I have been an airtel subscriber since around mid 2007 (and a staunch defender of the network when it was celtel and then zain). But alas, to me it is now mediocretel.

I have finally ported my number to another network and mainly for these reasons (and some of these may resonate with some of you). I just thought I share since I suspect some not so kosher revenue making tactics on this network which is taking a real beating from Scom and Orange in Kenya (and of course taking a thrashing in other big markets like Nigeria and Tanzania)

1 - Too many dropped calls. The call completion ratio of late is VERY poor.
2 - Owing to #1, I wonder if its part of their revenue strategy to have a caller dial back (and thus use more seconds to say "hmmmm....not sure what happened - the line went dead...etc etc) which needlessly extends a normal call by having to necessitate such explanations. My wife's line is airtel, so it my bro-in-laws and one other frequently called number. In the last two months calls to/from these numbers invariably fail halfway - and that is a FACT! I'd say out of every 3 calls, one fails. So I wonder if this is part of a revenue growing tactic...for sure it increases the duration of each call by abt 5-10% (my average calls are short and to the point).
3 - Data - I have been a heavy mobile data user (both on smartphone and using the smartphone to set up a wifi router for a laptop). Average abt 50mb daily. I know they have launched 3.75G and my phone denotes an "H" (HSPA) when in coverage areas, or 3G in other areas or "E" (EDGE) in areas where the network has not been upgraded.

However, I have had too many "WTF?" moments after buying bundles and seeing them vanish in seconds - after getting a 50MB bundle and checking email on phone (where the setting is to download only 2-5kb of each mail - or mail headers only - in a flash all the MBs vanished.

I think for a high volume data user, there is scope to exploit.

4 - Airtime - again too many "WTF?" moments when airtime simply vanishes. I'd say I use about 3-4k pm but sometimes it just disappears. Not fair.

So I elected to vote with my feet.

I know I have read about some of these experiences here on Wazua and perhaps we do not have enough empirical evidence, but I think its worth a second look.

I have seen a thread where several people are extolling airtel broadband virtues and wonder....

also voted with my feet 3 months ago.
They informed me that they were deducting some amount (I dont care how much) for ziki tunes. I complained and they cancelled it only to start deducting the amount again. They insisted that i'd subscribed. Told them no problem but i'll not top up the line.

Heeeeee... leo kutanyesha.. Djinn has dumped Airtel!!!!! and this was one of their staunchest supporters.. They must really be messing up.