Have you ever used Grameen Phone's internet packages? If so perhaps you have noticed how Grameen Phone steal your money in a deceptive way. Right now P5 and P6 module is very popular to people where broad band is not available or who need mobility. See following notes regarding these two internet packages of Grameen Phone (taken directly from their webpage http://www.grameenphone.com/index.php?id=470):
- Subscribers will be able to perform multiple requests, even when using the same package, with multiple charges.
- After crossing the usage limit (1GB or 30 days whichever finishes first for P6 & 3GB or 30 days whichever finishes first for P5), P1 (BDT 0.02/KB) charges will be applicable
- The validity of the package will be 30 days (1 month) from the date of purchase
- Subscribers will not be notified after expiration of usage limit. But only prepaid subscribers will be able to check balance through USSD balance check (just dial *566*10#) or sending SMS (type info and send it to 5000.) Postpaid subscribers will be able to check balance by sending SMS (type info and send it to 5000.)
- SMS charge+VAT will be applicable for balance checking.
Wow! may I ask the Grameen Phone authority why you don't feel any responsibility to inform your valued customer before auto switching to P1 module? You have all the instruments available in your hand to inform and/or take permission from your customers before switching to a highly costly option. Charge for P5 is BDT 0.233/MB, for P6 BDT 0.30/MB while it is TK 20 per MB for P1 module. Which means P1 is 85 times costlier than P5 and 66 times costlier than P6.
Imposing a 66-87 times higher cost system to any customer without giving him any kind of notice is a solid deception in all consideration. The user may be easily notified by SMS or may be prompted on computer screen before switching to P1, or simply the connection may be discontinued so that the user can subscribe again manually.
While this action may not be illegal but it fails to fulfill any kind of moral obligation. Is just profit the motto of GP? Don't they have any moral obligation to their customers?
Update (14 Feb, 2011):
Grameen Phone has now set a daily spending limit for the P1 package. Now maximum bill for any particular day is Tk 20 but after 10 MB of usage your speed will be half (their support team informed me this when I talked with them). It seems like an acceptable solution.
Still a lot of policies of the company are not fair or well disclosed to the customers. They advertise keep a lot of rules hidden which costs the customers a lot.
Update (14 Feb, 2011):
Grameen Phone has now set a daily spending limit for the P1 package. Now maximum bill for any particular day is Tk 20 but after 10 MB of usage your speed will be half (their support team informed me this when I talked with them). It seems like an acceptable solution.
Still a lot of policies of the company are not fair or well disclosed to the customers. They advertise keep a lot of rules hidden which costs the customers a lot.
