I use a mobile phone with BSNL SIM card in it. While all service providers look to make some extra money from their users than what they are really entitled to, BSNL is no exception either. Recently, I received the following message in my mobile phone from BSNL.
“Under the inspirational leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, BSNL as a part of pro-people initiative, has decided to offer while roaming, without worrying about incoming call charges. For further details, contact 18001801503”
Again for a few more days, I received the same message repeatedly. Roaming charges for incoming calls are done away with. So far, so good.
But, I did not know that BSNL had other plans to make good the'loss' on account of allowing free roaming incoming calls. The following content will prove that.
After a few days of receiving the message shown above, I received the following message:
“Thanks for Subscribing to Funky Studio(3 Ringtones 2 Videos 1 Wallpaper)(59797) service. You have been charged Rs.5.0 for 5 days. To Unsub send SMS STOP or call 155223(tollfree)”
In fact, I do not know what this service is. There is no way I could have opted for it. Any way, my five rupees are gone and now, my anxiety was to save another five rupees which the cell phone company would deduct from my talk time balance in another 5 days. As I immediately wanted to unsubscribe, I sent the following SMS to 155223, as advised in the message above.
“STOP”
Then, I was surprised to receive the following message again.
*“You are currently active on 1.Funky Studio(3 Ringtones+2 Videos+1 Wallpaper)
0.To Deactivate All .To unsubscribe please reply with the number of the service(Example:1)”*
Then, I sent another SMS to 155223 as follows:
“STOP 1”
Then again, I received the following message from BSNL, which is a repetition of the earlier one:
*“You are currently active on 1.Funky Studio(3 Ringtones+2 Videos+1 Wallpaper)
0.To Deactivate All .To unsubscribe please reply with the number of the service(Example:1)”*
This time I was irritated a great deal and I did not know what else to do. Somehow, again, I sent the following SMS to 155223 as follows:
“1”
Then, I was relieved to receive the following message from BSNL:
“Your request for unsubscription of Funky Studio(3 Ringtones+2 Videos+1 Wallpaper) is accepted and will be processed soon”
After some time, I received yet another message, which read as follows:
“Dear Customer, Your pack Funky Studio(3 Ringtones+2 Videos+1 Wallpaper)(59797) is deactivated. Thank you for choosing BSNL.”
Now, I heaved a sigh of relief, since the process came to an end. And this process started without my knowledge, robbed me of my Rs.5 and my free-time of about half an hour.
And, I am sure there are a few lakhs of users who suffered this ordeal and contributed at least Rs.5 to BSNL to make up for their loss of incoming charges while the phone is on roaming. There may be users, who might not have noticed this and therefore, are still continuing to lose Rs.5 every five days to BSNL. Their loss is our BSNL’s gain.
The other avenues open for the company to make an extra buck are to send unsolicited SMSs to users, some of which are as shown below:
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“Hello Dear.I Want to talk with U, Please Quickly Call on My Number 12630066.I'm Waiting.”
“WIN Rs40000 CASH or GOLD, 4 Smart Phones & lots more!Dial 12555088(Toll Free) from BSNL Mobile, Play BSNL GRAND GOLD Contest. Chgs apply.”
“Anamika 18yrs
Hi 9441791684 Check out my bikini hott videos here
122.176.112.58/m4u/DirtyNightShow.jsp?id=OTE5NDQxNzkxNjg0”
"Hi I am Preeti, I m alone and getting bored. To start FREE chat with me send
SMS FC to 54000|
"Click here to Download HOT VIDEOS
122.176.20.120/wapsite/vid.jsp?m=OTE5NDQxNzkxNjg0"
"Download HOT VIDEOS
https://wap.vasguru.in/wap/hotVideosM.jsp?m=OTE5NDQxNzkxNjg0"
-
You either telephone to the given number or click on the link provided and you are certain to lose some amount, each time you proceed further.
If anyone knows filthier and dirtier ways to adopt to make money, BSNL would be glad to be in touch with them, I suppose.
(Note: The contents in the inverted commas above are the copied and pasted messages received from BSNL and the ones I sent them to get the uncalled for ‘service’ discontinued).
Date: 03-07-2015
Yesterday, I finished posting this complaint and BSNL has come up with something new for me today. Here is its message.
“Thanks for Subscribing for the service Industrial Training(211) you have been charged Rs 7.00 successfully AND your service will be delivered shortly.”
What this Industrial Training is and in what way I am connected with it is totally mysterious and I am yet to know when this service provider will leave me and my talk time alone.
S Padmanabhan
