Friends,
I had a detailed discussion on different points of this feature with a Reliance IndiaMobile dealer. He came down to my flat this weekend. And after talking to him, I decided not to opt for it. I’m just going to share the reasons.
First, let me tell something about myself. I stay in Bhubaneswar, do not have any mobile (GSM), I use a BSNL landline (PSTN) phone at my home. Generally I need to call to Kolkata (within 500 km STD slab) and New Delhi (beyond 500 km STD slab) frequently, and I spend Rs. 600 approx. per month for making STDs. I give you the correct figure b’coz I use IT cards, or calling cards provided by BSNL/MTNL.
What I realised that, if only I take the Reliance IndiaMobile, and my relatives at Kolkata and New Delhi don’t go for that, I’ll be a great looser. This offer is only good for calls from Reliance to Reliance. Moment it’s non-reliance at one end, the other end is loosing. I’ll show you, how.
Consider a 5 minutes call from Bhubaneswar to Kolkata on off peak period (i.e. 8 p.m. to 9 a.m.). The pulse rate is 30sec. Let us consider a flat rate of per unit call charge @ Rs. 1.20.
From my land line to my relative’s land line in Kolkata, it will be Rs. 12 for a 5 minutes call. Reliance is so honest, it will take only 60% of that. So I pay Rs. 7.20 for a 5 minute call from my WLL at Bhubaneswar to Kolkata land-line phone within 400 minutes plan. Out side the 400 minutes plan, I pay Rs. 1.90 per minute more, i.e. I pay Rs. 7.20 + (1.90x5) = (7.20+9.50) = Rs. 16.70.
You think you’re gaining Rs. 4.80 in the 400 minutes plan for a 5 min call from Bhubaneswar WLL to Kolkata BSNL? Sorry, for your information, this amount you are paying extra. Apart from the Rs. 600 rental per month. Where for a BSNL phone you pay Rs. 280 per month (effective from 1 April 2003). Now calculate how many calls you make from Bhubaneswar Reliance to Kolkata BSNL and what’s your status. You’re gaining or loosing?
Make it New Delhi MTNL. You’re calling from Bhubaneswar BSNL. Off peak pulse is 16 seconds @ Rs. 1.20 per unit. You make a 5 minutes call. You pay Rs. 22.80. Now if you take Reliance WLL in Bhubaneswar and call to New Delhi MTNL, you pay Rs. 13.68. Again, this is not included in the Rs. 600 rental. You pay extra. And outside the 400 minute plan, you pay Rs. 23.18. This is not called a cheap mobile.
Similarly for a 10 min call from BBSR-BSNL to KOLKATA-BSNL will cost you Rs.24. From BBSR-IndiaMobile to Kolkata-BSNL it will be Rs. 9.60 within 400 minute plan, and Rs. 33.40 outside the plan.
For a 10 minute call from BBSR-BSNL to NEW DELHI-MTNL will cost me Rs. 45.60. Make it BBSR-IndiaMobile to New Delhi MTNL, you pay Rs. 27.26 within the 400 min plan, and Rs. 46.36 outside the plan.
Now consider my current phone bill. I assume I don’t make any local call, or very negligible amount of local calls. I pay Rs. 600 per month for STD calls. It is Rs. 1200 for 2 months. BSNL rental is Rs. 560 (effect from 1st. April). So I pay 1200+560 = Rs. 1760 for 2 months.
I go for IndiaMobile. I’ll pay 60% of Rs. 1200 STD charge, i.e. Rs. 720. And I pay Rs. 1200 for 2 months’ rental. So I pay Rs. 1920 for two months. (Rs. 720 STD will not go beyond 400 minute plan, So I don’t pay that Rs. 1, 90 p.min.).
So there’s a difference of Rs. 160 for 2 months. Then why should I leave my BSNL line and go for IndiaMobile? It is helpful only when the person I’m calling to is also having an IndiaMobile. Then it’s really damn cheap.
Other points
The dealer told me that there will be some nominal charges for accessing the internet. So it is not also free. Also, on 1st. April, if all the operators are bound to pay interconnect charges for making calls to other source, their tariff may increase.
The dealer could not tell me if I can send SMS only to IndiaMobile, or I can send SMS to GSM phones too. He didn’t know if SMS is free for one year, or 3 years.
Reliance never says anything clearly. It only makes common people crazy. All will look for the slogan written in bold, make STD @ 40 paise. Even there are mismatches between a dealer of Kolkata and the same of Bhubaneswar. They have not been clarified even. How can we, the possible customers be clarified?
When the dealer went out, he was just stammering, he became so nervous by this simple calculation. He just told me, ’’you have made very intellectual questions. We’ll meet soon.’’ and ran away.