Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005
Wednesday, Mar 30, 2005 |
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Chennai
By N. Ravi Kumar
CHENNAI, MARCH 29 . Mobile phones have shrunk distances, they say. But when it comes to paying cash for the service, the mobile subscribers of Chennai Telephones (CellOne) in the north-western peripheries such as Tiruninravur, Pattabiram and Avadi travel about 20 km to Anna Nagar. The customers, especially senior citizens, "face considerable difficulty," as cash payment for the mobile bills are accepted only at the accounts office of Chennai Telephones in Anna Nagar, says T. Sadagopan, Chief Coordinator of Thandurai Pattabiram Consumer Council. Many subscribers, he says, prefer to pay by cash instead of using the cheque drop box facility at the Ambattur telephone exchange. "If they pay cash, they get a receipt," he says, while highlighting the possible clerical errors that could lead to problems.
Nominate banks
Though he accepts that none of the mobile phone service providers issue receipts for bill payment through cheques, he suggests that Chennai Telephones nominate a few banks and post offices in the north peripheral areas, including Poonamallee, to accept cash payments. Cheque drop boxes should also be placed at all the landline exchanges of Chennai Telephones in the area. For landline subscribers, including public call offices, the problem is of a different kind. The designated banks and post offices do not accept payments made with a duplicate bill. "If for some reason, the subscriber obtains a duplicate bill and makes the payment within the last date, it is not accepted," he says, pointing out that there were 32,000 landline subscribers in Avadi and about 13,000 in Poonamallee. The consumer council receives about 10 such complaints a month. Mr. Sadagopan says that subscribers to the Sulabh scheme have to spend around Rs. 50 and half a day to go the Anna Nagar office to make the (rental) payment of Rs. 280 when using a duplicate bill. Chennai Telephones, he adds, should strengthen its customer support facilities in the north peripheral areas.
Network expansion
A senior official of Chennai Telephones says the network of banks, post offices and Cheque Depository Machines was constantly being expanded. The subscribers also had the choice of paying bills through the Electronic Clearing System — instructing their banks to pay the bill and deduct the amount from their accounts. On the payment system for using a duplicate bill, banks and post offices do not accept them to avoid accepting two payments for the same bill, he says.
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