The vision statement for Bharti’s mobile business goes as “To be globally admired for telecom services that delight customers.” But my experience has been totally opposite.
AIRTEL (at least in Mumbai circle) on Prepaid Cards activates and charges for value added services like STD Pack, Hello Tunes, Mobile Office (GPRS Service) without request or consent of the customer. Most of the customers might not even know of the above unless they track their balance regularly. For those customers who catch this theft (AIRTEL is cheating) have to spend lot of time (complaining and follow up) and effort in getting the refund .
This problem has been faced by me as well as all of my friends using AIRTEL prepaid. Not sure whether postpaid customers also face similar problems.
Airtel activated STD Pack on my card without my request or consent. They did not refund me the Rs 50 charged for the same. The next day itself they deducted another Rs 50 which was refunded after complaining. Next was the turn of Hello Tunes which was offered as complimentary for which I was charged Rs 35. Again after lot of complaining and followup the amount was refunded. Again one month down the line Hello Tunes activated and Rs 45 deducted with request or consent. After lot of complaining, followup and fight at Airtel Relationship center I get back Rs 45. Then its Mobile Office (GRPS) newly introduced by Airtel. This was activated without request and conset. Rs 12 deducted from my balance every night for one full week. Note that I was using Nokia 3315 which does not have support for GPRS. A couple of weeks of complaining and follow up and I have still not received a refund.