[rohan_iitr]

Originally Posted by mail4ajo

I am a NRI planning to visit India soon. How do I obtain a prepaid cell phone connection? What is the process like and how much lead time before activation?

Easiest approach would be to ask a friend/relative to get an extra prepaid connection, which you can use during your visit.

Most people generally have a spare SIM card for such usage. Many people have a spare SIM for cheaper data.

Rohan

[JMaruru]

I have this requirement of receiving SMS messages while being overseas(United States). Earlier, my Airtel prepaid plan used to allow incoming SMS messages without any dent on the balance. What now I heard is the same has been stopped by Airtel and unless we have a roaming plan activated we would NOT be able to avail the signal while being overseas.

Currently, I am with JIO and even they have similar rules and practices.
Do we have any other prepaid operator who provides this feature of receiving text(SMS) messages while being in 'United States' and NOT avail of an expensive 'International Roaming' plan?

Please advise!

[Vysakh]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

I have this requirement of receiving SMS messages while being overseas(United States). Earlier, my Airtel prepaid plan used to allow incoming SMS messages without any dent on the balance. What now I heard is the same has been stopped by Airtel and unless we have a roaming plan activated we would NOT be able to avail the signal while being overseas.

Currently, I am with JIO and even they have similar rules and practices.
Do we have any other prepaid operator who provides this feature of receiving text(SMS) messages while being in 'United States' and NOT avail of an expensive 'International Roaming' plan?

Please advise!

No, airtel stopped doing that. Incoming SMS during international roaming is free on AirTel. IIRC, they did that to take on JIO. So, it should be free on JIO as well.

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by Vysakh

No, airtel stopped doing that. Incoming SMS during international roaming is free on AirTel. IIRC, they did that to take on JIO. So, it should be free on JIO as well.

+1
Till 2 months back, JIO did allowed you free incoming SMS. Not sure if anything changed since then.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by Vysakh

No, airtel stopped doing that. Incoming SMS during international roaming is free on AirTel. IIRC, they did that to take on JIO. So, it should be free on JIO as well.

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

+1
Till 2 months back, JIO did allowed you free incoming SMS. Not sure if anything changed since then.

What I would like to know is WITHOUT 'International Roaming' plan activated does it catch tower signal abroad(United States) and allow free incoming SMS?

This was happening with Airtel earlier, BUT they say post october 18, they have stopped the same. Does JIO SIM catch signal in United States WITHOUT us activating a International Roaming plan?

[.sushilkumar]

Originally Posted by JMaruru

What I would like to know is WITHOUT 'International Roaming' plan activated does it catch tower signal abroad(United States) and allow free incoming SMS?

This was happening with Airtel earlier, BUT they say post october 18, they have stopped the same. Does JIO SIM catch signal in United States WITHOUT us activating a International Roaming plan?

Incidentally, I have few friends in US right now on business trip. below is what is status right now based on SIM's they are carrying...

1) Airtel, You do get SMS even if international roaming is not enabled.
2) Vodafone - you got to pay SMS service worth 100-150 rupee extra pack.
3) JIO - You don't get any signals as well. So you need to opt for Extra SMS service.

[JMaruru]

Originally Posted by .sushilkumar

Incidentally, I have few friends in US right now on business trip. below is what is status right now based on SIM's they are carrying...

1) Airtel, You do get SMS even if international roaming is not enabled.
2) Vodafone - you got to pay SMS service worth 100-150 rupee extra pack.
3) JIO - You don't get any signals as well. So you need to opt for Extra SMS service.

Airtel: Are they on a PrePaid Plan?

Vodafone: The extra pack is on top of normal domestic prepaid plan? Also, does it expire within certain interval(eg. 28 days)?

JIO: Yes, JIO is the worst of the lot as it would NOT even catch signal if you have NOT purchased a international roaming pack.

[riteshritesh]

Incoming SMS are still free with a basic IR activation. What has changed? Pre-activated IR used to be bundled with some circles Prepaid/postpaid plans, hence no separate need for activation was there.

If someone claims that they could get incoming sms, inspite of the phone not getting latched on any foreign provider, that is a myth. Something like this, can never happen. Text messages require a network to transmit.

[s4ch]

Hi All

Having a major issue with Vodafone Customer Care and would appreciate any help/guidance that I could receive to take this further and get it resolved.

I was travelling internationally recently and had subscribed to the Rs.599 "Always On' pack, which basically means I get charged a flat rate of Rs.599 every day I use my phone. According to their terms:

"The charges would apply only when there is a usage (voice, data, SMS) and whenever you are abroad in applicable countries.”

So I used my phone on only 2 days to make calls, and have been charged Rs.599 per day - I am totally fine with this. However, on my itemised bill there is a load of daily internet usage for the remainder of my trip of exactly 1024kb at a time. I know 1000% for sure I never used the internet on this sim at all on these days. The sim was on but I never made or received a call, sent an SMS or used the data. In fact I had a local sim and the internet setting on my phone was permanently set to use that sim. Plus, how is it possible to use 1024kb exactly at a time? Obviously some kind of error. The total number of days of this so called internet usage is 13, which means an extra charge of 13x599 = 7787 + tax = no small amount!

So I wrote to Vodafone customer care, a few hours later a lady called me up, listened to me, agreed with me, and said she will check with her team and get back. However within about 2 mins I had an email saying "as explained to me on the phone the charges are genuine when you were latched on to UK, and cannot be waived and that the case has been closed". So off I wrote another email to them explaining it a bit better this time and threatening to raise a complaint with TRAI. Few hours later, receive a call from a guy who listens to me, says its genuine and I have been charged because the plan was active, even though I didn't use the plan. I say this is not good enough please escalate the issue - he assures me he will. Literally about 2 mins later I get an email saying the case has been closed with an exact copy paste of the first email I received!

So now what do I do? I have written back threatening them to take them to rge Consumer Court, and also written to the Appellate Authority as mentioned on the TRAI complaints website as well. The customer care is so incompetent that it seems that all they care about is closing cases so that their performance metrics looks great without actually worrying about what the customer is saying.

If anyone has any suggestions or faced a similar situation, then any pointers would be much appreciated. Thanks for listening.

[riteshritesh]

Originally Posted by s4ch

Hi All


"The charges would apply only when there is a usage (voice, data, SMS) and whenever you are abroad in applicable countries.”
The sim was on but I never made or received a call, sent an SMS or used the data. In fact I had a local sim and the internet setting on my phone was permanently set to use that sim.

My logic would suggest that if the phone is kept on, latched to a roaming partner, it means it is being used. Vodafone or any service provider is incurring an expense, with their roaming partner, just to keep your phone available for any service. This amounts to usage. You are using their service, which amounts to usage. Not sure about the data usage part.
You are free to drag them, as your interpretation was different. Do let us know the outcome.

[deadguy25]

Originally Posted by s4ch

Hi All

Having a major issue with Vodafone Customer Care and would appreciate any help/guidance that I could receive to take this further and get it resolved.
I was travelling internationally recently and had subscribed to the Rs.599 "Always On' pack, which basically means I get charged a flat rate of Rs.599 every day I use my phone. According to their terms:
"The charges would apply only when there is a usage (voice, data, SMS) and whenever you are abroad in applicable countries.”

My friend had a similar problem, not sure which provider (Airtel\Vodafaone). He stood his ground stating the phone was not used for data (similar to this case), relentlessly spoke to customer care (innumerable times) and sent mails. After about a month, the problem was solved, they accepted it was their mistake.

[s4ch]

Originally Posted by riteshritesh

My logic would suggest that if the phone is kept on, latched to a roaming partner, it means it is being used. Vodafone or any service provider is incurring an expense, with their roaming partner, just to keep your phone available for any service. This amounts to usage. You are using their service, which amounts to usage. Not sure about the data usage part.
You are free to drag them, as your interpretation was different. Do let us know the outcome.

Many thanks for your response. I do agree with your logic, however for latching on to a roaming partner they already have a fee of Rs.149 per month that they charge. This charge basically only allows you to connect to a roaming network and receive SMS. Any incoming/outgoing calls, data or sending of SMS is charged above this.

How I know that it definitely is a mistake, is that my wife had no daily 599 plan activated, yet on her bill it shows similar usage of 1024kb per session (for I guess latching on to the network). However she has not been charged at all for this (chargeable amount shows as zero for each session). Yet they are charging me 599 per day, when it doesn't mention anything about latching on charges etc in their terms and conditions for this plan. Even their instructions on how to avoid extra charges while roaming says to keep internet switched off and deactivate data roaming on that sim, which is exactly what I did.

I did get a call today from a 3rd customer care guy, and he listened and this time raised a complaint with providing a complaint number etc saying they'll get back within 24 hours. Lets see how this goes.

Originally Posted by deadguy25

My friend had a similar problem, not sure which provider (Airtel\Vodafaone). He stood his ground stating the phone was not used for data (similar to this case), relentlessly spoke to customer care (innumerable times) and sent mails. After about a month, the problem was solved, they accepted it was their mistake.

Wow that is encouraging to hear. Would it be possible to get more details - how the charge appeared on his bill, who he escalated it to and how he finally was able to get it resolved etc? If possible that would really be appreciated.

Thanks again.

[deadguy25]

Originally Posted by s4ch

Wow that is encouraging to hear. Would it be possible to get more details - how the charge appeared on his bill, who he escalated it to and how he finally was able to get it resolved etc? If possible that would really be appreciated.

Thanks again.

Sorry for the late response, was travelling over the weekend. I will get in touch with my friend and provide an update at the earliest.

[deadguy25]

Originally Posted by deadguy25

Sorry for the late response, was travelling over the weekend. I will get in touch with my friend and provide an update at the earliest.

Sorry for the late response. Have sent a PM. Hope it has already been solved.

[carboy]

I used to be on a postpaid plan for a long time (Vodafone). Early this year, I changed to Jio Prepaid. Their network is quite poor inside my home, so now ported to Vodafone prepaid. After porting, I recharged with a plan where I get unlimited phone calls & also 1.5 GB/day for 84 days. I was on something similar with Jio earlier.

On Jio, I could send SMS to DishTV's 57575 while Vodafone doesn't. With Jio, I was able to phone 1-860- numbers but with Vodafone, I couldn't. When I ported, I was initially setup with some 5 or 10 Rs of prepaid originally after which I did the 84 day pack right on Day 1. I was allowed to send the 57575 SMS & also call 1-860 numbers till this 5-10 Rs got exhausted, but post that, I am unable to do either.

So why does Jio Prepaid allow this? And what is the way to do this in Vodafone prepaid?