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Revised Mobile Phone Charges in NCR......
30th April 1999 Hemant @giasdl01.vsnl.net.in
Hi,
This is mainly for Mobile Phone users using Airtel & Essar Service in
Delhi.
Don't you all feel that Airtel & Essar are making Cartel (DUO POLY)
pricing of their services. They have released full page advt. in
newspapers claiming lowering of rate etc. which is fooling the people.
On basis of the TRAI recommendations, they have increased the rentals by
nearly 300% (from 156 to 600 p.m.) but have only reduced the Airtime
charges by about 28% (from 8.40 to 6.00 per minute) and that too with
calling slabs of 20 sec. instead of earlier 10 sec. If this is a HEAVY
REDUCTION in their terms, I wouldn't want to even imagine what they feel
is an increase. The increased rentals are not being talked about and
also the Airtime charges are being shown to have been reduced from 16.80
to 6.00 which is false. The earlier rate of 16.80 was only applicable
for 4 hrs a day and the normal rate was applicable for most of the day.
Earlier the effective Airtime charges were 8.40 per minute and that too
in 10 sec. slabs.
Also, they have made the Airtime rates for Cash Cards as Rs. 12/- per
minute, which is 100% more than the supposedly reduced normal rates. (Is
this allowed by the upper limit of Rs. 6/- fixed by TRAI ?) Compare this
with the rates offered in UP by one service provider of 0.40p per minute
(the same as for a normal fixed line phone) and the charges in other
areas. It is true and was published in the Economic Times. Just imagine
if one service provider can offer such rates, can't the others ? The
costings in UP would be more, being a wider area, needing more towers
etc. I agree that the license fees would be higher in case of Delhi, but
do these justify such high prices. When these services were offered, it
was felt that passage of time would lead to lowering of prices and not
the other way around.
I feel that the entry of MTNL and other service provides is urgently
needed so that the consumer is not made to pay through their noses and
this cartel is broken.
Your comments are looked forward too.
If anybody from AIRTEL or ESSAR is on these lists, their comments are
also invited.
Hemant.
--
S I L V E R O A K
(Guest House & Luxury Service Apartments)
B-46, SOAMI NAGAR, NEW DELHI - 110017. INDIA.
Ph. (+91-11) 6422855, 6422854, 6436367, 6423320. FAX: +91-11-6477273.
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