Earlier today, Falstaff explained to me that I actually could post angry rants about phone companies, since they'd deserve anything I said about them. I've calmed down since then, though, and so this will be a lot less exciting than it might have been.
About ten days ago, Airtel offered to change my prepaid number to a *postpaid* (that isn't a real term, is it?) one for free. This (they said) was to be done with minimum discomfort to me, would only take a day, my phone would only be unuseable for a few minutes, etc. I very much doubted that it would be that easy, but I'd been planning to switch over for a while. The next day someone from the company arrived to collect proof of identity (which was given) and a passport sized photo of me (also given) and I, sweet innocent that I am, thought it was all over.
Two days later I was out and someone from the office showed up again to confirm my address. They hadn't told me they were going to, and my dad (who was home) asked why not. Apparently the man told him that they did not call ahead for address confirmations, and dad pointed out(reasonably, I thought) that if they expected their customers to be home all the time, said customers would hardly require cellphones. Since I wasn't home, the guy left.
The next day someone did call, asking me what time would be convenient for me. I told him. He didn't show up.
The next day, they disabled all outgoing calls and messages on my phone.
I called up to complain twice. The second time, they reactivated my phone calls, etc, and promised to send a man to confirm my address. The man came, confirmed my address, was again shown proof of ID, and left.
On saturday morning, two hours before my flight to Bombay I discovered that Airtel had switched off my roaming priveleges, so that my phone would be useless outside Delhi. It would be nice if they'd told me this would happen, but I suppose it's my fault for not asking at the time. So I switched my phone off and left it at home and went off to Mumbai, thinking I'd get the roaming thing sorted out when I got back.
This evening I came home and switched on my phone. A couple of text messages needed replying to, and inexplicably, my phone refused to send said messages. Nor would it make outgoing calls. This was beginning to seem rather familiar. I called customer care (for the fifth time in ten days) and asked what was going on.
I was told my address hadn't been confirmed.
A rather timid customer care guy told me he understood completely and that someone would come to confirm my address...by June 21st.
At times like these, you can either yell or bang your head repeatedly against a wall. I yelled.
I think I'm getting a new phone number. And if anyone from Airtel actually reads this, you are welcome to grovel.
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18 comments:
I still think you should have gone for the full-scale rant. It's not just the entertainment value, it's very unhealthy to keep all these negative emotions bottled up inside. Ask any Reader's Digest devotee. Repressed hostility against utility companies is the third largest cause of fatal psychological trauma, after road rage and the desire to attack relatives who want to know when you're getting married with chainsaws. Don't blame me when you find yourself waking up from a nightmare screaming "Dammit, this IS my address".
And as for cellphones that won't make 'outgoing' calls - don't even get me started on the Freudian symbolism of that.
Hmm.. I fell for their lure too.
I suppose you havnt found out yet that they require Rs 1500 deposit each to activate std calls and roaming. Also, some Rs 8000 deposit for ISD call activation.
My phone still does not have roaming activated on it, although they did activate STD calls.
And calling their call center hardly helps. I have found the customer service of Airtel the worst. I hope TLP arrives soon so that I would be able to switch my connection to some other better provider but from what I hear there seems to be none. :(
Pre-paid is the best.
If I tell you that I faced the same treatment with Hutch would that make you happy? Plus please clarify your plan with one of the Airtel Shops in town, as they will deliver a huge bill with unknown tariffs and charge rates. I didnt know this but my 199 monthly talk plan had extra charges for caller ID and SMS charges. SO without waiting for your bill confirm your charges!
Falstaff - *grin*. I think I can handle it.
Madhat - 8000 for ISD? WTF? And I actually need that!
Airtel customer care is hilarious...after I've been ranting about why they've disconnected my phone, the guy politely asks me if I'm happy with the service Airtel provides.
Rehab Chougle - (um. "rehab chougle"? why?). And yes, I'll be sure to go into the details as much as possible with the new number.
This is the sort of thing that makes me want to live in the woods and never deal with another company again.
And they think privitisation would improve things...
SE - Some of the commentors at Ginmar's blog have been discussing a feminist commune. I'm joining that.
Madhat - To be fair, I have equal faith in the government's desire to screw me over.
@aishwarya: to be fair, I said 'improve'
Stay on the phon line with the customer service and tell them to do it right there, the min 3 hours thing is a bogus claim, it hardly takes 2 mins to activate any service. I've done it.
And youw were in Mumbai? When?
Madhat - I'm not convinced. At least I have options, even if they asren't very good ones.
Mithun - From Saturday night to Tuesday afternoon. I should have called or something, shouldn't I?
:(
I don't suppose you'll be in Delhi any time soon?
Phone companies and their plans of world domination.
Its a conspiracy. Im telling you.
I exactly went through the same ordeal about an year ago.I was lured by a scheme of airtel where one pays Rs 900 as advance rental for two years in lieu of the monthly rent. So i decided to migrate from pre-paid to post paid, while retaining the same number.They told me that my connection would be deactivated for about 24-48 hours for some technical reasons. But even after a week my connection was not restored.When i called up their customer care, they informed me that my address verification could not be done and thats why my connection could not get activated. I informed them that i stay alone and will be available at home, during daytime, only on sundays.Then they said they will come next sunday. that meant six more days.I couldnt withstand the harassment any longer. I threatened to file a complaint with TRAI if my connection was not restored in the next 24 hours. I think this somehow worked. My connection was restored quickly. But they didnt activate STD/ISD. The restoration of connection was of no use to me since 90% of the calls i make are STD. Again i had to repeat the whole process of arguments, threats and all kind of things which i normaly hate to do.Finally it took a month for all hassles to be sorted out.
I thought several times about dumping airtel for someother service provider. But i heard similar, if not worse, stories from subscribers of other services.Competetion in telecom sector has certainly brought down the tariffs. But improvement in the quality of service has not kept similar pace.Telecom companies still continue to enjoy certain monopoly powers which arise out of the uniqueness of subscriber numbers.My decision to stick to airtel, inspite of such unsavoury experiences, is mainly due to the fear of losing my number. Its virtually impossible to inform all people known to me about the change in my mobile number. I heard that TRAI is toying with the idea of number portability.I am waiting for the day it is implemented.
P.S. sorry for using your blog to vent my frustration
Even here in Calcutta, AirTel does all this stuff all the time. They dont know how to talk English fluently most of them. I half suspect they're made to sit with a book of phrases, that they are supposed to spout every 5-6 seconds in order to appear as half-witted as possible.
I had a similar problem when I wanted to send some messages to New Zealand, but couldn't for an unfathomable reason. Every time I called them, I had to speak to a different Customer Irritate Representative, and so I'd go over my case with them right from the start.
Sometimes, in my more sombre moods, I wonder if Hutch would be better for me. I dont know about you in Delhi and all, but in Cal its called Hutch Pink. That word snaps me out of my melancholy fast enough.
We await a post. You are as bad as the uncle.
So have you quit LJ?
Megha - *grin*
Jitesh - It sounds like you've sufferred more than me! Rant away!
Anirudh - How dare you? I am far, far better than the uncle. So there.
Ben - No, I haven't abandoned LJ! I'm just...too tired to really talk about my personal life right now.:)
Thanks for sharing the pain! You prompted me to write about my own frustrating experience at http://unjustly.wordpress.com/2006/07/02/phone-companies-bah/
On Airtel another wonderfull thing happens if you call them 6 times within a short duration you cannot call them again for the next 24 hours.
If you have ever used their Net on phone service you will realise a minimum of 8 calls on an average is required and always an esclation solves the problem.
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