+ corporate mobile connections and i experienced and noticed very bad service from AirTel, t was very good service provider till last year, recently their service is too bad. Very unfrotunate. I feel customer is too much for airtel now and they are unable to handle the customer's request properly.

I am getting good service from BSNL surprisingly.

Regards,

Ravi.

rahul_intlad · 27th September 2006, 12:33

Have you tried inserting your sim on a different mobile and tried making outgoing calls.

bigman · 27th September 2006, 22:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by rahul_intlad

Have you tried inserting your sim on a different mobile and tried making outgoing calls.

Yes still does not work. Got a reply back today from a greviance officer stating the outgoing were not blocked. Still not working. Ah well try again tomorrow...then friday...then saturday....

Rudra Sen · 27th September 2006, 22:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigman

Ah well try again tomorrow...then friday...then saturday....

Since I don't know where you're from...why don't you go to AirTel office (if there is any at your area

) and put up your case?

If everything is clear from your side and it's a pre-paid card, I really don't see any reason.

bigman · 28th September 2006, 00:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rudra Sen

Since I don't know where you're from...why don't you go to AirTel office (if there is any at your area

) and put up your case?

If everything is clear from your side and it's a pre-paid card, I really don't see any reason.

Been there done it. They said ID etc was in order and that was that, they could do no more. Plus they kept me hanging around as if I had done something wrong

My email to the president of Airtel yesterday appears to have got things moving. The local greviance officer and nodal officer have suddenly started to reply to my numerous emails. I have an inkling that we will get there in the end.

26th September 2006, 22:25	#1
bigman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: NA Posts: 1,224 Thanked: 93 Times	Airtel = bad customer service For several days now I have been trying to get a ban on outgoing calls lifted off my sim. First the callcentre staff denied they had blocked outgoing calls. Then on my next call they agreed but did not know why outgoing calls had been blocked. They promised the block had been lifted and I would be bale to make outgoing calls in several minutes. That was several days ago. Still no sign of outgoing calls. This despite the account having close to 2,000RS of balance and service validity till July 2007. I have emailed the 121 id and they promised to respond witin 24 hours. That was a few days ago. I have emailed their nodal and greviances people and still no response. This is pathetic customer service. This whole situation is making me get very angry. I have had to purchase a new sim card and add credit to it despite having 2k on a card that some lame idiot at Airtel has decided to block outgoing calls on. Also moderators please do not remove this thread like you did for my request for help with this matter yesterday for unknown reasons. Plenty of other people post threads for help.
	() Thanks

26th September 2006, 23:01	#2
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,046 Thanked: 2,751 Times	Why would they block outgoing calls on a PREPAID line? I'm assuming its a prepaid because you mentioned available balance and validity. Prepaid call control is on the network - have balance, can call. This is unlike postpaid where call control is operator determined and can be invoked and revoked by the credit/collections team. I doubt if any lame idiot on Airtel blocked your prepaid card - the only possible scenario is that you have exhausted your balance somehow. Probably a case of pocket dialling, where you left your phone in your pocket and it redialled the last called number. Check your call history and verify the call durations.
	() Thanks

26th September 2006, 23:55	#3
humyum Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,752 Thanked: 5,427 Times	Dude this happens when there is documents ka locha.Go the fellow from where u got the prepaid sim from and ask him that did he submit your documents and did u submit your entire documents while u got the sim? If something seems doubtful go the airtel main office and again resubmit your documents.They will activate your sim within 24 to 48 hours.
	() Thanks

27th September 2006, 00:15	#5
Steeroid Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: N.A Posts: 7,046 Thanked: 2,751 Times	They admit that someone at Airtel has blocked outgoing calls. In that case Humyum is probably right. They're probably under pressure from law enforcement to block all lines that do not have identity documents - this may be because of the increased threat of terrorist activity. Last edited by Steeroid : 27th September 2006 at 00:18.
	() Thanks

27th September 2006, 00:48	#7
rahul_intlad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 1,579 Thanked: 4 Times	What exactly happens when you try to make an outgoing call,could you elaborate. Is there any pre-recorded voice from airtel side telling you that outgoing calls are barred.
	() Thanks

27th September 2006, 11:04	#9
suman Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Kolkata Posts: 4,589 Thanked: 279 Times View My Garage	It could be due to the reasons mentioned by Humyum, it could also be an overzealous call center executive; too much of outsourcing has it downsides as well.......recently, they deactivated GPRS on my Blackberry handheld, WITHOUT any warning sms or call. On calling, they kept insisting that there was an amount outstanding. This was despite the fact that a ONE YEAR ADVANCE RENTAL for unlimited browsing was paid to the dealer UPFRONT, prior to activation and a ONE YEAR ADVANCE RENTAL for voice calls as well .....and despite the fact that my usual Mobile is on their VIP list as a high end user (both numbers are supposed to be linked & flagged on their system)! When we raised hell subsequently, they had no real answers why it had happened. All they did was restore features, apologize and raise the credit limit.
	() Thanks

27th September 2006, 12:21	#11
ravibhat Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,256 Thanked: 37 Times View My Garage	AirTel customer service sucks from last couple of months, I own landline, broadband, 50+ corporate mobile connections and i experienced and noticed very bad service from AirTel, t was very good service provider till last year, recently their service is too bad. Very unfrotunate. I feel customer is too much for airtel now and they are unable to handle the customer's request properly. I am getting good service from BSNL surprisingly. Regards, Ravi.
	() Thanks

27th September 2006, 12:33	#12
rahul_intlad Senior - BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Pune Posts: 1,579 Thanked: 4 Times	Have you tried inserting your sim on a different mobile and tried making outgoing calls.
	() Thanks