[Resolved]  Airtel — consumer complaint regarding airtel xtream fibre - low upload speeds

Address: Chennai

I am writing to formally lodge a complaint against Airtel Xtream Fibre regarding a breach of promised internet speeds under my subscribed plan. Despite paying for a 200 Mbps plan with a 1:1 speed ratio (upload = download speeds), I have been experiencing unacceptable upload speeds of 4–10 Mbps for the past two months.

Complaint Details:
Service Provider: Airtel Xtream Fibre
Plan: 200 Mbps Annual Pack (Paid in November 2024)
Issue Date: Ongoing since November 2024
Nature of Complaint: Low upload speeds despite a commitment to 1:1 speed ratio.
Description of the Issue:
Download Speeds: Consistently at 200 Mbps as promised.
Upload Speeds: Ranging from 4 to 10 Mbps, which is far below the expected speeds of 150–200 Mbps.
Practical Impact: Uploading a 500 MB file takes over 20 minutes instead of the 20–30 seconds it should take on a 200 Mbps connection.
Steps Taken to Resolve the Issue:
Complaint Filed on December 13, 2024: Airtel replaced the modem, but the issue persisted. Their technicians confirmed that there are no issues with the modem, fibre cable, or my devices.

Technical Team Visit:

Technicians tested the speeds on their devices, which also showed low upload speeds (4–6 Mbps).
After switching to a CAT 6 cable, upload speeds improved slightly to ~40 Mbps but remained well below expectations.
Despite evidence, the issue was not resolved, and no further actions were taken.
Remote Assistance Incident:

Airtel’s support team insisted I perform speed tests only using the Ookla Speedtest app, despite other platforms showing accurate low upload speeds.
During a single instance where the Ookla app reported 200 Mbps upload speed, the representative abruptly closed my ticket without resolution.
This raises concerns about the reliability of Ookla's results and whether Airtel is intentionally using this platform to misrepresent upload speeds.
Customer Service Experience:

Airtel’s support team treated me dismissively, accused me of lying, and failed to take my concerns seriously.
Their lack of accountability and professionalism has caused me significant frustration and distress.
Impact of the Issue:
Work Disruption: I work from home and rely heavily on upload speeds for file transfers. My inability to upload files efficiently has jeopardized my productivity and professional commitments.
Device Compatibility: My office laptop (a MacBook) lacks an Ethernet port, so I rely entirely on Wi-Fi. Airtel’s solution o[censored]sing a CAT 6 cable is impractical and ignores the fact that my previous modem could achieve stable upload speeds over Wi-Fi when the plan was initially activated.
Financial Loss: I have already paid for an annual subscription but am not receiving the promised service, which feels like a violation of consumer trust.
My Requests:
Immediate Resolution: Restore the upload speeds to the promised levels (at least 150 Mbps).
Technical Audit: Conduct a thorough backend investigation to identify and resolve the root cause.
Professionalism: Provide a transparent and respectful resolution process without dismissing legitimate consumer grievances.
Compensation: As I have not received the promised service for two months, I request compensation for the affected period.
Supporting Evidence:
Screenshots of multiple speed tests from trusted platforms showing upload speeds consistently below 20 Mbps.
Practical upload tests (e.g., uploading a 500 MB file), demonstrating the significant delays caused by the low speeds.
I kindly request the consumer grievance authority to investigate this matter and take appropriate action against Airtel Xtream Fibre for failing to deliver the promised service.

Sincerely,
Prithiviraj