Sad News Airtel, Idea and Vodafone now requires you to recharge with a minimum pack to keep your sim alive

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Agree. It was always bound by terms "till license period". Going by legal language, it is fine to expect to end at the expiry of first license period. But as a customer, I would expect it to be extended if the license too gets extended. Anyway, I agree to your point and it is quite valid.
See giving free incoming even with the scrapping of IUC altogether is possible only for pure IP based network like Jio since the voice call is just another type of traffic that rides on its data highway and the operator doesn't really spend anything extra to let you receive an incoming call. For legacy operators like Vodafone idea and Airtel who have voice on 2G networks, there is a physical circuit switching framework and points of interconnect which actually cost the operators money to even let incoming voice calls terminate on their network. Now if the calling operator isn't going to compensate for this charge and the receiving person also wants free incoming without a minimum recharge, then the legacy operator is going to have to pay for this charge from it's own pocket, which is the perfect recipe for bankruptcy. Hope you get now why they were forced to introduce minimum recharge to stay in business.
 
See giving free incoming even with the scrapping of IUC altogether is possible only for pure IP based network like Jio since the voice call is just another type of traffic that rides on its data highway and the operator doesn't really spend anything extra to let you receive an incoming call. For legacy operators like Vodafone idea and Airtel who have voice on 2G networks, there is a physical circuit switching framework and points of interconnect which actually cost the operators money to even let incoming voice calls terminate on their network. Now if the calling operator isn't going to compensate for this charge and the receiving person also wants free incoming without a minimum recharge, then the legacy operator is going to have to pay for this charge from it's own pocket, which is the perfect recipe for bankruptcy. Hope you get now why they were forced to introduce minimum recharge to stay in business.
I already know the reasons. I always quoted that "If Jio didn't happen", then these guys would continue to loot us (Rs 250+GST for 1GB of data). It is the competition that made them go soft. Almost all operators exactly matched Jio's plans. So if they looted us all this while, they should might as well take the hit when a strong competitor comes out to play. After all, customer is the king.
 
@Zmint bro, write to airtel customer care, [email protected] and also mark your circle's Nodal Officer. Find your circle's Nodal Officer's email address at India's leading provider of Prepaid & Postpaid Mobile Services in India - Airtel.in

Did it help, @Zmint bro? As for me, I dialed *121*777# during the "grace period of 3 days" that is offered after validity of 28 days expires. I got a confirmation message, and now, there has been no auto-debit of Rs 23 from my account. My number is on Incoming-Only for the next 15 days.

However, I noticed that now, again I have been given 1 day grace period. I think its a tactic by airtel to force auto-debit. I have not yet done *121*777# again, if I do not do, then just like you, even for me Rs 23 might get auto-debited. Very sad move by airtel to trick its customers.
 
Did it help, @Zmint bro?
@TJ_DJ bro. I did not yet write to Airtel Customer Care. Waiting for my current plan to expire and grace period to begin.
As for me, I dialed *121*777# during the "grace period of 3 days" that is offered after validity of 28 days expires. I got a confirmation message, and now, there has been no auto-debit of Rs 23 from my account. My number is on Incoming-Only for the next 15 days.
However, I noticed that now, again I have been given 1 day grace period. I think its a tactic by airtel to force auto-debit. I have not yet done *121*777# again, if I do not do, then just like you, even for me Rs 23 might get auto-debited. Very sad move by airtel to trick its customers.
That is exactly 100% what happened with me. May be this is the standard procedure they follow with everyone.
Let me guess, Even if you disable auto-debit again within this 1 grace day, still they will deduct.
When I received this 1 day grace period message, I at once knew what Airtel was cooking so dialed 121*777# immediately and a confirmation message was received that your auto-debit has been deactivated, but in the end puff...it happened again. :eek:
You can try your luck :hs:
 
@TJ_DJ bro. I did not yet write to Airtel Customer Care. Waiting for my current plan to expire and grace period to begin.

That is exactly 100% what happened with me. May be this is the standard procedure they follow with everyone.
Let me guess, Even if you disable auto-debit again within this 1 grace day, still they will deduct.
When I received this 1 day grace period message, I at once knew what Airtel was cooking so dialed 121*777# immediately and a confirmation message was received that your auto-debit has been deactivated, but in the end puff...it happened again. :eek:
You can try your luck :hs:
Thanks bro, In this 3 days grace period, I have dialed *121*777# and got confirmation message that Auto-debit has been stopped. Still I keep getting SMS that Rs 23 will be auto-debited if I dont recharge.

Very bad move by airtel. I will try and let you know.

Edit: I have written to airtel customer care highlighting their unethical practice of giving multiple grace periods to just enforce Auto-debit. I have told them that during second grace period, I have agian dialed *121*777# and got confirmation of stopping of auto debit and it should not happen now.

Lets see what unfolds in 2 days.
 
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@TJ_DJ bro. I did not yet write to Airtel Customer Care. Waiting for my current plan to expire and grace period to begin.

That is exactly 100% what happened with me. May be this is the standard procedure they follow with everyone.
Let me guess, Even if you disable auto-debit again within this 1 grace day, still they will deduct.
When I received this 1 day grace period message, I at once knew what Airtel was cooking so dialed 121*777# immediately and a confirmation message was received that your auto-debit has been deactivated, but in the end puff...it happened again. :eek:
You can try your luck :hs:
Auto-debit of Rs 23 did not happen after the second grace period, as I had dialed *121*777# during second grace period too.

Astonishingly, now airtel has again given THIRD grace of 3 days :tongue2: I will again dial *121*777# in this third grace period to avoid auto-debit of Rs 23. What a funny way to keep pestering customers.
 
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