[Resolved]  Airtel — Buying Talk-time, Beware

As You Buy Talk-time, Beware!

Sub: My Airtel Mobile No.[protected]

On Dec 4, I was recharging my prepaid account –as usual -- to build up talk time [vide Transaction ID[protected]]. And as usual, the screen flashed, ‘Recharge Successful.’ So I went my way.

But it has proved to be a case of ‘operation successful, patient dies,’ as I’ve since learned. That was when I found a day later that the recharge had made hardly any difference to bolster the health of my talk-time balance. The balance showed no change whatsoever even after the recharge.

To my shock, I now gather that the amount has been credited not to the usual talk time balance – but elsewhere. According to Airtel’s Customer Care, they have credited the cash into a new ‘Dedicated Account 11.’

Whatever that be, I have no idea. When have they opened that ‘Dedicated Account’ for me? And why, all of a sudden? As a consumer, I have little knowledge about these things. I have not sought such a facility. Nor have I asked for any 3G data – supposedly against that ‘Dedicated Account.’

Should the customer be taken for a ride?

A company may be eager to sell a product in the market. Welcome. But the customer, too, has a choice to buy whatever he or she wants. And just nobody – not even the country’s leading mobile service provider -- can dump a product on an unwilling consumer, if the person chooses not to consume it. Surely, there could be no question of the consumer paying for a service he or she hasn’t asked to buy.

Let me repeat I have not asked Airtel to open the so-called Dedicated Account.They have done so without my consent in the first place and then hijacked the regular recharge amount into that new account, again without my consent.

In the event, the least I expect of them is to undo the Dedicated Account and credit the amount in favour of talk-time, as intended.

Dharmarajan
7 Dec 2011