When you have Nokia N900, with advantages,
there are some disadvantages too :)
N900 has the fastest web-browser yet
(I guess till this time, this information is true :P ).It has in built Adobe
flash player support and the web browser renders pages so smoothly that you
feel like browsing on your desktop. But this makes GPRS Counter run like
anything.
I am using Vodafone post-paid
connection since last 2 and half years. Earlier in my N81,the opera mini
browser use take care of the GPRS meter. I never had crossed 5-10 MB in whole
month (I use to check my emails and Orkut daily on it though).
But on 1st Jan, when I putted
Vodafone card in my N900, and Clicked on http://www.gmail.com ,I was shocked with the speed. Then I
checked 1 email and closed the browser and Internet connection. I was shocked
once again to notice the GPRS counter. It showed 5.8 MB. (If you are Vodafone
customer, you can make it ,to how much in INR it cost me .. Yes.. Whooping 58
RS/- )
Now, “What to do??” obvious was the
question that popped up. As the primary intention to go with N900 was to keep
in touch with all via internet! And if this will be the case, I surely will
need to rethink on the reason I bought this monster phone.
I called Vodafone customer care the
next minute to ask for any special or unlimited GPRS plan. They elaborated 2-3
plans with about 49,200 and 500 monthly rental. I choose 200/- rental plan that
use to give me almost 100 MB of downloading free.
February 12th .. Yes, my billing date is 12th of
every month and on this day I saw my bill went to almost 1800/-.Frankly
speaking I am not someone who wants to spend 1800/- on one postpaid connection
when another prepaid connection of Reliance is taking 500/- every month. I gave
a second thought and unsubscribed the GPRS plan in next month.
Now, I was very eager to get a better
deal in GPRS ASAP. I called the customer care regularly after every 2 weeks to
enquire about same. Even the 500/- monthly rental plan was having .5 GB
download limit. :(
Till July, I satisfied my self by
browsing and updating phone software’s from WAN connections. :P But, there are
sometimes, when you want to check something and there is no WAN available. At
those times I use to regret about the decision of going with N900.
But, in July, I have seen Tata Docomo
GSM offer. It offered 6 GB data in 95/-. On that evening, I taken that card and
waited very patiently till 3 days (They took 3 days to activate GPRS on the
Card). And since that day, till 1st week of Sep , I was on the GO with DOCOMO.
Almost for 2-3 days, Tata Docomo GPRS
was down and I was very annoyed! I, then again enquired about the current GPRS
plans with Vodafone. I was not very much happy with the current plans too. I
disconnected the call and just casually went through their website.
I was very surprised to found that,
the prepaid connection had better plans than postpaid. In Prepaid ,they have
offer of 60 MB per day with recharge of almost 99/-RS for 1 month.I made my
mind to convert my postpaid connection to prepaid one.
I revised all the plans that were
offered on that date from their website. They are as follow:
Vodafone
live!
Option 1: Pay as you go: Usage charge: 10p / 10KB
Option 2: Save on usage by choosing a data plan
Prepaid Plans
VL17 Rs17, Validity 3 days, FREE Usage - 30MB/day
VL27 Rs27, Validity 7
days, FREE Usage - 30MB/day
VL58 Rs58, Validity 15
days, FREE Usage - 30MB/day
VL99 Rs99, Validity 30
days, FREE Usage - 60MB/day
Postpaid Plans
VL49 Rs49 Monthly Rent, 5Mb usage Free and 30 MMS free.
VL100 Rs200 monthly
rental, 100Mb Free
VL500 Rs500 monthly
rental, 500Mb Free
On that Saturday, I went to Vodafone
store and asked the procedure to convert postpaid connection to prepaid one.
They asked me the primary reason and I replied "I am not satisfied with
current GPRS plans in postpaid". I told them that Vodafone has better
plans for GPRS in prepaid than postpaid, so I would like to convert this card
in pre paid.
The Customer care representative was
clueless and he asked his senior to come
down. The senior person (didn't looked
like a senior though) came and explained the latest plans that they have. I
replied, "I already know and that's why I have chosen the best suited plan
to me." He then went to another counter and asked for another person in
there. Then the other person also came and introduced himself as "GPRS
Expert!". I was happy to know that.
He asked for my mobile and after
looking for 5-10 minutes, he replied "As this phone is not yet launched in I ndia,it
doesn't support Vodafone live. "
Bravo!!... What an expert comment
that was!!. WTF man ??..For what reason I came here and what you are telling me
??.. I have been used Vodafone live on the same handset on 1st Jan 2010 and on
18th Sep 2010, Vodafone live does not support this handset ??? .. I was not in
mood to buy his comment. I took my mobile and tuned the settings and Vodafone
live was accessible in few minutes.
The other guy then popped up with a
more brilliant idea this time. He showed me (on a plain paper with pen) the
LATEST plans that Vodafone has with postpaid connection.
250 /- rental for a month and 5 GB
download limit.
I said "NO!!.. I will not go with
this.. I card of other service provider who gives me 6 GB in 95/- month".
He modified the plan. Now the next
plan that he offered was of 250 /- rental for a month and 8 GB download limit.
"No!!”.. I was firm on my
decision.
Next plan came with "200 /-
rental for a month with 8 GB download limit".
"Still .. No !" was me this
time also.
Then the offer was "150 /-
rental for a month with 8 GB download limit".
"I still will not go with this
plan and want to convert it in pre paid only !!" I somehow managed to
reply quickly as my right hemisphere of brain was "Almost IN" for
that plan.
Then came the shocker.. "150 /-
rental for a month with unlimited download limit !!".
Right hemisphere of brain came
sharply this time and I asked "Is it for real ?" ..
"Yes.!! 100% .. As a special
gesture to our postpaid connection I will take this request and will also
request you to be a postpaid customer...But this plan will take 2-3 days to get
activated."
I didn't had anything to say.. I
agreed and returned to flat.
After 2 days , I got a SMS from
Vodafone saying "Your request has been processed and Necessary service has
been activated on your Vodafone mobile number ". I was very happy and I
started to browse on Vodafone live .
Then was another SHOCKER !! .. Speed
was "PATHETIC" !! I was not in my senses .. what should I do now ??..
Am I a fool ??.. The next moment I switched off the mobile and inserted Docomo
card again. Speed was up to satisfaction level and I smiled back :)
So.. What to do with that Vodafone
card ?? ... I called up Vodafone customer care and asked about my current plan
details. They throw a "BOUNCER" on me ! According to them, my newly
activated GPRS plan was of "250/- monthly rental and 1 GB download limit."
I was out of control this time ! I
asked for Vodafone store number, but they said, "We can not provide you
the numbers. You will need to visit there personally".
I visited the store on 25th Sep and asked the representative about
my exact plan details. He confirmed “149/- rental and unlimited download”. I
have taken “5” minutes to think and asked “What should I do to discontinue this
number?” He handed over an email id and asked to mail this request on
that mail id.
I came out of store the next minute and returned to flat!
This time, before composing a mail to
Vodafone, I thought I should share this on my blog.
I think this may help few of you to
know the truth about the CURRENT and LATEST offers which these people
bring on day to day !.
Let me know your views on this.
(And meanwhile .. I will be
continuing my Reliance number and new Docomo number will be conveyed to you
soon J )