Indianomics!

Updated on 3rd April 09, original article dates back to 15th January 09.

Reliance GSM Network Quality is poorer than I would have thought.

Initially when I had inserted the SIM card and started the phone, It was working fine. Reliance to Reliance, GSM and CDMA both does not have a major connectivity problem with each other. Its for others who you have to bargain for. Connectvity to Airtel suffers big time, Vodafone was just ok.

Features

Other than its Network Quality, on a positive note for customers is that 900 Rs. worth of talktime you would get for a period of 90 days i.e. Rs. 10 every day (not in all circles). I have not been able to get in touch with customer care so that I can calrify a few doubts.

1. Every day you would get 10 INR as talktime/
2. For the first two days, you get Rs. 20 as validity. For the first day, you get Rs. 20 with validity of  two days. Then, Rs. 10/- each day till 90th day since your activation.
3. Reliance to Reliance free, after 11.oo Pm
4. No information about GPRS etc.
5. 6 Months Validity
6. Rs. 25 for Sim card and Rs 50 first recharge.

With these information still at bay, you cannot have a good review. Wait and watch for a full review.

Update day two:

Call quality was very good against as expected. I don’t get network inside my office premises. Making a call is still a pain, you have to dial the same number some ten – fifteen times to get connected.

Update: Month One

Call quality is still superb, but Connectivity issues remain. Mobile GPRS enabled, Browsing as quick as others, though not better. Making a call still remains the pain, but otherwise the connection is active. Reliance GMS Call Quality is as same as the CDMA which really is appreciated. Call drops are more frequent, hence issues still remains on the network front.

Update: Month Two

After two months of using Reliance GSM Network, the Quality of Network has gone up, disconnections between calls have come down (call drops), Customer service pathetic. Customer Service is not good enough to beat the leaders in the Industry. Call quality has come down a bit, though making a call still is a pain.

Update: Month Three

The free talktime is now finished, hence I have stopped calling these days.

Network remains bad. Call quality remains superb. Calling still is a pain and Call Drops are high.

With the launch of Reliance GSM services, it became India’s first telecom operator to offer both the services simultaneously.

It is reported that this service is in great demand since it is offering up to INR 10/- talktime, for free.

I witnessed a mad rush when I went to pay for my reliance bill in Reliance Web World. I failed to realise why the rush was for, till I asked the executive about it. Reliance is once again using the tactics used by it when they launched the mobile for just INR 501.

Reliance’s offer is basically a strategy aimed at encouraging customers to get hooked on to its services as it did with the 501 Monsoon hungama. Since then, Bharati, Vodafone and Idea have reduced their Life Time prices. Through this way, it will be able to add up more customers to make up for a demand of additional spectrum.

There was a phenomenal waiting list. The store I visited had already sold many cards, and has a waiting list well above 300. That figure in itself is astonishing.

What we need to see is whether the network quality is as good as its competitors.  Idea has already burnt its fingers when you compare the Network quality in Mumbai as compared to Vodafone, the current leader in Mumbai.

Vodafone is the best network in Mumbai. However, that is only because other networks are pathetic. It’s a wait and watch for me. I would certainly not move to Reliance just because it is offering INR 10 every day. The amount will only last one day. And the amount is not same in every circle. It’s INR 5 in Andhra, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.

Reliance is only putting more efforts where it thinks it will face stiff competition. But I think it’s quite unfair. If they are launching a new service, the benefits should have been equal for all over India.

It needs to be seen how Reliance fares. What ever the result it may be, it is certainly a winning situation for the customers. Already, India’s telephony market has the lowest fare in the world, and is set to be more affordable. Congrats all consumers!