The Cellular Operators Association of India had complained against the MCD’s decision to revise the licence fee from a one-time sum of Rs 1 lakh (valid for 20 years) to Rs 5 lakh for a five-year period. Since the rates were applicable on each tower, considering the fact there are over 5,500 mobile towers in the capital, the Association had sought stay of the HC order as it imposed a heavy financial burden on the companies.

However, a small relief came their way. A vacation bench comprising justices R M Lodha and A K Patnaik asked MCD not to encash the FDR portion of the amount deposited by the cellular service providers till the HC took a final decision on the their petitions challenging the new licence regime. The HC, acting on a PIL, had on May 31, constituted a committee of experts to study the health hazards caused by mobile towers located in residential areas.

The cellular service providers will now have little option but to pay up the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s (MCD) hiked licence fees, which is almost five times the earlier one, to save their mobile communication towers from the civic body’s. The service providers to pay Rs 1 lakh per tower — Rs 50,000 in cash and the rest in FDR. However, A vacation bench asked MCD not to encash the FDR portion of the amount deposited by the cellular service providers till the HC took a final decision on the their petitions challenging the new licence regime.

Cell Phones have come along way from the miami vice style-boat anchors of the 1980s.  They now posses the power to surf the internet anywhere, and at anytime.  Technologies such as VoIP have created the ability to circumvent the entire cost of communicating across long distances.  And combining these two things has resulted in a bypass; that is a virtually free telephone service.

Background

As PDA and Cellular technology morphed together at the turn of the century, we started to be able to do new things with our devices other than just make calls.  The first big thing was email. Instead of being tied down to a computer, you could now communicate in a more business-like manor on the go.  The business world took to this very kindly.  And as tech advanced, so did popularity.  Once Apple released the DATA-required iPhone in 2007, the average consumer saw they could enjoy on-the-go email, web, and even youtube anywhere at anytime.  And although the edge network that the iPhone ran on was less than fast, it was a giant hardware step in the right direction.

Iphone 3GS with HTC

Reach

By the end of 2009, there are approximately 4.6 billion cell phones in the world.[1] Back in 2008 Smart phones like Nokia’s N95, Research In Motion’s Blackberrys, and Apple’s iPhone made up roughly 10% of the total number of phones. Nowadays sites like Mediapost.net predict that half of all cellular subscribers will be using smart phones in 2011.[2]  And with phone hardware such as the iPhone 3GS on the market, combined with continuously updating and faster networks like At&t and Verizon, Smart phones have become a very affordable, beneficial, and sometimes even essential part of cellular subscribers lives.

Smartphone Capabilities

Feature phones are the same as basic phones

Companies involved in the game are marching rapidly towards the perfect storm.  Lightning fast, heavily capable phones running on dependable and speedy networks, put a device in your pocket that keeps you connected more than anyone could’ve ever imagine. As things progress, the less time we have to spend at a computer to do “computer” things.  On the iPhone in particular, you can look up directions, watch youtube videos, check any number of email accounts, and I have even taken class notes on it before.  With the built in tech it is even sometimes more efficient to use your phone rather than your computer. (GPS, Compass, Camera, Ect)  These innovations and applications are dramatically changing our lives as we know it.  The most interesting thus far, and possibly the biggest game changer are the VoIP apps like Skype that are being developed for mobile smart phones.  This very technology bypasses the traditional cellular network to communicate through the data stream. And oh yeah, did I mention it’s FREE?

Skype on the 3GS

Only on wifi after this year

Right now sitting here with my iPhone 3GS. I open the Skype application over WiFi, and make a call to my friend in the Netherlands for $0.00.  It’s not using the data package, It’s not using my minutes, and I can talk as long as I want.  The Alternative?  Pay an extra $5.00 a month for international calling, tacked onto the already $39.00 a month it is for unlimited minutes.  So what’s to say I stop using my minutes altogether and just use this nifty little Skype App?  Well of course not everyone has a smartphone and is Skype savvy, and they are doing away with free Skype over 3G[6],but it is an interesting prospect!

Google Phone Service

The recently announced Google phone service[5] has the potential to put all the pieces together and make your wireless bill next to nothing, if anything at all!  The would use their Android operating system to run VoIP, and then use a Network (possibly theirs[rumored]) to connect you up.  This way you would circumvent paying for any minutes at all. And if there was an option to forgo the data, you would be limited to wifi hot spots, but everything would be free! And as a side note, certain cities like Beijing and Atlanta are blanketed in free wifi.[3] It’s also no coincidence that cellular companies also operate very large wifi spots, such as At&t offering it completely free in NYC Times Square. [4] Can you see where this is headed?

The Bottom Line:

Smartphones combined with VoIP are one of the most potent and fastest growing collaborations in the technology world today.  We can now make calls to our friends 10,000 miles away, absolutely free.  Of course there are restrictions, but as companies such as Google and Skype innovate and expand, the cheaper it gets for us! With more and more cities offering free wifi, and a surge in smartphone popularity this is a topic that can’t afford to be overlooked.  Look out for free cellular service in the near future!

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone

2. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=117275

3. http://www.livescience.com/technology/091202-google-phone-free-service-voip.html

4. http://gizmodo.com/5547172/att-can-save-their-network-with-wi+fi?skyline=true&s=i

5. http://www.google.com/googlevoice/about.html

6. http://www.iphonebuzz.com/iphone-hd-frames-turn-up-skype-to-cost-on-iphone-bing-to-be-default-search-on-next-iphone-019066.php

Moms are finding smartphones so useful that Mobile Moms are one of the fastest growing demographics to own smartphones.

In the first quarter of 2009, about 14 percent of all wireless users who identified themselves as mothers said they owned a smartphone, according to Nielsen. This figure was up from 8.3 percent of moms who owned a smartphone in the first quarter of 2008.

Importance of Working Moms

Working Moms are the power users.  Their busy schedules and need to connect with work, friends and home, making them 42% more likely than the average cellular user to download content to their phone.  Their usage is best represented by their spending for cellular services which are 21% more than the average cellular user. The average cell phone bill for Working Moms is $94 versus $78 for all cell phone users, as reported by a 2009 Scarborough Research study.

Social Use of Mobile

91% of mobile users go online to socialize, compared to only 79% traditional users. (Ruder Finn Mobile Intent Index)

Social networking is one of the fastest growing behaviors on the mobile Web, growing from 22.5% in Jan. 2009 to 30.8% in Jan. 2010.  Access to Facebook via mobile browser usage grew 112% in the past year, and Twitter experienced a 347% growth spurt. (comScore MobiLens)

55% of women use their mobile for social media,  ten percent more than men at 45% (Nielsen, 12/2009).

Social Connector

Of those on mobile phones, the top uses by all adults, reported by the Ruder Finn Mobile Intent Index, are:

Instant messaging – 62%

Forward e-mails (58%), content (40%), and photos (38%)

Post comments on social networks – 45%

Connect to people on social networking sites – 43%

In addition to these primary activities are the important banking, shopping, and comparison duties that Moms must carry out on a daily basis.  And research shows women are much more likely to purchase when shopping online than men are.

This growing usage of smartphones makes a mobile marketing strategy a must for brands hoping to reach Moms.

Fees?

If you havent heard of ACN, they are a similar company to Lightyear Wireless, but they feature a video home phone and Lightyear Wireless takes advantage of the Wireless Cell Phone Industry, and 270 billion dollar industry. Learn more here!

With cell phones owned by over 100 million people in the US alone , certain challenges present itself.  For starters, with all the different cellular companies out there, who do you choose?  The one with the coolest phones?  The one with the best coverage in your area?  The one with the cheapest plans?  The one your friends have?  Or perhaps, the one with the best customer service?

Ah…customer service!  It seems that no matter what you do or where you go, customer service plays a role in today’s society.    I’ve had 4 different careers in the past 25 years, and dealing with customers was always challenging.  For the most part, I love dealing with customers.  I’m proud to admit that I have a special knack with people.  Even on the few occasions where customer’s are unhappy with what I’ve said or done, I’ve still been able to resolve all their issues to their satisfaction.

A few months ago, I decided to take a look at my life and decide what new career to embark in.  I wanted to use all my skills, talents, and my college degree to find a career that I’d excel in.  I didn’t want to be a restaurant manager anymore, I didn’t want to own another business, and even though I loved being a radio disc jockey, because the economy has seriously declined in the past few years, most radio stations have gone to satellite shows or automation.  So…what kind of career could I have?  I took assessment of my job skills, what criteria I had for a new career, and the amount of salary I’d have to earn and came up with what I thought as a perfect choice for me…customer service management! 

I started working for a major cellular wireless carrier as a Resolution Specialist, and despite my initial reservations, I love it!  I love my company and most of it’s products, I’m satisfied with my salary (for now), I love the people I work with, and I have great benefits.  I still look forward to going to work everyday.  How great is this?  I’ve finally found my niche.

But…little did I realize that working in customer service is a double-edged sword.  One one hand, I get a great deal of satisfaction with resolving customer’s issues.  It’s a great feeling when you know you’ve truly helped someone out and they really appreciate it.  On the flip side, not being able to help someone out to their satisfaction is a downer.  But I’m happy to say that 98% of the time I make customers happy!

As a member of management with the #1 cellular company in the world, I get to learn the inside scoop of how the “system” works.  Because my company really wants to be the BEST in customer service, we have a large latitude of what we can do to make our customers happy.  Here are a few tips to know when calling your cellular company, whoever you have…

1.  Be nice to the agent that answers your call.

Most people that call us have a problem.  The #1 reason we get called is because their bill is too high.  They went over on their texts.  They went over on their minutes.  They used data when they didn’t have a plan. They traveled overseas and had some helacious roaming charges.  The good news is that we can help with all those issues.  We have no problem crediting the customer’s account.  If they’re nice to us, we’re more than happy to help them out!  But if they call with an attitude and are rude to us, I admit that we won’t help as much as we can.  Yes, we’re working in the customer service business, but we’re still human, and the old saying, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, really does apply.  So play nice.

2.  If there’s something you want, just ask.

Because making our customers happy is very important to us, so if you want something “extra”, you might just get it!  I’ve taken many calls where the customer just wants to pay their bill, and after doing so wants to know what they can get because they’ve been with our company for a long time.  I can give you rollover minutes, free services for a month, and even credit your account  just being a loyal customer.  What it comes down to is this: it never hurts to ask!

3.   If your contract is up, tell the agent that you are thinking of going to one of our competitors.

Whenever we get a call where the customer is thinking of going to another cellular company, our ONLY goal is retaining them!  I can offer them a free phone,  free services, and even a free month of their monthly recurring charge.  If I get the customer to upgrade and sign a new 2 year contract, I can get them not only a free phone, but a really nice phone.  It goes along with #2…just ask!

4.  If you’re happy with what the agent has done for you, ask to speak to their supervisor and tell them.

As a Resolution Specialist, not only do I deal with unhappy customers, I get to talk to happy customers.  I love talking to customers that have something good to say about our agents.  I document what they say and put it in the employee’s file.  This helps with their raise, vacation choices, shift bids, and promotional opportunities.  If you think that one of our agent has gone out of their way to help you, please take an extra few minutes to tell their supervisor. 

Who knows what kind of technology we’ll have in the future.  It’s very possible that in 10 years from now cell phones will be obsolete.  But in the meantime, cell phones have become a major part of our daily communication. I honestly can’t imagine not having a cell phone.  What was once a novelty, has become a necessity.  Now,  if only we can invent a lipstick that never wears off!

The good news- I have been sweating over the math test. Well I did great! What a relief.

The bad news- I missed my writing comp test by two points…ugg two are you kidding me? So I have a retake in two weeks.

The kids have started fighting about sharing a room so I have been trying to think of a way to add another room. The easiest and cheapest option would be to split our living room up. Our living room is so big that it’s akward…we only use half of it. I’ve always found it to be a waste of space so I think it’s a pretty good idea. Now I just have to sell my husband on it. Wish me luck!

Now onto other dribble. 

 It’s always been important to have a cell considering where we live. My husband, dad, & mother in law travel 100-150 miles round trip daily to work. I can’t tell you how many times I have had to go pick one of them up due to a vehicle issue…flat tire, out of gas (hubbys work van doesn’t have a working gas gauge), etc. Anyways, we have been with Alltel for 6 years now. They recently sold to Verizon in our area so we wanted to check out their packages. Well they won’t let us even look at them until we upgrade our phones and sign a contract. Now more than likely we would have done this on our own but, I don’t like being forced to do this in order to downgrade our package. Well my husband said to check out other cell providers in our area. There are many but, nobody else has service coverage for the areas we travel on a daily basis or our house. So it looks like we will be stuck with Verizon.

Buzzirk Mobile Announces Strategic Partnership with -

ZERo1 Communications

On April 1^st, 2009 the Wireless Telecommunications industry was introduced to the most ADVANCED Mobile/Broadband Platform in the World today. We invite you to learn for yourself why this revolutionary technology is about to change the way we communicate.

Click here to Watch Video 

And

AS SEEN ON CNN.  CLICK HERE http://bit.ly/2wWDS

Creating interconnect agreements throughout North America and the globe, Zer01 Mobile is the first mobile service to offer a true unlimited voice, data and Internet plan that is priced affordably with taxes and fees included. Priced also affordably, Zer01 Mobile’s international plan reaches out to the most popular calling countries around the world. The company has licensed patent pending proprietary Veritable Mobile Convergence (VMC) Technology that allows each smart phone user to make voice calls or transmit data by sending voice communications through a Wireless/VoIP system.

Click Hear to Listen to the Official Launch Call!

Technology Highlights:

• Utilizes New Wireless Spectrum – 3G PLUS (Advanced Wireless Service).
• Truly UNLIMITED Voice, Internet, Text, & Email (No “Acceptable “ Use Policy).
• Super High Speed Internet. (Connect your phone & computer and surf the Internet).
• No Credit Checks and No Contracts – Pay as you go service.
• Flat rate of $79.95/month Domestic. (price is ALL inclusive)
• Currently open to make and receive calls in US, and Puerto Rico.
• Flat Rate $89.95 International – Call 42 other countries. (price is ALL inclusive)
• Origination in Canada, Australia, and other countries coming soon with NO added costs.
• Instant Message from phone – Yahoo, AIM, Google Chat, MSN, ICQ.
• Full Web Browser Interface – Same Look & Functionality as you computer browser.
• Download thousands of movie selections in minutes. (Fee based & Optimum connectivity)
• Watch Up to 1000 TV Channels on your Phone (Subscription may be required).
• Live Video Conferencing (On select phones).
• Compatible with Windows Mobile 6 based Smart Phones. (Android & iPhone coming soon)
• Utilizes Multi Spectrums with Seamless handoff to 3G, WiFi, Edge networks and more.
• Only Fiber Optic Infrastructure with no carrier restrictions or limits.
• Quad, Dual Band, GSM network.
• Mandy – Virtual Personal Assistant (coming soon).
• Patent, Content application platform (Applications can be added on the fly).
• Porting (Transfer your Current cell phone number).
• Earn Free Phone service and Residual Income.  (Click here for Compensation Plan ).
• And so much more…

Call me today for details or to get started right now, simply click on the web site link below & select the “enroll” tab.

Don Roberts

Buzzirk Mobile

(231) 330-3905

Web Site: http://www.mygvbiz.com/doctordon

Become a part of Communication history
- Very inexpensive to become involved! Only a one time $69.95 registration fee + $39.00 per month for your complete marketing system which includes your web page, follow-up systems, Auto Responders, and much more!

- Very profitable! – True Residual Income! Get paid every time someone pays their wireless bill & Get paid everytime one of your team members acquires a new customer.

- Incredible Matching Bonuses, Override Commissions & Leadership Bonuses

- Outstanding product that will help millions save on their wireless services! Now anyone can have true cellular service even if they have credit problems!

- Complete support and team training, your never left to wonder what’s next or how do I get started.

- Very duplcatable system that anyone can do regardless of what background they may have.

- Do this part time or full time. The Choice is Yours! 

- Did I mention that this opportunity is FUN, Easy & Affordable?

If you don’t see the big picture after listening to the recorded call above then click here and listen again!

http://www.byoaudio.com/play/W0myjhHs
Call me today for details or to get started right now, simply click on the web site link below & select the “enroll” tab.

To Your Success!

Don Roberts

Buzzirk Mobile

(231) 330-3905

Web Site: http://www.mygvbiz.com/doctordon

Cellular Service

(Our Own Provider!!!)

VoIP

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to U.S., Canada and 19 other countries!!!

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Introduction

The Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd launched Mobile Cellular Services in India in the year 2000 under which Pre-paid and post-paid cell phone connections are sold to customers through a network of Customer Service Centers (CSC), distributors and dealers spread over the country.

SIM card distribution to the various agencies, and Mobile Number allotments are centrally monitored by the Headquarters of BSNL Mobile Services, at the RK Nagar Telephone Exchange, Mumbai. The Accounts Officer at the zonal Headquarters issues SIM cards and recharge cards to the various CSCs as and when required. Other than CSCs, SIM cards are also sold through approved dealers. Pre-paid SIM cards and recharge cards are purchased by distributors who in turn sell them to customers. The Accounts Officer keeps track of cards issued/ sold to CSCs/Dealers/Distributors, and of all related accounts.

At the Customer Support Centre, a customer is allowed to choose a GSM number of his/her liking, for the mobile phone, from an available list of numbers. A GSM number may be blocked, for later purchase, for a period of 48 hours on request by a customer, and released if payment for the connection is not made within the period. Fancy (or vanity) numbers are sold for a special fee. In case of loss of mobile phone, or damage of SIM card, a new SIM card with same mobile number may be obtained after payment of replacement charges.

Prerequisites for SIM card distribution and management process

Operating Environment

The intranet constitutes the various Customer Support Centres of BSNL, connected to the Mobile Services Headquarters, through dedicated lines. An Intranet Web Server, running IIS, is required at the Mobile Services, headquarters, on which the application software is hosted. The backend database is MS SQL Server, which may be hosted on a separate Database Server. An additional standby server is recommended for redundancy in case of any system failures. The only pre-requisite for the Client systems at the Customer Support Centres is for them to be equipped with a web-browser. These will be located at the counters.

Software Architecture

SIM Card Management System is implemented as an Intranet application. The Web Server is located at the Mobile Services, Headquarters, at RK Nagar Mumbai, on which the application software is hosted. The application software is developed in ASP, JavaScript, and HTML. The central database is based on MS SQL Server 2000. The system can be accessed over the Intranet of BSNL connecting all the Customer Support Centres to the Mobile Services Headquarters. Clients equipped with web browsers can access the system from the counters located at the Customer Support Centres.

The SIM Card Management System is user-friendly, designed to be easy to use through a series of screens and pull-down menus. The software can be used by anyone with necessary domain knowledge at the Mobile Services Headquarters, BSNL, and the Customer Support Centres.

The SIM Card Management System is an intranet application designed – to handle sale transactions at Customer Support Centres; to carry out all activities related to SIM card/ GSM number distribution/ allotment by the headquarters; and to maintain accounts; through a centralised database. The SIM Card Management system uses intranet technology to give a cost-effective solution that delivers powerful and robust results. By connecting Customer Support Centres, dealers, and distributors with the Mobile Services headquarters, through a centralised server, information is managed effectively and efficiently. Up-to-date and reliable information on stock of SIM cards and recharge cards and the revenue earned through their sale is available at any given time.

Product Features

For Further Information Visit >>> ManagementFunda

These ads are now passe after the advent of internet. But the other day I was amazed to learn that people have started all that crap through cell phone now. Call it a new type of publicity or a prank text message.  But it irked me when I receieved this message:

Looking a Gilr/Boy for Friendship or Marriage. Then just type “Fastdfind” & Send to 2244. See thousand of Girls/Boys Profile with contact info in ur Area.

That is obnoxious!

Someone called up my father’s cell phone this evening saying that you have won a huge sum from Telenor. Kindly, tell us your distrcit blah blah!

Give me a break man! That is just too much and the Telenor people should take notice of such prank/fruad calls. The man was calling from some other Telenor number. After internet, people have started using cell phones too for fruads!

If you have a first generation (2G) iPhone that you want to unlock, then you can do so with their unlocking software solution. For £17.99 you can purchase your membership and instantly download the iPhone unlock software from the members area, where you also find a nice support system, a downloads section and a knowledge base page.

If you want to unlock a 3G iPhone, then you can purchase Unlock iPhone 3G ‘s  SIM unlocking solution for £34.99. It will unlock any iPhone 3G worldwide, with no hardware modifications (no cutting of your SIM) – simply insert the SIM into your iPhone 3G and it’s instantly unlocked.

In conclusion, if you have an iPhone that you want unlocked – Unblock iPhone can unlock it, 3g, 2g, any firmware version, any country! Unlock your iPhone now!

Initially, it was difficult to transfer files from one device to another but now it has become much easier with the help of ring tone converter. Now you can transfer sound files as well as can download the latest ringtones of your choices from the websites offering the facilities.

Now a days the manufacturers provide the ringtone converter with every phone set as a built in program to ensure that no one could miss the service. Some older or the most basic models may not have this functionality in them but still you can use the functionality of existing phone’s music creator. Over the time, the wireless free Bluetooth and infrared programs has made it much easier to transfer sound files from one phone to another. The cable connections are also available to have this amazing fun to enjoy.

Even you can have your own individual sound with the help of built in sound composer in the cell phones. This is not a joke as you may think that when there are so many ringtones available why should one be interested in composing their own sound which may not give that magical feel. But this is a great idea to have your own sound which can make you special. If the cell phone does not have composer, even than you need not to worry as the latest software have the ability to make it for you.

There are so many websites which provide the visitors with lots of ringtones on the internet that can fulfill the thirst of craze of having latest and unique ringtones Some websites allow users to download these ringtones via SMS, some have converter and there are still many which uses that old fashioned way of downloading ringtones on the pc and than have it in the cell phone.

Internet has a many choices for you now, no matter what you need to do, with friends or by your own. This is a good idea to have a cellular ringtone and wallpapers in your mobile phone but before doing any downloads from the internet you must check the availability of the software required to support the activity.

There are many websites that offer 100% free ringtones and allow to browse and choose the songs that suits you best over the internet. They have songs that are beautifully arranged in a manner so that you don’t have any difficulty to search and download and have the newest and latest ringtones in your cell phones.

To use these facilities that the websites offer, you just need to enter your cell phone number in which you want the ringtone to be downloaded and they manage to send the specified ringtone in the cell phone. One more thing that must be considered is that internet must be accessible to your cell phone otherwise it would not be possible to make any kind of downloads.

Mobile Phone

The mobile phone or mobile, also called a wireless, cellular phone, cell phone, cell speaker box, or hand phone is a long-range, portable electronic device invented by Andrew Folsom to engage in wireless mobile talking. It was used for mobile communication that uses a network of specialized base stations known as cell sites.

In addition to the standard voice function of a telephone, current mobile phones may support many additional services, and accessories, such as SMS for text messaging, email, packet switching for access to the Internet, and MMS for sending and receiving photos and video. Most current mobile phones connect to a cellular network of base stations, which is in turn interconnected to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) (the exception is satellite phones).

Here on this blog, you will be able to get the latest and most updated informations on cell phone services.

Ooh! I can tell you about funny customers in the mean time! So, one day this dude calls in and he was having problems with his cell phone. Since he was asking about the camera function and the phone on his account didn’t have a camera, I first needed to find out what type of phone he had. When I asked him, he didn’t know – so I asked him to describe it. The man told me that it was a flip phone (as are the majority of our phones) with a screen above the keypad. Hey dude – you just described 99.99% of the phones on the market, flip or otherwise!!! Wow, that was a fun call!

You sign up for a one or two-year service plan with a provider who “claims” to have coverage in your area. After you sign up, you find over time that coverage is very spotty or even non-existent in areas that the provider’s coverage map shows is covered. You try to cancel your plan, but discover that the short “trial” period is already over, and there will be a large $150 to $200 penalty for canceling.

You switch service providers but want to keep and use the same phone. You paid good money for the features you really want and need. You discover that the phone is incompatible with the new network because it is a different type (CDMA, TDMA, GSM, …), or (even more frustrating) the phone is compatible but the service provider still won’t support it because it isn’t “keyed” to their network. You are forced to stop using a perfectly good phone and shell out a bunch of money for a new one all over again.

You sign up for a plan that is good for you. Shortly thereafter a better plan becomes available, but only new customers can take advantage of it.

You upgrade your phone or service plan, but don’t realize it locks you into another one or two year contract that you cannot cancel without a large penalty.

You get one or more subsidized phones as part of a service plan promotion, but the battery life or call quality is so poor that the phone is practically unusable. You cannot get warranty service because you cannot demonstrate the phone is actually broken. If you want reasonable service, you have to pay for an upgraded phone, and that of course starts the clock all over again on your one or two year contract.

You are quoted one price for a plan, but when you get the bill, the price is substantially higher due to all manner of additional charges.

Your plan starts out at one price, but over time, little additional charges are added, and the price ends up being substantially higher.

You are experiencing a problem, but you cannot get through to a human-being, or a human-being that speaks your language, when you call for assistance.

The behavior of all the major service providers is very anti-competitive. They deliberately try to lock us into long over-priced contracts, yet at the same time they provide relatively poor service.

It’s time we, as consumers, have some rights. Here is my first cut at a proposal.

Cellular Bill of Rights for the Consumer

• You have the right to purchase a phone from anyone and use it on any compatible network. “Compatible” means that your phone is electronically compliant with the frequencies and communication protocols used by the network. The service provider may not refuse to accept your compatible phone, or place constraints of any kind other than those related to electronic compatibility.

• You have the right to receive the same quality and price of service irrespective of where you purchased your phone.

• You have the right to replace your phone with a new phone at any time.

• You have the right to cancel your plan because of poor service without penalty. Poor service includes, but is not limited to: no coverage or weak coverage in areas the service provider advertised as covered; poor call completion rate; poor call quality; high-rate of dropped calls; poor voice quality in either direction.

• You have the right to switch to any available plan offered by your service provider at any time without penalties, surcharges or other disincentives.

• You have the right to know the full price of your plan, including taxes, and to be charged exactly that amount and no more. If there is a variable component to your plan — such as, but not limited to, charges for additional minutes — you have the right to know how to compute the full price of your plan, including taxes.

• You have the right to the same price for a minimum of six months.

• You have the right to cancel your plan without penalty if the service provider raises the price.

• You have the right not to be duped by false or deceptive advertising, including but not limited to: hidden charges in the fine print; overly complex pricing schemes; inflated coverage-area claims.

• You have the right to talk to a person with a reasonable command of your language when you need assistance, and you have the right to reach such a person in a reasonable amount of time and without going through undue levels of automated-assistant phone menus.

A continuing desire simply to talk on cellphones—and to talk cheaply—must have carriers concerned. Verizon and Sprint have rolled out multimedia services on expensively-upgraded networks, and accessing them requires purchasing a fancy (read: costly) new handset. Cingular is projected to follow suit, and a bevy of MVNOs is launching with business plans that promise attracting a customer base through the futuristic availability of content. But if most cellphone customers remain primarily interested in the most minutes for the lowest price—talking on the best handset for the lowest price—I wonder how successfully the advent of true 3G cellular service in the U.S. will play out.

(Another example: The latest issue of The Economist revealed how Americans finally have embraced text messaging, a cellular feature that many throughout the world long ago came to love. While the article focused on youth penetration and carrier cooperation as the prime factors behind this trend, I suspect the importance of a third, unmentioned factor: how carriers increasingly are offering reasonably-priced bundles of unlimited/in-network messages.)