Airtel Digital TV — "No Signal" Complaint not resolved since 2 weeks

Address:

Pune, Maharashtra

I was unfortunate to have chosen Airtel Digital TV as my DTH service provider therefore I accept my mistake of not going for a more reliable and respectful-towards-its-customers provider. Having done so I still did not except this kind of shoddy service from a reputed (allegedly) firm like Airtel that it has now come to seem as a punishment.

I bought the 2 month subscription for Rs 1590/- offer which included a cash back of Rs 250/- as advertised on your website. The offer seemed attractive and I trusted the brand Airtel, since Airtel is my broadband provider as well, but the trust imposed turned out to be fatal I guess because ever since this ill-fated decision I have nothing but being victimised by the poor standards of customer service of Airtel Digital TV.

My connection (Account ID:[protected] has a "No Signal" problem with error code B001 since 13th July 2011 and I immediately logged a complaint when I saw it and then began my ordeal which is yet to end, please read the description:

1. First thing, NO ONE ever speaks in English despite choosing it as my medium of communication at the very outset of the call. Pathetic would be my verdict - considering we live in the global age of 21st century.
P.S. Please remove the option of choosing English as the language to save the disappointment caused to customers (but only if you cared about people who paid for your salaries)

2. At first, at the time of registering the complaint (around 13th Jul 2011), your executive tells me that this problem might be because of bad weather and since it was raining at the time I bought his argument and was prepared to wait till the rains cleared up. A complaint was lodged nevertheless SR no. 9982118

3. Your engineer (with all due respect to that word) calls me up the next day and upon learning about my address tells me blank on my face that he can't take this complaint up because "the place where he lives is far off from my address". Since it was an Airtel Digital engineer and a city as huge as Pune, I assumed it would take him at least 2 days to reach my home as you guys must be used to travelling on bullock-carts because i[censored] noticed the progress technology has made I would not even be having to write this mail, he sounded freakishly reasonable. Any ways I thought its now my responsibility to find an Airtel Digital technician who wouldn't hate the landscape of my locality enough to resolve my complaint

4. The next day on 16th Jul, Airtel Digital thought of simply surprising me, A horrible surprise. I get an sms stating that my complaint has been resolved, I run back home in anticipation but then I got the surprise that Airtel Digital TV had planned, no TV!!! You guys are humorous but the only people not smiling were me and my roomies, but alas who cares!

5. Then started the vicious cycle of calling up the customer care --> people giving assurances of timely resolution --> I raising escalations on the same calls --> people hanging up on a paying customer --> I calling again asking to speak to managers (in case you hired some) --> customer care executives putting me on infinite holds and finally hanging up --> and here we are

Now lets hop over to the future:

1. I decided to buy the Neo Sports package and my account balance went negative. When I call up and enquire I am told that the promised cash back of Rs 250 has not happened. Can I ask why? I stall on recharging my account because I know whatever Airtel are they are not thieves and I would eventually get my money back, but alas! Frustrated, I recharge my account with Rs 100 in the hope that I would finally get to watch some TV but could I ever be right with Airtel Digital - a resounding NO. Trust me - this Rs 250 was not given to you for charitable purposes and I DO WANT MY CASH BACK AS PROMISED

2. There's a joke on your website that goes like: "Procedure and benchmarks for redressal of complaints through the Call Centre - Benchmarks: At least ninety per cent of complaints concerning non-receipt of all signals by the Customer save and except due to disturbances of weather or natural calamities, will be redressed and we will restore the signals within a period of twenty-four hours of the receipt of complaint." I know I am not lucky enough to be considered amongst the first 90% but I DO WANT MY CONNECTION BACK ASAP

3. Since my connection was activated on 20th June 2011 and under the proposed scheme I am supposed to get 2 months' free subscription along with Rs 250 as cash back. I WANT ALL THESE TERMS HONOURED

4. But if the people responsible at Airtel Digital TV are casual enough to ignore this mail and this complaint, we would have not choice but to approach the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC)