Sep 26, 2019 10:49 PM
12112 Views
I and my wife moved to Canada on 11th April, 2019 and visited India back on 11th of August, 2019 and found that my wife's Airtel number was suspended due to non payment bill amount of Rs 13894/-. This bill amount was accumulated over a period of two months(and not four months) because for one month Airtel kept 10 days International Roaming Package activated on my number for two zones(still not sure why two zones and each zone pack costs 3599/-) and for second month they themselves decided to deactivate one and keep the other one activated.
We did not pay 2 months of bill since we were abroad and we did not need my India phone. Hence, we thought we will pay once we are back in August. So when we returned to India it came to me as a shock as to see the due amount as Rs 13894/-. I expected minimal 1500/- as the due amount for two months but this was a nightmare to know that #Airtel had billed me so much for international roaming packages without my consent.
When I called up customer executive on 11th August, 2019 to understand the reason for suspension and high amount of bill, below was told to me as the reason:
Since we had got 10 days international roaming package(Rs 3599/-) activated for our travel to Dubai in March 2018 and 10 days international roaming package(Rs 3599/-) activated for our travel to Indonesia in November 2018, these packages were never deactivated after that and hence, on my next travel to Canada in April 2019, Airtel itself auto renewed these packages. It was told to me then that till the time I stay in India I will not be charged for these packages by #Airtel but once I travel outside again these packages get auto renewed without my consent if I have not called them specifically to deactivate them after one time activation. I argued with the guy telling him the package itself is named as 10 days international roaming package. How can you auto-renew it without my approval. The guy said this is how it works.
Since I was not aware of this, #Airtel kept me charging for my entire tenure of four months in Canada for no reason and without my consent of activation of these packages.
It was when I returned to India, I deposited 2000/- as my bill amount thinking it could be temporary disconnection as I had not used this number for a longer time plus some amount of bill might be due. But even after depositing 2000/- when I did not receive signal in my phone I called up Airtelto know the reason. I was then told that my number has been suspended and my due bill amount is 13894/-.
I asked the executive the reason for such high amount of bill and I was told the above story for such huge amount. The executive told that these packages get auto renewed when a customer travels outside India again which was strange as I had availed 10 days package that too in 2018 which should automatically be over after 10 days but still I agreed to paying the amount and asked the executive to deactivate any such international roaming packages on my mobile. He confirmed that all international packages are inactivated for my mobile number and I will no further be charged with any such high amounts going forward, if I travel anywhere outside India and don't use my phone.
Now comes the main part
Even after getting these packages deactivated, I got this month's bill and to my surprise I again see that I am being charged with amount of 8602/- and the reason is same. The two 10 days international roaming packages(costing me total 23599/-= 7198/-) are auto-renewed on my mobile again.
For a company which boasts their network and customer caring nature, I have to say that they are a complete fraud.
First of all when the package itself says that it is for 10 days how can the service provider activate it again and again on my international travels without my consent.Who has given #Airtel the authority to activate such packages on their own will. If a customer needs a service, they themselves will contact airtel to get it. How can they decide on charging for services which the customer hasn't asked for. But leaving all this aside, since my wife's work was stuck and she did not have any alternate number I paid off bill of 13894/-(when I visited India in August) to get rid of this pain and did not report this issue.
To avoid the same issue again, even after getting these packages removed from the plan by calling airtel, I visited the #Airtel store in Mumbai(lokhandvala branch) again on 24th August to make sure that my international packages are deactivated and it should not be auto-renewed again as I had to travel back to Canada on 25th August. The executive there also confirmed that no packages are active now and you will be charged only based on usage in international country. The executive also mentioned that if you don't use your India number abroad, you will get the same bill as you get in India(By'Not using Phone' she specified that no calling, no receiving of calls, no data usage, no SMS. Just switching the phone on will not be considered for charge. She said if I use my phone for calls and SMSs or Data Usage then normal International roaming charges which are applicable as per my region will be charged). In spite of all these confirmations, this month I have been charged again with whopping 8602/- bill and the reason again is the international packages have been auto renewed on my number.
Now this is really frustrating and not expected from a company like #Airtel wherein you are actually charging your customer for no reason. This is complete harassment to the customer.I am writing this letter under protest.
