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Training Times

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VoicenData Bureau
New Update

Customer satisfaction goes for a toss in rural areas as availability of

trained manpower for guiding mobile users is very limited. My experience from a

Reliance Communications' outlet during my recent visit to Kerala was not

exciting enough to experiment with new things in God's own country. I bought a

Reliance data card to ensure smooth online connectivity with the industry by

connecting it on a Mac laptop which I sourced from office. On day one, I failed

to access the Internet. To my queries on the phone, Reliance outlet executives

said Reliance data card cannot be used on Mac. In the absence of a functional

data card, I used my Vodafone Internet connection on the mobile phone.

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Next day, I revisited the shop. They wanted me to download an application so

that I could use the data card which I bought for around Rs 1,500. I looked

around for a computer with Internet connection. This shop, which sells phones,

SIM cards and data cards, was not equipped to offer Internet access to its

users. The shop owner said they can only access office mails. I Then I went to a

cybercafe to download the stuff.

My phone calls and the agony continued for four more days. My consultation

with our IT team in Delhi office gave me answers to the problem. But I gave up

my dream to connect, and settled for Vodafone Connect. Currently, I am waiting

for a bill shock as I used Vodafone Internet connection while on roaming. During

my vacation, whenever I downloaded mails, I got a message-you are on roaming.

You will be charged extra. Good. Vodafone is happy to help me!

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I urge operators to spend funds to train their managers in retail outlets in

rural areas. The manpower in the retail outlet was not trained enough to

understand the difference between a Mac laptop and other branded laptops, and

the operating system. Wireless Internet using 3G will be an instant hit. But

rural push is yet to find a place on the radar of many operators.

Look at the ongoing 3G auctions. The prospective 3G operators are not

expecting substantial revenues from rural folk considering the initial bid value

for some of the states. On day nine of the 3G auctions, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar,

Orissa, Assam, The Northeast, and Jammu & Kashmir attracted bids worth less than

Rs 31 crore each. But there may be some interest at a later stage. Besides three

metros, 3G bidders are focusing on Maharashtra, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh,

Karnataka, Tamil Nadu (including Chennai), Haryana, Uttar Pradesh E & W,

Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The bid price is between Rs 200-600 crore for

these states. Kolkata, Kerala, Punjab and West Bengal got bids worth Rs 100-200

crore. Only Delhi attracted bids worth more than Rs 700 crore. India's business

hub, Mumbai, is worth Rs 668 crore for 3G operators.

The rollout will tell about the real rural thrust. Operators are looking at

tapping the top 200 towns in the initial phase. This strategy will avoid their

presence in most rural areas.

Telecom service providers should spend more funds to connect the masses using

Internet. Masses will bring cheers to the country. It will push economy, and

remove imbalances.

Baburajan K



baburajank@cybermedia.co.in

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