[Resolved]  Bharti Airtel — Data connection enabled without permission and charged heavily.

Address:

Bangalore, Karnataka

My Phone No.: [protected] Location: Bangalore Latest Billing Cycle. I have been an Airtel Customer since 2009. At home, we have Airtel Digital TV, Airtel Broadband and Airtel mobile connections. I recently bought a new smartphone (Moto G) and I have never used any data services in the past, I don't know how it works or it even existed. On 02 March 2014, I receive a call from Airtel Customer Care that I have already used 190 MB of data between 27 Feb to 1 Mar 2014 and I would be charged Rs 1900/- for this. I demanded why should I pay for the service I have not used, then, the customer care executive asked me to talk to the concerned people to get a waiver. Meanwhile, I had been to my native on an urgent work and when I am back on 21 Mar I am notified that my total bill is Rs 3098/-, this was a biggest shock to me. When I called the customer care and informed them that there is something wrong, I am unnecessarily being charged this huge amount, the representative said I have used 190 MB of data - Rs 1900/-, my bill plan is Rs 274 and my calls are Rs 509 and over and above all this taxes total upto Rs 3098/-. I pleaded that I have not used any data, I had no knowledge if my SIM had a data connection, I never requested it. I was told by this Airtel representative that irrespective of whether I requested or not, every customer has data connection by default from 2013. I requested for a waiver as the usage was completely unintended (not known to me), then, I was told that I would be given a waiver of Rs 500. Such a shame, they expect me to pay up the amount quietly by setting up such traps. Who authorized them to enable data service on my connection? Are there no regulations against such unethical business? Is this not equivalent to fooling an innocent customer with trickery ? Why should I pay up for the service usage that I have not requested for? Its not my mistake, its theirs. I would like Airtel to completely waive off the data charges (including the tax for VAS). Enabling data services on my connection without my sign or consent is their mistake, I will not pay a penny for this. Sreelatha.