Wednesday, October 25, 2006

It's not fair. . .

Use of mobile


I have lived in Egypt for several years now.
I have a mobile with Vodafone recharging-cards system.
If I buy a recharging-card for LE 50,- ($9,-). . . . . I am enforced to finish the card inside a certain period of time. After that they close the line, even if it is money left on the card . . . and one even have to pay to re-open the line again.
This is ABUSE after my opinion, in the normal understanding of act.
I bought this mobile, Nokia, for LE 250,- ($44,-)
Then I bought a phone-line for LE 750,- ($ 132,-)
After this I am forced to make calls for a certain amount of money pr. week or month, after the card I have bought or they close my line.
What they are doing is to demand me to pay for TWO lines, one permanent line and one temporary line.
This happens in a country when the average salary pr month is LE 300,- ($53,-)

In Scandinavia where the salary pr. month is equal LE 45 000,- pr. month ($7895,-)
One can get a mobile to LE 1,- (one Egyptian pound) ($0,1)
One gets a phone-line for LE 350,- ($62,-)
If one uses recharging-cards, the card is valid so long as it is money left on the card.
If one buy a recharging-card for LE 25, - ($5,-) but use one year to finish calls for LE 25,- . . . then the card is valid for one year. On top of this you even have a certain numbers of free-calls.
Like
www.sms.ac . . . .you have 5 free sms pr. day.
That is service after my opinion.
And this is how it is all over the rest of the world, as far as I know . . . . But not here in Egypt.

Some people use the phone as emergency equipment. (Me included. I never sit in the phone for hours.)

But here in Egypt, that is impossible.

What I react on, is that countries all over the world give AID to a country where the companies themselves are robbing the people.
This has nothing to do with the government; this is the ignorance, self-serving attitude, greediness and the lack of knowledge of what service is from the ownership of the companies.
What is your opinion? How is the system in your country?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kirsten, just a note letting you know I finally received your book today.

Anonymous said...

Over is Singapore, we have several payment systems.

Mobile phone:
- buy it at a higher price with no service provider contract.
- buy it a a cheaper price with 2 years service provider contract.

Mobile calling plans:
- pre-paid card that allows the caller to use the line as long as there is still sufficient amout in it.
- different calling plans that one subscribe. Majority of the people go for this plan. There are the business plans (for people who call n receive calls all the time), prime plans, sms plans (for people who sms more than calling), and many other plans to suit the potential costumers' lifestyle. If the usuage of the calls or sms exceed the subscription amount, then we will have to pay the extras when the bill payment is due, once in a month.

We have 3 service providers here, each having its own advantages and disadvantages. Usually after the 2 years contract, they will request the costumers to renew the contract so that they will still have the costumer base.

I know that in Malaysia there is also a similar system as per Egypt.

Kirsten N. Namskau said...

lexcen: I look forward to your review of the book

Princess: Thank you for your comment

Anonymous said...

Here in the US I got a full functioned sprint mobile for $70
if I signed up for a two year contract. I pay $29.99 per month
for 1500 minutes anywhere in the country.

My home phone line is $32 per month

My internet is $59.99 per month and that includes the cable connection and internet provider.

I would really like to simplify but since I have kids in school I need to be connected at all times in case they need me.

Anonymous said...

We have phone (unlimited long distance), Digital TV, & high speed cable modem for the internet, all through our cable company (comcast) and it costs us 165.00 per month. My husband has a cell phone that costs us nothing, because his work provides it. Actually his work reimburses us 49.00 every month for the cable modem too. Pretty good deal.

I think it's wrong how they're doing you over there in Egypt...its like legal robbery.