Consumer Blog » vas

Message from AR-Airtel

Pegu — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:15:29 +0000

Recently it happened with me.

I got a promotional message from Airtel with sender id AR-Airtel, and when I opened it, it opened as Service Message, which read something like this,

Hey !! Koi karna chahta hai sirf aap se dosti, Airtel Friendz Chat per only at Rs. 30/month Click.

http://10.2.45.161/wapchat/main.aspx?channel=WAP/AirtelLive.

And the above is a click able link as one can guess, it uses AirtelLive! Now, be aware, it does not tell you about the complete story! I learnt the complete story hard way, after spending 10 rupees as well as Rs. 30 a day after!

Being curious, I clicked the link, and it immediately took me to some webpage! After that I closed, but I immediately got an alert, Rs. 10 deducted from my balance! The story did not end there! After 4 hours or so, I got an SMS from 54321 saying that You have been successfully subscribed and Rs. 30 has been deducted!

I immediately called up customer care, but they explained me that the Rs. 10 was charged for using the AirtelLive service, not for chatting! And why was I subscribed ? They said I must have clicked subscribe but if I insist they can reverse the subscription and refund!

I said wow! Airtle has started a new scheme to scheme away money from its customers!

So, be careful when you get this kind of innocent Service Messages from Airtel. My friends tell me that they even sent messages for subscription of monthly bollywood picture download etc. etc. Be aware of those, even if you do not subscribe, you may still end up paying Rs. 10 for clicking that link and after

Be careful with VAS charges of mobile operators

Pegu — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:13:40 +0000

CRBT ( Caller ring back tone) and VAS business by Mobile Operator:

CRBT is cool ring back in place of ‘boring’ old ringing sound one hears when one person dial another. Now, what is the charges for that one music which lasts for say 20 sec till one picks it up ? Rs. 30 a month, Rs. 15 per change and Rs. 6 per minute while calling to an IVR for changing the music! Is that worth paying for 20 sec of a song play to your caller ? Does it add any value to your reputation if you ? Time to think!

Mainly one spends around Rs. 30 per month and also around Rs. 15 a month ( totaling Rs. 45) for one change of song, to play a song to his callers! Worst is, many mobile companies activates those service without any request by the mobile subscriber. You may visit any customer complaint forum about these! Even my landline phone was activated CRBT without me knowing! When I got a bill of Rs. 30, I came to know I had CRBT on my landline phone! I complained and go that waived, but just imaging how many people must be paying Rs. 30 without knowing, thinking Rs. 30 is not a big amount.

Lately, TRAI has taken some steps to prevent this kind of practice by mobile operators where they have confirm twice for activating any VAS. But who is monitoring the implementation of these guidelines ? With reducing bottom line in ARPU by mobile operators, they may fall back to these kind of practice!

I think, SMS VAS myth has been busted now. Mobile operators have fooled many to get 160 char cricket update for long! With more and more computer connectivity with mobile instruments have also helped people come out with those 50 sec music at Rs. 10 days!

Do you now realise how you have been duped to pay more which were worth few ? In the bargain, most probably, mobile operators lost out. Now people have become much smarter, they no longer use those SMS shortcode to download songs, they directly download from net or record from built in FM!

Most probably, that is the reason why mobile operators are now targeting backward areas for their ‘value added services’.

So, one should be careful, if they are paying for no apparent value for themselves, specially in this time of recession when even Ministers have started austerity drive.

3G dream may finally be true in Inda from next year

myvoice — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:18:32 +0000

Recently, DOT has decided to hold much awaited 3G spectrum auction on 7 Dec 2009 as per recent news. Presently only BSNL offers 3G services in India and it has not been able to create big splash as it it was thought to be.

But it can be expected that once private GSM operators enter into 3G area, the video call, high speed internet on Mobile Phone would be a reality may change mobile telephony as well as VAS industry all together.

Here is the news :-

NEW DELHI: The government will hold the much-awaited 3G spectrum auction for GSM operators on December 7 and invite bids from October 26 to November 13.
It will hold the auction for EVDO (CDMA version of 3G) and Broadband Wireless Access after two days of the 3G auction. Source.

TRAI and Value Added Service

myvoice — Wed, 06 May 2009 04:53:46 +0000

Finally, TRAI ( Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) has come out with directive to Value Added Service providers to take explicit consent from subscribers before enabling any accidental subscription to Value Added Service. Click here for the link to TRAI Press Release.

And here is the news in Economic Times:

NEW DELHI: Telecom regulator Trai on Monday directed operators to seek explicit consent from mobile phone users before activating any value-added services (VAS) such as call ring-back tone and hello tunes.

The directive comes in the wake of increased consumer complaints over services activated without the subscriber’s consent. Trai has mandated that operators maintain transparency and communicate clearly the details of the services being offered to the subscriber through SMS
, fax or e-mail. Source and full text.

Most probably, TRAI did not mention that many Mobile Operators and VAS operators activates some subscription based services without subscribers consent and charge them unless they don’t complaint against in their customer care. I have explained this scenario earlier in did you know section.

But this is an welcome and timely step by TRAI and I hope this will benefit mobile and land-line subscribers from paying few extra charges to telephone operators.