The Requirement:
I got an Air-tel data card for internet connection at my dad’s office and I would recommend anyone who has any plans to buy it to keep away from this product. Air-tel provides you with a micromax data card for use with it’s SIM card to connect to the internet.
The Start:
When I went to the Air-tel gallery at Thane, they claimed that they have the best service for internet and other all companies are nowhere compared to them. I asked them for a demo but they refused to give it saying they don’t give any demo, but we assure that we have the best service. Having already searched for other options, I decided to finalize it as it appeared to be better (it is a relative term) compared to others. Rs.3300/- for the data-card and 550 for the Air-tel SIM. They were very quick in giving me the data-card and the SIM.
Chakkar pe Chakkar
Now don’t get into this illusion that they have a fast service and all because this is the first trap. Once you have bought these thing, it’s all over. Just forget that you ever had that money.
I was promised that I can start using the card after 2-3 days. After 4 days when I tried using it, it wasn’t working as expected. I called the customer service guy and they told me to go to the gallery as the card had not been activated by them. Now at the gallery they say a totally different story that some problem with the technical team and giving all kinds of excuses. Finally promising to get it started by another 2 days, they gave me a complain number and I left.
The scene after 2 days was no different, I got the same problem and same response. So I told them that I don’t want to use the card and I want to surrender it, for which I got to hear a completely different story saying that once bought it cannot be surrendered and I was like this is a kill. I had no other option but to wait for it to start. After being to the gallery 4-5 times, finally it started and I was happy that at least it started.
Shhh...Phir wahi hai...
However, my happiness was very short-lived, the speed of the internet was worse than a snail. I have never seen a net service slower than this. Even the filthy cyber-cafes have better (again a relative term) speed than Air-tel. I mean guys the download speed struggles to reach even 20kbps.I hardly saw it at that speed. They had promised me a surfing speed of 256kbps and download speed of around 40kbps but it was not even comparable to what I was getting.
After using it for about 2 weeks I decided to go back to the Air-tel gallery and complain about the speed. And as expected, I was not helped. I told them that my purpose is not getting satisfied by this service and I want to surrender it, but they were adamant about not allowing to surrender it. I continued using it for another week hoping that the speed mite increase but in vain. Finally I just stopped using it within a month because it was simply hopeless.
Bonus pe Bonus(for them though):
Another bonus I got was that before my card even got activated, I got a bill of about 350 rupees. I had not even connected the net once with this device and I got a bill for the same. Though the bill was looked after for by Air-tel later I had to go to the gallery at least a couple of times before it was made void.
I try to look for a positive thing in everything and anything, but trust me guys, in spite of trying hard I did not find a single positive thing in Air-tel data card. A big NO for anyone who is thinking of buying it.
Thanx for Reading :-)