To blog ? or Not to ?

I am using Idea mobile since August 2011 and 3G for some months.

Idea says ‘an idea can change your life’, this is absolutely right, they can make your life hectic and bankrupt too, because they take all their money and don’t give service.

I have been complaining about low speed in 3G services for more than a month now. Every time when I post something on Idea Facebook page they register a complaint and after some days, they sent a message mentioning your complaint been resolved, but there will not be any resolution.

Now they have another tactics, whenever you call 198 to register any complaint they simply say call on 12345 which is chargeable. This way they are reducing the complaints and making more money by registering complaints too (through 12345).

Today (March 24, 2012), the connectivity have lost. I am unable to connect to net. I have done all possible check including activating, installing the settings again, but still no connectivity. Thank god I got another connection.

I had called them 5 times both 12345 and 198, no one were able to solve my issue. Every time when I call 198 they ask to contact 12345, when called on them, they asked to call different department. Their IVR never give correct department.  What a stupidity? I never have seen such a customer care system. Worst, there is no word in English to explain their standards.

This company is the best example for unprofessionally managed company. None of their executives (Cannot be called executives, some illiterate stupid) speaks proper English. In IVR you get English option, but when you want to speak to some, they speak only Hindi. They simply argue with you for nothing, they don’t want to register complaint, even though there is no resolution for the same.

They are spending millions on degraded advertisement, they are degrading Indian population, and this is another way of insulting entire population. Government should ban their advertisement. Abhishek bachan should not do such advertisement.

Now it’s the time to say good bye to Idea, we do not need their idea to change our life. So please spread this word and say no to idea

As I stated earlier in an article that I have opportunity to assist advocates in family court. Recently we had a discussion about problems and solving the same in a family.

What one should understand?

• Problems are part of life
• Every problem is an opportunity
• No problem is permanent
• Every problem has a solution

When we understand there are problems we need to find ways solving it.  There can be 4 steps in solving a problem

1)      Acknowledge a problem

In each family, when a problem arises, there is a tendency to blame each other (Husband and wife & Siblings); ‘I am not responsible, it is/was because of you’ etc. Simply accept and try to resolve.

2)      Assume Responsibility

One should take the responsibility of the problem; it should not be by the force of other person, you should understand, accept and take responsibility.

3)      Take initiative

You should take initiative to solve the problem. You may discuss with your partner, analyze the problem and understand the cause.

4)      Joint search for solution

Once you discuss and understand the cause, the next step is finding a solution. You along with your partner, sometimes your children can search for a solution. Once you find a solution, should apply/execute it.

The most important thing is understanding  problem is part of life and it has a solution. Once you solve it, make sure that the same subject never comes to your talk in future.

Enjoy life, we have only one life and there is no retake.

I have used rechargeitnow.com to recharge my Idea mobile on 3^rd November 2011, I got successful transaction alert and the amount been deducted from my account.

I waited for the recharge message, but I did not get that, I checked my balance, the balance was same. After waiting for 1 hour I have registered a complaint through their site. There is no reply till today.

I have tried to contact them; there is no email id, no phone number, nothing. I have contacted the payment gateway-CCAvenue, there is no reply from them too.

I have researched about their credibility; there are many complaints about rechargeitnow.com.

So, its my suggestion, please do not use rechargeitnow.com.

I have taken a Reliance Netconnect+ last August fromKochiand currently using in Gurgaon, the National Capital Region.

I am experiencing very low speed from September onwards; I have contacted customer care many times. Every time I get different answers, some say it’s due to congestion in that area. Some say there is upgradation work going on, that is the reason I am experiencing very low speed or no connectivity.

Now there are questions;

What is congestion?

According to Wikipedia, ‘In data networking and queueing theory, network congestion occurs when a link or node is carrying so much data that its quality of service deteriorates. Typical effects include queueing delay, packet loss or the blocking of new connections. A consequence of these latter two is that incremental increases in offered load lead either only to small increases in network throughput, or to an actual reduction in network throughput.’

So the congestion comes under ‘quality of service’, so the provider should look into.

What is upgradation?

It should be for providing better service, not at the cost of present service.

Since I did not get proper answer from customer care or a solution, I have sent a mail to Mr. Anil Ambani’s email id. I got a call from their corporate office and informed me that someone will come to my premise and check the speed.

After 2 days, a person contacted me and said he is an engineer calling from Reliance and wanted to check my system using Teamviewer. When I am experiencing low speed and sometimes no connectivity how can an engineer expect me to download Teamviewer and check my system? Ridiculous…. I asked him the same, he have given a URL and asked me to download, and every minute he was asking whether I got it or not, ultimately he had to give up.

Then he asked me to check the speed in speedtest.in, the speed I got was 28 kbps. He then called someone in Reliance and they had some argument, they were not sure to whom this issue should be referred. The engineer say, customer have full signal so there is no network issue. The other person say, the complaint been escalated to your department and you should forward to concern person.

I got another call from Mumbai office asking whether someone has come to my premise to check the speed or not, I explained the story. She said will get back. In the night I got another call from a network engineer and said, network cannot be enhanced. I said my concern is speed not network enhancement. He simply said thanks and kept the phone.

After 3 days I got a call from another executive from Mumbai and informed me it’s for a satisfaction survey based on the complaint given. I asked him to call on another number since the called number was in roaming. He did not even bother to take my number, his work is over.

This way they simply ‘resolved’ my complaint. What an easy way.

I have paid advance 3 months rental, now that money is gone because, this issue is not going to be resolved before 30^th November.

Reliance spends millions on advertising and they say they have the fastest speed, now I experience their fastest internet connectivity which is less than 50 kbps.

So, friends don’t go behind advertisement, the stars sometimes mislead you…. They are not always right, watch them on movies only, that is just a story, here to it’s another story going to affect common man. So beware of this….

Read my review in Mouthshut

I was in search for a DTH service provider in Gugaon for my new home; I have done some research and found a package with Airtel Digital TV in their website. I have decided to go with South Value Sports pack in which I get 151 Channels for Rs. 165 a month. And they offer 1 year subscription with free connection and installation for Rs. 2190.

On 15th October 2011, I was about to make the payment, but I thought it is better to inquire whether this package is available in Gurgaon or not, I have called the customer care (extreme bad thing is that they do not have a toll free number, its shame that India’s number 1 telecom company and operating in many countries do not provide a toll free number for customer acquisition, really bad). They told me this pack is available and informed me that if I make the payment through net banking there will not be any follow up, so make the payment either by credit card or cash. I accepted cash option. They said they will send a person for collection and the installation time is 24 hrs to 48 hours, and they assured that I will get it installed on the next day (16th October 2011), since it is Sunday I have asked him whether they are working on Sunday or not, he said yes they are working and will get the connection before 5 pm.

Within an hour I got a call from Mumbai office mentioning she is calling from Airtel Digital TV and going to send a person and wanted me to give exact address, the executive was also in line (call conference) and I have given my address. He came at around 3 pm and I paid Rs. 2190 cash. When I gave notes of 1000s he have noted down the note numbers on the bill and given me a receipt, the receipt was of Shell Transource Ltd based in Mumbai and its mentioned that they are ‘Authorized distributor for Airtel DTH’. He said people from the company (Airtel) will come for installation.

At 9.07 pm on the same day I got a message that “DTH Payment: Purchase of 440.00 of DTH successful to 03009029354. 18959274. I could not understand what it is since I have made payment of Rs. 2190

16th October 2011: since it was Sunday I was at home, waiting for the installation people. At 1.43 pm I got a call from +912241304100 and said he is calling from Airtel DTH office and the opted pack is not available and make a payment of Rs.1600 additional and asked me to be on line. I stayed on line and after some times call got disconnected. Again at 1.51 pm he called me back and informed this pack is not available in Delhi and Mumbai and can go for cancellation. I have asked him to cancel and pay my money back. He said, wait I will do the cancellation and after some moments disconnected the line.

I have called the Airtel customer care again and inquired about this incident, that person told me to ignore the message and assured I will get the connection in 24-48 hours. I have waited till 5 pm, I did not make a call to customer care, and I thought since its Sunday there could be an off day.

17th October 2011: at 12.33 pm I got a call from +911244000357 mentioning she is calling from Airtel. She was asking me what about the new mobile connection I have taken, I said I have not taken any mobile connection, and then she said it could be broadband, I said I have not taken either mobile connection or broadband, but paid for a DTH connection. She asked whether someone has come for installation, I said no, she asked me can I send some, I said yes. I waited till 5 pm no one has come. I made a call to customer care at 6.28 pm, I was told that the time frame is 24-48 hours and will get it by tomorrow before 5pm.

18th October 2011: I was expecting these people to come for installation, till noon no one has come. I have called customer care at 2.05 pm and asked about the status. She said, 48 hours is over and will forward it to installation department. But nothing happened till 5 pm. I called customer care at 5 pm. He said, he can not help in this matter since it comes under installation team and will forward details to installation team.

Now there are some questions arise:

1) A group like Bharti who revolutionized the Telecommunication industry, the number 1 telecom provider in India, operating in many countries, are we expecting such low standards from them?
2) What is wrong in saying the installation time can be somewhere 3 days to 1 week if it takes this much time to do so?
3) For what customer is paying? For service, if the service cannot be provided, then why they give false commitments?
4) They are very fast in taking the payment, why no enthusiasm for delivering the service?
5) Why don’t the executive who took the order take responsibility of installation?
6) Why there is no follow up by the sales team, in coordination with customer?
7) If they cannot follow up then why did they say about follow up before I make payment? Just to fill their target?
’8) How can Airtel expect people to be in their home for a week or more than that waiting for a connection, normally all go for work, 1 or 2 days they can take leave and beyond that is it possible to take leave and wait for a DTH connection?

In conclusion, the standard Airtel shown is not at par with the ethics, customer centric and I think they are not much interested in this business. Instead of spending millions on advertisement and promotion correct some basic measures like timely delivery, better customer care etc. Or, they can take some customers and fool them; no one can fool everyone for a long.

Now I am waiting for my connection or a refund. Let’s see.

See this Review in Mouthshut.com

Yesterday night I got a mail from PayPal team as follows;

As part of our commitment to provide a high level of customer service, we would like to give you a 30-day advance notice on changes to our user agreement for India.

With effect from 1 March 2011, you are required to comply with the requirements set out in the notification of the Reserve Bank of India governing the processing and settlement of export-related receipts facilitated by online payment gateways (“RBI Guidelines”).

In order to comply with the RBI Guidelines, our user agreement in India will be amended for the following services as follows:

1. 1. Any balance in and all future payments into your PayPal account may not be used to buy goods or services and must be transferred to your bank account in India within 7 days from the receipt of confirmation from the buyer in respect of the goods or services; and
2. 2. Export-related payments for goods and services into your PayPal account may not exceed US$500 per transaction.

We seek your understanding as we continue to employ our best efforts to comply with the RBI Guidelines in a timely manner.

I was surprised why RBI has imposed such a rule over PayPal, it is going to affect many freelancers and some IT companies who depend of PayPal for their transactions.

If you analyze the first point, any amount which comes to your PayPal account should transfer to Bank Account within 7 days.  This is going to impact in many ways,

1)      For an amount less than Rs. 7000 will attract fees of Rs. 50 to transfer to Bank Account. This will have much loss to the account holder since PayPal is not giving the Bank Rate against US Dollars. The rate with PayPal is lower than the market rate. There is a difference of Rs.  1 to 1.5 per US Dollar. This is an additional amount PayPal gains over and above the 2.9 to 3.9% + 0.30 USD transaction fee they take.

2)      Many keep their PayPal balance to buy services or products online, this rule will leave no option for the people those who do not have a Credit Card to purchase online. I believe this rule may benefit the Credit Card companies.

The second rule which has a limitation of USD 500 will not have much impact because majority of PayPal transaction comes under that.

Once implemented, this rule will have much impact on freelance workers and some service exporters. If government think that this a major platform to get foreign funds, then they should have checked the entire transactions with PayPal.

Government could have allowed PayPay for a 2 way transaction connecting with their Bank Account.  Now, PayPal need PAN to open an account, then why RBI or Government imposes such rules.

If government wishes, they can have access to every transaction happens through PayPal. This rule is an unnecessary one.

Samsung Smart TV provides IPTV channel programs in real time without the need for set-top boxes.

This service may extend to South Korea as it recognizes the possibility for the same service here.

Samsung Electronics said Monday that it will provide ‘Bigpond TV,’ which is the biggest Australian communication service’s on-demand streaming media, through Samsung Smart TV.

Internet Protocol television (IPTV) is a system through which Internet television services allow viewers to watch any TV programs at their convenience but needs a paid or rented set-top box, while Smart TV is integration of the Internet into modern television sets and set-top boxes.

Samsung will cooperate with Telstra to offer IPTV as a Smart TV app, allowing customers of Samsung Smart TV of Blueray Player to access ‘BigPond TV’s sports, news, music and other various programs in real time.

IPTV business also sees this change as a way to deliver IPTV contents to consumers without the need to invest, stock, retrieve set-top boxes, while even lowering marketing expenses.

“This is a new business model that is a win-win for customers, business, and manufacturing industry,” said Samsung Electronics Australia’s Group Manager of AV, Evan Manolis. “ We will scout for Smart TV contents suitable for the world’s taste, differentiating Samsung’s Smart TV.”

Meanwhile, all the major vendors, including Panasonic, LG and Samsung vie for a share of the market as LG also promises to introduce Smart TV combined with IPTV in the next few weeks.

There are many advertisements and trailers available on television these days. Many times I have noticed some words are muted when play it. It is mostly on film trailers and Films too.

If such words are not allowed, then why censor board gives approval for that?

If approved by censor board, then why television channel mute it?

Is this another publicity game, where these trailers create curiosity and lead the viewer to Cinema Hall?

Whatever the reason, there should be a sensor board separately for Television and other films. In cinema hall, we have the choice to select what we could watch, but on television we do not have the choice as far as advertisement is concerned.

So, censor board should categories the trailers as well as other advertisement and which should indicate before showing an advertisement or trailer. And the mute system should not be there. If such dialogues are approved by censor board then it should be allowed.

Censor board should censor a film and approve it before telecasting; some film may not be suitable for general public, in such case the board should not give permit to telecast on Television.

These are just thoughts, and I do not know whether it could be applicable or not. When we see some reality shows, we often think that it required to be censored…. Let’s see…

A simple but hugely addictive video game is taking the world by storm.

Bubble Ball is a physics-based puzzle game that has been downloaded as an app by more than two million iPhone users reports Daily Mail

It became the top free application on the Apple store.

But it hasn’t been designed by a team of highly paid experts, it is the work of a 14-year-old boy.

Robert Nav’s game even outsold the adventure game Angry Birds.

Since its release on December 29, Bubble Ball’s success has become astounding.

Adding to Robert’s glory is the David versus Goliath nature of his victory.

While he designed Bubble Ball in his bedroom in Spanish Fork, Utah, Angry Birds was developed by 17 professionals in Finland.

The rules of Bubble Ball are simple – players must move a small blue ball from one side of the screen to the other by steering it around various obstacles.

Robert was encouraged to try his hand at programming by a friend who noticed how much he liked his iPod touch.

He firstly tired the standard Objective-C programming tools, but found the software a bit difficult, so switched to GameSalad, which he didn’t like.

After decided Corona tools from Ansca Mobile best suited him – and let him write and publish for both Aplpe and Android devices – Robert set about writing his game.

While his mother, Kari Nay, drew some of the levels of the game and submitted the apps to the App Store and Android marketplaces, the teenager did all the coding.

Robert released Bubble Ball through his own company, Nay Games.

Handsome men and women often appear to be blessed with lucky lives. Now research has shown they are cleverer than most people as well.

Studies in Britain and America have found they have IQs 14 points above average.

The findings dispel the myth of the dumb blondes or good-looking men not being very bright.

It appears that those already physically blessed attract partners who are not just good looking but brainy too, according to research by the London School of Economics.

The children of these couples will tend to inherit both qualities, building a genetic link over successive generations between them. LSE researcher Satoshi Kanazawa told the Sunday Times: ”Physical attractiveness is significantly positively associated with general intelligence, both with and without controls for social class, body size and health.

‘The association between attractiveness and general intelligence is also stronger among men than among women.’

In other research on social standing, he found that middle-class girls tended to have higher IQs than their working- class counterparts.

Among the millions of examples of beauty and brains, there’s supermodel Lily Cole who went to Cambridge University, actress Kate Beckinsale, an Oxford graduate, and physicist Brian Cox, one-time keyboard player with D:ream.

In Britain, the study found that men who are physically attractive had IQs an average 13.6 points above the norm while women were about 11.4 points higher.

Kanazawa’s findings were based on the National Child Development Study which followed 17,419 people since their birth in a single week in March, 1958.

Throughout their childhood up to early adulthood, they were given a series of tests for academic progress, intelligence and marked on appearance.

The American research was taken from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health which involved a similar study of 35,000 young Americans.

Kanazawa, whose paper was published in the academic journal Intelligence, said: ‘Our contention that beautiful people are more intelligent is purely scientific. It is not a prescription for how to treat or judge others.’