Airtel giving excuses for Postpaid to Prepaid migration!

[amish]

So earlier I had moved from Airtel Prepaid to postpaid as a 3 month trial!

Now I am not happy with it and want to shift back to prepaid and airtel is giving excuses for delaying postpaid to prepaid migration!!

Here is story!!

1. Read details here on how I shifted from prepaid to postpaid and why I want to move back:
   Airtel myPlan for Postpaid Users (Sounds good, reality is different)
   and here:
   Airtel Postpaid (myPlan) queries! | Airtel | India Broadband Forum
   
   
2. When I switched from prepaid to postpaid - they said I can not switch back for 90 days. Which I was ok with.
   
   
3. Now that 3 months are over. I sent e-mail to them and I got reply that I need to submit this-and-this document to relationship centre.
   
   
4. So I went to Andheri west relationship centre. This was my 2nd visit to that relationship centre.
   
   The lady there never answers properly. Previously when I had gone there she was talking with food in her mouth and kept chewing and talking. And she never makes eye contact with customer, keeps looking here and there as if she is not interested in giving answers. And from her face it clearly looked she is lying.
   
   So when this time I went and I asked her - "I want to shift from postpaid to prepaid."
   
   So she again gave uninterested look and says - "Sir our system is down, there is some issue. It will take few days and we can not take your application right now"
   
   So I asked her - "how many days?". She looked here and there and said - "Umm. come after 2nd November!"
   
   She did not make eye contact when saying any of above statements. And it gave me impression that she is just lying and giving excuse. And 2nd November date she gave was just random!!
   
   Since I did not want to argue with her (because there was no point) I said ok and left.
   
   
5. But I immediately gave a call to 121 and asked whether system to migrate from postpaid to prepaid is down? The guy said - "No its not down and I can give application for migration any day".
   
   Assuming that lady was not lying and she meant that system at that relationship centre was down. As a "customer care" representative she should have asked me to go to other nearby relationship centre.
   
   But since she did not tell me that - its clear she lied.
   
   
6. So then I decided I am not going to that same relationship centre anymore to waste my time. So after 2-3 days I went to other nearby relationship center. Lady there asked me to give the number. So I gave it to her. She entered the number in system and then says:
   
   I can not migrate yet!! Rule is 3 and half months! So I have to wait for 1 more bill generation and I can migrate only on 6th November.
   
   So I said - "But I was told 90 days (3 months)". She said no rule is 3 full month bills!! And since my 1st bill was only for 20days, its not counted!!
   
   
7. Now if that was the rule:
   a) why didn't they tell me when I sent them email asking about migration process??
   b) why did customer care on 121 not tell me that I can not migrate yet?
   
   I would not have gone to relationship centre if they had told me that I still need to wait. But instead they made me visit relationship centre twice, without giving any result!
   
   
8. I can not port out to some other network. My problem is that - one place I visit regularly (and stay for more than 3-4 hrs) does not catch signal of any other network but airtel. Not being reachable for 3-4 hrs is would be major issue!

So thats my "stuck in mud" story!
AIRTEL IS REALLY DIRTY MUD!

Also read recent issue with Airtel DTH where they activated plan on their own:
Airtel Digital TV DTH MYTH/FRAUD offers

 

[mhsabir]

Based on my experience and that of others around me, I have concluded way back that most if not all such providers are the same - Competing for the worse service provider award..

 

[amish]

No I am using Vodafone and MTNL too, they are much better than Airtel.

Vodafone - I never had much issue (atleast last 2-3 years) so never had to call them.
MTNL - the "aunties" dont lie like Airtel does - they are just ill-informed BUT they DO try to help based on whatever they know.

Airtel - I always smell lie and cheating! You always have to argue with them to get your work done. And they eventually do it stating it as "good will gesture!"

 

[x720]

Port out then. 90 days are up. You're a free bird.

 

[mhsabir]

@saikar83 here had a very similar experience to yours on Vodafone. I can confirm that.

 

[amish]

@x720 yes thought of same but 90days wud go even worst because of no network.

That wud be last thing list - if airtel now gives excuse on 6th November! 😀

 

---

[amish]

There we go again now!! The new relationship centre which told me to come after 6th November, now told me that their SYSTEM is down!!

Good going Airtel!! I have not seen A CHEAT COMPANY bigger than airtel!!

And I am forced to use two of its products. Thats the sad part of it.

 

[x720]

Why are you forced to use airtel mobile?
In any case, ping them on Twitter.

 

[amish]

Point number 8 in my first post! 😀

 

[x720]

Like absolutely no network? Network search throws up no network but airtel? :O

 

[amish]

Actually its random. Other network show max 2 bars. And most of time you keep doing - "hello - hello - can u repeat what u said?"

So 2 bars is equivalent to no network as its more or less useless

Anyway shot an e-mail to 121@airtel.

Will wait for their call.

 

[v1rus]

Open a case here:

:: Grievance Redress Mechanism in Government ::

 

[amish]

Yes thanks for the link. Will do if I dont get satisfactory answer from 121@airtel.

 

[chetan31]

i have closed my 10 yrs old Airtel No. in bangalore bec they were not allowing me to port out due to some authorization issue from my old employer. there will be initial hiccups for other to reach me but will eventually be sorted out. Now i have chosen Idea based on recommendation and trust me their network is much consistent and voice quality is some how louder than Airtel.

Also i have noticed one thing, if i check signal quality in db's Idea always show -51 to -65 db near mostly all around Bangalore, where AIrtel used to fluctuate b/w -69 to -95 db. while both works on 900mhz band but i think it is something to do with power efficient BTS of Airtel(as they call it Intelligent network). while this would save more power at BTS level but exhaust more power at customer handset level

 

[x720]

Its possible that idea cranks up the bts out power 😀