Getting a Mobile Connection
In India there is no waiting period or queuing up, either for diagnostic procedures or for treatment. Healthcare is not worth it when there is a prolonged waiting time.
After the initial diagnosis is done and the medical procedure decided upon, your surgery/intervention will be scheduled quickly. In a matter of days, any medical procedure can be completed, unlike in some countries where even the diagnostic procedure could take many weeks or months.
You need to submit the following documents:
- Medical History/ Records/ Test reports/ Doctor referral notes/ X-rays
- Contact details – Residence/ Driver’s license/ Passport copies
- Passport size photos – keep 10-15 in hand for various purposes
- Bank statement/ Details of Health insurance, if any
On arrival in India, you can buy a SIM card at the international airport from the kiosks of mobile service providers such as Airtel or Reliance, which are located almost immediately after you clear customs. Alternatively, you can also buy the SIM card from the stores of the cell phone vendors in the downtown areas, including shopping malls. The procedure for activation is similar with both options.
If you have the required documentation handy, all you have to do is fill up a form and submit it to the vendor. Once the documents are verified, you can purchase the SIM immediately (approximate costs Rs.550 or $10) and will get a 10-digit mobile number. Usually, the SIM is activated within 24 hours, after a confirmation call is made to your mobile phone for verifying the details provided in your application.
If you plan on traveling to several locations in India, be sure to get roaming activated on your SIM. Otherwise, you will have to buy separate SIM cards at every new place that you visit.
As per new regulations, a SIM is valid only for a three-month period after which it will have to be reactivated.
The most popular mobile service providers in India are Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance, Idea, Aircel and MTNL/BSNL (the latter is government run). In terms of costs, the rates and packages are similar. You should choose a provider based on the areas where you plan to travel. For the major cities, Airtel or Vodafone are good options, whereas BSNL has the widest coverage throughout rural areas too.
Most prepaid SIMs come with packages that include free incoming calls and messages. The package price includes the cost of the card (Rs.50). So, if you buy a card worth Rs.250, in effect, you would only have Rs.200 towards calls and messages.
The approximate call and messaging charges are:
- International calls (US/Canada) Rs.7 per minute
- International text messages Rs.5 per message
- Calls to a cell phone in India Rs.1 per minute
- Local text messages Rs.1 per message.
3G and 4G data plans are also available, but can work out expensive if you are roaming. A better option would be to access the Internet from an internet café or use the Wi-Fi in the coffee shops in the bigger cities.
Most prepaid SIMs come with packages that include free incoming calls and messages. The package price includes the cost of the card (Rs.50). So, if you buy a card worth Rs.250, in effect, you would only have Rs.200 towards calls and messages.
The approximate call and messaging charges are:
- International calls (US/Canada) Rs.7 per minute
- International text messages Rs.5 per message
- Calls to a cell phone in India Rs.1 per minute
- Local text messages Rs.1 per message.
3G and 4G data plans are also available, but can work out expensive if you are roaming. A better option would be to access the Internet from an internet café or use the Wi-Fi in the coffee shops in the bigger cities.
Depending on the place to which you are calling, you might have to prefix a country code or area code when you dial from your cell phone.
The approximate call and messaging charges are:
- For international calls dial country code + area code + phone number
- Call to local fixed phone in India ‘City/area code’ followed by the number. For example, for dialing a phone with the number 25247291 in Delhi, dial ‘011’25247291
- Call to local mobile Dial the 10-digit mobile number without prefixing ‘0’
- Call to mobile in other state/service circle Dial ‘0’ followed by the 10-digit mobile number
Tip: While calling other cell phones in India, prefixing ‘+91’ followed by the 10-digit mobile number is an easy option if you are unsure whether or not you need to prefix ‘0’.
If you run out of credit on your phone, you might continue to receive incoming calls, but will not be able to make calls or send messages. You can recharge the SIM from a kiosk of the service provider at any location in India.
Buying and using a SIM in India is easy, if you get past the bureaucracy of submitting the right documentation. If, by chance, you encounter any service-related problems with your SIM card or the mobile services, a visit to the kiosk or store of the service provider will help resolve the issue in no time.
-
Matrix International Calling Cards
http://www.matrix.in/products/international-sim-cards -
Reliance World SIM
http://www.rcom.co.in/Rcom/personal/globalcalling/travelerphone_SIM.html -
Reliance Passport International Calling Card
http://www.rcom.co.in/Rcom/personal/globalcalling/travelerphone_InternationalCC.html
Tip: While calling other cell phones in India, prefixing ‘+91’ followed by the 10-digit mobile number is an easy option if you are unsure whether or not you need to prefix ‘0’.