Today, if you ask any telecom consumer whether he is satisfied with how his telecom service provider charges for data usages. His answer will be a straight no.  Why companies can’t be more transparent in dealing with data services? Is data become a tool for operators to fleece consumers mercilessly? And why nobodycaresfor consumer grievances related with data. And why TRAI is a mute spectator?

Here I am sharing my first-hand experience with my telecom operator Vodafone. I am a decade old customer of telecom company Vodafone. I must say I have been using my number 98116***** for last 10 years on the same network without much hassles. 3 years back I had shifted to blackberry device and had activated blackberry 399 unlimited plan. In my knowledge, everything was going fine with my operator until one fine day I had a look at my mobile data bill. I was shocked to know that I was over billed for using data on my mobile.

When I inquired about this from customer care, they were clueless. I was told that I have accessed data outside my plan so I was billed and they have billed me correctly. It was a bit surprising for me as 2 year back I had specifically asked my operator to block all other data plans on my number except blackberry data services. However, the company has chosen to activate data on my mobile without my consent. When I inquired about this I was told that these data services are default service.

Two issues arise here

1. Whether a Telecom Company can activate data services on any consumers mobile without his consent?
2. Even if the consumer has specifically asked them to block data services? Can they offer these services as default services?

Vodafone despite my request to block all data services, activated data on my mobile without my consent. Is this because without a plan the company keeps you in High Pay Per Use plan and charge you exorbitantly for using data?

Unfortunately this issue does not end here. When I further inquired how I used this data. I was told that I have accessed YouTube through my phone. It was again a shockers for me because I was using 399 Unlimited Blackberry Plan. I was told by the company my plan does not support streaming YouTube. Now three issues arise here

1. Streaming and downloading YouTube is not permitted in my plan unlimited data plan. Is this permissible by TRAI? When I enquired from TRAI about this specific plan, TRAI officials were clueless. I was told that no permission has been taken by the company to offer this specific plan to consumers.
2. Secondly, you can access all the Internet services but can’t access YouTube from your phone with your data plan. Is this is a not a violation of Net-Neutrality principal? 
3. Third, can a company offer two data plans on a single number? If you use this you will be charged this but if you use this you will be charged separately for this? Unfortunately TRAI is also clueless on this plan.

I wish the issue could have been end here but one fine day I find that I can access 3G services on my phone.  Well I was again surprised to see this because I had never asked for activation of 3G services. When I enquired from customer care I was again told these are also a default services. (We can offer you these services without your consent). Now again 2 issues arise here

1. Whether a telecom company can offer 3G services to consumer without his consent?
2. If, yes how the consumer how will be charged for these services? I am asking this question because I was using unlimited blackberry plan.

When I enquired from the company these how I will be charged for using these 3G data services on my mobile they were again clueless. I asked them that I have been using 399 Unlimited blackberry plan (however there is nothing called unlimited plan  in Consumer terms) what will be my Fair Usages Policy for using 3G data on my mobile? Can I access unlimited 3G data on my mobile? The company fails to give me a fair answer.

A mail has also been sent to company requesting answer to all these question but no reply was given. A vague oral explanation was offered to me but I insisted on a written explanation so that I can include their comments in my story. However company chose to avoid my questions.

When I sought Explanation from company they deactivated 3G as well as other 2G default services given to me. (Which were given to me without my consent)

Finally, I also decide to end blackberry services on my mobile and now I am using mobile to make simple calls rather than accessing data.

The story does not ends here. Final surprise came to me when I had given a request to deactivate blackberry services on my phone. I received an SMS that Iphone services has been deactivated on my mobile. I am still wondering when I had asked the company to activate Iphone services on my mobile. Now I have logged out from all the data services. However I have decided to put it in public domain so that people must be aware that telecom companies are not saint when it comes to data charges. They takes consumers for ride and TRAI is silent spectator.