Re: Advice needed - Airtel account closure - billing issue

Hi,
I had the same issue with disconnecting a broadband / landdline with 
airtel in our office. I had placed a request for disconnecting the line 
and both services. Few days later, the airtel (as per their version) had 
called our office and asked if the account be suspended instead of 
cancelling (there is a minimum monthly rental for this which is not 
revealed at the time of the call) which my office staff agreed as they 
didnt understand the difference between both. I wasnt aware of this and 
even after 2 months, there was no refund of the deposit and I enquired 
with airtel helpdesk and found out this. I asked for a complete 
disconnection again and was assured the amount will be refunded by 30 
days. After this I started getting annoying calls from airtel asking for 
reactivation of the line, suspension of the line, etc, After 90 days 
when there was no refund, I enquired only to find that the line has 
still not been cancelled. After helpdesk failed to escalate the matter, 
I escalated the matter to their nodal officer and from there to their 
appellate authority after which they promised to refund the amount. In 
the process, they started giving false courier details, they even said, 
the check is out on delivery even when the check was not handed over to 
the courier, etc. Finally the check arrived and till then there is no 
closure to your case. Raise the matter directly to their nodal officer 
and then to their appellate authority.
Airtel deliberately doesnt list their nodal / appellate contact details 
on their website. Only a search on google gets this details
Best regards
Bala

KBS Ramachandra wrote:
> Hoping to get some guidance from the forum ::
>
> We (at our business) had an Airtel landline attached to a broadband 
> connection for several years.
> We sought to discontinue the account in Jan 2013 and was told by 
> Airtel customer care that it will be done.
> A month later we were surprised that it was not yet done. Again 
> another request was registered
>
> By May 2013, there were 4 bills raised (amounting to around 10k) and 
> the line was still not discontinued. Finally after lot of calls, 
> emails and 15 - 20 calls urging continuation of the line, it was 
> finally disconnected. Even subsequent to the disconnection, one bill 
> was raised.
>
> We learnt from Airtel customer care that the first two requests were 
> wrongly retained - someone just closed the requests saying the 
> customer agreed to retain the line (which is a blatant lie and Airtel 
> agrees to this)
>
> Unfortunately, the line was connected to our EPABX and there was some 
> usage during the period of wrongful extension (total usage amounting 
> to < Rs 1K)
>
> Airtel is now pressurizing us to clear the pending dues, even while 
> acknowledging their mistake.
>
> I sent a mail to the appellate authority for Airtel (which from TRAI 
> documentation seems to projected as a third-party, neutral agency). 
> However, someone from Airtel call center called (also discussed with 
> her supervisor in-between) and finally said since there has been 
> usage, the entire bill has to be paid. The lady who called sent a mail 
> from the address of the appellate authority (which seems to prove that 
> the appellate authority is nothing but another wing of Airtel)
>
> Questions where I need guidance is ::
>
>   * Is it unfair for me to ask that the bill amount be reversed since
>     the wrongfully retained the line (and never came to disconnect the
>     line / take back their equipment)?
>   * If it is fair for me to seek reversal, then what avenues should
>     one explore?
>   * Is the Appellate authority that TRAI has mandated, just a hogwash?
>     [this is a rhetorical question :-)]
>
> Regards,
> KBS Ramachandra
>
>
>
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