Kaushik Biswas ~ a personal blog with personal views and opinions

Jio Prime Membership: free renewal for existing users!

The most talked about telecom operator in the nation for over a year, has been seen wooing subscribers with different tariff plans based on "Jio Prime Membership" which came at a price of ₹99 for a proud of one year ending on 31st March 2018. Non-prime members get lesser plan benefits, told the company, Reliance Jio.<br /><br />As I write this blog post this evening of 30th March, Reliance Jio announced that the existing prime members will continue to enjoy same benefits at no extra cost for another year, i.e. upto 31st March 2019. However, Reliance Jio has also stated that it is a limited time offer and subscribers will be required to "express interest" via "My Jio" app.<br /><br />New subscribers, joining in to Reliance Jio on and from 1st April will have to enrol for Prime Membership club with a fee of ₹99 only.<br /><br />There's no change in the tariff chart as of now. Reliance Jio also happens to be India's first prepaid auto-recharge. That can be done through credit/debit card or even directly authorising via bank account.<br /><br />I'd not recommend auto-recharge of prepaid because when tariff plans change, there would be a big hassle cancelling the existing authorisation and opting for the revised tariff. Also, it takes away your freedom to choose any plan any month.<div dir="ltr">
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There's no change in the tariff chart as of now. </div>
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Jio Prime Membership: free renewal for existing users!

The most talked about telecom operator in the nation for over a year, has been seen wooing subscribers with different tariff plans based on ...

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Toy Train: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

<p dir="ltr">Indian Railways is clearly neglecting the UNESCO World Heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; these trains run on the narrow gauge, only two in a day - one Up (Train no. 52541 NJP to Darjeeling) and one Down (train no. 52540 Darjeeling to NJP), but still these trains never run on time.</p>
<p dir="ltr">On 25th February, I had my ticket, costing Rs. 1,295, in a First Class coach, on the 52541 New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling toy train. This train was scheduled to depart NJP at 8:30am but there was no train on the platform. As passengers waited, railways announced around 9am that the train will be delayed and will depart at 12noon!</p>
<p dir="ltr">As per railways rule, passengers will be able to cancel their tickets if any train is delayed by three hours, but that had to be done before the scheduled departure of train. So you see, announcement made 30 minutes after scheduled departure automatically disqualified passengers to file TDR (ticket deposit receipt) for full refund.</p>
<p dir="ltr">This railways made sure they won't have to refund those many costly tickets! They portray forced us with two difficult options: (a) don't travel and forget refund, (b) forget the joy of toy train ride and suffer inconveniences. I opted for the second as I couldn't let my hard earned money go down the drain.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Why inconvenience? Because the normal journey takes 7 hours! Your whole day is practically gone. Yet, Indians and foreigners but tickets and thus runs this UNESCO World Heritage train. By making it depart at 12 noon means the train would reach destination after 7pm; but it won't, as running this train uphill after sunset in the darkness takes longer time!</p>
<p dir="ltr">That evening, my train reached at 9pm! It was dark, Darjeeling had little lights at that hour as many shops close and other activities end and it is cold, quite cold there. That night, temperature dipped to 7°C and we came uphill from the plains which was 33°C hot!</p>
<p dir="ltr">There were no vehicles in the station area. Passengers were anxiously calling their hotels to arrange cabs. I, however, couldn't get any cab and had to walk further uphill by 1.8 kilometres to my lodge.</p>
<p dir="ltr">During the journey, the sun set before we're arriving Kurseong; after that stop, rest of the road was covered in complete darkness as the Hill Cart Road has no street lighting. So, no sightseeing, tensed journey for passengers, only time killing and endless waiting to reach destination.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Indian Railways badly failed us. And it's not only us that day, from the information I gathered from base station New Jalpaiguri, this late running is very normal.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Ministry of Railways is foolishly messing with a UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE. Regarding all other broad gauge mail/express trains, the late running is even more worse.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The Indian Railways is fast losing reputation, trust & dependability.</p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HR5IZB0cQ8I/Wp4dYSm0P9I/AAAAAAAAHmo/yQA9QnFY4vMsn1lpUoXekRNZ0hQ_BjbUACHMYCw/s1600/20180306_101630.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-HR5IZB0cQ8I/Wp4dYSm0P9I/AAAAAAAAHmo/yQA9QnFY4vMsn1lpUoXekRNZ0hQ_BjbUACHMYCw/s640/20180306_101630.jpg"> </a> </div>

Toy Train: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Indian Railways is clearly neglecting the UNESCO World Heritage Darjeeling Himalayan Railway; these trains run on the narrow gauge, only two...

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Business of Uber taxi: not as profitable as it is showing?

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From quite some some time I am noticing the Uber taxi offers and promo codes game. Much has changed in the sphere of Uber taxi free rides in less than a year. New users used to get 2 free rides, worth Rs. 250 each, which has undergone several confusing changes. Now it's 1 free ride, worth Rs. 150. On the Uber referral system earned free rides as well, nothing seems to be well enough.</div>
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Users got emails stating "refer 3 people and earn 18 discounted rides". 
Earlier, Uber also kept sending emails stating, "take 3 rides before 
<date> and get 100 free rides"!!! Very soon it changed to 18 discounted rides upon 3 referrals. Crazy! But reveals everything's 
wrong in there now. This trend of "take three rides before <date>" is being kept up by Uber. All kinds of funny offers are being made on this trend.</div>
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Nobody knows who, or if anyone at all, won those 100 free rides. Nobody knows who qualified for those 18 discounted rides. The value of one free ride saw change from Rs. 250 to Rs. 150 and then Rs. 50 only.</div>
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Right now, a uberPOOL system is being trending in Twitter. They're accommodating 2 separate pickup requests, 2 persons per request, that makes four people in the car pool - the idea of a shuttle taxi basically, with some terms & conditions.</div>
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Uber also introduced a cancellation fee. Rs. 60, even if you had to cancel due to driver's issues. I was charged Rs. 60 because I had to cancel a pickup request due to driver refusing me to pick me up and he wanted me to walk up to his cab location.</div>
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Last week, for Udaipur only, Uber introduced a flat Rs. 40 ride fare for upto first 8 kilometers, after that, regular fares apply.</div>
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More surprises sure to come from Uber, in the days ahead, if I am not wrong. Keep it simple, Uber. The better. For you and for us.</div>

Business of Uber taxi: not as profitable as it is showing?

From quite some some time I am noticing the Uber taxi offers and promo codes game. Much has changed in the sphere of Uber taxi free rides i...

Continue »

Now a super flop: MTS Mblaze Ultra 3G+ WiFi idea

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The entire hype created by the company about it's Mblaze Ultra 3G+ Wi-Fi has gone down the drains. Rotten right now. Today, after ages, I logged on to the site <a href="http://www.mtsindia.in/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mtsindia.in</a> and what am I seeing in their '<a href="http://www.shop.mtsindia.in/mts-mblaze/mblaze-ultra-wi-fi-with-adapter/p-7436430-53162310354-cat.html#variant_id=7436430-61947155528" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">shop</a>' page there? A dead link. Page and the idea not found. The device shopping link I had followed from their <a href="http://www.mtsindia.in/OpenWeb/index.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">main page</a>. Right now there are no television ads, the internet baby is gone. Probably grown up and understood.</div>
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MTS couldn't survive. It had no future. Basically, a miscalculated venture by the company. Users in India mostly use two types of Internet connectivity. The most popular is wireline internet provided by local entrepreneurs which come at a very cheap price and they're constantly improving their services. Secondly, users have smartphones and on the move they need mobile Internet packs. Right now, I am using a <a href="http://www.wishnet.in/priceing.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">WishNet broadband unlimited plan</a>, where I spend Rs. 650 per month and I get 4Mbps (12am-12noon) and 2Mbps (12noon-12am). Pretty good, no?</div>
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And what's MTS Mblaze Ultra 3G+ Wi-Fi offering? 5GB at Rs. 499 and the saddest offer is, 10GB day and 10GB night data at Rs. 999. Horribly costly. And, from my own experience, the speeds are 2Mbps maximum - that too, with a antenna they fitted on my roof top and practically made a wireless device a wired device. Insane!</div>
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My WishCharm data plan is deployed via Wi-Fi router, so it's pretty much wireless. All my devices are connected. I use 3G/4G mobile data only when I'm outside home. Rs. 251 gives me 1GB 4G data on the Vodafone SuperNet. Many a times, Vodafone offers 1GB at a mere Rs. 147 (double data offer).<br />
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So, how's MTS scoring? NIL. Failed terribly. All the investment wasted. The employees have an uncertain future. Company might have to exit from business or totally change their ideas and offers.</div>

Now a super flop: MTS Mblaze Ultra 3G+ WiFi idea

The entire hype created by the company about it's Mblaze Ultra 3G+ Wi-Fi has gone down the drains. Rotten right now. Today, after ages,...

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Admission procedure: Bhowanipur Education Society College

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The admission to undergraduate courses in various colleges in Kolkata are in full swing right now, after publication of the results of higher secondary examination. I am keeping in touch with admission procedure of one student and I observed that <a href="http://thebges.edu.in/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">BESC ~ The Bhawanipur Education Society College</a> has resorted to a money minded system rather than a academic system. They followed a strange and out of their own schedule in case of online application.</div>
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Here's how it is weird and a money minded game. The college has published their first merit list much ahead of the date they notified. Then, the BES college wants students to deposit handsome figure of admission fees first, even before they verify students' documents and finalize if fit for admission.</div>
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Secondly, it has been notified on behalf of college that admission fees have to be deposited within 2 days of publication of merit list (published 31st May, 2016) but also said that the last date is 6th of June 2016. How strange is that? "Within 2 days of publication of merit list" becomes 2nd June. Then how come last date falls on 6th June?</div>
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Thirdly, a student must, first, deposit admission fees, and then wait seven days for Email / SMS from college for verification date at venue. The strangeness continues. A student cannot take along with him / her their parents, guardians or family friends. So, experts will meet guys and girls who just turned 18 who are not so widely experienced and matured enough to meet all kinds of situations. <b>Unfair.</b> They're sending SMS for depositing money to the parents/guardians because college know who pays, and want the student alone for verification of documents - must be something hidden in there!</div>
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And why admission fees first and verification and admission after seven days? So, if any student requires to meet additional documentation, his/her parents/guardians cannot assist him/her and if he/she gets disqualified on the college's game of do it "within 2 days", they retain the handsome admission fees. Admission of student is not their goal or the prime idea of education? All other colleges have instructed to get admission clearance first, then to deposit admission fees.</div>
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If The Bhowanipur Education Society College is sharply aiming at money, then there's something terribly wrong inside there in their books of wealth. I studied in this college, 1987 to 1991, and I tell you, this college's behaviour was not like this. All of it seems very fishy. Very much sad and offended seeing this.</div>

Admission procedure: Bhowanipur Education Society College

The admission to undergraduate courses in various colleges in Kolkata are in full swing right now, after publication of the results of high...

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Vodafone Kolkata: 4,000 minutes on-net at Rs. 247?

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Ever dreamed of getting 4,000 minutes Vodafone to Vodafone calling, full day, at just Rs. 247? It doesn't happen every day, it doesn't happen always. A month ago, I was really surprised and quite delighted when using the <a href="https://www.vodafone.in/myvodafone-app" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">My Vodafone app</a>, I saw, my number was chosen (*121#) to get this benefit. One time only. Yes, it's not a regular recharge voucher. Users may, some day, just be lucky, or not.</div>
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<a href="https://www.vodafone.in/myvodafone-app" imageanchor="1" rel="nofollow" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="my vodafone app with 100mb free" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ypgbsZezcbs/V1DcYHD93dI/AAAAAAAAFCQ/-vwE9ctbBUsZklwQJJ8wvgmUuvbSU4iSgCLcB/s1600/gettyimages-502.jpg" title="my vodafone app" /></a></div>
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I am happy. 4,000 minutes! That's 66.66 hours of on-net calling! My family uses four Vodafone numbers (three prepaid and one postpaid), and the person whom I call most, also has a Vodafone prepaid number.<br />
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So, what was the experience of a Rs. 247 recharge with 67 hours of V2V calling? I am a heavy user, so, firstly, let me confess that I finished off those 4,000 minutes quite a few days ahead of the expiry of the pack. Now about call quality, those who have faith in Vodafone will never seek any clarification on this point, it was absolutely delightful talking on the Vodafone network. Strong signal strength, no call drops, stunning call clarity.<br />
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Usually, I do all the talking at night time. With V2V night minutes. Everyone wants to save, don't you too? I get a huge number of hours in night calling (11 pm to 6 am) at a very nominal rate. I require two such recharges every month. <i><b>Tip:</b></i> This recharge denomination doesn't appear on the website</div>

Vodafone Kolkata: 4,000 minutes on-net at Rs. 247?

Ever dreamed of getting 4,000 minutes Vodafone to Vodafone calling, full day, at just Rs. 247? It doesn't happen every day, it doesn...

Continue »

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Jio Prime Membership: free renewal for existing users!

Toy Train: Darjeeling Himalayan Railway

Business of Uber taxi: not as profitable as it is showing?

Now a super flop: MTS Mblaze Ultra 3G+ WiFi idea

Admission procedure: Bhowanipur Education Society College

Vodafone Kolkata: 4,000 minutes on-net at Rs. 247?

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