mobile and broadband · Airtel
How to escalate an Airtel complaint
Register the problem on 198 or the Airtel Thanks app and get a docket number. If it is not fixed by the date in that SMS, appeal to Airtel’s Appellate Authority for your state within 30 days.
the rule
TRAI’s Telecom Consumers Complaint Redressal Regulations give every operator the same ladder: a complaint centre, then an Appellate Authority for your state, and both have deadlines.
the escalation path, in order
Start with Airtel itself
Open the Airtel Thanks app, go to Help, and raise the issue on the right number or broadband account, or call 198 from your Airtel number. Insist on the docket number.
Appeal to the Appellate Authority
If the deadline passes or you disagree with the fix, appeal to the operator’s Appellate Authority for your state, within 30 days. It is free, you can do it by email or post, and it should be decided within 39 days. Quote the docket number.
Go outside the operator
TRAI does not settle individual complaints. Next, file on CPGRAMS (pgportal.gov.in) to the Department of Telecommunications, or go to the National Consumer Helpline on 1915, and then the consumer commission at e-jagriti.gov.in.
where Airtel lists its officers
Airtel publishes its Nodal Officers and Appellate Authorities state by state on airtel.in, with separate contacts for mobile and for broadband and landline. TRAI keeps a copy in its Appellate Authority directory on trai.gov.in.
- Mobile and broadband have different appellate contacts. Writing to the wrong one adds a week.
- Airtel’s general care line is 121; 198 is the regulated complaint line that issues docket numbers.
what people take up with Airtel
- Broadband (Xstream Fiber) down for days
- Wrong postpaid bill or a plan you did not choose
- Recharge done but benefits not added
- Porting out blocked or delayed
keep these ready
- 1Your number or broadband account ID
- 2Every docket number, with dates
- 3Screenshots of the bill, speed test or recharge
- 4What you want: a fix, a refund, a credit, or a waiver
a complaint you can copy
Subject: Appeal against unresolved complaint, docket number [docket number] Dear Airtel team, On [date], [what happened, in one or two sentences]. I raised this on [date] (reference [number]), and it has not been resolved. I am asking for [a refund of ₹amount / a fix / a reversal of the charge]. Please resolve this and confirm in writing, as required under the TRAI complaint redressal regulations. [Your name] [Registered phone or email]
questions people ask
Who do I escalate an Airtel complaint to?
Appeal to Airtel’s Appellate Authority for your state within 30 days of the deadline passing. It is free and should be decided within 39 days. Airtel publishes its Nodal Officers and Appellate Authorities state by state on airtel.in, with separate contacts for mobile and for broadband and landline. TRAI keeps a copy in its Appellate Authority directory on trai.gov.in.
Should I call an Airtel customer care number I found online?
No. Fake customer care numbers in search results and social media are a common scam. Open the Airtel Thanks app, go to Help, and raise the issue on the right number or broadband account, or call 198 from your Airtel number. Insist on the docket number.
What should the complaint say?
Keep it short and specific: what happened and when, every earlier reference number, and exactly what you want. Have these ready: Your number or broadband account ID; Every docket number, with dates; Screenshots of the bill, speed test or recharge; What you want: a fix, a refund, a credit, or a waiver.
Can Kaval do this for me?
Yes, end to end, for members. Message Kaval on WhatsApp with what happened and the reference numbers you have. Kaval writes the complaint, sends it to the right desk, keeps track of the deadline and chases it, and takes it to the next level when the deadline passes. Membership details are at kaval.chat/pricing.
other mobile and broadband guides
complaint with someone else?
Last reviewed October 28, 2026. Rules change; the regulator’s own page has the final word.