Has Virgin mobile been successfull in Indian market?

[Cool G5]

Virgin mobile has just entered in the Indian market and their offer seems enticing. Get paid for incoming calls & many more plans.

I just wanted to know is it any good? I am basically doing a study & want to know how successfull has the journey of Virgin mobiles in Indian market has been?

[Tanmay Satpathy]

It is the TATAs with a new mask.

Old Wine in a New Bottle

[Pat]

Firstly, it sucks as it is on CDMA technology (Tata's network reseller if we can call that)
Secondly, you need to buy a phone from them if you want to buy a connection.

[Lucky_star]

why can't tata's come up with a gsm system?

[Cool G5]

Anybody purchased Virgin mobile?
And are the services are bad like tata?

[krazzy]

Originally Posted by Lucky_star

why can't tata's come up with a gsm system?

Actually CDMA is technically more advanced compared to old GSM, just like Ogg Vorbis is compared to MP3. But unfortunately just like MP3, GSM is still around despite being inferior because all the GSM operators have spent millions in spreading their network around and now they cannot jump to CDMA as it is totally different compared to GSM technology and hence the current cell phone towers would be rendered useless and the operators would have to start all over again with their network.

Obviously they won't do that because they care more about themselves than providing the customers with the latest technology. However if a company is starting from scratch, like Reliance and Tata did some years ago, it makes sense for them to go with the more superior CDMA and build their network coverage based on that.

I hope you understand now that it's not Tata or Reliance that are evil, but the GSM operators are. Actually you can't blame the GSM operators as well because when they started CDMA wasn't around so they started with good old GSM. And now they've gone too far to come back and start from the scratch, no matter how advanced CDMA is. It would cost them way to much, not to mention many people would be stuck with no network for some time and even then it would take them quite a while to make the network coverage as good as the previous GSM coverage.

[hell_storm2006]

I completely agree about the fact that CDMA is way better than GSM... but the service providers are a bunch of crap....


lets just say... Virgin hasn't been successful!!! End of story!!!!
I hate all these CDMA connections (TATA, Reliance, Virgin etc!!!)....

Firstly you are stuck with a phone you don't want and then the call rates are a bust!!! And flexibility to change goes down the drain!!!!

[uppalpankaj]

Even the phones that are offered with CDMA connections r just not that attractive....There is a very small range of phones offered with the CDMA connnections..So choice also gets restrictive.

[R2K]

^^
thats not true in every case

because reliance mobile became successful even though they are running on CDMA

[mastermunj]

Have a look at this to know why CDMA does not have high end handsets..

[Tanmay Satpathy]

The CDMA operators have high end handsets. Reliance offers blackberry and motorazr2. Tata offers MotoQ. But the choice is too little. And they usually rely on the basic handsets.

[NucleusKore]

Originally Posted by krazzy

Actually CDMA is technically more advanced compared to old GSM, just like Ogg Vorbis is compared to MP3. ............

I agree, you are right.

Originally Posted by krazzy

I hope you understand now that it's not Tata or Reliance that are evil, but the GSM operators are...............

I strongly disagree. I want to know:
1. Is it possible to migrate from one CDMA operator to another with the same handset?
2. When I give my GSM phone for servicing I remove the sim card and protect myself. CDMA phones run the risk of being cloned. It has happened in India before, see article below
http://www1.infotech.indiatimes.com/...24,curpg-1.cms

The operator you want to migrate to usually refuses to program your existing handset and insist that you buy a new one. The operator becomes king and determines which handsets enter their market and what price you pay for them and the plan that comes along with it. This is the scenario in the United States where phones and plans are bundled and sold. To make a long story short, like we say here in Mangalore, your juttu is in their hand.

GSM on the other hand, although technologically inferior, gives you much more freedom. If India has one of the cheapest mobile phone call rates in the world today it is because of competition between the operators. You are free to switch between operators ANY TIME, hold multiple sim cards (try that with CDMA ), remove your sim and lend/exchange your handset to your mom, dad, or just about anyone; the advantages are many, enough to overlook the technological superiority of CDMA.

Response anyone, most welcome

[Lucky_star]

Originally Posted by krazzy

Actually CDMA is technically more advanced compared to old GSM, just like Ogg Vorbis is compared to MP3. But.... ...And now they've gone too far to come back and start from the scratch, no matter how advanced CDMA is. It would cost them way to much, not to mention many people would be stuck with no network for some time and even then it would take them quite a while to make the network coverage as good as the previous GSM coverage.

Yah, I agree with you regarding the QoS offered by CDMA. They provides better call clarity and less traffic congestion. As NucleusKore said, If CDMA systems had a provision to switch phones like in GSM, then I think, the user base would have been large. Given the current limited no. of available CDMA phone models locked to each operator, they won't be able to compete with huge market base of GSM

[arupch]

CDMA operators in India are offering bullshit to the subscribers. I once had a Reliance connection - although it has one of the best voice clarity but u r tied to Reliance and can't change handsets easily - even if you can the crappy handsets were priced astronomically - also call rates were high.

[casanova]

Also to add, CDMA phone are less prone to disconnects when you change cells (cells as in a network cell) as they use a soft handshake while GSMs use hard handshake.

Further, CDMAs are more battery hungry than GSM's. The flexibility offered by GSM overweight's the small glitches/inferiority compared to CDMA's any given day.

[Akshay]

@mastermunj

The link provided by u is v.informative and gives a good overview of the global picture of CDMA.

Since the launch of Virgin, I guess not many of us have come across Virgin users. In Mumbai, I think Idea since its launch must have got more subscribers than Virgin. Again for Virgin prepaid, you dont get the recharge vouchers at every nook and corner that too in a city like Mumbai!

Be it reliance or tata, they always goof up in the bills.

[Cool G5]

Does anybody used virgin mobiles?
Tell me guys..

[Tanmay Satpathy]

Originally Posted by NucleusKore

1. Is it possible to migrate from one CDMA operator to another with the same handset?

Yes it is possible.

My brother got a handset from TATA (Samsung Wideo)

After a few months, he changed it to Reliance CDMA.

[sandeepkochhar]

@ Tanmay:- Yes that is True but Illegal..I have seen Tata Indicom franchisee people hacking into new HTC phones of Reliance and making it compatible with Tata for free..

@ Cool G5:- Yes I am using Virgin..Connectivity same as Tata as it is using their network..Customer Care is much better..Plans are nothing extraordinary...Handsets choice extremely limited. Huawei 5330 (vkewl) is their best phone..10 p incoming is good for those who regularly receive at least 300 minutes (Rs 30/- daily) of incoming on a daily basis...Tata Network is pathetic...And despite CDMA being better technology voice breaks between the calls..And No they are not successful in India despite their excellent ads n 10p incoming scheme..

[NucleusKore]

[QUOTE=sandeepkochhar;942070]@ Tanmay:- Yes that is True but Illegal..I have seen Tata Indicom franchisee people hacking into new HTC phones of Reliance and making it compatible with Tata for free..

Aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!! You said it !!!!!!!!