Virgin Mobile has already made a hatke entry into the Indian market as a CDMA service provider in association with Tata Teleservices. Now lets check out how people can get started with Virgin Mobile.
First of all it’s a CDMA service provider, so you cannot just buy the sim card and get started with it. You need to purchase a handset provided by Virgin Mobile to subscribe to its services. The handsets are available exclusively at “The Mobile Bazaar” (a mobile store within Big Bazaar) and “The Mobile Store”.
Just explore the cellphones and the plans provided by the company…..
vSwing
This is a base phone by Samsung which comes with a 65K colour screen and a fm radio with loud speaker. It comes with a stereo headset and is priced at Rs 1999.
vBling
This sleek clamshell boasts dual screen along with the features of vSwing. It is priced at Rs 2499.
Nokia 2505
Another clamshell but this one comes from the handset giant Nokia. Virgin Mobile claims this phone to be the sleekest clamshell it is currently providing. This phone too comes with a 65K colour screen, fm radio and loud speaker and is priced at Rs 3600.
vKewl
This phone comes loaded with a 1.3 mega pixel camera, video capture and playback, mp3 player, fm radio, loud speaker, a micro SD card slot and surprisingly it is priced at Rs 3999 only.
vSleek
This sleek candybar from Samsung comes with a VGA camera, mp3 player, fm radio, loud speaker, micro SD card slot and an option of Hinglish SMS. It is priced at Rs 4799.
Once you’ve bought the handset you need to choose the service plan. To begin with, Virgin Mobile is providing just a single plan for the Mumbai circle but the options are expected to increase once the subscriber base increases.
The plan which it is currently providing is a prepaid one and is called “The Simple Plan” You need to pay an initial amount of Rs 99 to start up with the service. There is no free talktime included so the subscriber would need to use the Recharge Card to pump up his/her account. Once you’ve done that you can start using your Virgin Mobile. Here goes the call rates:
• The user gets 10 paise for every 60 seconds of incoming received from any phone
• Local calls to any phone will be charged at Re 1/min for the first 2 minutes and from the 3rd minute it would be charged at 50paise/min for the rest of the day
• STD call would be charged at Rs 2.40/min
• Local SMS would be charged Re 1 and National and International SMS would be charged at Rs 2 and Rs 5 respectively
We say:
Virgin Mobile has not only come here to stay but it has come here to rule the charts. The reason why we say this is because innovative features like offering users free talktime for receiving calls and the hatke call rates are very tempting. These features can be seen for the first time in the Indian telecom market and are definitely worth giving a try.
Also talking about the handsets launched by Virgin Mobile, they are all well loaded with features and are very competitively priced. Lets see how successful is this group in luring the Indian youth.
Hi,I just wanted to know if virgin mobiles have any plans of manufacturing their own mobiles.
1.”GET PAID” The 10 paisa on every incoming call is very interesting thing in indian telecom market,all the interconnect call charges is around 30paisa between tow telcome service provider,so vigine transfering the 10paisa out of 30 paisa to the subscriber.
2.The STD call charges Rs.2.40 is HIGH,so if u r using STD call from this plan then its costly in compair to another operator.
3.Lcoal SMS charges Rs.1 per SMS is also HIGH.
4.Some STD packs and SMS packs is there but if we check everage Rate of STD and SMS then its Costly from another operators in the market.
5.The GPRS and MMS service is NOT there>>? or No Information on that!!!
6.”Need to purchase a handset provided by Virgin Mobile to subscribe to its services,is not good!!
Will be happy to use it if dey provide GSK like Reliance and tata
@sankalp: they won’t be manufacturing their own phones but will be branding it.
@sanjay: thanks for the input.
@akshay: They might provide it in the future. Better check it out at their outlet.
@..sanjay
u can use SMS card (rs. 26 only)…then an SMS will cost u only 20paise for 30days
for STD..u can use STD card (rs. 59 only)…then the revised call rate for STD would be Re. 1 per min. for 30days.
for more queries..log onto http://www.virginmobile.in
@Vishisht,
If i use your suggested SMS card + STD card then the Minimum plan Toatl cost is arround Rs.214 +Tax
(Total cost-:99+30{To call at 50 paisa, Rs1 per day}+26+59=214).
And after that if i compair this total cost with another operator then all this facility is available at just Rs.180 per month!!
so as my view its not attractive to switched on CDMA.
@Vishisht,
If i use your suggested SMS card + STD card then the Minimum plan Toatl cost is arround Rs.214
(Total cost-:99+30{To call at 50 paisa, Rs1 per day}+26+59=214).
This is minimum cost of the plan without any FREE Calls-
After that if i want to make any call the its required to pump up the account,and if i puracheses Rs.200 Rechage then we Got Just Rs.100(that means 50% less).
and Fianly that means 214+200=Rs.414 and in Rs.414 we can talk just 200 Local call(if i count @50paisa per min) that mean call Actual/effective Local callrate is arround Rs.2.07 per call(414 divided by 200).
so as my view its not attractive to switched on CDMA.
@Vishisht,
If i use your suggested SMS card + STD card then the Minimum Total cost is arround Rs.214 for this plan.
(Total cost-:99+30{To call at 50 paisa, Rs1 per day}+26+59=214).
This is minimum cost of the plan without any FREE Calls-
After that if any one want to make any call then he/she required to Pump up/Top up the account,and If he/she puracheses Rs.200 Rechage then he/she Got Just Rs.100(that means 50% less or 50% cut down what u pay).
and Fianl Total Cost is Rs.414 (214+200) and in Rs.414 He/she can talk just 200 Local calls(if we count @50paisa per min for per call) that means Actual/effective Local call Charges is arround Rs.2.07 per call(414 divided by 200).
So its NOT Cheapest call rates!!!as compair to Other Operators like MTNL and all.
so as my view its not attractive to switched on CDMA.
common guys its just a start…
they are still thinking and introducing new plans everyday…
so just wait
its gonna hit the indian youth…
Virgin Rocks…
Regards,
Santosh
http://www.indiarockz.com
@santosh,
still thinking?
cut the charges of std to 50 paise so that u can chalenge tata and other compititor in the market if u want to rise and launch a sms pack also providing free sms fr std as well as local this is the best way to rule the market and already in news gsm rates fr std r droping so be careful bcoz nobody wants to spend 2.40 per min as he or she is getting the facility in 50paise
well if brought the above changes plz inform me
i waoud be hapi to bcome a part if virgin