Airtel Blocked Full Site, Not Specific URL: Penalty of Rs 20,000

Airtel Blocked Full Site, Not Specific URL Penalty of Rs 20,000 Indian internet users get a relief on website ban as Airtel has been asked to pay Vinay B a resident of Shimoga Rs 20,000 by the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum for ‘deficiency in Internet service’ thereby causing mental agony to the complainant.

Airtel had provided deficient service by blocking the websites illegally while justifying their actions through misinterpretation of the court order. “By misinterpreting the Madras High Court order, Airtel blocked entire websites. It is needless to say that the company’s actions amount to deficiency in service as well as unfair trade practice,” said the forum.

Couple of months back Airtel and other fellow ISP’s blocked a number of torrent and video-sharing websites in May, following a Madras High Court issued ‘John Doe’ order taken by Chennai-based Copyright Lab though the block was revoked soon.

The illegality of the ISP block came into question when Harish Ram, CEO of Copyright Labs claimed that the ISPs had misinterpreted the court order and said that the court had only allowed blocking of specific URL’s that infringed on the movies’ copyrights, not the complete website.

Today we find that bit.ly domain is not accessible from BSNL Broadband/3G/EVDO while posting this story. If it is not a DNS issue, but a block similar to Airtel did is not a good gesture from BSNL.

aditya November 28, 2012 at 2:15 pm

@Rohit
Hey,,whatever u said is right but what i commented is most right and its a fact!

aditya November 28, 2012 at 2:11 pm

Hello frndz i want tn tell u smthin that ‘Airtel’ is very boguls conpany, always having network problem and like a beggar always deducting main account balance by activating any kind of service…so i wanna tell u that stop using airtel services,sim cards..

Ganesh August 14, 2012 at 5:12 pm

That’s a welcoming move!! Take that Airtel!!

Venkat August 11, 2012 at 11:42 pm

@Rohit
Mr.ROHIT IS 200% RIGHT. AIRTEL IS THE NO.1 CHEATING COMPANY. IF YOU TOPUP FOR GPRS PLAN, YOU WILL NOT GET EVEN CONNECTED TO THE NET. Customer Care Persons will make to run from pillar to post and that beggers have been trained by AIRTEL B……ds to divert the customer and the problem will never get resolved.

Rohit August 11, 2012 at 7:02 pm

As per base they are no-1 since luunch, but I am unable 2 understand why people are still always complaing about that – very costaly, very costly…they are giving gud corvg so they r charging.. people hv choice b with them or leave them.
why others company not giving the same covrg in pan india.
hats of to airtel.
proud 2 be an indian and proud 2 be an fully indian company airtel customer since last 10 year….

abhishek mittal August 10, 2012 at 1:24 am