Grey market: mobile telephones
A Mahasen Dhaka
The mobile (cellular) telephone business is booming with increased competition, and at the same time the grey and black market of smuggling of thousands of mobile telephones is on the rise as per regular news items in the press (not in the government controlled media). At the same time, the government avoids positives, direct actions, on regulating the market. There is a lot of non-transparency in the market for a buyer; and subsequent client.The shops are flooded with mobile sets, but the after sales-services are poor. There is hardly any written literature available during and before purchase, for making comparative studies, and the post-sale literature is scanty in most cases. The names and addresses of the authorised local agents and distributors are not publicised, and clear instructions are not forthcoming on where to go for authorised service. The sales staff are non-technical, and the shop managers do not like questions seeking more information on the products displayed. It is said that the "cheap" mobile telephones are for one-time-use; then throw it away and buy another. This is not possible in developing countries with lower standard of living and income. The capital expenditure has to last longer, and the O&M costs have to be low. This is different from "cheap popularity"! The import duties and levies are said to be classified under "luxury" and non-essential categories, while the reality is just the opposite: now the middle class and students carry mobile telephones, and even some hawkers carry it (photo in newspaper). In the rural areas and villagers, women are hawking mobile telephone calls. News on local assembly is scant in the media (brings the cost don). Why the market is not regulated by BTRC in public interest? Lately the BTRC appears to have gone into purdah. It should be more in the news regularly, as the local market is changing fast. The regulatory codes and the field teams have to be visible, and the new forthcoming budget has to announce measures to make mobile telephony more popular, with more penetration down the economic vertical scales. Those who fall into DCC manholes without covers, can use the cellphone inside the black holes, for first aid! It is not a luxury item or service any more (like expensive cars). The new enhanced salary scales would make more demands on buying new mobile telephone sets, but the grey and black-market have to be controlled. IT communication services save a lot of time and indirectly enriches GDP. The regime is poor in daily operation and maintenance (O&N), and waste energy in premature election campaigns. The proof of the pudding lies in the eating--not in talking about it! The politicians talk too much, and act microscopically. There is a difference between micro-credit schemes, and macro-talking and offering micro-political services. Big mouths have small footprints on the track. Act first, then talk.
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