US Lessons

India taking lessons and imitating the West is not new. Since we enjoy the

second largest subscriber-base in the global telecom map, we should set

benchmarks for others, instead of following them.

With India looking at 500 mn telecom subscribers by 2010 and 200 mn

subscribers by 2012 in the rural belt alone, there is a lot to learn from the US

market, to offer the best services to our customers.

These lessons are important since Trai's report on quality of services from

cellular operators is not giving a healthy sign.

Can we think of an operator enhancing the cellular coverage during an

election campaign in India to support its subscribers? We cannot even think of

operators upgrading the network in flood-hit areas. When terror strikes India's

main cities, we are forced to watch television for updates and can not make

calls to find out about the safety of our friends and relatives since most of

the time the networks are jammed.

In the US, a citizen's life is easier. TracFone Wireless, a pre-paid cell

phone provider, will provide eligible low-income households in Florida a free

cell phone, mobile access to emergency services and 68 minutes of free air-time

monthly, for one year.

SafeLink Wireless offers the struggling families accessibility, freedom and

security in knowing that should an emergency occur, wherever they are, they will

stay safe and stay connected.

Some statistics are a major concern for the US government. As per FCC, around

7.1 mn households across the nation do not have telephones (July 2006), and more

than 13% with an income of under $10,000 do not have telephone service. The US

government wants to improve the reach.

Indian operators, celebrating 300 mn phones for the 100-crore plus

population, can learn from the US action plans. India has just overtaken the US

telecom market to become a force to reckon with, and we are the only one to

compete with China on the same. Indian operators must gear up to invest more in

existing networks. The Indian government and cellular operators should work

together to offer the best telephone access to its people.

Another operator, Verizon Wireless, which has invested over $30 mn since 2006

in Mississippi to enhance services and coverage to customers throughout the

state, has recently enhanced call-handling capacity to offer the best wireless

experience to subscribers during and after the US presidential election. Verizon

feels that there will be a spike in wireless calls, text messages, picture and

video messages, Internet connections and other wireless traffic related to the

presidential election.

Our festival season is around the corner. We make a number of calls and send

text messages, which may not reach our relatives and friends because of heavy

traffic jamming the network.

I want the government to penalize cellular operators for call drops, broken

voice, and unexpected delay in responding to customer queries. The government

should take enough steps to ensure the customer gets quality services. Quality

of service is deteriorating as operators add 8-9 mn customers a month and there

is additional pressure on spectrum.

Baburajan K



baburajank@cybermedia.co.in