Reliance Mobile scheme
Pay and use is called Prepaid.
Use and Pay is called Postpaid.
But Pay and SUFFER is called Reliance !
Updated yet again ( 14 July 2003 )
Its all Re:Lies not REliance.
Theres nothing worth relying on. They've got the shivers hearing about TATA coming in shortly and just to sabotage their launch they have come forth with the 501/-Monsoon Hungama scheme.
They knew before hand that TATA's are coming with a 999/- inaugural offer. So they try to pull a fast one so that there won't be many left to take up the TATA service. Lets sweep away the market beforehand - but hey guys, you don't realise that your technology is still not apace with the numbers that you are swamping your networks with. Result - jammed lines - poor signals - lost calls - extra charges for reconnecting broken calls - and more cost to consumer - end result - disgruntled users - who will abandon the Reliance like the passengers of the Titanic - a ship that was not even insured because it was un-sinkable !
Updated (27-May-2003)
Now Reliance has another scheme to entice unwary gullible folk. Get your MTNL telephone bill and we will give you a Reliance number with the same number - only difference being that just prefix 3 instead of 2 and voila - you have retained your same number and are now Reliance mobile. Cool ! That was innovative and is working.
Just read this in a review today morning i.e.13-05-2003.
Excerpts from it..
''Actually I wanted to disable only outgoing calls and not incoming so that I can trace the (lost) phone, but Reliance customer care rudely refused to do so.
Phone insurance is only marketing agenda. If you miss the phone, you need to pay Rs 3500/= to get new phone. You need to return other parts like charger, Handsfree etc.
Phone does not come with required accessories to connect to internet. You need to pay additional 1200/= to get those.''
Current Update (21-03-2003)
The instrument has some inherent faults like I've been told it gets hot and just goes off without being switched off-did they buy a bulk lot of unsaleable stock at throwaway bargain price?
From what I hear..half the time their 'R' world takes ages to connect and then too its too slow..
Making local calls is presumably costing as much as your GSM(that too, If it connects - which is a big IF !) so why would somebody wanna tie himslef to CDMA from Reliance and pay 3 years advance?
SMS facility has not started as yet so whats all the hype about 3 years FREE sms ? They are still awaiting pemission from the TRAI ! And they were allowed to advertise about free SMS before they even had their permission ?(SMS is only possible on Reliance to Reliance.)
Their helpline needs serious help ! - Seriously !
The Catch word - Lets still wait and watch ! Maybe Tata Indicom could be better.
Rs.18000/- as access charges for 36 months @ Rs.500/-pm(breakup is Rs.320/- as rental and Rs.180/-as airtime)
Rs. 3000/- as Club Fees (Reliance)
Rs. 1000/- as deposit for local call facility OR
Rs. 2000/- as deposit for STD Call facility OR
Rs. 3000/- as deposit for ISD Call facility
So actually to start of you got to shell out minimum Rs.22,000/- and stay stuck with Reliance infocom for 3 years-You got no options here.
Instrument (N620 Samsung CDMA is free of cost as inaugural offer.(LG/Samsung CDMA)
Add Rs.15000/- for the flip top colour instrument like True I Rainbow(CDMA-LG/Samsung)
What you get is 500 mins per month outgoing free at 15 seconds pulse rate.
and incoming free for 3 years.
All Reliance to Reliance Calls anywhere in the country at Local Call Rate (this is a revelation)
Free SMS for 1 years (Now thats the attractive juicy part)
Calling Line Identification free.
Voice Mail free.
38kbps to 44kbps data throughput possible.(means access to Net)
Includes Monthly rental Charges for 3 years.
Don't expect any discounts or kickbacks because the dealers/retailers or their so called DAEs( thats 'Dhirubhai Ambani Entrepreneur' for you) are making just Rs.100/- for their hardwork and sales pitch per connection.
Also, they have a hire purchase scheme or an instalment scheme wherein you dish out 12 postdated cheques of Rs.1800/- each for 3 months usage @ Rs.600/-p.m. for the 3 years access charges and the Rs.3000/- as club fees and the Security deposit of either one/two or three thousand for the local/STD or ISD/ILD (International Long Distance)
At least in this second scheme you get to try out their service for 3 months before you actually pay but your club fees and deposits get forfeited if you don't.
Their USP is the Rs.1.20 per 3 minutes or 0.40 per min. or 10 paise for 15 seconds-is the buzz word.
Free SMS is the other very attractive carrot and bound to get the yuppies in hordes.
For the business folk its the Reliance to Reliance at Local Call rate anywhere in the country which will be the PLUS Point and have them talking to their heart's content.
A revolution is waiting to happen but how far will these guys be able to sustain their services at such low rates is anyone's guess(India has the lowest airtime rates anywhere in the world)
BPL(Below Poverty Line) or ORANGE(the tangy flavourite) or AIRTEL(doesn't tel) won't take all this lying down and we will have a shakedown but it's only ORANGE that has the clout and International weight to survive against this Monolith. BPL(Below Poverty Line) and AIRTEL(its all in the air now) will be swallowed up by some biggie. MTNL will be the worst hit and will definitely wriggle out some how(Trust our beleagured Government to find some way-Go for Garuda at present if you want CDMA-My opinion)
At present even Reliance hasn't got the actual green signal-but it will definitely bulldoze its way through. The guys at Reliance are very enthusiastic and Gung-ho about this venture and are waiting to get into real action. Their ad-budget in crores per month is what MTNL used to spend in a Year.All the hype on Dhirubhai Ambani and Mukesh Ambani's dream will not become a nightmare-lets hope !
Bol India Bol -
Sangam hoga ki nahin ?
P.S. As requested by PrashD a little trivia on CDMA-It is one of the most used technologies in the USA and is superior in terms of reception and data transmission speeds(read Intermnet access) as compared to GSM which relies on WAP(defunct) or GPRS (only available with BPL and not fast enough) CDMA is a cheaper to maintain technology but fails in territorial coverage since it relies on basic infrastructure(so far poor in India).Whereas GSM, since it is based on cellular mode, has a more widespread footprint covering vast areas quickly by just putting up strategically located towers and transmission/reception equipment.
GSM is more prevalent in Europe and Asia and is a newer technology that is still evolving. CDMA is a tried and trusted technology. In CDMA the handset is precoded and a stolen handset could be useless to the thief whereas the GSM is a simple high tech chip which can be just inserted into any instrument and is very theft-prone. CDMA is also very convenient since it can be used for vast data storage and streaming audio video possibilities make it attractive and versatile.
But comparatively any one can just buy a SIM for about 300/- and the airtime for another 315/- pick up a secondhand handset for about 2000/- and go mobile for just around 2500/- odd compared to a CDMA from Reliance where you shell out 220000/- minimum and you are tied to Reliance for 3 years. The choice is in your hands.
Corrigendum-Addendum._____________________________________
RELIANCE ..... Big name... Big Hopes!!!
Are these hopes going to work out?
Already, BPL and AIRTEL and ORANGE prepaid as well as Billing have made their incoming free.
SMS is still Rs.1.50 each in prepaid and 1/-in billing.
Regards
Raja(c)
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