IDEA can change your validity
I am a tortoise when it comes to spending. I normally keep my mouth shut until someone try to take out things out of my pocket, forcibly. This is the story of how rabbit lost to tortoise, once again. IDEA finally respected its own tariff plan and apologized for its folly.
My Idea validity was about to expire. I enquired about renewal plans from their head office at Pune and obtained tariff plans. I sometime take my neck out before spending. So I called up Idea toll free customer care helpline and enquired about renewal plans, validity and talk time. The young agent at the other end was fresh recruit and expectedly was not aware of facts and figures.
I admire long ears and short tail of rabbit. So I decided to walk-in in nearby IDEA franchise and purchased renewal plan as per tariff card. Franchise executive too promised me 7 months validity, talk-time of 136 at a recharge of 349. It was all ok till I checked my validity – it was up by 6 months only.
Complaint was lodged with customer care agent of IDEA. Since immediate redressal was not available I insisted for complaint docket number or service request number. (80708794, Date 20-09-2008) Call back was assured and race with tortoise and rabbit began. In the first leap, I was astonished by question from caller – What was the name of the executive who has recharged your mobile? How it affects validity? Oh, yes, it should not, I will revert on this.
In the second leap, Sir: What is the date printed on tariff plan you are relying on? It doesn’t have any? Why don’t you print it on tariff plan – are you playing with laws? I will revert on this.
In the third leap, Sir: You will have to come to our office and then we will decide. Ok, fine. Send me SMS invitation and I would love to visit Idea for getting justice. I will revert on this.
In the fourth leap, Sir: We have increased your validity from 6 months to 7 months. Bye Bye.
Conclusion:Tortoise again won the race. Idea lost it. Who won or who lost is immaterial, who fought is more important. The message I wish to pass – Don’t rely on rabid plans. Fight for justice till you get it or till you die. If you are dead, you are already won.
The Bigger Picture:Its TRAI recommendation that price list should be provided to consumers on demand. Service providers are trying to play smart with this guideline and are smartly putting line – The Company reserves the right to withdraw / modify the plans at any point of time in the event of policy changes without prior intimation to the customers. Wow that’s great legal brainwork. Isn’t it? But playing with the law sometime can boomerang heavily. Idea would have been required to substantiate date wise policy changes and date was tariff changes.
Advise:While obtaining price list from telecom providers put the date on it. While paying, refer price list and ask to give full description of services purchased or as mentioned in price list.
Conclusion: Unless regulator, who prefers to sit in closed doors, becomes transparent in its functioning, we have reason to say – IDEA can change your validity.
~ Avinash Murkute, Pune
