| India with its very large human capital, and high | | | | 4G spectrum, almost at the same time, and all the |
| growth trajectory - that commenced in 1990s, | | | | necessary clearances have been accorded by the |
| continued to remain still a very much old world | | | | Government of India. The country top most cellular |
| economy with its systems and practices. It was | | | | service providers are getting their act in place to |
| similar to what Britain was up until the 1960s era. | | | | launch the services across the country. |
| However the slew of reforms unleashed in 1990s in | | | | In the intervening period between the initial launch - a |
| India by its progressive regime, touched each and | | | | decade and half ago - and now, the Cellular Industry |
| every aspect of its economy. The old order - so to | | | | has undergone huge churning in terms of various |
| say - started giving way to the New Order, albeit in | | | | mergers and acquisitions, paving way for three odd |
| fits and starts. | | | | giants to control and service over 90% of the |
| One such sector, which saw huge whiff of fresh | | | | subscribers. |
| breeze blowing through its corridors, was the telecom | | | | It is but natural that the subscribers expect the |
| sector. The transformation of telecom sector & the | | | | top-of-the-breed schemes, and most importantly |
| attendant services that saw the transformation was | | | | uninterrupted customer care and customer services |
| nothing short of a re-birth, if you may permit the | | | | from these service providers. We can delve further |
| phraseology. | | | | deep into this subject that would end up becoming a |
| It saw a flurry of activity, with licenses being issued | | | | huge tome, looking akin to a manual. It will bore you - |
| to over a dozen of Cellular service operators, | | | | the reader - to death, metaphorically speaking. |
| spanning across the length and breadth of the | | | | Hence suffice to say that the top brands such as |
| country. In a matter of 4 years the entire Indian | | | | Airtel, Reliance, Vodafone, IDEA etc. have all put in |
| landscape was dotting with Cellular transmission and | | | | place exemplary customer service systems in place. |
| receiving towers. | | | | The final beneficiary has been the consumer, as a |
| It was as though the Indian topography has seen a | | | | result of all the transformations (in some cases |
| bountiful of monsoon, bringing with it mushroom | | | | transmutations too) and churnings the industry has |
| florets of all varieties germinating in any side one | | | | seen, and most justifiably so, as customer is the king |
| cares to see. Huge billboards could be seen in | | | | in the market driven economy. |
| vantage and not-so-vantage points, announcing the | | | | I will present you with the distinct differentiators |
| arrival of a new Cellular service operator. | | | | between all the top brands in a separate article. |
| Cellular Services in India as it stands today | | | | Watch out for further articles on this topic, as I dwell |
| Today a stage has reached where India boasts of | | | | on very many facets of this industry, its players, the |
| over 600 Million Cellular Users. That is over 50% of its | | | | market dynamism, the expansion plans and very |
| population figures. I suspect, not even so many wrist | | | | many other facets and attributes, as I will be back |
| watches are in circulation in India. So much was the | | | | soon with a bunch of articles to lay these aspects |
| power of liberalization, and its hugely transformational | | | | threadbare. |
| positive spin-off. | | | | For the moment, you can gain excellent insight into |
| Now India is adding over 1.5 Million new users of | | | | the Comprehensive Information about the Customer |
| Cellular Services - hold your breath - on a monthly | | | | Service Systems of Reliance, as well as Vodafone |
| basis and that is a conservative estimate. | | | | from this article. |
| We are on the threshold of rolling out 3G as well as | | | | |