I am an Airtel customer who was paying heavy charges for voice calls and data usage. 

Since years now, the 3 giants of the telecom industry – Airtel, Vodafone and Idea (AVoId) have been ruling the industry, dictating terms and looting consumers with unfair practices like charging us exorbitant rates for data and voice while providing sub-standard services.

Four months back I added a Jio SIM to my phone and my voice calls have become free now. I also got 4 GB of data free initially and now get 1 GB data free every day. 

New entrants like Jio are adopting new technology to make data more accessible to everyone.

There is a free voice movement that has started in India – today the Indian consumer, including the masses, not just the classes, have access to data at affordable rates for the first time. This is a revolution that can change the destiny of our younger generation, by allowing them to access knowledge and information at a touch of a button without losing their shirt.

The legacy operators, Airtel, Vodafone and Idea (AVoId) are trying to mislead Indian consumers by means of advertising, misleading plans and pressurizing regulatory authorities like TRAI to stop this movement for the growth of India. AVoId is keeping India and Indians in the dark ages and slowing down the growth of knowledge in this country.

And all this because they have not invested in upgrading their networks. For years, they have been making crores by charging for calls and not allowing rural India to access the internet by keeping the costs high. Now when there is a new entrant ready to change the industry, these companies, instead of competing, are calling the cheaper offers predatory. They first formed a cartel and tried to block voice calls from and to their networks, trying to make the consumers who could have got free calls, pay.

Who lost out? The Average Indian.

Even TRAI in their letter dated 21.10.2016 to the Secretary, Department of Telecommunication pointed out that the practices of AVoId appear to be with ulterior motives to stifle competition and are anti-consumer & against public interest. These actions are against the terms & conditions of the TRAI License Act, 1997 and warrants for revocation of their licenses. However, since revocation of licenses will entail significant consumer inconvenience, TRAI imposed a penalty of ₹50 crore / circle on each operator.

If we don’t stop AVoId now, we will never be able to get access to this new data highway at rates that each of us can afford to pay.

Companies like these take advantage of the fact that people are busy and try to push regulation that can harm the common man in the long term. So please stand up with me today, and help protect our right to access the internet and get free voice… help protect the new movement that has started and help get 90 crore Indians that are kept out of this revolution because of high tariffs access the internet.

Jaago India… Join the telecom movement for yourselves and for the future generations - AVoId ke Saamne Jaago… AVoId the AVoId!!!

Signed by – Santosh Chaturvedi – Journalist and An Average Indian.