Charges for B-mobile SIM Card in 2005 and now

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Yesterday I bought a new B-mobile SIM Card. I had been using Tashicell since it came into market. When mobile was first introduced in Bhutan, I used B-mobile. We did not have a choice then. It was in 2005 and we had to pay Nu 600 for just the sim card. There was not a single chhetrum of talk time with that. Having seen the mobile services in India, especially AirCell that had been giving free text messages to all countries, I felt deceived. I mean, it was like Bhutan Telecom wanted to force it down your throat. This is a very good example of market monopoly, I am sure.


I made the switch to Tashicell when it started giving free calls and text messages when it first started, and I stayed with them since then. Yesterday I decided to go back to B-mobile because all my family members use its service. Calls between Tashicell and B-mobile are more expensive than calls between the same service providers. This time, I had to pay just Nu 50. And it carried full talk time – which means, the sim card was basically for free. I remember Bhutan Telecom having reduced the price of their sim cards to Nu 75 after Tashicell came into market. This shows how important competition is. Anyway, I am not trying to make any kind of analysis. I was just surprised that in eight years, the price of the sim card for B-mobile has come down by more than 90%. This is good for the service users. But I still feel a little sad that they started with such high price.

Comments

PaSsu said…
I also still hold that hard feeling against B-Mobile. I was just a college student and I didn't have enough money, I feel so badly robbed.
Nu.600 for a SIMcard and
Remember it was Nu.5 per minute and even if the call drops at 1st sec, Nu.5 was deducted anyway.

I was always grateful to Tashi Cell for the competetion.
I am looking forward to similar changes in Drukair after Tashi Air starts flying,
and I am looking forward to a private TV station to see changes in BBS...

Felt really nice reading this piece of yours.
September 5, 2013 at 2:13 PM
Kuenza said…
I know Passu. I had just finished college and had no work. Having to pay such a sum for just a SIM card was too much. Like you said, hopefully DrukAir will improve their services -- especially the cost of the ticket, and will be affordable for more people after Tashi Air comes up.
September 5, 2013 at 2:24 PM
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