What is the point of talk time recharge packs?

[Aakash Malhotra]

What is the point of talktime recharge packs like rs 10/20/500/5000. They don't give validity/data/sms. people who recharge with packs get unlimited calling. so why are these packs still there??

 

[mhsabir]

I guess international usage is one.

Plus the VAS services like Tunes etc may get autodebited from this balance?

 

[socrates]

In case of jio I think it can also be used for international calls that's what I had read in their app. But I presume that has to be enabled first.

 

[Sushubh]

My house help use it to call his family in Nepal. Have told him tens of times to send a smartphone there so that he can call online but apparently Internet connectivity is still very poor in his village so he has to make isd calls.

 

[shantam2005]

I call my friends in the US using Jio talktime balance. Call charges are 50p/min. Discovered this accidentally one day when I called a friend through the regular dialer instead of Whatsapp and he pointed out that I've become quite rich to make a 40-50 min ISD call 😛

 

[pillaicha]

VAS services, WAP services, premium SMS, ISD, and premium number calling.

 

---

[minuteman]

Unlimited packs doesn't include Int'l calls, Calls and SMS to premium numbers such as 1860 customer care no.s of business,premium sms numbers to unblock credit cards.

 

[Sushubh]

always save the landline support number of your bank and credit card provider. 1860 is a scam.

 

[mhsabir]

Right, we should try & reach them on landline when possible. But I suppose a lot of the providers do not have an alternate option.

I do remember the dumb me unknowingly calling the rewards platform "payback" 1860 number for an extra charge put on me. I was put on hold a couple of times & call went on for ~15 minutes - and the cost of which came close to the charge which I was enquiring about - making it a double expense.

 

[Jonas]

Citibank's customer service number starts with 1860.

 

[mhsabir]

Most banks are switching - a lot of financial institutions in fact. The basic idea seems to be - the issue better be worthy enough for you to spend more money , for whatever enquiry you have.

 

[Sushubh]

1860 210 2484 (Local call charges apply)
Use +91 22 4955 2484 for calling us from outside of India.

Just call the landline number.

 

[mhsabir]

Lol - they have a landline number for abroad people and 1860 for local.

I suppose 1860 won't work from abroad and hence they need a local number. Good to note.

 

[Sushubh]

yeah, indusind advertise 1860 number for support but they have a landline number on their website which i use.

Tata Sky has both 1800 and 1860 but their tv ui only shows the 1860 number i believe.

 

[mreccentric]

Well, some of them above have explained it well. We need talktime to make certain calls, and also to make use of VAS provided by the mobile operator.

But, i also noticed that the airtel is no more providing recharges for 2 days or so, which was available before. Now, a customer has to make a minimum recharge for 24 days to get any subscribed plan from Airtel. Did anyone notice when the 19 rupees plan which provided 2 days of unlimited calls vanish away?