Cellular retailers protest profit-cut

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Cellular Retailers Welfare Federation has announced a massive protest demonstration to protest against the cut in their profit margin affected by cellular service providers. Speaking to reporters here, M Krishnakumar, president of the federation, said Aircel, Airtel and Vodafone had cut the profit margin for retailers from 3.8 per cent to 3.3 per cent, which had made the retail business in selling recharge coupons and new mobile connections as almost unviable. “A massive protest demonstration would be held on July 13 in front of Memorial Hall by retailers in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry,” he said. Simultaneously, the sale of new connections and recharge services for Aircel, Airtel and Vodafone would be stopped indefinitely, he added. Asked on the inconvenience that would be caused to the prepaid mobile users if recharge services were not done, he said this was the “only option” left to them to pressure the service providers. Krishnakumar and other federation office bearers alleged that some cellular service providers were indulging in illegal and unethical practices to boost their sale. As per TRAI regulations, activation for new connections must be done only after the retailers send the requisite information about the customers. However, some operators activate new connections in bulk to achieve sales targets and then dump such numbers to the retailers who are pressured to sell them. “Activation must be done only after physical verification of the identity papers submitted by customers. In many cases, retailers are being harassed by the police when users commit criminal offences.” The root of all such problems was the non-verification of identity papers submitted by customers. “Cellular operators must double check the veracity of the claims found in applications to safeguard the interests of the retailers and the general public.”