Mobile Operators charging for customer service calls!!!

jaganm

Disciple
Sep 25, 2006
196
5
82
Imagine my surprise when I called the Vodafone customer service number (111) today. They informed me that I will be charged 50 ps for 3 minutes. When I gave the CSR grief about it, she conveniently said that this is a TRAI order and applicable to every operator. Is this true?
 

delguy19

Skilled
Jun 19, 2006
1,104
17
52
Well Never heard about it and its impossible because call customer care is not for fun its only because we need some info or we have some issues. and TRAI cannot make it chargable because its customer care which operators need to provide because they dont have issue free system
 
Dec 24, 2007
622
46
47
39
Bangalore
well, idea has been doing this in maharashtra since the last six or so months. it is the same rate 50p/3 minute.

when a operator say it is a regulator order, and that order seems to benefit the all the operators at the same time, i say this is called lobbying by the operators :p

and most places the regulator and the regulated are always the people form the same circle
 

bhaskarvyas001

Disciple
Mar 27, 2008
216
5
87
Can anyone please confirm if they are charging for messaging to 111 for getting BILL information too?
This is really sad. What if you call the CC and they put you on hold telling all their executives are busy.. And then play the stupid music..
 

krishnandu

Skilled
Dec 25, 2009
1,840
219
152
34
Kolkata
www.krishnandusarkar.com
Don't know but one of my friend today said that here in Kolkata Vodaphone is charging for talking to Customer Executive. We're not charged for talking to Customer Care people.

Well.....tomorrow night I've called 111 and they said they have changed Customer Care to 198 or 192(I forgot the actual no). And after calling I'm not being charged anything.
 

sabby

ex-Mod
Jun 13, 2009
2,335
312
173
Bangalore
Same thing for AIRCEL. Actually, 198 is the complain number where you won't get charged. For normal info/query, you have to call the existing CC numbers and you will be charged after the CC executive receive your call. :)

BSNL rocks with free CC + free missed call alerts. :clap:
krishnandu said:
Don't know but one of my friend today said that here in Kolkata Vodaphone is charging for talking to Customer Executive. We're not charged for talking to Customer Care people.

Well.....tomorrow night I've called 111 and they said they have changed Customer Care to 198 or 192(I forgot the actual no). And after calling I'm not being charged anything.
 

bhaskarvyas001

Disciple
Mar 27, 2008
216
5
87
In my college days we used to call the CC and if there was girl on the other end, we used to have a lot of fun asking all kindda stupid questions.. :eek:hyeah:

Alas.. The newer generation would not be able to cherish that fun anymore... :bleh:
 

superczar

Skilled
Mar 17, 2005
5,185
1,651
302
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In my college days we used to call the CC and if there was girl on the other end, we used to have a lot of fun asking all kindda stupid questions..

Doesnt that kinda explain why they need to start charging for it now?
 

Nomad

Disciple
Jun 19, 2007
128
8
0
superczar said:
Doesnt that kinda explain why they need to start charging for it now?

Even I thought that this could be the reason for this, as I have seen some people calling CC for fun. But 50p/3min is not going to change that. Somebody looking for timepass will not amend his habits for 50p/3min of talk to a representative. Such people are handful in number and the telecom operator should simply block them from calling CC..
 

PhotostarSR

Adept
May 8, 2006
905
10
82
34
BTW Now even Vodafone is charging in Karnataka.

Within couple of months, we can expect all operators to charge for customer care..