Indian Mobile Industry

Few years back when I was a student, I remember the first mobile phone which I used to have…I guess I used to pay Rs. 4/- per minute for an incoming call to the service provider Essar and approx Rs. 8/- per min for an outgoing call! Mobile phones were absolute luxury that time and were used only in case of utmost urgencies. Slowly mobile phones started getting accepted in India but when Reliance entered the telecom market with its phenomenally low price offerings, the whole of telecom industry dynamics changed & mobile phones became a revolution in India. Then came Tata Indicom’s price challenge and very soon almost all service providers joined the bandwagon and were fighting the same price war. Mobile phones became the commodity of basic necessity instead of absolute luxury for majority of Indians.

Now since last 1 year telecom service providers have gone super aggressive in their selling. A consumer is now literally tired of everyday a new price plan communication, bombardment of ads offering free lifetime incoming, free mobile handsets with every new connection, almost nil kind of price plan promotions etc etc. I remember chatting with a friend just few months back wherein I had said, looks like a day will come in next 2 to 3 years when instead of charging us telecom service providers will actually pay us for talking on phone. Well, the day has come & whoa it has come pretty soon than expected with Sir Richard Branson deciding to capture the exponentially booming Indian mobile market as well. Yeah, we all know the new telecom service provider in India now…Virgin mobile which thinks “Zara hat Ke”.

Instead of debiting money from your balance, this company is actually crediting money for every minute you talk on phone. Though the money credited is not something great but still I would say it’s different and Hat ke J…The best part is the commercial which is being aired across mediums…no more communication with 999 plan and free lifetime incoming calls…rather quite unique and creative advertisements so to say. Of all the different advertisements on air these days, I particularly liked this one the best:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROFaEycLs_0]

Here’s hoping that this hat ke telecom giant really lives upto its name and gives some “hak ke” good experience and customer service to Indian Consumer as well.