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Well, Airtel says officially: “Express Yourself“. And here is me… currently the most irritated person on the planet expressing myself…

I use my Airtel Prepaid Connection for GPRS. A plan that airtel charges me Rs. 5 everyday for. And supposedly gives me connectivity. Speeds that my 80 year old grandmother can royally beat…

Nevertheless, I use it for testing my Symbian applications…

For the last 3 days, the service has not been working. The only error I get on my Nokia 6630 is: “Packet data not available. Check Network Services”. And to add to the woes, i’m being involuntarily charged for their screw-up!!! 3 days of no service, but lighter on the balance by 15 rupees…

The best (read only) resort to this… call up “Customer Care” (read people who dint know wat to do with their lives and ended up there… Only lingo known to them: “Sir {completely incomprehensible words} sir.”). Now begins the “Expressing Myself“ part:

Me: Hi, My GPRS service has not been working. My number is: xxxxx-xxxxx.
CC: Sir, it’s not activated.
Me: What??? It’s been running for the last one month. I’ve been using it…
CC: No sir, it’s not activated. Send a message in capitals AO to 6333 and then wait for 2 mins, you’ll recieve your settings. Restart your mobile. It’ll work.
Me: OK. Bye…

After sending the SMS and restarting the mobile and watnot…

Me: I called up Customer care sometime back to complain that my GPRS is not working. They sent in the settings but it’s still not working…
CC: Network Congestion sir. Please try later…
Me: OK.

After 2 days…

Me: GPRS is still not working.
CC: I’ll send u the settings now sir…
Me: OK…

After half an hour and no settings…

Me: I called sometime back. My GPRS is not working. (bah!!! I’m tired of typing this crap… is this what they call transcribing??? Anyways, this is the interesting part!!!! ) The executive promised to send me new settings. I have not got the settings yet…
CC: Sir, Did you recieve the settings, sir??? <<Now!!! How is a human to take this??? Did i not end my immediately previous statement with the words “I have not got the settings yet”???
Me: No sir, I did not get the settings sir…
CC: What handset u r using sir?
Me: Nokia 6630.
CC: <<<Line Disconnected>>>

Now, that pissed me off completely. I do not know why he did this, but, I’m a telecom guy… And I know the difference between a call drop on a GSM network as opposed to the normal disconnect…

This was a normal and a disrespecting disconnect. I have recieved the 5th copy of my settings to connect to the network and the service is still not working.

I have mailed airtel customer care for Karnataka asking them for an explanation… Money doesnt grow for me on trees to support A. R. Rahman and Sachin Tendulkar on their Ads… I’m a user. I pay for service. And I deserve service in all my rights…

Is there a customer redressal forum for denied service and collected money??? How do I approach them??? I have proof. With Airtel and Hutch, I’m always extra careful…

There ends another huge rant… This whole concept sucks… India is perhaps the only country on the planet where you have to voice out to get your basic rights. For which you actually pay…

Tags: AirTel, Customer+Service, GPRS, Airtel+Live, Rants