The Bhutanese Leading the way.
While some feel that services provided by B-mobile are better at reasonable rates, others feel that the services by T-cell are more efficient and quick. Their justifications are equally debatable though.
Tashi Tshering, the Managing Director of Tashi InfoComm Limited said that now with the introduction of data packages the tariff on per megabyte is comparatively lesser than the pay per use basis for T-Cell. He advised every internet user to switch to different data package plans according to their requirements so that the charges won’t be high. He said that if internet users switch to data package system, then internet charges would be cheaper or at least same like their competitor.
Bhutan Telecom said that their rates are not so high but reasonable enough for their users to avail services. Bhutan Telecom also urged the general public to subscribe for different net package plans so that the cost on
internet usage will be lowered. Bhutan Telecom recently even reduced the call rates to India.
As of now there are 82,000 Tashi cell users who have subscribed to 3G internet services while Bhutan Telecom has around 276,185 3G users in the country.
In the coming years, Tashi cell aims to provide reliable and efficient communication services at an affordable price. Since the number of Tashi cell users are picking up, the company is positive that sustainability will lead to more improved services at affordable rates. The MD said that the first and foremost priority of the company is to strive and deliver better network to the people, second is to improve the customer services and the third is the price, ensuring reliable network services at affordable prices.
The MD of Tashi cell said that people usually have a notion that B-mobile is government owned company and they feel the need to avail the services provided by the government. People should know that although B-mobile is a state owned company, they are also here to do business and earn profit, which makes them no different than what T-cell is providing to the people. “If Tashi cell fails to sustain in the market, it is the people who will be affected ultimately due to absence of competition and rise of a monopoly form of market situation,” said the MD.
Sangay Wangdi of Bhutan telecom said that the 3G connections usually slack as the 3G capacity in most of the areas have exhausted because of the rapid increase in migration from 2G to 3G and also due to availability of cheaper 3G handsets in the market. “Bhutan Telecom is working hard towards improving the network connectivity through network expansions to provide very efficient and reliable services to the customers because we value each and every
customer of ours,” said Sangay Wangdi.
The MD of Tashi cell said that with regard to the rates for calling services, Tashi cell Charges the same amount to call in any of the two networks, be it from Tashi to Tashi or Tashi to B-mobile. Whereas if one calls from B-mobile to Tashi, the call charges are bit higher than calling from B-mobile to B-mobile. Bhutan Telecom did not have any comments on this as they said they are in the process bring better improvements.
However, both companies said that people should not allow their Sim cards to be misused. There have been repeated notices from the Royal Bhutan Police that people should not allow the SIM cards to be used by another person in light of some kidnappers across the border using registered Sim cards of Bhutanese individuals. Incase if any issue arises from the number of the registered person, even though if the concerned person is not using the SIM, the person under whose name the SIM is registered will bear the consequences.
