[mayankk]

Originally Posted by xway

Why are they charging 1p/sms to marketing, insurance, banks, credit card, property and so many companies ?

It's actually closer to 11p, of which TRAI takes about half.

[RSR]

I am so glad Vodafone(-Idea) has won the case at the Hague, after winning the case in the SC (negated by the vicious & infamous retrospective taxation law).

There is a reason why tax collectors were a much hated & despised lot even in Biblical times. Even after two millennia, their despicable attitude hasn't changed one single bit.

[GeneralJazz]

Govt to hold 35.8% in Vodafone Idea after board approves plan

Vodafone Idea on Tuesday stated that the board has approved conversion of the full amount of interest related to spectrum auction instalments and AGR dues into equity. Following the conversion, the government will become the single-largest shareholder of the company with 35.8 per cent stake and the promoter shareholders would hold 28.5 per cent (Vodafone Group) and around 17.8 per cent (Aditya Birla Group), respectively.

Link

I guess this is better than letting the company tank, or a bailout?

[padmrajravi]

Oh, Did Vodafone suddenly become a PSU ? I don't think this is a good idea from taxpayer's perspective.

[condor]

Originally Posted by padmrajravi

Oh, Did Vodafone suddenly become a PSU ? I don't think this is a good idea from taxpayer's perspective.

I believe it is a temp solution so that the company does not go belly-up and leave users in the lurch. The 35% stake should be sold away in due course. Or moved to BSNL.

Currently we have Airtel and Jio having a near duopoly. BSNL and VI are behind . One more strong player required to keep things balanced. Best would be a third independent entity with VI and retail part of BSNL.

[am1m]

Originally Posted by condor

Currently we have Airtel and Jio having a near duopoly. ...One more strong player required to keep things balanced.

Absolutely. I've seen the difference in Airtel's service attitude pre and post-Jio. Before Jio they used to act like they were doing the customer a favour by installing their service, giving excuses like "oh we don't cover that area", now they jump pronto to the same "uncovered areas" of the city And all I need to say are the magic words "I'm not happy with the service, thinking of switching to Jio" for even the most "unsolvable" issues to get resolved. Even 2 major players in a space can collude however, so need at least a couple more to ensure that the customer gets the best service!

[ABHI_1512]

The funny thing is that the Government has become the largest shareholder in Vodafone while BSNL languishes and is in the brink of collapse !! It saddening to think that a behemoth like BSNL is dying a slow death although the kind of reach that BSNL has, it could have been the biggest telecom provider in the country if right attitude was shown towards it.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by condor

I believe it is a temp solution so that the company does not go belly-up and leave users in the lurch. The 35% stake should be sold away in due course. Or moved to BSNL.

Currently we have Airtel and Jio having a near duopoly. BSNL and VI are behind . One more strong player required to keep things balanced. Best would be a third independent entity with VI and retail part of BSNL.

Agree 101%. Every infrastructure industry should, in a country like India, have one major PSU player to ensure that the less remunerative services/sectors or geographies also get covered and to keep the big private players in check. While I am a private sector votary for core areas in a country like ours with massive disparities this is needed. a PSU monopoly is a bad thing. A private sector monopoly (or duopoly) is worse.