October 11, 2016
Dear Friends at PMO,
Warm Greetings
Please see the mail below I sent to TRAI today about DTH Service Provider Tata Sky.
I decided to disturb you people at PMO with this matter, which might appear trifling on the surface, because :
1. It is high handedness by a public service provider and the rate of increase of charges by Tata Sky is so high - it not seen as reasonable and justifiable - up from Rs 380 to Rs 460 in 4 months - as such Tata Sky does not care to tell the reason to its customers.
You receive SMS that charge is now this much and you must pay by that date or else service is cut off. My service was actually cut off last night and restored today only after I paid revised fee. This reminded me of Loan Sharks in Arthur Hadley fiction "Moneychangers".
2. I took up through their web site and a phone call came from their Hyderabad office but thereafter "nothing". It is not only increase of Rs. 80 in 4 months - 21% hike - but the brazen way of doing it.
3. My third and last reason is and you people need to pay attention because it has potential to create serioius issues in future. In brief, Govt is making it compulsory for each and every household to have set top box in order to watch TV, and please think of a situation if DTH providers continue to raise charges blatantly - like as in my case the cost has gone up from Rs 380 in July 2016 to as high as Rs 460 in October 2016 - 21% increase - in under 4 months and please imagine the situation when the public at large starts blaming the Govt for it - since it is the Govt that has forced the people to come under the thumbs of these usurious DTH companies.
Please think that no one will tolerate this kind of coercion by local cablewalla but how do they get back at DTH companies sitting in big cities.
Eventually, there will be huge backlash against the Govt.
My Name and Ph No
Text of mail to TRAI : some editing done for space :
I am using Tata Sky DTH for last many months / few years with my Consumer No being 1*3X2&4@#8 Tata Sky has been raising its charges from time to time which did not appear reasonable but somehow we did not care so much and kept paying.
However, in the recent few months and presently, they have crossed all the limits of decency and fair play by raising the user charges so unfairly.
The package that I am getting was costing Rs 380 PM till a few months back but it was raised to Rs 420 PM in August 2016. The raise of over 10% may not be seen as reasonable. Besides, this hike came at the time of their 10th anniversary celebrations coupled with launch of a mega advertising campaign. The reason for writing to you is yet another hike of Rs 40 (again nearly 10%) to Rs 460 PM. Again, there is yet another mega advertising campaign. My request to you is whether :
1. Has Tata Sky obtained your clearance for such absurd hikes in user charges ?
2. In case, they do not need to obtain your permission at all, can you question them on such frequent and hefty raise in fees ?
3. Can you advise / compel them to revise the user charges downward to the reasonable levels - at par with the competition - other DTH providers ? As I see it, they are exploiting the consumers mercilessly - because it is a cumbersome thing to change the DTH providers and as a result, consumers usually grumble but are forced to pay the unreasonably high charges.
It looks like they are penalising existing consumers whenever they launch a new ad campaign. Also, in case, they are not earning enough to sustain their business, is it fair on their part to pass on the high costs - salaries and perks and the resultant losses - to existing custmers - who are somehow trapped with a looser service provider. (Actually, I am extremely sad to see this coming from a Tata Group entity - but they are behaving like loosers).
Sir / Madam, it is this feeling of being in captivity - like being imprisoned - a kind of helplessness with no remedy - that has forced me to seek your (TR
16th December 2016 :
PMO advised that issue has been resolved and case stands closed, and attached a letter by Tata Sky.
I have written back like this :
Tata Sky is charging the hiked rate of Rs 460 PM. Their attached letter does not explain the reason for frequent and unreasonably large increase of over 10% each, after every 6 months.
Tata Sky gives no explanation for blatant exploitation of its consumers.
I have 2 questions and one suggestion :
Whether PMO sees nothing wrong with these frequent large hikes ?
Why are the user charges not being monitored by TRAI or Govt ?
My suggestion is and PMO needs to pay attention because this attitude and behaviour of Tata Sky and such DTH providers has potential to create serioius issues in future.
In brief, Govt is making it compulsory for each and every household to have set top box in order to watch TV, and please think of a situation if DTH providers continue to raise charges blatantly - like as in my case the cost has gone up from Rs 380 to Rs 460 - 21% increase - in 6 months and please imagine the situation when the public at large starts blaming the Govt for it - since it is the Govt that has forced the people to come under the thumbs of these usurious DTH companies. Please think that no one will tolerate this kind of coercion by local cablewalla but how do they get back at DTH companies sitting in big cities.
As you may see the attitude shown by Tata Sky in their terse letter.
Eventually, there may be huge backlash against the Govt.
My Name and Ph No
Dear Friends at PMO,
Warm Greetings
Please see the mail below I sent to TRAI today about DTH Service Provider Tata Sky.
I decided to disturb you people at PMO with this matter, which might appear trifling on the surface, because :
1. It is high handedness by a public service provider and the rate of increase of charges by Tata Sky is so high - it not seen as reasonable and justifiable - up from Rs 380 to Rs 460 in 4 months - as such Tata Sky does not care to tell the reason to its customers.
You receive SMS that charge is now this much and you must pay by that date or else service is cut off. My service was actually cut off last night and restored today only after I paid revised fee. This reminded me of Loan Sharks in Arthur Hadley fiction "Moneychangers".
2. I took up through their web site and a phone call came from their Hyderabad office but thereafter "nothing". It is not only increase of Rs. 80 in 4 months - 21% hike - but the brazen way of doing it.
3. My third and last reason is and you people need to pay attention because it has potential to create serioius issues in future. In brief, Govt is making it compulsory for each and every household to have set top box in order to watch TV, and please think of a situation if DTH providers continue to raise charges blatantly - like as in my case the cost has gone up from Rs 380 in July 2016 to as high as Rs 460 in October 2016 - 21% increase - in under 4 months and please imagine the situation when the public at large starts blaming the Govt for it - since it is the Govt that has forced the people to come under the thumbs of these usurious DTH companies.
Please think that no one will tolerate this kind of coercion by local cablewalla but how do they get back at DTH companies sitting in big cities.
Eventually, there will be huge backlash against the Govt.
My Name and Ph No
Text of mail to TRAI : some editing done for space :
I am using Tata Sky DTH for last many months / few years with my Consumer No being 1*3X2&4@#8 Tata Sky has been raising its charges from time to time which did not appear reasonable but somehow we did not care so much and kept paying.
However, in the recent few months and presently, they have crossed all the limits of decency and fair play by raising the user charges so unfairly.
The package that I am getting was costing Rs 380 PM till a few months back but it was raised to Rs 420 PM in August 2016. The raise of over 10% may not be seen as reasonable. Besides, this hike came at the time of their 10th anniversary celebrations coupled with launch of a mega advertising campaign. The reason for writing to you is yet another hike of Rs 40 (again nearly 10%) to Rs 460 PM. Again, there is yet another mega advertising campaign. My request to you is whether :
1. Has Tata Sky obtained your clearance for such absurd hikes in user charges ?
2. In case, they do not need to obtain your permission at all, can you question them on such frequent and hefty raise in fees ?
3. Can you advise / compel them to revise the user charges downward to the reasonable levels - at par with the competition - other DTH providers ? As I see it, they are exploiting the consumers mercilessly - because it is a cumbersome thing to change the DTH providers and as a result, consumers usually grumble but are forced to pay the unreasonably high charges.
It looks like they are penalising existing consumers whenever they launch a new ad campaign. Also, in case, they are not earning enough to sustain their business, is it fair on their part to pass on the high costs - salaries and perks and the resultant losses - to existing custmers - who are somehow trapped with a looser service provider. (Actually, I am extremely sad to see this coming from a Tata Group entity - but they are behaving like loosers).
Sir / Madam, it is this feeling of being in captivity - like being imprisoned - a kind of helplessness with no remedy - that has forced me to seek your (TR
16th December 2016 :
PMO advised that issue has been resolved and case stands closed, and attached a letter by Tata Sky.
I have written back like this :
Tata Sky is charging the hiked rate of Rs 460 PM. Their attached letter does not explain the reason for frequent and unreasonably large increase of over 10% each, after every 6 months.
Tata Sky gives no explanation for blatant exploitation of its consumers.
I have 2 questions and one suggestion :
Whether PMO sees nothing wrong with these frequent large hikes ?
Why are the user charges not being monitored by TRAI or Govt ?
My suggestion is and PMO needs to pay attention because this attitude and behaviour of Tata Sky and such DTH providers has potential to create serioius issues in future.
In brief, Govt is making it compulsory for each and every household to have set top box in order to watch TV, and please think of a situation if DTH providers continue to raise charges blatantly - like as in my case the cost has gone up from Rs 380 to Rs 460 - 21% increase - in 6 months and please imagine the situation when the public at large starts blaming the Govt for it - since it is the Govt that has forced the people to come under the thumbs of these usurious DTH companies. Please think that no one will tolerate this kind of coercion by local cablewalla but how do they get back at DTH companies sitting in big cities.
As you may see the attitude shown by Tata Sky in their terse letter.
Eventually, there may be huge backlash against the Govt.
My Name and Ph No
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