Weird Hutch Calling Rates

[linuxguy 0]

Hi people, I know this isn't the right forum to ask this question but I guess I will. I am currently using Hutch's ZR299 plan. Now the call charges are 50p H2H while 1.69 to other phones( WLL, CDMA, Landlines, other GSM phones etc... ). As I understand the Mumbai and Maharashtra circles have been merged ( acc to some TRAI order? ) so H2H calls in Maharashtra and Goa should be local, right? Well for some time they were and now all of a sudden, I am being charged some weird call rates which are much higher than 50p. This is working out pretty costly. Now there are a few things I want to know:

1. Was the TRAI order mandatory for all telcos to implement?

2. As I understand BPL has been converted to Hutch in MH circle. Their deal went bad, right? So has Hutch been converted back to BPL? Is it that reason that I am being charged so high rates? ( But these aren't STD rates ).

3. If you're using Hutch are you being charged odd rates to cellphones in MH & Goa?

I have lodged a complaint with Hutch and they are looking into it but I wont know whats wrong until monday or tuesday. I am thinking of writing to their nodal officer and complaining. Their CC is pathetic i.e. they keep contradicting themselves on the rates applicable to me :/

Any help would be appreciated.

P.S.: Anybody working for Hutch or knowing some higher up that can get my issue resolved quickly please let me know....

[Puneet 0]

1. The order to treat M2M and L2M calls as local for paired circles was mandatory. Please note that Mumbai and MH circles were paired and not merged.

2. BPL MH is now Hutch. The controversial deal was for BPL Mumbai.

[linuxguy 0]

I talked to the nodal officer ( Mumbai ) of Hutch and she assured me that the problem will be resolved soon. I confirmed, Hutch to Hutch calls from Mumbai to Maharashtra circle will be charged at 50p only and not at 1.69.

Now one more question, can someone tell me whether 9923 series belongs to hutch?

[Arun 795]

Its Hutch (Maharashtra) ! This helped me to find out

[linuxguy 0]

Thanks Arun, but then why does Hutch CC say its BPL and not Hutch? I am seriously confused

[smartbuddy_82 0]

Mumbai (Hutch) users plz write to the Nodal officer of Hutch (Mumbai) and complain about Hutch not following TRAI directive of treating full of Maharashtra and Mumbai as 1 circle and threaten the Nodal officer that you would be complaining to TRAI about Hutch not following its directive if the rates are not changed soon.

The more people send email to the Nodal officer, the more pressure he would be under and soon they will change the rates.

Plz write to the mumbai Nodal officer at:

anthony.m@hutch.in

Email source: http://hutch.in/contactus/nodal.asp

[linuxguy 0]

I called the nodal office, twice, and they say that BPL is NOT Hutch in Maharashtra which is absolutely contrary to what is shown on BOTH BPL and Hutch's OWN website. This is so freakin' bad! I am going to take this matter up with the appellate authority, if not then with pehredar and TRAI. If nothing comes through then my last resort is the consumer court.

Any other hutch users here in the forum facing the same / similar problem??

[linuxguy 0]

update: the Nodal office is a dead end. I didn't call up Mr.Harit Nagpal. I'm going to send a letter by snail mail to him and CC it to TRAI and Pehredar ( via. Email ). Lets see what they have to say then.

[smartbuddy_82 0]

Since I did not get a response from Nodal officer I wrote an email to Appellate Authority at Hutch telling them that if a proper response is not given in 10 working days, I would file a case with consumer court. Today I got a call from that department:

This is what they said:

All calls to Maharashtra and Goa are charged at local rates (i.e 1.99 for prepaid). But on promotional offers given, hutch has no restrictions on fixing charges made to any phone. So since its a Promotional offer Hutch deserves the right to fix the charges and limit the promotion to only Hutch Mumbai numbers and charge normal rates to Hutch Maharashta numbers.

So this female was very smart in saying that we are following all directives by TRAI and treating all calls to Maharashtra and Goa as local calls but Hutch deserves the right to govern charges on additional promotional offers.

Then I inquired about why sms is charged at Rs.2 (which is a charge for National Sms) instead of charging 1.50 (for prepaid) when Maharashtra and Mumbai are one circle? This is what she said:

TRAI order on Maharashtra and Mumbai to be treated as one circle only specifies about calls to be treated as local calls, the order does not say anything about sms to be treated as local. She suggested that I can write to TRAI and seek clarification on sms to be treated as local and if we at Hutch receive any such directive by TRAI we will surely abide by it as we always abide by all directives of TRAI and exhibit fair play and good service to our customers.

This female who called and spoke to me was definitely not a call center employee but someone from the management because she was well prepared to answer me and also had the TRAI directive and guidelines handy as she read it out to me when I raised the issue of sms.

So no use of taking the issue to anywhere else like the consumer court etc because they will surely win the case as she proved me that Hutch is not going against any guidelines set by TRAI.

[rajeevjee 0]

This is quite unprofessional. I guess, you should have taken a brochure/ written material from them on the plan rates. Is anyone facing a similar problem with any other operator (Airtel/ Reliance/ Idea/ BSNL/ MTNL)? Let's share so as we can warn others..

[sanket55555 0]

we need to garner more support, come on rimweb!!!!!

[linuxguy 0]

No other operator. Only Hutch.

@imranais, for the post paid subscribers the 50p rate is not promotional offer. it is an integral part of the plan.