Let's rewind our memories 5 years back.
Do you remember those days when you used to search for the best internet packs available?
Do you remember the days when youngsters used to find which network provider is offering the cheapest data rates among Vodafone, Airtel, Idea, BSNL, Tata DoCoMo, TataIndicom, Aircel, Reliance, T24?
People used to be overjoyed with some free data on buying some new sim. Me as a youngster that time prayed for some affordable data rates.
Voila!!
Your prayers are heard.
Reliance Jio makes an erratic entry to the market to answers your long-wanted desires.
Free High-speed data for a year!!!. Unbelievable, isn't it? Ahh !! the offer was too tempting and inevitable!!
Our long-trusted operators saw their doomsday when their long hold customers started dumping them one by one. Years of service didn't pay off. Days lowly passed; people enjoyed the data services. Telecom Industry in India went through a drastic change and eventually, India emerged to be the country to provide the cheapest data rates in the world. Fame for Indian telecom Industry didn't last long. People celebrated the joy of using free data with such hue and cry that the exiting Telecom Companies appeared like passing clouds. But the fear was heard in the families of those thousands of employees who were left jobless. The Pyramid began to shrink more and more. Mergers started happening to survive this competitive industry and now today only three operators remain in the market Vodafone-idea, reliancejio and airtel with VodafoneIdea on the verge of exiting. It reminds me of the great saying by several eminent industrialists that NEVER PLAY ON PRICE.
VodafoneIdea gradually moves towards becoming its TATA NANO.
Over a decade ago, when TATA Nano pulled out of Bengal, it led to an economic apocalypse for Bengal. It was a hit so hard that it still scares away any fresh investments from coming to the state.
Today Vodafone is forced into bankruptcy due to the AGR issue. If this leads Vodafone to quit its business in India, then it would lead to an incorrigible economic apocalypse which will have long-lasting effects in India. The VodafoneIdea boat is not sailing alone.
The sinking ship of VodafoneIdea will be no less than TITANIC, where along with the queen of the oceans, many kings also faded. The ship will sink along with large banks, the Exchequer, employees along with their families, several vendors and shareholders.
It will also take away the reputation of Aditya Birla Group (ABG) and our motherland India. The ease of business will sink deeper. No International investors will be ready to play their money or do business with India or Aditya Birla Group.
Is there a way to save it? Is Government ready to save the sinking ship? Is this the loyalty that honest taxpayers get?
All we can hope for the best as the ship sails along with the sunset!!!