Virgin Mobile launched in India

[Ganeshkumar]

Virgin Mobile launched in India :)

Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group, who is known for his gimmicks, is in India once again. He has announced the launch of Virgin Mobile.

Virgin Mobile has been launched in India following the operations in several countries such as United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, South Africa, the United States and France.

However, the brand had a very brief survival in Singapore.

The international Virgin Mobile businesses each act as independent entities, usually in a partnership between Sir Richard Branson'sVirgin Group and an existing phone company.
The company was the world's first Mobile Virtual Network Operator when it was launched in the United Kingdom in 1999.

Source: (http://www.ndtvprofit.com/2008/03/02124041/Virgin-Mobile-launched-in-Indi.html)

I think they joined with Tata..... :(

What r they going to do?? Will they survive??? :confused:

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New Delhi, Feb 28 The Cellular Operators Association of India (COAI) on Thursday urged the department of telecommunications (DoT) to clarify whether UK-based Virgin Mobile has been issued the first mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) licence.

More on this... (http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Clarify-on-Virgin-Mobile-issue-COAI-to-DoT/278230/)

[Count Dracula]

I hope Virgin starts broadband too.But,Its allied with Tata,So can't hope better broadband :(.

[shashank_re]

Dude i have already posted this.Please search b4 you post.
http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=81600

[Ganeshkumar]

I searched b4 posting.... pls chk the time....


OK Moderators then.. pls merge these two threads...

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Will they bcome successs....?

How come this mobile virtual network operators Concept... work in India??? :confused

[cool_techie_tvm]

MVNOs operate at risk, especially Virgin. They started similar services in Australia and Singapore, and it failed disastrously..

[2kewl]

Virgin are offering 10p/min for every incoming call. Interesting!

http://www.virginmobile.in/plan_kya-hai.php

[Gigacore]

^ oh, wow! back to 1990s ha ?

EDIT: oh.. they will credit our account with 10p :p

[shashank_re]

Yeah! First even i thought like that! Its the other way round,they will pay us for the incoming call :-)

Hope other operators follow it.Just check out their site,its damn coool.

[naveen_reloaded]

recently IT ministry and trai opened the door for nearly 10 comapnies to enter the market.. so just wait.. everything is gona change

[pushkaraj]

Another CDMA service provider.......

Yeah! First even i thought like that! Its the other way round,they will pay us for the incoming call :-)

Hope other operators follow it.Just check out their site,its damn coool.

+1

Their site is indeed cool :p
Check this out -> http://www.virginmobile.in/why_switch.html

10 p/min will be credited for receiving calls http://gigasmilies.googlepages.com/28a.gif http://gigasmilies.googlepages.com/39a.gif http://gigasmilies.googlepages.com/36a.gif

[gary4gar]

^^^^
is it TATA indicom?
then why its using its network?

[NucleusKore]

The problem, as I understand, with CDMA, is that
1. Unlike GSM you cannot switch operators without surrendering your handset.
2. You can clone a CDMA handset and do some 420. This is especially a problem when you give it for servicing. However when you give a GSM phone you can remove the SIM and give it in.

[shashank_re]

Hey even CDMA has SIM card.Please check b4 you say something.All the Virgin mobiles come with a sim card which is similar to GSM Sim.You can can also change your handset as you do with GSM,but you can only use a CDMA handset.

[Tech.Masti]

they will also start GSM service in 50 cities, and 1000 cities in the end of the year, read in TOI, and the incoming call ke liye 10p credit scheme is really interesting:) hope they will continue it

[shashank_re]

They wont start GSM.When new players like videocon,unitech start GSM,then they will act as MVNO like the way they are doing with Tata.

[ax3]

so mobile bhi VIRGIN ho gaya ..... heeee ....

lets hope it brings some changes 2 present compitetors .....

[NucleusKore]

Hey even CDMA has SIM card.Please check b4 you say something.All the Virgin mobiles come with a sim card which is similar to GSM Sim.You can can also change your handset as you do with GSM,but you can only use a CDMA handset.

Is this ONLY for Virgin mobile? I remember seeing the first Reliance Handsets that came in the market (kar lo duniya muthi mein), they did not have a sim, nor did that Rs. 501 handset (501 bar soap). They later introduced a pre paid mobile with what they called a T-SIM.

So can I switch from Virgin to Reliance to Tata Indicom with the same handset?

[shashank_re]

Tata Indicom will accept open mkt CDMA handsets.Means they will activate the mobile even if you have bought the handset in US or from any where else!
But Reliance will not do this and you need to buy from them itself.
Practically it IS possible to use all the Tata Nokia phones on Reliance and vice-versa. Tata and Virgin are same.Take any UNLOCKED Cdma handest to them and they will configure it.
And its not that all the CDMA are SIM enabled.Infact my Moto RAZR V3c doesnt even have a SIM slot! Its preconfigured.But it is very very easy to change/upgrade to other handest.

[Ganeshkumar]

10paise they will pay for our incoming call..... :O

Some nice market strategy to catch some market share.....

But... Outgoing is tooo costly.... :(

[ThinkFree]

Means virgin customers will hate Do Not call registry as they would lose some money if they don't receive telemarketers calls:D

[shashank_re]

10paise they will pay for our incoming call..... :O

Some nice market strategy to catch some market share.....

But... Outgoing is tooo costly.... :(

Outgoing costly?!:?: Its 50p to any local phone dude mobile and landline:p
And no rentals!Which other operator has such low charges?
If you feel STD is costly then topup with 49 to make STD@ Re.1

[Ganeshkumar]

50p to landline tooo ... just now noticed....
then cheap only... :)

But to same network calls also 50p.... :(

Anyway... Will this work....?! :confused

[Sukhdeep Singh]

WOW! Smart Girls will be real Winners with this 10P Incoming Call Scheme :D

[2kewl]

WOW! Smart Girls will be real Winners with this 10P Incoming Call Scheme :D

Hahaha! :mrgreen:

[Tech.Masti]

^^^^ sure ;)

[desiibond]

10paise they will pay for our incoming call..... :O

Some nice market strategy to catch some market share.....

But... Outgoing is tooo costly.... :(

it's simple strategy. put outgoing 10ps extra per minute and add the same to incoming mobile account. If you have you give 1 rupee to your friend using virgin mobile, just call him and talk for 10 minutes :)

[naveen_reloaded]

^^^ interesting scheme .. but i dont think indians will accepet it coz simply they wont believe and will think it as some hoax..

nice .. i justsaw the why u r not with us flash..

relaly interesting and true points there .. but there is no gaurantee that virgin mobile will also become one like them .. once they become p[opular...

lets see.. airtel will come up with some price reduction if they feel virgin as a threat..
but one thing is sure.. we the one who will benefit from the coporate war..

http://www.virginmobile.in/how_do_not_disturb.php


but interesting thing is i saw this link at the bottmom... a coomon DONT DISTURB ME link...

no doubt they will also join other companies soooooon....

BAD BAD businesss....

[amd64_man2005]

this is a CDMA sercive..CDMA providers have more bandwith and the users are also forced to buy a cell to avail of he services..no wonder the prices are cheap..by thru this plan i thik is actually tryig to impress on the girlfrnds how importantit is for their boyfrnds to switch to virgin cdma... :D

[gx_saurav]

Well, the way indian students (biggest market for a Mobile phone) & other indians use & talk on phone, "virgin" mobile's network will soon be "f*****" :D

[shashank_re]

I think you people dont know about interconnect charges..i.e when you recieve any incoming call,your operator gets 30p as interconnect charge!!
So Virgin is giving you 10p keeping 20p with them while other ops are keeping full 30p.
These type of offers are there even in Pakistan!! I was expecting this offer on some or the other day in india.So finally the day has come!

[Ganeshkumar]

Oh! i c... :)

Expecting these offers from GSM operators tooo... :)

[Tech.Masti]

^^virgin will come in GSM business in this yearend

[desiibond]

^^oh. I didn't know about interconnect charges

Anyways, joh bhi aaye, I will not leave Vodafone. After all, I am Platinum customer for them.

[cool_techie_tvm]

^^ I left Vodafone after being a platinum subscriber. They took 18hrs to update my payment and i was stranded in the highway due to their incompetency. :(

That evening i disconnected my Vodafone...

[desiibond]

^^ow. Feel sorry for that. Customer care has always been wonderful for me. I always pay at the Vodafone Store or ask someone to come to my house to collect the payment.

[Ganeshkumar]

What is that platinum customer...?

[Tech.Masti]

^^what is Platinum customer?

[desiibond]

Higher limit of outstanding amount. Less nonsense calls from customer care. priority during peak periods

"all on paper" afaik. :)

[amd64_man2005]

Are u on postpaid??...i have been a voda customer for the last 7 years..but no platinum/gold/diamond for me.. :(

[cool_techie_tvm]

The AON (Age On Network) is only one of the factors they take to upgrade a subscriber to platinum status. Raking up high mobile bills of the order of 2k or above and prompt payment before the last payment date are also considered (i guess). I came to know that i am platinum subscriber when i disconnected. The gal who called me up, enquiring the reason for disconnection had stated so.

But nothing can replace getting stranded in the highway for 2 hours, with a non-functional network on my phone...grrrrrr :(

[gary4gar]

The AON (Age On Network) is only one of the factors they take to upgrade a subscriber to platinum status. Raking up high mobile bills of the order of 2k or above and prompt payment before the last payment date are also considered (i guess). I came to know that i am platinum subscriber when i disconnected. The gal who called me up, enquiring the reason for disconnection had stated so.

But nothing can replace getting stranded in the highway for 2 hours, with a non-functional network on my phone...grrrrrr :(
This thing is always on papers. I use a Post paid Airtel
And i am the in the highest category( My call center friend told me).

My airtel connection has been active since past 4yrs(Even before Airtel came to rajasthan). My credit limit is around 10k+ISD facility & monthly bill around 2.5k but when it comes to service its the same:x

Me waiting for number portability