Lost in space

Having lost my mobile phone last week, my first time mind you, I promptly went out to buy a new one legitimately. To my surprise, and rising disgust, there appeared to be only a handful of satellite numbers available, and at usury prices. Previously, one could purchase a Mentari 100-pulse starter pack with a number for Rp 175,000. Now it costs Rp 900,000 on the black market for the number alone. The stores said they have no choice in the matter as that is the price enforced by distributors even though the suggested retail price is still printed on the pack.

I went down to Satelindo and they are selling only 50 packs per day. "Stand in line at 7 a.m."

It turns out that Indosat and Telkomsel have also run out of Halo and XL numbers also. Are they telling us, the public, that six months ago all three modern global corporations didn't have the intelligence to predict this major marketing faux pas, or is it that they couldn't care less about customers. Could this be some monopolistic conspiracy engineered by third party masterminds? Whatever the excuse, there is a failure to uphold consumers' rights, and if this was known in advance, then a criminal act has been perpetrated.

Now, here's some advice for us poor suckers, i.e. consumers without rights. On your mobile phone, dial *=06= and your internal security number will be displayed. This number authenticates your individual phone. With this number and proof of purchase, you can cancel your phone worldwide from the manufacturer. The local distributors don't know about this, so you will have to instruct them also. Thieves can never use it again. For your lost satellite number, take your proof of purchase and insist in the strongest terms possible that your satellite server block or cancel the number. I am serious about forcing them as they continued to say no until I used my inimitable Yankee charm.

And here's some advice for Satelindo, Telkomsel and Indosat. Whether you like it or not, you have an inherent responsibility to the public, your customers. It is your obligation to provide service and help discourage theft. As there are thousands of stolen numbers being used, you will assist the police, or your own security service, in tracking these people. It's extraordinarily easy as all the numbers are still processed through your computer. You can then advise the public to retain their proof of purchase and report any loss or theft in order for you to block those numbers and assist customers in retrieving their rightful property. We're mad and we're not going to take it anymore.

BRIEN D.

Jakarta