Here is what I just finished writing to Airtel:

I have two issues to report, one is major and one is minor. I will start with the minor:

A few days ago I tweeted to Airtel_Presence that I need the usage SMS stopped. This had been stopped earlier but for some strange reason it restarted. They said someone will get back to me. Yesterday someone called me and they confirmed that it has been stopped.

No, it hasn’t. This morning, I still got the SMS. How difficult is it to stop one SMS message? I shouldn’t have to call 5 times to get this one thing taken care of!

Now, the major issue. I have a smartphone, and I have mobile internet. So, I was surprised that yesterday I got an SMS that my phone calling will be suspended because I have gone over my credit limit. I was shocked, so I looked at my bill online and I saw the total but I didn’t see how it added up to that number. So I called 121.

I was explained that I had Rs. 700 worth of internet usage above my allotted capacity. I was surprised because I got no indication that I went over, during the billing cycle. (Let’s ignore the fact that this was nowhere on the billing details online.)

So I tried to reason with the customer care person that this should be waived. She kept reciting the rules, and I kept harping on the fact that I had no indication that I had gone over my limit. I requested to be transferred to the manager.

The manager went through the same nonsensical procedure of reciting the rules to me. I begged her finally, to waive and she created some sort of a case which would investigate the issue and provide the waiver (or not). Meanwhile, I told her about the suspension and she said that my line was not suspended at the time, and that she has put a note that until the case is resolved, it won’t be.

False. This morning when I tried to use my phone, I got the message that outgoing services had been suspended. I called 121 again. The first person I reached started with the same recitation of the rules and I had to tell her I understand all that, and while my case is being investigated, I just want my hold to be removed. She said she could not do it, and that she had put a call back request with her manager, who would call me back in a few minutes (even though, as she claimed, the SLA is 4 hours).

I waited for 30 minutes, and no call back. So I called 121 again, because I need my phone for my work! Reached customer care and once again I was made to go through the rules and I kept telling her that my call is not about my bill but about removing the hold, which according to the manager yesterday, should not even have happened.

She tried contacting her manager and said that she can only put a call back request and that the manager would call back in 4 hours. I told her it is unacceptable that the manager will call back in 4 hours. I said I will stay on hold until the manager is available. She waited for a few minutes and came back and said she will have to put the call back request. I stayed firm and said no way I am getting off the call without talking to the manager.

Finally, the manager came on the phone. She went through the exact same stuff that each and every person had gone through with me since yesterday. I had to tell her that this is not about the bill itself, because it is under review. This is about me using my phone immediately, and I need her to override.

Guess what? She disconnected the phone on me. Going against perhaps the first customer service rule, she hung up the phone on me. I was speechless.

If signing up for new service and porting number were not such a hassle, I would have left your service long, long ago. I am sorry to say, you are probably the worst company I have dealt with, ever.

I strongly suggest you call me back at the number in the subject line, and let me know the status of my issues. If not, my only option would be to go to consumer court.