All about Mobile Networks

Cell phone companies and customer support

support or customer service amongst Cell phone companies in India are a big joke. The customer is happy as long as he doesn't need the so called customer service from the cellular companies. The agents or customers support officers are trained not to acknowledge the problem in the first place. Then if the customer really overcomes this hurdle then they ensure that the customer is inconvenienced so much that he is really sorry to ask for the help in the first place. Their only motive seems to be only keeping the shareholders happy. The customers and the service are the least priority for them. See how they have succesfully dodged the number portability.

Let me narrate my recent experience with Vodafone (unfortunately dont know how to keep it short).

I wanted the number which was in my fathers name transferred to my mother since he expired. I called up the so called "happy to help" support number. I was advised to go to nearest vodafone store with the death certificate copy and a formal request letter signed by my mother. Upon visiting the the store, they gave me separate set of forms to be filled in and signed. Then they asked for 2 photographs. Then address proof. And a no objection certificate from my father!!! After 3 visits and some hard talk they finally accepted the request and told me that a confirmation SMS will sent within 60 mins and actual transfer will take 2-3 working days.

When even after four days there wasnt even trace of the promised SMS, I called up the "happy to help" support again. I was shocked to learn that they didnt have request for the number transfer. They asked me to revisit the store and enquire about it. Which I refused and asked them to give me a number to talk to the store instead. They pleaded helplessness. finally out of frustration I requested them to discontinue the service. Again they said this request will be acted upon within 2-3 working days.

On the third day I got a call asking my mother for the service discontinuation confirmation. So now as you see both the requests were acted upon. I reconfirmed the support executive if the name transfer has been done. And yes name transfer indeed had happened alongwith service discontinuation. So I again asked if the service disconnection request can be dropped since name transfer was done. She said its very much possible and I have to make a formal request apart from this telephonic request. She gave me an email id wherein I can make a formal request. I did that and got a auto-reply as well.

So all in all I thought it was a happy ending. But after couple of days the number just died. The service was disconnected.

This is the way vodafone is "happy to help"

Drunk Driving and ideal traffic conditions

Kudos to Mumbai traffic police for the great work in strict enforcement of the law against drunk driving. I just hope that this continues to be enforced thereby making the traffic conditions safer.

But at the same time I feel there are lots of other areas where a similar initiative is desired.

1) Number or License plates: As we look across we find vehicles with fanciful number plates. They come with different fonts, styles and sizes. And at times even you can find a mix of English and local language thereby creating a fancy word or a name. I dont think the RTO rule book okays this type of plates. Now doesnt this need to be checked? There is no way for the traffic police catch a person who for example has jumped the signal, carjacked or knocked someone down and sped away.

2) Tinted Glass: We are seeing more and more vehicles(four wheelers to be precise) with varying shades of tinted glass. Again I dont think the rule books will be okaying this. There are vehicles even with zero visibility from outside. This is a great security concern as well. Not sure if the police think it otherwise.

3)Overloading and portruding of goods from the vehicles: Its a pretty common sight to see a truck filled with iron cables and portruding out way behind with a dirty red cloth tied at the end. Then we have people doing similar kind of activity in three wheelers wherein the materials are tied to the outside. Now how dangerous can it be? Is this okayed in the rule book?

4)Noisy vehicles: There are vehicles with extremely loud horns and/or extremely noisy engines. The Piaggio three vehicles are perfect example of the noisy vehicles. Its good to know though that the police is conducting a drive against honking and marking the silent zones. Infact there should be a blatant ban on honking thus making easier to implement the rule.

5) Intersection blocking: This is the most irritable action by the motorists who dont believe in keeping the road intersection clear. So even if one road is clear ahead, it still results in traffic jam due to this foolish action of the motorists on the already jammed road. Simple things like "Keep Clear" signs on the intersections or road junctions would greatly reduce traffic snarls.

6)Parking nightmare: There should be strict rules on parking. Often we see the patrons of restaurants parking their vehicles on roads and even footpaths thereby creating traffic problems. So the establishments should be asked to have parking lot of their own. Then parking of vehicles on narrow and/or busy roads should be completely banned.

7) Road worthiness: There are so many vehicles you find stranded due to poor state of the vehicles. This is especially true with heavy vehicles and on highways or expressways. We have tyres bursting or vehicles turning turtle which really endangers other motorists.

8) Lane marking and discipline: This is one thing I fail to understand whats preventing the authorities from enforcing it. This would significantly make the conditions safer. I read somewhere that overtaking is biggest cause of accidents. If thats the case then lane marking is what we need now.

9) Road marking and directions: Authorities dont seem to believe in it. Due to lack of it many a times motorists tend to make mistakes by quick and dangerous swirls or make incorrect turns or even end up on the wrong side of the traffic.

10) Respect to fellow motorists and pedestrians: This in my opinion is the first one that needs to be self imposed and the rest will automatically follow thereby making the traffic conditions ideal and dream come true.