Why I Hate Airtel

I am one of those people who can’t live without internet. It’s not just social media websites or WhatsApp; my work, my life depends on it and Airtel has been driving me crazy with their antics. I have loved Airtel for years – whenever I had a problem, they would show up in a few hours and fix it. But this was ages ago when they were still sensible. Now they are all bunch of blood sucking vampires who can’t tell me what is wrong and fix it.

About a year ago, I started experiencing frequent disconnection problem with my internet. It happened once in a blue moon so I felt no need to lodge a complaint. Six months ago, it escalated to a point that every 5 second, my internet gets disconnected and I get the message “No Internet Access”. Initially, Airtel was responsive and sent teams to rectify the issue. It would work for two days and again go bad.

The engineers asked me to get a new modem – I did (spent 2K but what the hell). The engineer asked to get the wires fixed – Airtel did. The engineers also asked me to get the DP (?) changed and Airtel did that too. Result? I’m still crying foul because even after replacing every freaking thing, I’m still complaining, infuriated that Airtel isn’t even righteous enough to tell me it can’t be done. The connection is a lost cause.

Every time I ask them to discontinue my connection, they plead me to give them 24 hours, 48 hours, a week to diagnose the problem and treat it. May be it’s not treatable; maybe there is no cure. Just let me get rid of it and we will all be peaceful. No, they really want me as a customer because I look so cute when I’m angry? I don’t see any other reason why they just can’t cut it once and for all and tell me, “We are sorry but we don’t know what the problem is. You should get another connection because that is what is best for you and our company.”

I’m so tired of making calls, writing mails and tweeting #AirtelSucks. Where does this end?

Lingering Effect of the Mussorie Trip

It’s hard not to look back. Even after two days, I’m still in the reminiscence mode; scrolling through the pictures; listening to the songs we played in the car; trying to soak it all in, lest I forget. I’m stuck in the time warp and I don’t want to get out of it.

For different reasons, the trip to Dehradun and Mussorie will be a cherished memory. Apart from the fact that it was the first time I went somewhere, it was a dream come true to meet Ruskin Bond. Last month when I interviewed Amish Tripathi, I thought it couldn’t get any better but it did. This time I met an author I admire, talked to him and got him to sign my book. And to think I was about to cancel the trip! It would have been the biggest mistake of my life.

Oh, the hills! It’s one thing to see a place in movies or pictures, even dreams but up, close and personal, it is something unexplainable. I was at a loss of word then and I’m at a loss of words now. I was awestruck, jumping with joy and bewildered that no one else was as excited as I was (they all had been there, done that). They were all slightly amused to see me act like I kid who just got a bag full of candies.

Initially, I was apprehensive of the whole trip, the 6 hour journey (which took more time than we imagined), the change in weather, altitude and everything from food to hotels to trolley and waterfall. For someone who has never been anywhere, the fear of the unknown was gripping but better sense prevailed and here I am, writing about how I could never forget this trip. May be it was because my friends were too thoughtful or because I had watched Ranbir Kapoor do much more in YJHD just a night prior to the trip or because I really did want it. Now I know that I will always want it. Sure I got sick, sure it was too taxing, but it was all worth it. Those two minutes with Ruskin Bond, that view from the Gunhill Point, climbing the rocks at Kempty Falls and everything in between.

It may seem silly that a small trip could affect someone this much. It’s not a big deal, obviously. It’s a matter of few hours, not like I have been to space. But for me, it’s so much more and the funny thing is that I can’t explain it, not even to myself. I just remembered one thing while I was climbing rocks at Kempty Falls: Main chalna chahta hoon, Naina. Udna chahta hoon. Bas rukna nahi chahta. This is something I have been telling myself for a few months now.