Karnataka - Bangalore   

Reporter's Diary

Roaming tendencies curbed

Cellphone service providers are supposed to be competing with one another to offer attractive plans to customers and potential customers. However, when it comes to using mobile phones with roaming facility, while travelling, few options appear to be available.

The choice is for one to acquire a pre-paid connection with a new SIM card and all the expense involved. Then you start buying "talk time," recharging your "currency" as you go on. But, to get talk time worth Rs. 175, one ends up paying Rs. 200, service charges and all added up. And, between two States, where your service provider may not have a licence to operate, you stare at a blank screen on the phone. This makes many travellers without deep pockets to run to the nearest STD booth. For someone travelling on business, this is not exactly the best option. However, the customers of some companies are fortunate as their networks cover almost the entire country.

A poet at heart

While speaking at the celebration of 600 years of the Urs in memory of Bande Nawaz in the city on Saturday, the Chief Minister, N. Dharam Singh, showed he has a taste for poetry. Mr. Singh, who speaks Urdu fluently, recited verses in the language to applause from the gathering. Dwelling on his pursuit of the teachings of Hazrath Bande Nawaz, Mr. Singh said: "Teri naksh-e talaash mein mai kahan kahan tak na gaya... " (how far did I go in search of your message... )

On the teachings of Bande Nawaz and his call to the people to follow him, Mr. Singh said: "Main tumko jahan tak bulataa hoon, vahaan tak aao... " (come with me as long as I want you to... ).

K. Satyamurty and Govind D. Belgaumkar

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