Mobile Customer Woes

I do have a mobile connection from IDEA Cellular and have other connections from Airtel, Hutch. At times I feel, carriers keep doing stuff to angry their customers and its not just one carrier does, this phenomenon is same across all carriers.

If sending arbitirary SMSes to promote ringtones doesn't end, these guys have started the process of automated voice calls. You get a ring, you pick up your phone - just to hear an automated voice call describing you a new service and then you feel like killing all these mobile operator guys.

And then lot of sales calls - from credit card, loans and from mobile operator representatives themselves trying to get hold of consumers from other operators. I have recieved lot of calls from Hutch, Airtel representatives in the past asking me to switch plans.

Just last week I got a call from Idea Customer care asking me to subscribe to SMS alerts (aap apna rasshefal dekh sakte hain, jokes, news etc.) for 1 rupee per day. And when I asked how many sms will you send - he joyingly said 5 - as if I was going to love it! In case there has been service in order not to recieve any arbitirary sms, I would have preferred that instead. Idea cellular almost daily sends me a wap push sms and then at times 2 or 3 more messages either for ringtones or their service has improved in this area.

I love the idea of alerts but what I don't like is an operator just banging them on my head over and over again.

Last week I recieved another call (you see I recieve so many calls!!) from customer care to subscribe to caller tones and that too for "FREE". That's how they sell. I told them I just don't want the service, not even if you pay me for that. But that annoying guy put an annoying caller tone on my mobile and now I am fighting another battle with customer care of Idea to get this off my phone.

It's been 4 days and 3 calls to customer care - they haven't yet put it off. They just have one response - chinta mat keejiye (don't worry). Within 24 hours your problem will be rectified. And 24 hours pass and still no activity. More than the customer care representative, it's the fault of the company and its policies.

At times when I travel from Delhi to Patiala, my phone keeps beeping every once and often? Can you guess why? As I move from Delhi to Patiala, I pass over 3 different states with different carriers and different carriers keep sending my SMSes that I have reached their network.

Perhaps carriers have so many free SMSes, not sure if any PIL been ever filed against them for this unscrupulous behaviour!