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.

Related posts:

1. Three reasons why I hate Caller Tune or CRBT
2. Mobile and cable operators are looting people : says SC
3. Confusing Customer Care Numbers of Mobile Operators in India