How Airtel, Tata DoCoMo and others are poaching customers
Some
vendors are using the Supreme Court judgement to poach each other's
customers by sending misleading, SMSes, calls and e-mails.
MUMBAI: "Under Court order, your operator is about to shut operations.
All users are requested to port out." In case you've received a similar
message, you've probably been at the receiving end of predatory tactics
telecom vendors are practicing as they fight for revenue in a shrinking
pie of users. Then, depending on the originating network, there is a
sales pitch for better plans or faster and easier porting to that
network.
Some vendors are using the Supreme Court judgement to poach each other's customers by sending misleading, SMSs, calls and e-mails. The primary targets are Aircel, Telenor, MTS, and Loop Mobile customers, and even biggies like Vodafone. A bulk message that recently went out to one lakh Vodafone customers said: "Due to termination of license Vodafone's services are soon to shut in Mumbai. To retain your number port out to a new operator". Vodafone has identified the source of this message and is currently taking legal action, said a company e-mail to ET.
Another message to Aircel customers and vendors read, "Important notice - MTS Loop and Aircel are shutting services in Mumbai. You are requested to join Vodafone's superior network and earn more profit". In Uttar Pradesh, where Telenor has a bulk of its customer base, an Airtel poster urged customers to port out along with a regional newspaper headline to prove Telenor was shutting shop. Airtel and Tata DoCoMo lines have been calling Aircel customers with the same message.
In February last year, the Supreme Court revoked 122 telecom licences associated with the 2G scam. However, the court said that the companies were entitled to win back their licences by participating in a fresh airwave auction. When the auction was conducted in November, companies won back some of the licences, while others were lost.
As a result, companies such as Telenor, Videocon, MTS and Loop shut services in select areas and not in others. Neither Vodafone nor Aircel's operations in Mumbai are impacted by the SC judgement.
"In the 9 circles where MTS India now has its final footprint, the company has extensively engaged with all its customer. This has been done to ensure that attempts to spread any kind of misinformation are duly checked," said a Sistema Shyam spokesman. The company runs mobile services under the MTS brand.
Some vendors are using the Supreme Court judgement to poach each other's customers by sending misleading, SMSs, calls and e-mails. The primary targets are Aircel, Telenor, MTS, and Loop Mobile customers, and even biggies like Vodafone. A bulk message that recently went out to one lakh Vodafone customers said: "Due to termination of license Vodafone's services are soon to shut in Mumbai. To retain your number port out to a new operator". Vodafone has identified the source of this message and is currently taking legal action, said a company e-mail to ET.
Another message to Aircel customers and vendors read, "Important notice - MTS Loop and Aircel are shutting services in Mumbai. You are requested to join Vodafone's superior network and earn more profit". In Uttar Pradesh, where Telenor has a bulk of its customer base, an Airtel poster urged customers to port out along with a regional newspaper headline to prove Telenor was shutting shop. Airtel and Tata DoCoMo lines have been calling Aircel customers with the same message.
In February last year, the Supreme Court revoked 122 telecom licences associated with the 2G scam. However, the court said that the companies were entitled to win back their licences by participating in a fresh airwave auction. When the auction was conducted in November, companies won back some of the licences, while others were lost.
As a result, companies such as Telenor, Videocon, MTS and Loop shut services in select areas and not in others. Neither Vodafone nor Aircel's operations in Mumbai are impacted by the SC judgement.
"In the 9 circles where MTS India now has its final footprint, the company has extensively engaged with all its customer. This has been done to ensure that attempts to spread any kind of misinformation are duly checked," said a Sistema Shyam spokesman. The company runs mobile services under the MTS brand.
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