Jagan, mobile services providers only care about two things - profit and expansion (to get more profit).

I'm quite sure that these lifetime validity schemes are on unsound legal basis. Sure they are useful to low income workers as their employers can keep in touch with them but that just turns the cell phone into a pager, albeit one that can receive calls in addition to text messages.

I'm happy the TRAI has started to look into this.

Now, if they had introduced these plans with existing call and sms tariffs, it would have triggered a 'good' price and India would have the best rates in the world.

On a side now, Tata Indicom Walky has new plan rates.

Rs. 1.20 for 3 minutes to ANY mobile phone
Rs. 1.20 for 1 minute to other landline phones

This is a good plan for people who find themselves calling more cell phones than landlines.

Jagan, mobile services providers only care about two things - profit and expansion (to get more profit).

I'm quite sure that these lifetime validity schemes are on unsound legal basis. Sure they are useful to low income workers as their employers can keep in touch with them but that just turns the cell phone into a pager, albeit one that can receive calls in addition to text messages.

I'm happy the TRAI has started to look into this.

Now, if they had introduced these plans with existing call and sms tariffs, it would have triggered a 'good' price and India would have the best rates in the world.

On a side now, Tata Indicom Walky has new plan rates.

Rs. 1.20 for 3 minutes to ANY mobile phone
Rs. 1.20 for 1 minute to other landline phones

This is a good plan for people who find themselves calling more cell phones than landlines.

Negativity? neh! It's "reality bites"!
On the flip side I should stop listening to those gloom and doom Black Sabbth stuff. Maybe, they are keeping my brain jaundiced.

Meanwhile see this:
http://www.rediff.com/money/2006/jan/02cell.htm

Just came in. TRAI wants to see this for itself. I quote:

It is pertinent to mention that Tata Teleservices was the first player to offer two-year validity on its pre-paid card and was strongly opposed by the Cellular Operators Association of India saying it tantamounted to predatory pricing.

It's not that I told u- but well it's come in the mainstream media too.

Yes, the driver is needed but spectrum! We' d be lost in the wild wild sea of nothingness. The spectrum allocation is done by babus whose neurons fail to fire; synapses fail to light up and absolutely atrpohied brains with empty skulls.

I consider this to be the next big volume driver. There is a big category of people in the cities at least, who would consider buying a phone if not for the fact that it entails a regular monthly outgo, which may even be 10-15% of their salaries. But if that is not a factor, a lot of new customers come in. In fact I would not be surprised to see people giving cellphones to their maid and drivers just so that they can be in touch!!!

Also, I feel that your cynicism and negativity tend to go over the top nowadays. Granted that the mobile providers are no saints but they are not as bad as your posts claim.

How can they offer lifetime validity? It doesn't make sense. How can they give me free incoming in the year 2040, for example? By then technology would have changed. We won't even be using cell phones then!

Negativity? neh! It's "reality bites"!
On the flip side I should stop listening to those gloom and doom Black Sabbth stuff. Maybe, they are keeping my brain jaundiced.

Meanwhile see this:
http://www.rediff.com/money/2006/jan/02cell.htm

Just came in. TRAI wants to see this for itself. I quote:

It is pertinent to mention that Tata Teleservices was the first player to offer two-year validity on its pre-paid card and was strongly opposed by the Cellular Operators Association of India saying it tantamounted to predatory pricing.

It's not that I told u- but well it's come in the mainstream media too.

Yes, the driver is needed but spectrum! We' d be lost in the wild wild sea of nothingness. The spectrum allocation is done by babus whose neurons fail to fire; synapses fail to light up and absolutely atrpohied brains with empty skulls.

I consider this to be the next big volume driver. There is a big category of people in the cities at least, who would consider buying a phone if not for the fact that it entails a regular monthly outgo, which may even be 10-15% of their salaries. But if that is not a factor, a lot of new customers come in. In fact I would not be surprised to see people giving cellphones to their maid and drivers just so that they can be in touch!!!

Also, I feel that your cynicism and negativity tend to go over the top nowadays. Granted that the mobile providers are no saints but they are not as bad as your posts claim.

How can they offer lifetime validity? It doesn't make sense. How can they give me free incoming in the year 2040, for example? By then technology would have changed. We won't even be using cell phones then!