[carboy]

My mom has a vodafone postpaid plan in Mumbai but she wants to change to a prepaid one. There are a couple of problems however

1) Very rarely (like 3-4 times a year), she needs to make international calls of short duration. This is easily possible with postpaid but not with prepaid.

2) Toll free numbers. Unlike Jio, Vodafone prepaid doesn't allow you to call toll free numbers without a charge. Again, it's quite rare that my needs to call one, but the ability to do so should be there.

So you can say add a few 100 rs of extra talk time so that both of the above are possible, however these extra talk times expire within a fixed period, you have to keep adding them every month irrespective of whether it's used or not. i.e. let's say she adds 200 or 300 rs of extra talk time every month, it's going to be used only like say in 3 or 4 months of the year & wasted in all other months?

Is there a good solution for this? She can't change to any other provider because only Vodafone gives decent reception at her home.

[neofromcapone]

I needed to top up my prepaid plan with Jio, did it for some 100+ rupees. It could dial DXB with that balance.
I don't know how Vodafone would treat that extra balance.

[binand]

Originally Posted by carboy

1) Very rarely (like 3-4 times a year), she needs to make international calls of short duration. This is easily possible with postpaid but not with prepaid.

2) Toll free numbers. Unlike Jio, Vodafone prepaid doesn't allow you to call toll free numbers without a charge. Again, it's quite rare that my needs to call one, but the ability to do so should be there.

Your second problem is curious. I was once in a role that required me to purchase many toll-free numbers; all the sales folks made it a point to assure me that these numbers are free for anyone in India on any network. I believe the TRAI regulations actually require these numbers to be paid for by only the called party. Are you sure you are talking of toll-free numbers (1-800 numbers)?

For the first one - none of the VoIP calling apps are suitable (WhatsApp/Skype/Meet etc.)?

[Torq]

Originally Posted by carboy

2) Toll free numbers. Unlike Jio, Vodafone prepaid doesn't allow you to call toll free numbers without a charge. Again, it's quite rare that my needs to call one, but the ability to do so should be there.

My Vodafone prepaid lets me call all toll free numbers with ease. Haven't topped up talk time balance in a long time now. Only unlimited packs for me. Thanks Jio for the huge savings!

[Bhupesh_2628]

Hello Team-BHPians,

I want to disconnect/stop my Airtel SIM Prepaid service. Nowadays, only 1 SIM card is enough for me.

Upon requesting them to disconnect the service, they told that there is no option to do the same for Prepaid plans as there's no such billing issue unlike Postpaid SIM.

They told me not to recharge -> Or destroy SIM card -> The SIM Card & service will automatically get deactivated after 3-4 months.

But they can disconnect the SIM Cards that are on Postpaid plan only.

So, I'm thinking of converting this SIM Card to Postpaid plan & then disconnecting it. This is the only logical way.

What are your thoughts on this?

[deep_bang]

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

They told me not to recharge -> Or destroy SIM card -> The SIM Card & service will automatically get deactivated after 3-4 months.

We had a Jio sim that got deactivated just because it was not used. So I believe that the easiest way would be to just not use it and let it lapse. Are you worried about misuse by someone somehow getting a replacement sim on your name and using that? I am not sure how easy it is for anyone to do this. The only way I can think of is if Airtel employees themselves do something and make this work for some one else but on your name - I have not heard of this happening yet.

[binand]

Originally Posted by deep_bang

We had a Jio sim that got deactivated just because it was not used.

I don't think SIM Jio numbers are withdrawn from circulation due to non-use. On the other hand, I have first-hand experience that Airtel does withdraw and reassign numbers that go beyond their threshold for non-usage.

[anivy]

Originally Posted by Torq

My Vodafone prepaid lets me call all toll free numbers with ease. Haven't topped up talk time balance in a long time now. Only unlimited packs for me. Thanks Jio for the huge savings!

Believe some organizations have changed to 1-860-xxx-xxxx numbers which aren't toll-free numbers. Please let us know if you are able call these numbers (1-860...) as well using the Vi unlimited pack.

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

Hello Team-BHPians,

I want to disconnect/stop my Airtel SIM Prepaid service. Nowadays, only 1 SIM card is enough for me.

What are your thoughts on this?

If you stop recharging the SIM, shouldn't the network disable your SIM/number after 60/90 days as per their internal guidelines? Jio let me keep a number for almost 6 months before they disabled it and let the number go free (confirmed by going to Jio store).

Below is what the Airtel charter says (page 5):

Service to this SIM card will be discontinued if there is no usage, i.e., no voice calls, outgoing SMS and data usage for a continuous period of 90 days. No refunds will be given for any unused talk time balance and validity on the card. Customer will not be able to use this number post disconnection.

Originally Posted by carboy

So you can say add a few 100 rs of extra talk time so that both of the above are possible, however these extra talk times expire within a fixed period, you have to keep adding them every month irrespective of whether it's used or not. i.e. let's say she adds 200 or 300 rs of extra talk time every month, it's going to be used only like say in 3 or 4 months of the year & wasted in all other months?

Is there a good solution for this? She can't change to any other provider because only Vodafone gives decent reception at her home.

If you have a prepaid & unlimited pack of Vi (like I do), the top-up balance should not expire for the duration of the pack. I added ₹50 to make calls to 1-860... numbers & send SMS to special numbers (like credit increases for credit cards) and the balance is still available. Not sure if Vi made any changes to their systems recently but have started receiving messages post every call/SMS about the duration of the call and balance available.

[Bhupesh_2628]

Originally Posted by deep_bang

Are you worried about misuse by someone somehow getting a replacement sim on your name and using that? I am not sure how easy it is for anyone to do this. The only way I can think of is if Airtel employees themselves do something and make this work for some one else but on your name - I have not heard of this happening yet.

Originally Posted by binand

On the other hand, I have first-hand experience that Airtel does withdraw and reassign numbers that go beyond their threshold for non-usage.

Hi deep_bang & binand,

If I let my Prepaid SIM become inactive by not recharging for a few months, then, will my details be deleted from Airtel database? I guess then only a new person will be able to provide their KYC details to Airtel which will be fed/overriden in their database.

I'll just make sure that all my bank accounts & other accounts do not have this Prepaid number registered.

The other logical way will be to convert this Prepaid SIM to Postpaid plan & then follow the deactivation process which will be done by Airtel by following a proper procedure unlike Prepaid one.

Originally Posted by anivy

If you stop recharging the SIM, shouldn't the network disable your SIM/number after 60/90 days as per their internal guidelines? Jio let me keep a number for almost 6 months before they disabled it and let the number go free (confirmed by going to Jio store).

Airtel folks told me that it'll get deactivated after 3-4 months of no recharge. Did you receive any email or any kind of notification notifying you that your number has been deactivated?

Thanks for the Airtel Charter reference!

[anivy]

Originally Posted by Bhupesh_2628

Airtel folks told me that it'll get deactivated after 3-4 months of no recharge. Did you receive any email or any kind of notification notifying you that your number has been deactivated?

Thanks for the Airtel Charter reference!

We actually were not using the SIM. They might have sent or not but no way of confirming. Got to know about the disconnection only when we had temporary need of an additional SIM and inserted it into the phone.

Last when we used it with a minimum recharge of ₹98 or so, it worked post some 3-4 months of non-usage.

[blorebuddy]

Originally Posted by binand

I don't think SIM Jio numbers are withdrawn from circulation due to non-use.

JIO also started this practice. My JioFi SIM card was not recharged for more than 6 months or so and it got deactivated.

[Bhupesh_2628]

I've decided not to convert Prepaid SIM to Postpaid plan. Not worth the hassle. I'll simply keep that SIM inserted into my mobile slot as-is until the network becomes 0 in signal strength. That way, I'll know that the SIM has been discontinued & also by verifying by calling on that number.

IMO, deactivation of Prepaid SIM services should be hassle-free. Why are these companies not following the logical procedure of deactivation unlike Postpaid SIM?
Deactivation process should be as hassle-free as Activation process.

[Venkatesh]

Jio True 5G is now available across Delhi, Gurugram, Noida, Ghaziabad, Faridabad and other major NCR locations. Jio users enjoying unlimited 5G data with up to 1 Gbps+ speeds.

[UPS_Guru]

For a family of four, what makes the most sense, when you are not sure about how much mobile data gets used (WhatsApp, Uber, etc.) on the move?

Airtel Postpaid Infinity Family 999 Plan (100 GB/month) x 1
= 1178.82 x 12 = 14145.84/year

OR

Airtel Prepaid 2999 Plan (2GB/day) x 4
= 11996/year

Note: I am not keen on bundled fiber internet and landline phone or limited time OTT apps.

[arnabbhagabati]

Hello fellow bhpians!

Looking for some help with a problem I am facing with Vodafone and Airtel.

Here is the story:
I ported my number from Vodafone(VI) on November last year.
As of 22nd November, my Airtel SIM became active and I began using that SIM.

On 25th November I received a bill from VI (my cycle being 25th to 24th every month), which I duly paid on 2nd of December. I am assuming this should be the last bill from VI, since my number is now on Airtel network since 22nd Nov

Around 10th of JAN, I got an email from Vodafone saying there is a due amount of 346 rupees on my Vodafone number, to which I ask what this due is for. They send me a bill for 25th November to 24th December.
I replied to them that I will not be paying this bill as I was on Airtel network as of 22nd November.

After numerous interactions with VI customer care and their appelate authority, they are refusing to rescind that bill. I have been given various reasons for the bill by various customer care/appelate representatives including bill being for 1st Nov to 1st December, Billing cycle was incorrect and they rectified in their system, flaw in their system etc etc.

Meanwhile, I am getting SMS from Airtel, saying that there is a due amount of 346 rupees with your previous provider, and if not paid services will be stopped on 1st Feb.
This number is my primary number everywhere - banks, other connections, office etc etc., losing service on this number will be a nightmare

Now I understand its just a matter of Rs 346, I can pay that. The problem is, this is not the first time I am facing pain from telcos post closing connections. Last year, when I moved, I closed my Airtel Broadband connection, but kept getting bills for the connections a month later. A lot of calls and emails to airtel cust care and appelate later, they agreed to close the connection without me paying any extra money.

Similar incident happened many years back with Tata Indicom - had closed the connection and moved to a different city. A year later I get a legal notice from Indicom saying I have dues of about 4k (apparently they didn't close the connection, 3 months later it got auto closed and the 3 months bill accrued fine for the next 9 months). Since I had lost the receipt for my closure request (it was a receipt from a Tata Indicom centre accepting my request for closure) , I simply paid the money, and made sure I kept the receipt this time :P

But now I have had it. I want to challenge this bill legally if possible (in consumer court or whatever is applicable). I have the receipt for the bill I paid in December and all the relevant bills from Vi and Airtel



Looking for some guidance here, what are my options?
Can someone help me get in touch with some lawyer/law agency who can help me?

I am a resident of Bangalore,KA