After having lived in Europe without a mobile phone for a couple of weeks now and trying to get a low cost connection, I realized how easy we have it in India when it comes to mobile networks. Believe me, we are living in a dream world. Cheap call rates, the best of models, free choice of networks.
It wasn't long back in my 3rd year year of engineering that I remember I was standing in a kilometer long queue trying to get my BSNL sim. By the time I was passing out it wasn't rare to see the high end models in the hands of the freshers, and by the time I started working, mobiles were like fashion, if you didn't have the latest model in your hand you were so passe. A year at most would be the time before a mobile phone model went from being the latest in thing to i-would-rather-be-caught-dead-than-be-seen-with-one.
My opinion here was precipitated by Lekhni's realization, she says,
"...We cannot switch providers if we don’t like the service, or unlock our phones without the provider’s “approval”. We cannot buy just any phone - because phone models are “customized” by the providers, so all phones will not work with all providers. So if you want an iPhone, for instance, you are stuck with AT&T. You also won’t see all the features of the phone, just those that your provider shows you. For more ringtones, or wallpapers, you have to pay up."
Read more on her blog here.
My guess would be that this is the kind of advantage that comes with late initiation but instant adoption of technology that India experienced with mobile phones.
A big thank you to the regulators and more power to those who champion the cause of the consumer.
It wasn't long back in my 3rd year year of engineering that I remember I was standing in a kilometer long queue trying to get my BSNL sim. By the time I was passing out it wasn't rare to see the high end models in the hands of the freshers, and by the time I started working, mobiles were like fashion, if you didn't have the latest model in your hand you were so passe. A year at most would be the time before a mobile phone model went from being the latest in thing to i-would-rather-be-caught-dead-than-be-seen-with-one.
My opinion here was precipitated by Lekhni's realization, she says,
"...We cannot switch providers if we don’t like the service, or unlock our phones without the provider’s “approval”. We cannot buy just any phone - because phone models are “customized” by the providers, so all phones will not work with all providers. So if you want an iPhone, for instance, you are stuck with AT&T. You also won’t see all the features of the phone, just those that your provider shows you. For more ringtones, or wallpapers, you have to pay up."
Read more on her blog here.
My guess would be that this is the kind of advantage that comes with late initiation but instant adoption of technology that India experienced with mobile phones.
A big thank you to the regulators and more power to those who champion the cause of the consumer.
Same with comps. too, I guess! An LCD screen used to be the thing (movies like MI2 etc flaunted them as equipment for the elite) - now everyone has one!
ReplyDeleteTrue, true - the Indian consumer is more well protected than he realizes. Which part of Europe are you in, now? I never seem to able to keep track of your whereabouts.
ReplyDeleteAnd what's the googlereader thing re? Btw I'm deeply offended my blog ain't on your blog roll!
Had similar troubles in USA. Thought about it, here is what I think is the reason:
ReplyDeleteCell phone networks are only costly to set-up not to maintain. In fact every minute that you use more of the network probably adds less than a thousandth of a cent to the operators cost.
1. Cost for airtime on cellular networks is hence not decided by how much it is actually costing the operator, but is meant to be prohibitive, so that not everyone uses the cellphone all the time and clogs up the network. How do I know, that if everyone were to use his/her cellphone at the same time the network would break down? Recall how after any major calamity, cell networks break down. So while 2 Rs. a minute might be a prohibitive cost for an indian consumer 4 cents a minute is definitely not for an american one.
2.The cost of setting up must at the end of the day be borne by the consumer.Now Europe and America are much larger than India and contain much fewer people, conversely each consumer must pay more than must a consumer in India.
Yeah, so no I disagree Indian Consumers are better protected. We just have it better because there are more of us.
On why Indians can stay away from contracts, Reliance in the beginning did actually make customers sign contracts, but the number of those who broke them, and also the cost and the disproportionately low return from legislation against such contract breakers means it just is not feasible for a company to file lawsuits which makes contracts unworkable in India.
Wow, So when you do start a consultancy, do I get a job? :P