This is the challenging story of my mobile phone about its contract in India.
Unlike Japan, there is a two-stage to make a contract with phone in India. First, you purchase a phone, second, you buy a SIM card. (In Japan's case, you buy a set of SIM and phone.) If you want to purchase a phone, you just pay money. Which is simple. But making a contract on buying SIM card requires difficult negotiation with shop staff.
Normally, you select Postpaid(on demand) or Prepaid(charge the cache).
I will stay long time in India, so I chose postpaid. which was the dawn of the eventful.
iPhone5。
インド生活において、携帯電話は大変重要なツール。
仕事、プライベートで車を呼んだり、配達業者に連絡をとったりと、生活必需品ツール。
携帯電話契約は、日本と異なり、端末を購入し、SIMカードを購入する二段階。
携帯電話自体は、お金さえ払えば手に入る。SIM契約は店員との細かな交渉があり大変。通常、キャッシュをチャージするprepaidと、使った分を後払いするPostpaidを選ぶ。インド生活、長くなるので、Postpaidを選んだのが波乱の幕開け。
At the end of his explanation, the shop staff told me that I need to receive a physical verification. That means they visit my house to make sure if I really live in the registered address. I thought this action was for preparing for a potential fear of terrorism. I also thought Indian people was surprisingly reliable to have this process. (In Japan's case, when you buy a mobile phone, shop staff only confirm document.)
In the result, nobody came to my home from Airtel. What was worse, my mobile phone was unable to make calls but only to receive as they controlled so. When I answered a call from Airtel staff, I couldn't understand what they were talking because of their strong Hindi accent. Finally I realized that my English skill was not enough to communicate with them.
インド携帯キャリア大手Airtelにて、Postpaid契約に必要な情報を用紙に記入。パスポート、外国人登録ドキュメントのコピーを提出すれば、Postpaid–SIMが買える。Airtelさん、客に対する説明が凄い横柄。説明を聞くだけで疲弊する。
説明の最後に、”physical verificationするから”、とのこと。”本当にその家（居住地）に居るか確認するから”の意味らしい。意外にきっちり管理されるなぁと思ったが・・・。
いくら待っても家にやってこない。電話は使用制限になるし、自分の英語力では解決できないことに。
When the local staff in our company heard this devastation, he said "Awful!! It's stress test against foreigners.".
仕方なく、会社スタッフに助けを借り、再度Airtelショップに行くも、”physical verificationが済んでいないから利用できないだけ。明日行くから！”と言われ、待ってみたけど、、、また来ないの繰り返し。
この惨状をみて、ローカルスタッフも”ひどい。外国人に対するストレステストだ”と言い出す始末。
この惨状をみて、ローカルスタッフも”ひどい。外国人に対するストレステストだ”と言い出す始末。
Local staff flipped out about all this events and he told me that I should change the carrier of my mobile phone. So I made a re-contract with "Vodafone-India". The shop staff of Vodafone was really gentle. But again, the shop staff said to me ''you have to receive physical verification''. Of course I started to worried about. Do I have to suffer from a stress test again?
My prediction had came true. Nobody came to my home,,,,
When we went to the Vodafone shop again, the shop staff said "Your physical verification has been approved, so you do not have to do anything anymore".
What did he say? What's going on about counter-terrorism??
(Local staff thought FRO document was very formal, So Vodafone approved my contract only with this document without doing physical verification, maybe. God only knows.)
I just don't feel satisfied with those events. But I can use my mobile phone now. The local staff said '' let's not to chase those problems anymore.'' I decided to follow his opinion.
I can use my mobile phone now, but this result didn't uncover the secrets of India very much. India is intersting...
Airtel has sent me an apology email... It's too late!!
インド人スタッフがブチ切れて、キャリアを変えようと言われ、Vodafone-Indiaにて再登録。こちらは紳士的。Postpaid契約の最後に、またまたphysical verificationするからと言われ、もしや、ストレステストの再来になるのか？と心配しながら、家で待っていると、、、やっぱり来ない。。。
インド人スタッフと一緒に再びVodafoneショップに行くと、”承認されてるし、もうphysical verificationはなくていいよ。”と言う。
ちょっと待て。じゃぁなんなんだよ！！！
（外国人登録文書はとても公的なものだから、Vodafoneはphysical verificationなしでOKとしたのだろうと、ローカルスタッフが言ってますが。神のみぞ知る。）
なんだか、釈然としない形でこの問題は終結。電話が使えているので、これ以上深追いをしないでおこうと、インド人スタッフの意見を聞き、この問題を忘れることに。
電話は使えるようになったけど、インドの秘密を暴くには程遠い結果に。
今更ながらにAirtelが、対応が悪く申し訳ないなどと言うメールが。。。遅すぎ。
