Hello Nairalanders,

I'd appreciate direction(s) on how to channel my issues with the Airtel network since stories brought to the public get due attention.

On 21/06/2014 at about 8:31PM, I got a confirmation message from Airtel concerning my Unlimited Blackberry data subscription. I was also informed about the expiration which would be effected on the 21/07/2014 further stating the code to revert IF I wasn't interested in "Auto-renewal".

Fast forward to 18/07/2014 by 5:16PM (not minding Airtel's notification messages about the so called upgrades on their network), I got a reminder about the expiration of my mobile data in 7days to be effective 21/07/2014 further advising I reload my line with N1500. On the 19/07/2014 by 2:21AM, I got same message stating expiration of my mobile data in 3 days still advising I reload my line with N1500.

All these while, I was certain of the expiration date yet I had enough data on my mobile device to carry through end of 21/07/2014. On 21/07/2014 by 9:42AM, I made certain my line was credited with N2000 hence a call credit of N2395.51 was available. All these in anticipation of the autorenewal subscription to take place while I still have enough credit for calls.

By the evening of 21/07/2014 past 11:35PM having used data from previous subscription, I still had well over 200MB of data (used the *123*9# to confirm). In a short time, I dozed off and woke with the hope that the autorenewal would have been effected on my account but to my amazement, everything was zero(ed). Call credit 0, mobile data 0. If possible, Airtel would have run it to a negative.

From the 22/07/2014 till the 26/07/2014, I've made several calls to the Airtel Contact Centre where I stated all of these happenings. First time, my complaint was logged and I got a confirmation message. There was a message later stating this had been resolved and if I was satisfied, I reply with a YES or NO. I checked my balances and data yet there was no refund and I responded with a NO. Called their contact centre a short while after and I got an excuse that from 10:31PM on 21/07/2014 thereabouts, I was being billed from my call credit since I had "exhausted" my previous mobile data. Note this was the same message I received the second time when I called and a sound fellow listened attentively, took notes and opened another case file. Unfortunately for me, it was same result and same excuse about being billed from my call credit as my mobile data had been exhausted.

I wasn't comfortable with the excuses and it was from further probing I was informed about the time of the billing which obvioulsy didn't tally with the information I had when I checked my call credit before sleeping. It is also sad to say that I got more of promises and undeliveries from the Staff at the Contact centre (I'll call you back or I'd have my supervisor call you back when it was beyond them. At some point, I had to decline anyone calling me if they were gonna give me stories and not refund my money).

Apparently, Airtel had been having so much upgrades and sending messages to that effect even an upgrade was done on the same network from 12AM to 7AM on July 20th and 12AM to 7AM on July 21st 2014. Data service disruption was a possibility at these points and whether it is part of the problem or the problem itself, I don't know. Airtel has severally declined it is their problem or mistake instead pushed it to me still insisting I used data passed what I had and had to be billed directly.

Since my last call on 26/07/2014, I asked these questions and I'm still waiting for their robust response;

1. If I had enough data more than 200MB on the expected day of expiration by 11:35PM 21/07/2014, how then was it exhausted and how come I was billed directly from my mobile device?
2. Assuming (I am assuming based on Airtel's information) I was really billed from 10:31PM 21/07/2014 for data directly from my call credit, why didn't the autorenewal take effect at the stipulated time of 8:21PM by 21/07/2014?

On my other line, when reminded of data expiration and advised to subscribe, this takes effect at the stipulated period with incentive of more days. (i.e. longer days for same amount of data assuming you aren't the type to consume loads before 30 days - 30 + x days when autorenewed)

I have stopped calling the Airtel Contact Centre, I'm yet to credit my line as I'm not ready to start on how this has affected my business dealings on all fronts. Good thing for competition! However, I am not ready to let this slide easy as whatever investigation it would take to get this resolved, I'm up for it. Let Airtel convince me why I was wrongfully debited as what I recharged for didn't take effect. It may have happened to someone else and can happen to anyone tomorrow yet we keep quiet. Another funny ish is, if they could zap more than N2300 overnight, then could as well zap N5,000 and more suppose this was available in the phone.

Once again, I'd appreciate a direction on where to channel this to get a swift response. And to think I've stayed loyal on the network for 8 years thereabouts.

Airtel where's my money?!

(I've uploaded screenshots of the messages received from Airtel with the date and time and something to note about the second second case file where I was asked to respond with a YES or NO, I hadn't responded yet I was being thanked for contacting them. This is evident when I responded with a NO and got same message. Lastly, you'd notice I was DEACTIVATED on the 22/07/2014 by 6:27PM. Why did it take till that time?)

More screenshots

Too bad. I dont really like the auto renewal stuff. I prefer doing it myself.

Same happened to me tooo...made endless calls yet no solution...wen i was fed up..i jst let it slip away
..i wonder if NCC have a feedback channel where constomers of mobile networks can make complaints...These guys suck us dry of our hard earned money

Emmyk: Too bad. I dont really like the auto renewal stuff. I prefer doing it myself.

On both networks I use, the autorenewal takes effect once I've preloaded unless I get too busy with activities and I get it done myself.

My grudge is why should I be made to suffer for a glitch from the system?

Pweezy: Same happened to me tooo...made endless calls yet no solution...wen i was fed up..i jst let it slip away
..i wonder if NCC have a feedback channel where constomers of mobile networks can make complaints...These guys suck us dry of our hard earned money

That's my point! No more calls but actions. If I let slip just as you did and another person I know who let N3000 slip, we can imagine the ripoff in NGN currency.

It's where to channel this complaint I need more reason I've brought this here so someone can advise where to direct it for better resolution.

My own scenario happened 13/06/14 around 17:12. While I still have an active daily bis data of over 30mb, airtel went and gulp over #700 from my account. My issue will be resolved was their response but as of now, my money is yet to be refunded. They even did some dubious act in blocking my line from calling their customer care center for 3weeks. When I called later, they either drop the drop halfway or said I was billed accordingly. I'll take my revenge on them by borrowing credit without refunding

timilehing: My own scenario happened 13/06/14 around 17:12. While I still have an active daily bis data of over 30mb, airtel went and gulp over #700 from my account. My issue will be resolved was their response but as of now, my money is yet to be refunded. They even did some dubious act in blocking my line from calling their customer care center for 3weeks. When I called later, they either drop the drop halfway or said I was billed accordingly. I'll take my revenge on them by borrowing credit without refunding

This is my point exactly. We have so many cases unspoken yet we remain quiet while Airtel continues to siphon our call credits dry. The proofs are there still nothing is being done.

Forget the issue of revenge rather make public your complain as you can't beat them at their game, trust me.

Moderators, this is an issue that needs utmost attention as I believe so many people would have complains to make moreso we need solutions. Do move to frontpage, thank you.

Hmmm
Mynd44 FrontPage pls?

OK.

o boy, see story for the gods.

#BRINGBACKOURCREDIT

lol

na wetin consign me sef?

buy your airtel sim 50 naira. . .i hate all their gimicks like hell.

Hmmmm....AIRTEL SUCKING MB SINCE 1880...s.m.h

HARDLUCK! bro

its not just airtel, recently MTN has been bugging me with loads of service text messages that fills up my phone, even preventing me from receiving messages from my contacts. Ive called their customer care countless times and i get a new gist each time.
The latest is that they are telling me that i MUST continue getting those messages as it is part of their TERMS OF SERVICE.


which useless terms of service-

[size=15pt]NCC PLS BAN THESE FRAUDSTERS AGAIN!! [/size]

Bro, u don forget to tell us say na blackberry u subscribed for, na android u dey use am for.

t

Hey brodaaa........as far as BB subcrption is concerned, "AuntySalat" (Etisalat baba) is da best. 1k-3Gig-super fast network-plus 20% of al ya rcharge.

Sowiee bro,koldnt read ur post kos ova long de wori am!


HappyNewMonth Y'all!!!

Eyah sowi bro...that's why I like glo..u hardly experience such...I repeat u hardly experience such..take heart or u do wat ? U saka..u port out

Sir, pls do not always rely on d auto renewal. It fails due to many reasons:

If u exhaust your data bundle before d auto renewal takes effect and u don't have sufficient airtime to effect d auto renewal. Is there a chance this happened? (U know smart phones and background apps na )

If no↑,

Then pls find tym to visit a shop. Request to c your call history from their app and study it carefully on date of issue occurrence. Demand for a full reversal if u notice an anomaly.

If d shop agent gives u d same response as d cc agent, just demand to c d showroom supervisor. Help wld surely come .

But if u can't go to a showroom, u can just inbox me ur number. I may just b able to help. ..

Op, its better you walk down to their office to lay down your complain than calling them.

op, throw your airtel sim away, use GLO bis

note, before you throw it away, borrow the highest amount of credit you are eligible to borrow

kayswag100: Sir

I'm sure Kayswag will be of help

op, wait your answer is coming

Wow all dis for airtel. Surely with u making an open complain ur case will soon be revisited. Nobody want to be expose publicly. Airtel respond to him in d soonest possible tym.

Airtel sucking mb since 1862

Airtel people? I prefer calling them "AIR THIEVES".

Op,am a qualify and competent lawyer,if u don't mind i can help you to win this case with Airtel, and ur credit will be back

i did nt read ur post finish,,long tori nw

hmmn

Same happened to me sometime ago, i subscribed for 2G data plan, and after one week of subscription, the data was gone. I went to their office and lodged a complaint but no fruitful result.
I let it slide because, the plan i subscribed was used in my USB Modem and not a phone as the case should be.
Op, i think you should go to their office nearest to you and complain

You need to ensure the apps on your phone were not auto updating while you were asleep, or someone did not have access to your phone without your consent.

I had a similar issue were I lost over 2GB in one night, I was so confused, but later I realised that my phone had been updating apps over wifi and by the time I switched to mobile data it continued despite my setting the stupid smart android samsung phone to update only via wifi.

In most cases the autorenewal don't work as it should, our network operators configured their billing system to pay as you go for both voice and data, its the default billing system and your line automatically falls back to this system before auto renewing. This is wrong, but businesses do care less.

Sweery so sorry about your loss. I opened a thread to dis same issue before the NL tsunami came. Mine was in May,I stil had data and about 4k in my account. Before iknew they had wiped out the credit. I almost fainted. When I saw the call notification on my screen I quikly turned off data to check my balance,lo and behold everytin was gone,dey left jus 46naira for me. Then began my nightmare. I made all d calls in d world had their team lead call me on two diff occassions with empty promises. My broda funny enof I had a "toaster" who saw my dp on a frnds bb,infact it was perfectly times cos he works wit airtel tho in anoda dept. He was d one dat hepld me look into it o. Dey manage to refund 2600 and wile I was waiting to think weda its error,dey wipded it out again! Infact 2ce it hapnd,d guy evn said dat wasn't d right amt o,dat d 2600 was 4anoda pesn but at d end was stil d same 2600 o dem refund. I jus quikly started sharing airtime ,lol b4 dem zap am again. Dats how dey wasted my credit for me. I won't bore u abt wat hapnd afta then or evn b4 then,because space no go reach. One word for airtel? Executive Armed Robbers! Evn the idiota dat helpd was too arrogant,abg I jus use am do wetin I want then run!lol. They are not useful for anytin mbok!

Log this complaint on www.hellolagbaja.com for resolution.