Whats new on TelecomTalk.info

Loop Mobile Launches ‘Online Chat’ Customer Care Initiative
How Operator Can Make Fair Enough Billing For 3G Subscribers?
Nokia N8 Now in Pink
Spice Mobility To Switch To being a Mobile Internet Company
Aircel Launches 3G Services in Sambalpur(Odisha)
BSNL Launches ‘Customer Delight Month’

Loop Mobile Launches ‘Online Chat’ Customer Care Initiative

Posted: 02 May 2011 07:13 AM PDT

With over 3 million GSM subscribers in Mumbai circle, City's oldest GSM Mobile Service Operator Loop Mobile (formerly BPL Mobile) today announced the launch of Web Based 'Online Chat – Customer Care Service' for its postpaid and prepaid subscribers.

Loop Mobile’s Online Chat Service can be used to get queries, Requests or Complaints addressed at your convenience with anywhere-anytime access. Activate or Deactivate Value Added Services like Missed Call Alerts, CLIP, Activate or Deactivate Roaming facility etc or even share feedback on the level of service offered.

This web based Online Chat feature from Loop Mobile enables existing subscribers to submit their Mobile Number and query for Tariff, Service request, by giving their details. After this, Users get a chat window and a customer service executive becomes available on line to resolve the query or issue in real time.

Loop Mobile Live Chat service provides a refreshingly different telecom experience to its GSM customers. The new service designed to help customers wherein its customer care executive will chat with website visitors in real time and have their questions answered instantly. The Online Chat service will be available 9 AM to 11 PM.

To use the Online Chat Service, Loop Mobile subscriber can visit http://loopmobile.in/ or http://www.loopmobile.in/subs/SSMA_chatLogin.html

How Operator Can Make Fair Enough Billing For 3G Subscribers?

Posted: 02 May 2011 03:33 AM PDT

As we can see operators who won 3G license and spectrum has rolled out 3G services in selected cities and soon their 3G network will expand to more and more cities.

BSNL & MTNL, the PSU duo are on the 3G track since 2009 and till now only STel does not roll out 3G services.

At the first phase of 3rd Generation telephony services 3G tariffs are really costly. According to my personal opinions, 3G pricing should be 3-4 times more than 2G pricing. So 2GB data on 2G which costs around Rs.98 should be priced at Rs 300-400 if you are on 3G.

But current pricing of 2GB 3G data costs around Rs 750 from any private operator; note that BSNL is also charging Rs 716 for 2GB 3G data. After withdrawal of Unlimited plans by BSNL, there is now no cheap 3G offering except MTNL.

As we can see operators charging huge if you choose PayAsYouGo plan:

Operator	PAYG Plan
Aircel	3p/10kB i.e. Rs 3/MB i.e. Rs3,000/GB
Airtel	30p/20kB i.e. Rs 15/MB i.e. Rs 15,000/GB
BSNL	2p/10kB i.e. Rs 2/MB i.e. Rs 2,000/GB
MTNL	1p/10kB i.e. Rs 1/MB i.e. Rs 10,00/GB
Idea	10p/10kB i.e. Rs 10/MB i.e. Rs 10,000/GB
Vodafone	10p/10kB i.e. Rs10/MB i.e. Rs 10,000/GB
Reliance	10p/10kB i.e. Rs10/MB i.e. Rs 10,000/GB
Tata Docomo	10p/10kB i.e. Rs10/MB i.e. Rs 10,000/GB

This indicates operators simply discourage users to go PAYG plan, and forcing them to use any data pack.

A comparison between all 3G operators data plans:

Note: All 3G data plans for mobile or dongle with 30 days validity/monthly rentals are taken under consideration.

From the above comparison chart, it is certain that 3G is not a cheap business like voice calls! Without not a single pan India 3G operator, it is really hard to say which operator is best on basis of tariff, coverage and services because you have 4-5 operators in your circles and you have to choose among them. PSU duo BSNL and MTNL is cheaper than the private operators. MTNL is still offering unlimited plans with 30/60/90/180 days, which eventually offering unlimited 3G data for Rs 750/month. MTNL also has a 7 day pack for high downloaders offering 25GB for Rs 499.

But what actually I am talking about is Pocket Friendly Billing. As you can see you opt for 1 GB pack at Rs 650 and after 1 GB your operator will charge you 10p/10kB or more i.e. Per 100 MB you have to pay Rs 1000! At the same time if the user opt for 2GB pack it would be more economical as 2GB data pack comes at Rs 750 – just Rs 100 more!

So it has to be like this – Whenever a user uses more than 50MB post the free usage, his billing will be as per next higher billing level i.e. after the user consumes 1GB+50MB his billing will be as per 2GB data plan. And I think it should be exclusively for postpaid users.

There are many subscribers who don’t care to check their bills or prepaid account regularly and at the end of month they are on Bill Shock! Airtel’s Flexishield Plan is a nice initiative with a bill cap. But I think flat rate plans should be introduced on 3G arena as they are existing on EVDO market widely.

Suggestions for User Friendly Billing:

Have dedicated USSD and SMS code to check data balance and after each data session a SMS is to be sent to the users quoting his last usage along with remaining usage.
When the user has 10% of his free usage remaining, alert him via SMS or email.
Postpaid users must have a choice to bill limit – Rs 2000 to Rs 10,000 or users can set an alert when the billing goes beyond a certain value.
Introduce Flat Rate concept on 3G. It is widely accepted on EVDO networks. Speed will be restricted once you cross the certain usage limit for the rest of the month. But I don’t like speed restriction at 10-20kilobit/s ! Make it as per 2G – 128kbps is fair enough.
Whenever a user uses more than 50MB post the free usage, his billing will be as per next higher billing level.

3G is now at its initial stage, and operators invested huge – so don’t expect anything affordable and pocket friendly in anytime before 6 months. But it is also true with such costly packs – there are few takers, and network is mostly unused. In this way nor the subscribers neither the operator can make good deal.

On 2G call rates dropped massively when new players entered in the market in 2008. So wait for the next wave, but it as expected will not come in the form of 3G, rather 4G. Main attraction of 3G is high speed wireless internet – it is fast, so fast never experienced by Indian users even on wired broadband.

Remember Reliance Infotel is coming in Q1 of 2012. With LTE and Mukhesh Ambani’s ability to see future & customer friendly plans Infotel can kill 3G on the data segment.

What will the fate of 3G? Only for video callings and other video based VAS? What do you think?

Nokia N8 Now in Pink

Posted: 02 May 2011 02:59 AM PDT

Nokia just made the Pink color alternative of the Nokia N8 official. Internals of this device are exactly the same as with all the other colors, but the software is a little bit different.

Rachael Bell, Senior Designer, Nokia adds this:

Following the fantastic response to the range of colors we launched for the Nokia N8, it seemed a natural step to extend this choice. The Nokia N8 in pink complements the original line up well with its expressive, intense hue.

Of course you've got the usual services on the Nokia N8, such as free Ovi Maps for navigating around town and Ovi Store for downloading apps but there's also a bunch of other pink themed apps too.

There's the Little Pink Diva Theme for adding some colour into your menus and a great Pink Neon Clock too when it comes to making sure you're not late for your next meeting, and the ELLE fashion app keeps you up-to-date with the latest fashion, beauty and celebrity news.

Nokia didn't comment on when this will be available.

Spice Mobility To Switch To being a Mobile Internet Company

Posted: 02 May 2011 01:22 AM PDT

Spice Mobility, today announced the switch to being a technology company focused on the Mobile Internet space.

The Switch will leverage Spice groups businesses across sectors and geographies to catapult the historically neglected i2i economies in to emerging digital economies with Mobile Internet.

The company also unveiled the strategic roadmap to complete the first phase of the switch by Sep 2011 where in Rs 1000 crore investments planned for FY 2011 to develop Seven cluster distribution model to dominate Indian Mobile Retail and Global Knowledge Center set-up at Noida.

India's move to 830 million mobile phones subscribers far out-stripping the PC industry is a harbinger of the paradigm shift in the developing nations of the world. Sectors ranging from finance, education, entertainment and healthcare will evolve in to mobile internet businesses. For the last two years Spice Mobility has been putting together the building blocks to leverage this paradigm shift.

Aircel Launches 3G Services in Sambalpur(Odisha)

Posted: 02 May 2011 12:54 AM PDT

Aircel Launches 3G Services in Sambalpur(Odisha) Aircel today announced the launch of its 3G Services in Sambalpur Odisha and continues its growth momentum .

To Avail the Aircel 3G services, subscriber needs to send SMS "START 3G" to 121.

For convenience of prospective 3G Mobile and High Speed Data service users, there is no changes for Voice and SMS tariff and it will be charged as Aircel 2G GSM Plan and customer can clubbed any 3G data plans specially tailored for all segments as their needs and suitability.

The 3G local, STD and Roaming Video Call cost will be 5 paisa/sec (Rs.3/minute).

Commemorating the launch, Mr. Vikas Kakwani, CBH, Odisha sad "We have been working very hard in getting this right and have taken every step with deliberation. This is reflected in our success in the years leading up to 2010. 3G is a natural next step. We are excited about 3G, as we see it as something that will begin to transform our lives in many ways."

3G will open up new vistas by speeding up access, which in itself will enhance experience. Aircel is clear that it is not just broadening a pipe but also offering its consumers enriched content that will be special.

BSNL Launches ‘Customer Delight Month’

Posted: 02 May 2011 12:14 AM PDT

In a bid to provide Superior customer care experience and expanding the subscriber base, Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) today announced a new initiative dubbed as ‘Customer Delight Month’ in Andhra Pradesh Telecom circle.

According to BSNL during the “Customer Delight Month” company employ will address all Grievances Pertaining to Quality of Service, Transparent Billing, Improve customer satisfaction level and make efforts to motivate and bring customers from other service providers to BSNL via mobile Number Portability (MNP).

Announcing the new initiative, Mr. Rajiv Agarwal, CGMT, BSNL, Andhra Pradesh circle, said “We want to send a message that we care for the customers. To improve the Quality of Service, the focus would be on four aspects, Zero Fault Rate, Total customer care, customer awareness and Review.

Mr Agarwal also said that all Landline faults shall be cleared on the same day while all cable faults and broadband faults will be cleared within 48 hours. Awareness programs during the Month of May will be organized through pamphlets, display posters, flexi-boards and also through media to spread the “WE CARE” message towards the customer.

It is significant to say that by the end of 31st March, BSNL received about 1.34 lakh applications from customers of other mobile operators for moving to their network under Mobile Number Portability (MNP). From last few months BSNL becomes most prefered GSM Network in Andhra Pradesh circle in terms of MNP as earlier we shared on TelecomTalk.