Will MNP Help "The Big 3 Cartel"?

[ravi_patent 28]

early trends portend gain of big 3 at the cost of cdma / new players.is this consumer friendly

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2011/01/25/stories/2011012551120900.htm

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd and Reliance Communications have emerged the biggest losers as a result of Mobile Number Portability (MNP), introduced a month ago in Haryana. According to initial numbers, BSNL has lost a net of over 20,000 subscribers, while RCom has lost nearly 13,500 subscribers as on January 16.

Idea Cellular, which was the first to start an advertising campaign on MNP, has a net loss of 1,863 subscribers with 15,604 subscribers leaving its network and 13,741 coming in.

Even new players, including Sistema Shyam, Loop Telecom and Datacom (Videocon), have ended up with a net loss in numbers as a result of MNP.

Though these are initial numbers, the trends indicate a strong preference for incumbent GSM players.

Vodafone gained the most with 30,015 subscribers joining its network and only 9,267 leaving. Although Bharti Airtel lost 10,837 of its subscribers, it ended up in the positive as it managed to lure 18,271 subscribers from other operators' networks.

While these numbers are for Haryana, initial trends coming in from other parts of India are on similar lines.

While MNP was introduced in Haryana in November, the system was launched across the country on January 20.

Teething issues

Sources in the Department of Telecom said that there were teething problems in implementing the system, with complaints coming in from various quarters that porting was not being completed in some cases.

The DoT has written to all the operators to implement the scheme according to the rules set out by the TRAI and the Government.

“If a subscriber sends porting request to number 1900, operators have to respond back with the unique porting code. There should not be any exceptions or excuses for this. We have received some complaints of operators who are not processing porting requests. We are investigating these complaints,” said a top DoT official.

A Reliance Communications spokesperson said, “We believe that the customers who may have ported from one service provider to another are likely to port again on completion of the set time frame of three months. Our focus has been to provide a superior customer experience through better network quality, a wide array of applications at affordable tariffs to attract the high ARPU customers to the Reliance Network. We are satisfied with the initial experience and expect a significant shift in the trend on in the next 2-3 months.”

[Karthik R 246]

The 5% subscriber base of postpaid subscribers contributes about 20% of revenues for larger telecom players. That is the prize money the operators are going to battle for - to win the postpaid subscribers.

[srk006 21]

"The Big gets Bigger" seems to be working here.

Some what expected to be like this at-least in the initial phase; people seems to be getting on to networks based on the brand, jingle or ad rather than network quality. Its good to see Tata GSM and Aircel getting a good number of port-ins.

But why is there no mention of MTS in this article?

[confused_follower 12]

Its based on Haryana and MTS has very small presence in Haryana.

I think we should wait for a pan-India report as every operator has pains in some circle or the other.

It will be interesting to see the pan-India report.

[inception 75]

Haryana is a small circle, you can't predict trends from a circle! MNP effect will vary from circle to circle even area to area depending upon network coverage. Of course operators will try to convince customers with similar/better offer, but at the end coverage, 3G and after-sale support will be key differentiator for MNP!

[kshah 452]

It appears still porting has not picked up as it should. I came across people who are waiting to hear experience of others before porting their numbers. There are subscribers like me who wants to port at-least 1 number to begin with (Airtel want to port) but unable to decide operator due to network problem in office and also 3G launch.

I came across BSNL customers who believe that in next few months BSNL will be least congested due to lots of people porting out, hence its wise to remain with BSNL because only BSNL offers LL to BSNL mobile free ADVANTAGE.

So there are many criterion which user consider and remain in indecisive state. IMO

[sgiitk 32]

This is one month of Haryana. Biggest loser BSNL followed by Reliance (both GSM & CDMA). Biggest gainer Vodafone, Aircel (surprise), Tata Docomo & Airtel. Massive churn in Airtel.

If the trend continues then CDMA (and Reliance, as their GSM is pathetic at best) seems to be in trouble (allowing market handsets may be the way out). What was happening in Airtel - poor service + marketing hype!

Edited January 26, 2011 by sgiitk

[Karthik R 246]

Waiting for the numbers across the country - want to check how TI and MTS fares.

And Bsnl may in fact gain a significant chunk of the high ARPU porting users for its unlimited 3G plans @ 700.

[Venkatagiri 53]

early news: vodapone getting more inports.

[Saurav 22]

Reliance need to improve RGSM Network a lot in order to stay in market.

If we combine RGSM & RCDMA termination figures shared above then Reliance is Second Largest Looser.

In case of Private companies its Biggest looser.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Saurav

[rkburra 1]

First of all they need to improve their arrogant customer care and also improve the Tariff plans.

Reliance need to improve RGSM Network a lot in order to stay in market.

[Mukeshlst 5]

At my locality,after 5 days of MNP here are not even single request to port-in.but rcom has been lost more than 200 nos.vodafone is biggest gainer,aircel on second position and airtel at third.

Agr rel wale jaldi nahi jage to may he can slip at 4th position at all india subscriber ranking.

[raccoon 53]

So this is the effect of poaching AirHELL guys (at least they can be said to be a significant factor)..

Good. Serves ADA right.

As far as RCom goes, this was expected. But I'm sad to hear about AirHELL's gains. The biggest swindler of them all has actually made gains (at least till now).

Edited January 26, 2011 by raccoon

[ACS 130]

^^^ I share the same views on RComm & Airtel

Infact im happier that RComm learns its lessons the hard way.

These guys done even know how to handle SME/Corporate Clients..

Ask me, my 95% business comes thru Corporates.. they say - "you're good upto 5-10 connections.. beyond that yur Company cant handle Corporates.. were treated like ordinary clients anyways"

The moment we take the nos to 40-50, RComm starts to fumble..

There are a number of process related issues.. small issues snowballing into bigger ones.

Eg. they have no Corporate Code - So every-time we give new SME connection, the due date is different, couriers never reach, CUG request & multiple follow-ups everytime to sort all things back in order.. This naturally results in Disconnections & billing disputes !

Waise bhi, ppl have a bad impression of ADA family, a name u can't trust..

If Mukesh Bhaiya was still in charge, things would have been a lot different..

Airtel might be a loot, but otherwise Solid both internally & externally.. compared to other Telcos atleast..

Edited January 26, 2011 by ACS

[abhisathe 8]

I think there is no service provider who can be termed as `the best'. Everybody here is talking about poor customer care of Reliance and I agree to a large extent. But I am shifting to RCDMA more because of its wider network coverage. I have experienced customer care of BSNL, MTNL, Idea and Reliance. Reliance ppl may be rude and do not help you out, Idea customer care guys are polite but they too in most cases do not help you out. There is not much difference between Reliance and Idea.

I have also seen my colleagues who had network as well as customer care problems with Airtel and Vodafone. So the conclusion is that one should not generalise opinion about any service provider. Everyone's opinion is based on services available locally.

^^^ I share the same views on RComm & Airtel

Infact im happier that RComm learns its lessons the hard way.

These guys done even know how to handle SME/Corporate Clients..

Ask me, my 95% business comes thru Corporates.. they say - "you're good upto 5-10 connections.. beyond that yur Company cant handle Corporates.. were treated like ordinary clients anyways"

The moment we take the nos to 40-50, RComm starts to fumble..

There are a number of process related issues.. small issues snowballing into bigger ones.

Eg. they have no Corporate Code - So every-time we give new SME connection, the due date is different, couriers never reach, CUG request & multiple follow-ups everytime to sort all things back in order.. This naturally results in Disconnections & billing disputes !

Waise bhi, ppl have a bad impression of ADA family, a name u can't trust..

If Mukesh Bhaiya was still in charge, things would have been a lot different..

Airtel might be a loot, but otherwise Solid both internally & externally.. compared to other Telcos atleast..

[ravi_patent 28]

The general attitude with indian's thus far has been sticking to a brand irrespective of quality offerings from competitors.i wish the same should not happen here benefitting the cartel .

[raccoon 53]

I think there is no service provider who can be termed as `the best'. Everybody here is talking about poor customer care of Reliance and I agree to a large extent. But I am shifting to RCDMA more because of its wider network coverage. I have experienced customer care of BSNL, MTNL, Idea and Reliance. Reliance ppl may be rude and do not help you out, Idea customer care guys are polite but they too in most cases do not help you out. There is not much difference between Reliance and Idea.

I have also seen my colleagues who had network as well as customer care problems with Airtel and Vodafone. So the conclusion is that one should not generalise opinion about any service provider. Everyone's opinion is based on services available locally.

I beg to differ somewhat. I of course concede that experiences differ from area to area.

Call centers of all the operators are more or less equally pathetic. But there are ways to escalate. My comments are based on that.

In that I have found lot of differences. For eg. Idea actually seems to appointed Nodal and Appellate Officers. Make a call and you will find that you aren't talking to call center guys. And I don't recall going away without a solution (eventually). Airtel and RCom on the other hand don't even have them! I guess they have simply put up emails and phone numbers of their offers on their sites just to show that they are complying with regulation. Docomo also seems to be the same, but in their case the calls and emails are answered, but one can tell that the quality of guys sitting there are either the same or are only slightly better than the average call center guy. Again this is my experience. In other circles it may be different.

Further, at least for me, I am not much interested in how polite they speak. I'd rather get the job done asap rather than hear "yes sir, extremely sorry sir, it won't happen again sir", etc., etc., because we all know it is all like speaking to a tape recorder and your frustration/anger is never going to go beyond the poor, dull call center guy who is paid mainly to absorb all the muck that irate customers want to actually throw at the management.

Edited January 27, 2011 by raccoon

[Venkatagiri 53]

Airtel, BSNL, Reliance,and Tata have pan India network.

They have landline to support (Schemes like mobile to LL Free)

When it comes to roaming, network coverage, LL support the above four are on top.

[kesav 127]

Dear Friends,

Please don't run your arguments based on the recent figures appearing in different media websites/news papers. All these figures mostly are fudged and the articles are paid campaigns to somehow retain the potential jump-overs.

The figures released by MNP operator can only be trusted upon and rest can only be trashed.

Let us hold our breath and wait for the official figure from Syniverse for Dec for Haryana.

[inception 75]

Airtel, BSNL, Reliance,and Tata have pan India network.

They have landline to support (Schemes like mobile to LL Free)

When it comes to roaming, network coverage, LL support the above four are on top.

if you think about calls to landlines, get bsnl!!

[ravi_patent 28]

@ kesav

i agree with you..

either paid news or blindness to reality by media

[coolblue 10]

Dear Friends,

http://news.oneindia.in/2011/01/30/mobile-number-portability-how-change-charges-rules-aid0102.html

The figures released by MNP operator can only be trusted upon and rest can only be trashed.

Let us hold our breath and wait for the official figure from Syniverse for Dec for Haryana.

Mumbai, Jan 30: The early figures after the launch of Mobile Number Portability (MNP) show that Abhishek Bahchan's campaigns to woo the subscribers have positively worked for Idea Cellular. It became the biggest gainer with a net gain of 12,300 subscribers in just eight days.

Ref:

Buzz up!MNP was launched across the country on Jan 20 which allows users to change their service providers while retaining their numbers. The figures made available by telecom companies to the Department of Telecommunications revealed the gain and loss for different service providers in India.

Here is the major shifts after MNP launch:

* Idea bagged a net gain of 12,300 subscribers. (Net gain is the difference between the number of subscribers who left and those who joined)

* Vodafone Essar got a net addition of 11,252 subscribers

* Aircel settled at third position with 3,389 net additions

* Airtel manged to get only 94 customers

* Reliance Communications lost 9,837 subscribers and 192 decided to join it

* BSNL also lost many of its subscribers.

[sgiitk 32]

The latest data is available at http://telecomtalk.info/initial-mnp-data-reveals-vodafone-as-a-clear-winner-followed-by-idea/55788/

Biggest sufferer BSNL followed by RCom-GSM! Biggest gainer: Vodafone

Edited February 18, 2011 by sgiitk

[Karthik R 246]

CDMA operators in general are facing the heat.

[inception 75]

CDMA operators loosing the game coz:

1. lack of good handsets as per cost & features

2. RUIM & OMH thing are not made popular

3. Poor data plans on mobile

4. You can't use same RUIM on mobile and data card!

5. You cant send longer SMS at one go!

etc etc