Published on
25th Oct 2009 in
General Thoughts, Indian Telecom, Other Frustrated Customers, Personal Experiences and Vodafone Sucks.
Tags: Department of Telecom, DoT, Pathetic vodafone, Screw Vodafone, TRAI, vodafone Essar, Vodafone India, Vodafone sucks.
It was a big long drawn fight against Vodafone Essar India. I have documented this here, here and here. I want to fight for the next level of transparency in the sector because information is not flowing in freely and it is a big hassle to know about the status of the complaints.
I have already documented that each operator needs to file a compliance report with TRAI every quarter including the action taken on the same. I had to push the company to act based on the threats sent as I insisted that they be made public using RTI. It was a “threat” alone which did the trick.
Further, the nodal officer and the appellate authority system doesn’t seem to be working because they are company officials. Even though it is mandated that all complaints be addressed in a time bound manner, it doesn’t happen so. What is the way out?
Department of Telecom is going through it’s own hassles with CBI raids in connection with the huge telecom scam related to auction of spectrum. I don’t foresee anything coming out of it (nor it’s worth reporting here) because it is just political arm twisting. Those officials are useless anyway; in that case, DoT is out of question.
That only leaves us with the option of TRAI and the idea that it needs to be more proactive in enforcing it’s own regulations. This calls for a concerted action against the errant officials because the companies are focused only on customer acquisition and not customer retention. Mobile number portability MIGHT change the service scenario a bit but I am being cynical about it because the exit and the entry barriers would be unfair to customers; unless the ensuing events prove me wrong. The charges for plan migration have yet not been defined; we as customers should demand a “pro-customer” outlook and not whims and fancies of fat cats dictating terms to both Government and Media.
On a happy note, the network coverage in my premises has vastly improved in all areas of building making it a hassle free experience. It took time and effort but it was worth it.
In the process, I learnt about the bad corporate ways too. And recounted it all here 
Update (27/10/2009):
I got a call from the Vodafone Network people asking me to send across a mail of “appreciation” for the “good work” that they have done!!
I countered that by asking them to send across the details of their CEO so that I could cc to them as well! Strange kind of assholes indeed!
This is truly iconic and a landmark act passed in recent times. They have slowly expanded the ambit to include information sought from almost anyone barring a few security sensitive issues.
What does it mean for an ordinary citizen like you and me? It means getting to know your rights and exercising them. I see a vast majority of people posting their negative experience with their telecom operators. Instead of bemoaning about their sorry fate, none of them are interested in pursuing the matter to a logical conclusion to have the matters sorted out.
RTI empowers the common citizen to know the state of affairs behind the closed doors. For example, if you are not getting your promised due of installation of a new telephone connection within stipulated time, then you can file RTI to know the status of your application. This is good enough to put the babu in spot if there is any delay in the implementation of the said order. You can file a RTI application if you are not satisfied about the functioning of your telephone number, know the number of the cell phone calls at the moment when you got disconnected and have it independently verified. You can know the make of the instruments, the technical details of the switching of the telephone calls etc etc.
I don’t guarantee any miracles. You can expect firewalling or even retribution from the said babu. But this should not deter anyone from seeking it. Because, it is your own money in form of taxes, that are being utilized and “misused”.
Further, the ambit of the RTI needs to be expanded on to the private players because as per the license norms, they are following the rules laid down by Department of Telecom and TRAI which are Government bodies and hence public office. The same rules need to be applied to them and Public Information Officers appointed for proper dissemination of information.
It’s called as “double barrelled assholism” In other words, those who live in glass houses, should not throw stones at others.
Having said that, Anil Ambani has been taking potshots at his older sibling; this was seen in the full page advertisements that he took out in the newspapers. It even made the headlines for a brief period.
I am not interested to report the doings of two idiots fighting it out. It is perhaps for the first time, the gory details of financial irregularities have been made public; i.e. basically financial wizardry aimed at shortcharging the Government of the day. While you and me would die paying taxes, but the likes of Anil Ambani cause financial irregularities without being caught.
Despite his tall fancy claims, Anil Ambani remains a petty thief but diverting his slush funds in unnamed accounts. One never knows, how many ‘powers that be’ are being bankrolled by him; but for all practical purposes, having one of the worst networks ever encountered, Reliance needs to shut down.
With SEBI breathing down it’s neck, Anil must now be wondering as to why he had stir the hornet’s nest. Those people who ask for public accountability have their own dirty linen to wash.
Anil has heaps of it for sure.
I am posting an interesting presentation by Rajesh Jain on the present mobile scenario in India and the emerging ideas thereof. He is the person behind Novatium; an amazing concept of having a thin client based computing system serviced by broadband networks.
I choose to highlight the ideas which don’t have a “commercial angle”. Even though, I am well aware of Rajesh’s short code sms service called as “my today” (or something like that), I find his ideas in tune with the present day realities. Please feel free to critique and present your ideas.
I finally managed to win the battle against Vodafone after relentless hammering and emailing and bringing TRAI in the loop. In the process I realised that the dice is heavily loaded against the customer. It takes a lot of effort to make this happen.
I had a problem of poor network coverage inside the premises where I work; the solution had to be an in building one. After calling up the customer care, the usual response was that the “concern” was noted down and that the “survey” is being carried out. Emailing them drew no response. Yet, I persisted and escalated the mail to Nodal Officer which did elicit a reply without any firm commitment.
It was then, I realised, that there were various provisions of TRAI that had been violated. I emailed to TRAI as well as to Vodafone; it shook them from their slumber and for the first time, I got an acknowledgement that it would be looked into. Still not getting respite, I managed to get the number of a person who was dealing with TRAI regarding customer complaints. I laid down the entire case, talked to the network head on a conference call with nodal officer in tow. It was a free for all; for the first time, they admitted that there was a network glitch and that needed to be rectified.
Finally, after some more persistence, emailing and cajoling them; I was after the life of the network head; that moron had it from me on different occasions. He finally conceded and went ahead with the installation of the in building solution for persistent problem that most of the employees faced.
I learnt that the easiest solution out for the companies is to “battle” it out in the court because they have a fancy retinue of lawyers on payroll. Given the delay in the legal system, it’s the easiest thing to get a date for the next hearing and postpone the matters. In any case, even if the judgement is delivered in your favour (remote chances given the fact that you have no clue about the technical nature of the complaint), it becomes a herculean task to have it implemented at the earliest to your relief.
I chose not to go to court but push them to their own work. It took a lot of patience and gritting of my teeth but managed to do it.
Alls well that ends well.
I have always been advocating the use of per second pulse; for one simple reason. The present per minute is a pure rip off.
I have complained to the various heads and raised my voice on various columns; I haven’t been heard. Ironically, it took the entry of DoCoMo in alliance with Tata’s who decided to chuck the “industry trend”; in other words, didnot agree to the idea of joining the cabal.
The recent reduction in the price calls for long distance has also happened with everyone doing their bit. It isn’t to boost numbers but with the “me too” service, each operator wants to retain it’s customers without getting churned out of business with the imminent launch of mobile number portability.
It isnt any “exciting time” for the customers. It’s just that some sense has dawned on the operators to appear more consumer friendly.
