After Airtel, Vodafone has blocked MyToday service alleging the service does not comply with the telecom regulations.
While Vodafone hasn’t given any concrete reasons (after all, the service is opt-in, so NDNC doesn’t apply), Rajesh has following to say:
The real unstated reason for the block is that Vodafone believes our free SMS services are competitive to their paid services (Vodafone Alerts). So, rather than let the market and consumers decide, they chose the path of blocking a service which has grown word-of-mouth to 3.8 million subscribers in India in the past two years.
TRAI, few days back announced that opt-in services override NDNC, but it seems operators can’t see independent services monetizing their infrastructure, without any revenue sharing.
This is quite a shame on Vodafone and Airtel of the world, who actually tend to do a lip-service in the name of innovation (Airtel even launched it’s innovation fund, though not sure who has benefited out of it), but when it comes to an outsider doing something interesting, they act like a big brother.
What’s your opinion on this issue?
Note to smsgupshup team – If not now, you guys will also face this issue in the near future. So why not team up and fight together?
Also see: Indian Politicians don’t give a damn to NDNC | Business Case for Operators to Open their Network?
WTF.. Who is vodafone to decide what SMSs i m supposed read .. it my choice.. TRAI shud do something ..
.. Voda Dal ..
Well, its not “Vodafone’s Infrastructure” alone. Akin to paying rent for a house, once I pay for it, I pay for the infrastructure and decent usage rights over it (MyToday alerts can in no way be seen as against any ToS at the consumers end). A class action suit would be very much on, in other parts of the world. I hope some consumer forum takes these guys on.
The operators must be forced to set up different organizations that provide infrastructure and services independently. There’s too much conflict of interest, and anti-consumer behaviour because of this, at the moment.
I guess, i’m still recieving MyToday alerts.. last one i recived was 30mins back..
MyToday’s an amazing service, with a good business model. Their ONLY mistake, taking on with the BIG BROTHERS of Indian telecom..such a pity.. in the free economy…
i am subscribed to alerts thro airtel for last year, sms has never stopped for me
My Today is such a valuable service for Indian subscriber..They are doing great business..Now its the turn of other start ups?
shame on you Vodafone
Pingback: We Versus Vodafone, Day 2
can we take our name out of this NDNC list…???
if yes then how???