Jio ya Maro (Live or Die) but Consume DATA

I was visiting my sister in States in 2012. Unlike other travelers I have more on ground experience of American living than the tourists who travel and stay in hotels. She would pay $30 to her cellphone carrier and in return she got unlimited free calls and text messages and unlimited data. Dollar exchange around that time was Rs. 50, so for Rs. 1500, you can make unlimited calls and use unlimited data anywhere in United States of India. I do not remember my phone bills of the time, since my Company took care of it, without much usage of data, it costed more than 1000 bucks. One could get cheaper plans in USA if they opted for the mobile phone bundled with the service. But since the latest high end phones are not clubbed with it and also the Apple functioning has deeply hurt the pocket of the consumers.

Coming back to 2016, Airtel launched a plan in the month of August with unlimited voice calling – local, STD and national roaming with few SMS which are redundant in today’s age of WhatsApp messaging but only 1GB of data access for the month all at the cost of Rs. 1,199 plus the obscenely high rate of service taxes on the same. Did Sunil Mittal and his executives push their heads into their asses before designing such a plan?

Sunil Mittal is the person who revolutionized telecom industry and particularly the cell phone service in the industry. But every time, it’s the Mukesh Ambani who shows mirror to every user in India as to what he deserves and what he can expect, not the leftover that he is fed. The writing has been on the wall with the emergence of the Unicorns in the App area of the world and with the rise and domination of Flipkart, Amazon, Ola, Uber and yet Airtel and its peers (Vodafone and Idea) wanted us to live in stone age era. At times, I feel 2G scam must have been triggered by them, had it not been the case, with the competition that we would have seen in the Indian market with major global telecom players operating in the Indian market, Indian players would have blown out of the water. 

Not to mention the call drops and the stingy cellular service by Airtel and still it is the best amongst the others. So we can imagine the operations of others. Clubbed to the fact, they are operating 2G, 3G and 4G operations in various circles, which must be confusing to their networking and service engineers to find wire and service. For once, their management had taken the decision to export the entire network to new technology and get rid of the old technology like 2G, which is expensive to build up and maintain, they would not be reaching for the ER to get bandaged as quickly as possible. 

Back in 2001, when Reliance Telecom, second baby from Mukesh Ambani after unleashing his mammoth petrochemicals complex in Jamnagar, he had announced free incoming calls, which were paid at the time, receiving a call was taken on the purpose or the urgency of the matter. Airtel charged for CLI (apparently abbreviation for Caller ID). In terms of regulation, Mukesh Ambani took a backdoor entry by promoting his services as Wireless Local Loop (WLL) or some technical mumbo-jumbo to launch mobile phones as fixed line phones with 25 kilometres operational limit which was spread gradually to the city and then State and then Country and later paid the license fee which was closed for other bidders as fine to the regulator.

Now this time, when Airtel, Vodafone and Idea were busy arranging Bank Guarantees as they were coughing millions and millions of dollars for 3G licenses and then for 4G licenses and yet it was taken cautiously according to the region and launched also strategically. Mukesh Ambani came from behind and grabbed 4G license for a pittance after his non-compete clause with his brother had expired.

But all the back room and back channel maneuvering and counter measures works to the benefit of the consumers. Earlier it was Roti, Kapda aur Mobile, now it is referred to as “Datagiri” (Denouncing him with the title of Don for Data on Mobile). But nobody realized that the rural uneducated are also using WhatsApp for enquiring prices of the produce in various Mandis or majority of the farmers move out on the fields after checking the weather report on Accuweather. What about those who cannot afford Smart Phone? Smartphones are available at drop dead prices even today. But no brand is so big to offer lakhs of mobiles at Rs. 2,999/-

The new boy is always bullied in the class, what the rest of the class does not realize is the height of the new guy in the class? Similar is the case with Reliance Jio, and it was unfair at their end to offer free service without their consumers understanding the prices of their service. For once, the incumbents were right. But come September 1, Mukesh Ambani again made Reliance the most anticipated AGM in the country. With all eyes, cast on his Jio plans with unlimited voice calling and only the charge for the data usage, which is again at 50% of the rates offered by its incumbents. We know, Mr Mittal must be shitting in his pants; Aditya Birla is already looking on the other side of the aisle to sell his Company, and it licenses and operations. 

Not to mention, no buffering service (checked on Youtube, the parameter of the service quality) on Reliance Jio, as the winner takes all compared to Airtel, which is available on north end of 100 sq ft room but limited or no signal on the south end of the room. 

Though the issues of voice quality are heard amongst one and all. But the quote from Rajan Anandan, Google Head of Indian and South Asia, tweeted, getting used to 20MBs on Indian mobile internet, thanks to Reliance Jio is the endorsement of the fact that how Reliance Jio is going to catapult our poor nation to a rich data nation.

Immediately Airtel, Vodafone and Idea are rushing to the door and announcing, that they have also doubled their speeds. It means that they had the product and the technology and yet offered us substandard products or perhaps it’s a marketing gimmick. Like in my office, we had continuous issues with Airtel 8MBs connection and their service enginner/technician would be visiting our office every alternate day. 

Everyday anger was wrathed on the poor technicians as our work suffered day after day. One technician got candid as we offer him biscuits after the tea and explained there is no 8 MBps facility or wire in your whole complex, switch to 4MBps as that is the capability available in your whole office complex and hence we switched from 8 MBps to 4MBps. 

Airtel, Vodafone should rise from their hallucinations and stop working on all networks from 2G to 4G and work with the Govt. to allow them to shift to single network. All of them have single product to offer, putting feeder lines on the AirWaves and yet their structure so many plans and schemes which are no good for anybody. Roaming Charges is an archaic term in the mobile world especially in the league in which India appears itself to stand or wishes to stand.

Purely and purely on mobile technology and plans world, India must be ranking at the bottom with the underdeveloped nations of Africa. Why Africa because Airtel is market leader there? All across the world, there is one number for the nation, no regional barriers or roaming charges and data is fed from the fountain rather than taps which come with cautionary warning in India, water is available from 9 to 12.

Reliance Jio are sold at Reliance Digital outlets, where queues are visible all across the nation as if it’s Rajnikant’s movie released in Tamil Nadu. No consumer product in the free world and free economy, wherein people are lining up to buy the product. But such is the frenzy or service of Reliance.

Having sung the praise not because they will be best but they have unleashed the industry from its own bondage as the incumbents are earning more than 70% of the revenue from voice. It is all cliche to say that the India has the cheapest call rate in the world. It may be but still the mobile coverage and expenditure is the highest in the world. YouTube offered the Offline service only for the Indian market as the data plans were prohibitively expensive for the Indian consumers. Post the Reliance Jio, there was a joke circulating on WhatsApp, next Reliance should come up with Reliance Bars, where the drinks are free and only the chakhna (snacks) will be charged.

After the praise comes the criticism, I am deeply skeptical about the whole JIO brouhaha. Reliance is the Group which is opaque in this world of information and technology and yet they talk about transparency. Reliance Telecom did not live to its hype or may be Anil Ambani didn't have the passion as his elder brother.

Not to mention their first advertisement of full front page on every newspaper featured Narendra Modi and realize his vision as Reliance knows there is no bigger brand in this country than Narendra Modi. Which gave the Opposition works for another 48 hours and but it died down?

But then I don't know why and how such big companies make such huge blunders on their launch. Like Mukesh Ambani announced at the AGM that Reliance Jio will offer data plans @ Rs. 50/GB, which in reality does not translate for any of the schemes launched by the Company. For 4,999, you get 75GBs of data, such data consumption is required for a cell phone is something, which had boggled everybody and on top of it, it translates into Rs. 67 per GB and no other plan is cheaper than this one in terms of per GB rate. But still Rs. 50 is the price said by its Chairman.

There was joke circulating on WhatsApp:

Mukesh Ambani announced breakfast at Rs 2/- per plate

The Large hall was thonged by many..

..as they finished there was a second announcement

Lunch @ Re1/-

wow...the hall soon went houseful with the villagers.

..as they finished there was yet another announcement

Dinner @ 50 paise..

Fantastic...ppl stayed back and many other came..

Special Dessert @ discounted price 0.25/- 

People turned really mad and as they chomped, gulped and went overboard with their indulgence Mukesh humbly bid bye to them and asked them not to hurry and enjoy the food thoroughly as the serving counters were to remain open.

Later the final announcement. Use of Toilet   Rs 1250/-

We know the obscure working of the RIL Group. Like even when the oil prices slipped from $150 to $40 sub levels, there was a marginal dip in their turnover and their profitability was always shoring high inspite of the fact that the Company said that they had marginal less profitability on oil refining margins.

Mukesh Ambani says that he has invested Rs. 1,50,000 Crores in Reliance Jio, which is subsidiary of Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL) but RIL has total assets of Rs. 91477 Crores and on which book have they booked the investment and all the other financial mumbo-jumbo attached to the same.

Reliance murky working may or may not have impact on the customers in the long run. It’s a debatable point but the bigger question is, whether Reliance will be able to keep up its promises. And the best part, he was able to launch his kids on the Indian business stage.

BSNL is the only service provider which is visible post Jio launch and say they can match the prices and the quality and the speed. It actually sums the whole telecom industry post Jio or data as benchmark for telecom usage and sustenance of the telecom players.

Its boring to be ADULT

Today I felt vindicated after spending one week in water, I was able to float in water. Though swimming still seems a distant dream. But soon it will be a reality. My friends are shouting on top of their voices, you are paying 2 grands just for taking bath in a swimming pool. But now I am confident, I have somehow fought with my inhibitions to swim.

Schools have just started and there are dozens of kids splashing water with their hands and legs. Totally disconnected from the world, whether or not, they wish/will learn to swim, they are hardly bothered. Why can’t I get my days back of innocence/ignorance?

And in the showers, the coordinator announces, your next period can also be dedicated to swimming. Everybody is clapping, shouting, as if Aishwarya has been crowned Miss World for the second time. My friend is smiling at me and tells, quick, we are getting late for office. And I ask him, will you feel the same if your boss calls and tells you, you can come an hour late to the office. He says, your question has boss and office in it? I get numb when I hear from boss and feel too bored to go to office. It only adds to the already boring life we are leading, forget about the happiness. If the card does not meet its master (the swipe machine), I am always bothered about losing my half day’s salary. So there is no scope of excitement to arise because of the constant fear in my mind. Dude, I don’t know, whether we are struggling for peace of mind or fighting against time. Either ways, both are hard to achieve.

Why cant we grown ups feel the same kind of joy and excitement as kids do, on such small-small things in our life? My neighbours’ son, had always only one concern after returning home from school in the afternoon, I should stay away from my house for next six hours. My mom bothers me to finish my home work. Homework or perhaps teacher’s spanking was the only concern in our life. Now, there are so many people for whom we are planning/scheming and yet not achieve anything. Everything boils down to the fact how much you are earning. (More on that sometime later)

Road to Shaadi

When I was a kid, everybody asked me, “what do you want to become in life?” I’d reply flashing my teeth, “papa”. Like every child, whose role models are his parents, I was way too flattered and excited at the authority my father commanded at home and in his professional life. Now 20 years hence -

Turning 25, 26 or 27 or perhaps 28, 29, 30, for those who are left out, is a vulnerable stage of your life, every single person you meet asks the same question, “SHAADI”. I sheepishly smile and question, “kiski”. The other person laughs and replies, “aapki”. I really enjoy such conversations wherein we turn the sides of the tables. Luckily I have a genuine excuse to evade such sorry queries, my elder brother is yet to get married, and I still have some time on my side. Why can’t we begin our conversations, with are you enjoying your life, your job, or are you trying to do something else in life? After marriage, the practical transition of question will be, “kids”, we do discuss and we do talk about it with our friends, relatives, colleagues, but I feel certain awkwardness about the same. Why can’t we let the other do, what he/she wants in life and when he/she wants? We need not force everybody through the same organic process of human existence. Actually, when everybody questions the same thing about your life, you are compelled, forced and pushed to the corner?

Now getting back to the whole Shaadi affair, our generation is sitting at crossroads and stuck between the older and the next generation of societal rules, rules which are broken but not shattered and rules which are yet in conception stage. Either we should be forced to marry with the boy/girl of our parents’ choice (like our parents did) or be allowed to decide the path of life on our own, wherein we hope to find somebody with whom we can share our life. Shaadi should be sharing our lives and not spending our lives. Don’t you feel, spending sounds burdensome?

While talking about the shaadi affair? If somebody says YES, I am in the process, then the next question, “How many?” Most of my friends have run through a dozen proposals. If the friend is a female, then it is two dozen or closer. Perhaps for the betterment of the society, men are facing more rejections these days than women.

To find a suitable person, those who feel, that yes we are in love and ready to respect and accept the responsibility of marriage, things are pretty easier for them, even convincing parents, if they are dead against the fact? This was hard part for Mr. Bhagat, but that is history.

Our parents are searching for a girl, who is educated (masters even if the son is matriculate), good looking (fair in complexion), knows cooking (dal, roti), wears jeans (rarely) and Indian wear with élan, and we are looking somebody who is smart (does not mean to be fair), intelligent (education helps but not the pre-requisite), working (maybe a diploma in fashion designing) or maybe wear a skirt, at times. Expectation mismatch from one person, how do we expect so much from a female? Ask the guy and his family, what are you willing to bring on the table.

If they are seeking a groom, he should be well educated (bachelors means highly educated), earning well (legal or illegal means), good looking (which is defined by his earnings), with strong values (no drinking or smoking) and the girl expects better educated than her, decent earning (respectable), handsome (this is controversial), good values (social drinking is fine). Again the definitions for the same person go for a toss.

The best part is parents’ like to seek their children’s consent for the same. It’s difficult to find the parents’ and children’s on the same plank or rather almost seems impossible to bring on the same plank. So that is why, things start working/moving after crossing the minimum number of 12/24 or whatever.

Here comes the harder part, young, single, independent, have been through flings, strings, affairs or maybe heart breaks, it is the same for both sexes. We all have been through our share, every person whom we meet adds to us as a human being, as a person. As we move ahead, we keep on adding the items to the ‘YES’ and ‘NO’ list for our marriage/life partner. Particularly in case of women, they have a very clear list of “NOT’s”. The hard part is always along the way, we fall in and out of love and then hunt for the same love, which is the recipe for disaster and the whole range of invariable human emotions that comes with this process of finding the right person.

I’d still say, enjoy the process with the hope, we are destined for the best.

Till then, “IN THE PROCESS” status may help.