Airtel Customer Care and Customer: A Detailed, Realistic Conversation

Context, Channels, and What’s Being Resolved

Scenario: Riya Sharma from Bengaluru calls Airtel Customer Care regarding an unexpected spike in her January 2025 postpaid bill, queries about international roaming to Singapore in September 2025, and checks feasibility and pricing for Airtel Xstream Fiber at her new apartment in Indiranagar. She dials 121 from her Airtel mobile; the issue could have been escalated on 198 if it was strictly a complaint. Official resources the agent references during the call include www.airtel.in and the Airtel Thanks app (Android/iOS).

Key official coordinates shared on the call: existing Airtel mobile customers can dial 121 (general care) or 198 (complaints). For DND preferences, the Do Not Disturb short code is 1909 (SMS/call). For porting in/out, the regulatory short code is 1900 (SMS “PORT <10-digit-number>”). Corporate office address for Bharti Airtel Limited is Bharti Crescent, 1, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj, Phase II, New Delhi – 110070. City-specific store addresses and Nodal/Appellate contacts are published at https://www.airtel.in/support/contact-us.

Identity Verification and Account Pull-Up

Agent: “Thank you for calling Airtel, my name is Neha. May I have your Airtel number, full name as per KYC, and either your date of birth or the last 4 digits of your valid ID for verification? Also, please confirm the last bill amount you paid.” Riya provides: 98xxxxxx27, full name Riya Sharma, DOB 14-05-1993, and confirms her last payment of ₹699 on 28-Dec-2024 via UPI in the Airtel Thanks app. The agent masks sensitive data in the CRM and reads back only what is allowed per policy (for example, “UPI txn ending 5642, timestamp 28-Dec-2024 19:42 IST”).

Once verification passes, Neha opens the billing and usage tabs. An internal service request is created for traceability: SR ID “SR-2025-01-18-0098743”. The agent explains that any credits, if approved, post to the account within the next bill cycle or as an immediate adjustment, and that SMS/email updates arrive from the registered sender IDs (e.g., VM-AIRTEL) and the email associated with her account in Airtel Thanks. As a fraud-safety reminder, Neha adds: “We will never ask you to share an OTP verbally or to install third-party remote-access apps. Only approve OTPs initiated by you in the Airtel Thanks app.”

Billing Dispute Conversation: What Drove the Spike and How It’s Fixed

Customer: “My January bill is ₹1,964, but my monthly is usually around ₹699. I didn’t make any unusual calls.” Agent: “I’m checking your January 2025, bill period 01-Jan-2025 to 31-Jan-2025. I see your base postpaid rental as ₹699 plus taxes, and three additional line items: (1) Caller-tune/HelloTune subscription ₹30 (added 06-Jan-2025, auto-renew), (2) Content bundle ‘Premium Music+’ ₹99 (activated 11-Jan-2025 via WAP click), and (3) 12 minutes of ISD to the USA on 15-Jan-2025 at ₹3.00/min, totaling ₹36. The largest component is a one-time data add-on of 50 GB at ₹499 purchased on 21-Jan-2025 at 20:12 from the Airtel Thanks app. Taxes applied at 18% GST on applicable items.”

Customer: “I didn’t mean to buy the 50 GB add-on and I don’t recall the content subscription.” Agent: “I can raise a dispute for the content bundle and HelloTune if they were not knowingly authorized. For the add-on, the CRM logs indicate a successful in-app confirmation with your device ID ending 0F:1A and IP traced to Bengaluru on your home Wi‑Fi. Regardless, I will file SR-2025-01-18-0098743-B for a goodwill review. If approved, credits will reflect either as an immediate adjustment or in the February 2025 bill. I’ve also disabled auto-renew for HelloTune and canceled ‘Premium Music+’ to prevent future charges effective today.”

Agent: “Tentative timeline: 48–72 hours for the review. You’ll receive status updates by SMS. If you paid more than adjusted dues already, refunds are processed to the original method—UPI typically 2–5 business days, cards/net-banking 5–7 business days, sometimes up to 10 depending on the bank. I’ll also email you a detailed bill PDF within the hour and enable bill-shock alerts at 75% and 90% data thresholds so you get an SMS like ‘You’ve used 90% of your monthly data’.”

Resolution Path and Escalation If Needed

Agent: “If the SR is not resolved satisfactorily, you may call 198 to register a formal complaint quoting SR-2025-01-18-0098743-B. You can also raise it via the Airtel Thanks app: Profile > Help & Support > Billing > Dispute. Should you remain unsatisfied, the next step is the Appellate Authority for your circle. The circle-wise Nodal Officer and Appellate details are listed at https://www.airtel.in/support/contact-us, including email IDs and office addresses. Please keep your SR and complaint numbers handy for the appeal.”

Customer: “Understood. Please go ahead with the dispute.” Agent: “Done. I’ve also set spend controls on non-telecom content purchases to ‘Ask before purchase’ in your profile. You’ll get a consent prompt in the app for any paid content going forward.”

International Roaming: Avoiding Bill Shock and Choosing the Right Pack

Customer: “I’ll be in Singapore from 10–16 September 2025. How do I avoid high charges?” Agent: “The safest approach is to pre-purchase an International Roaming (IR) pack in the Airtel Thanks app: Manage > International Roaming. Prices and inclusions can change by country; the live catalog for Singapore is at https://www.airtel.in/ir. You can view daily or weekly bundles that include data, voice minutes (to India and local), and incoming SMS. If you don’t buy a pack and simply turn on roaming, pay-as-you-go data/voice can be significantly higher.”

Agent: “Best practices: before boarding, enable the IR pack, turn on Data Roaming only when needed, and avoid connecting to airline/maritime networks, which can be very expensive. In the app, use ‘IR Controls’ so mobile data shuts off automatically when your pack is exhausted. Also set a usage alert at 70/90/100%. For two-factor authentication while abroad, incoming SMS are usually free on most IR packs, but confirm it in the pack details.”

Porting and Network Experience: A Frank Conversation

Customer: “Coverage at my office basement is weak; colleagues on other networks seem better. If I don’t see improvement, I may port.” Agent: “I’ll log a network complaint and we’ll attempt an optimization. Please share two sample timestamps, your exact office location (Google Maps link or coordinates), device model, and two speed-test snapshots (Speedtest by Ookla), plus whether VoLTE/5G is on. We look at cell load, signal thresholds, and whether 4G/5G layers are serving your device optimally.”

Agent: “If you still wish to port out, send an SMS: PORT to 1900. You’ll receive a Unique Porting Code (UPC). As per TRAI rules, the UPC is typically valid for 4 days in most circles and 30 days in Jammu & Kashmir, Assam, and North East. Porting usually completes in up to 3 working days (5 working days in J&K, Assam, NE). Keep your number active and accessible for OTP during the new operator’s KYC. The donor operator doesn’t charge a port-out fee; you’ll pay any SIM/plan fees to the recipient operator as per their onboarding.”

Network Troubleshooting Data We Collect and What It Means

Agent: “For a technical check, we record RSRP/RSRQ/SINR readings from your speed tests. As a rough guide, LTE RSRP around −95 dBm is good; below −115 dBm is weak. SINR above 10 dB is healthy for throughput. Ensure APN is ‘airtelgprs.com’, VoLTE is on, and try locking to LTE if 5G NSA flaps indoors. We verify capacity on 900/1800/2100/2300 MHz LTE layers and, where available, Airtel 5G Plus coverage primarily on n78. If we find a consistent gap, we can request parameter tuning or suggest a femto/VoWiFi path if broadband is available.”

Customer: “I’ll send the screenshots and location pin.” Agent: “Thank you; I’ve opened network SR SR-2025-01-18-0101129 with a target update in 72 hours. You’ll get an SMS once the RF team completes the survey.”

Airtel Xstream Fiber: Feasibility, Pricing, and Installation

Customer: “I’m moving to Indiranagar 100 Feet Road, Bengaluru 560038. What are the fiber options?” Agent: “Let me check feasibility by pincode and building name. We generally complete installations within 24–72 hours where last-mile fiber is live. As of today, the commonly offered monthly plans in many cities are examples like 100 Mbps around ₹799 + 18% GST, 200 Mbps around ₹999 + 18% GST, and higher tiers such as 300 Mbps around ₹1,499 + 18% GST. The exact plan/price may vary by city/promotions; I’ll share the current Bengaluru catalog via SMS link from the official site.”

Agent: “There may be a one-time installation/activation charge up to ₹1,000 depending on the offer; it’s frequently waived on 6-month or 12-month advance rentals. The Wi‑Fi router is typically provided by Airtel for the duration of service; terms differ by plan. The standard SLA includes proactive line health monitoring, and you can raise support 24×7 via the Airtel Thanks app under Broadband. If you also want unlimited local/STD calling over the fiber line, I can include the landline add-on at no extra monthly rental on many plans—just the device wiring, if needed.”

Payments, Autopay, and Refund Timelines

Agent: “For mobile and fiber, you can pay via UPI, net-banking, debit/credit cards, and wallets in the Airtel Thanks app. Autopay via card or eNACH is supported; you’ll get invoice alerts 3–5 days before the due date. If we process a credit, UPI refunds typically reflect in 2–5 business days; cards/net-banking can take 5–10 business days, subject to the issuing bank’s cycles. You can track each transaction with the reference ID shown in the app’s ‘Payments & History’.”

Customer: “Please text me all the links.” Agent: “I’ve sent you two SMS: one with your bill PDF link and another with fiber availability and plan details. Both are from our verified sender. You can always verify offers at www.airtel.in rather than third-party links.”

Concise Checklist and Contact Directory

• Customer care (existing Airtel mobile): 121; Complaints: 198; DND: 1909; Porting code: SMS “PORT ” to 1900.
• Official website: https://www.airtel.in; Mobile self-care: Airtel Thanks app (Android/iOS). Support and escalation contacts: https://www.airtel.in/support/contact-us.
• Corporate office: Bharti Airtel Limited, Bharti Crescent, 1, Nelson Mandela Road, Vasant Kunj, Phase II, New Delhi – 110070.
• Billing best practices: enable bill-shock alerts at 75/90%, set “Ask before purchase” for VAS/content, review itemized bill monthly, use data add-ons only when needed.
• International roaming: purchase IR pack before travel in the app; avoid airline/maritime networks; set data cut-off when pack is exhausted; confirm incoming SMS policy for OTPs.
• Network issues: share timestamps, exact location, device model, speed tests, and ensure APN=airtelgprs.com and VoLTE on; RF team SR TAT typically 48–72 hours for first update.
• Fiber: typical installs in 24–72 hours where feasible; example plan brackets around ₹799/₹999/₹1,499 + GST subject to city/offers; installation charge up to ₹1,000, often waived on long-term plans.

Closing Exchange

Customer: “Thanks, Neha. I’ve received the SR numbers and links.” Agent: “You’re welcome, Riya. Your billing dispute SR-2025-01-18-0098743-B and network SR-2025-01-18-0101129 are active. Expect updates within 48–72 hours. For any follow-up, reply via the Airtel Thanks app chat or call 121 quoting the SR. Have a great day and thank you for choosing Airtel.”

The conversation ends with documented commitments, verifiable references, and clear next steps—ensuring the customer can track progress, control future spend, and make informed choices on roaming and broadband without surprises.

How to avoid customer care calls in Airtel?

Then you need to look for DND. Services. Over there you’ll go to manage. DND. So you just need to select the options which suit you and voila your job is done if you want to know what is to be done

What is the number of Airtel customer care abroad?

+91-9910099100
Airtel customer care number when abroad
To reach out to Airtel customer care when abroad, make sure to call: +91-9910099100 (International toll free). If you are unable to call, you can also send a message to the same number on WhatsApp.

What to press to talk to Airtel customer care?

Contact Us

1. Call on our toll free helpline 100 from an Airtel mobile or 0705100100 from another line.
2. Write to us on P. O. Box 6771 Kampala.
3. Visit us at Airtel Towers, Plot 16A, Clement Hill, Kampala.

How to call customer care using Airtel?

To call us, just dial 300 / 800 (For Enterprise customers only) from your Airtel line. You can also dial +234 8021500300 , +234 8021520800 if you are not using an Airtel line or if you are abroad.