Jul 20, 2015 12:49 PM
41199 Views
I needed a backup internet connection. Working with the biggest brand names in IT meant that you get customized plans for internet on a bargain. However, my experience was quite different.
To begin with, I took the connection from the Airtel sales desk at the "Escape" in Manyata Embassy Business Park, and the plan was really attractive for IBM employees, INR400 for 2GB of data and for a backup connection that made a lot of sense. The sales executives were very eager as always and they took an old device I had disconnected from Reliance and gave me the new device that has an MRP of INR3999 for a mere INR300! I couldn't be more happier as at least for the first time a piece of junk called Reliance Netconnect fetched me the money I spent on that useless thing. Airtel took 2 days to activate my connection and when it got activated, I was asked to call a 1800 number to verify my details and get it activated. I called up the 1800 number and a lady on the other end picked up. She sounded like she was on phone at gun point initially, and then she sounded like she had a really wild night the day before and was on a bad hangover and then she sounded like she just woke up from the dead and finished it off sounding like a total zombie. I had to slap myself to make sure I was dead or alive after talking with her. IT WAS HORRIBLE. She couldn't spell my name right, couldn't spell my email address correctly and I was wondering what exactly she was verifying.
Some how after 5 minutes of torture on the phone, she said my connection will work in 30 minutes and it did. But almost immediately, there was a problem. Unlike other dongles, Airtel markets this thing claiming that you will get 4G speeds that would literally make your connection work on escape velocity speeds. Here is what it felt like, imagine you are in an old rotting 2 stroke auto rikshaw which is running on a sharing basis and is unbelievably overloaded. You only way to believe that you are going fast is by the incredible noise and smoke the thing makes and then you realize you are going less than 20 kph. You get the idea now?
With a lot of anger and disgust I went back to the Airtel sales desk this morning and spoke to the guy who sold me this junk. All he has to say is to call the call center. I didn't want to talk to the zombies there and told him on his face after a day of usage that I want to disconnect the connection. With least botheration and a sense of pride he achieved his sales target, he says the same "ring-up-the-call-center" line again! Airtel! is this how you take care of your customers? For everything you call up the call center and all you get to hear from the other end are some brain dead people mumbling something to you in broken English.
I am absolutely mad at Airtel beyond belief. If you have been thinking about buying a 4G dongle, the only thing you could do with it when it is plugged to your laptop is have a bird come an sit on it. It is just a bad way to waste your money.
