SHORT ANSWER:
Here is how the solutions compare:
Here is how the solutions compare:
- Centrex (PBX in service provider network ) - 5000 onetime plus Rs. 500 pm usage
- Mobile-Mobile Closed User Group (CUG) - 150 pm usage and RS. 1000-1500 for mobile
- Mobile calling - No direct charge to user (as he is already paying for his mobile) but indirect costs of only Rs. 10 per month per resident
- PBX (on-premises) and Analog phone (Intercom solution) - Rs 1000 one time plus Rs. 100 usage
- Dedicated Building Intercom System - Proprietary solution. Cost very high and indeterminate without starting a bidding process
DETAILED ANSWER:
Solution 1
For Centrex solution, Our telecom sub-committee spoke to Operator A who was ready to give it free for his broadband customers, but for Rs. 5000 one time and Rs. 500 pm usage for Operator B, C, D Broadband customers . This was deemed an indirect way of trying to monopolise entirely, the more expensive, profitable and dynamically changing Broadband business putting residents at a very serious disadvantage [A monopolist does not reduce tariff or provide better and more delightful service as he does not need to do it]. And therefore rejected.
2 decades back service providers will give PBX free if they get 100% or even majority of business on copper network (laid by builders) as they do not have to invest anything in infrastructure. Users pay for telephone and monthly subscriptions recovers PBX cost and operation. But today no broadband or landline provider is investing ion copper (DSL) but only in Fiber (FFTH/FTTx) which requires installation of expensive ONT (Rs. 4000 atleast per home) and OLT device (Rs. 4000 per home) in order to offer voice (landline telephone), data (Broadband) and video (TV) service. So about Rs. 8000 per subscriber investment. They cannot recover costs if subscribers choose other provider for highly profitable broadband service. So Operator A was fully justified in offering what he best offered in order to not damage his business.
Ofcourse, before rejection on cost we could not accept Operator A's solution because he was not able to provide 6 digits for numbering plan which we wanted.
Solution 2
For Mobile CUG, the association would need 1500-1600 SIMs (provided the operator can provide 10 digit numbers with 6 digits reserved for subscribers). In india, The cheapest Prepaid tariff plan which costs about Rs. 150/- per month (below this amount its not viable for mobile operator to give a phone which latches on to their mobile network and makes outgoing calls), plus in worst cases of people not having dual SIM phones with spare slot available for use, we need to buy a fixed Cellular terminal or entry level feature phone which will cost Rs. 1000-2000. Plus association would have to work out on how such bulk mobile number purchase and recharging is done. If done by association, we need to pay 2.4 lakhs every month, which we cannot afford as our monthly income is far far lower than this. If this cost of maintaining additional SIM is passed to user, we introduce another failure point of resident or facility staff not recharging mobile or the problem of collecting Rs. 150 from each resident and then recharging his mobile.
For Mobile CUG, the association would need 1500-1600 SIMs (provided the operator can provide 10 digit numbers with 6 digits reserved for subscribers). In india, The cheapest Prepaid tariff plan which costs about Rs. 150/- per month (below this amount its not viable for mobile operator to give a phone which latches on to their mobile network and makes outgoing calls), plus in worst cases of people not having dual SIM phones with spare slot available for use, we need to buy a fixed Cellular terminal or entry level feature phone which will cost Rs. 1000-2000. Plus association would have to work out on how such bulk mobile number purchase and recharging is done. If done by association, we need to pay 2.4 lakhs every month, which we cannot afford as our monthly income is far far lower than this. If this cost of maintaining additional SIM is passed to user, we introduce another failure point of resident or facility staff not recharging mobile or the problem of collecting Rs. 150 from each resident and then recharging his mobile.
However before cost comparison this option is not preferred due to reliability issues with 1600 mobile maintenance, contact maintenance and sync, and spotty to no cellular coverage in 30% apartments and practically no coverage in basement
Solution 3
This solution on the outset looks the most attractive as almost all residents will have mobiles for which they are already paying. The only delta which society has to pay is for the common area extensions (50-100) which will cost Rs. 15000/- per month to society or Rs. 10 per month to every resident. However this solution has serious drawbacks due to spotty to nil cellular coverage at multiple network points, call drops due to mobile network congestion, Relocation of cellular towers outside the facility causing variation in signal strength, no intelligent features like call parking when simultaneous calls are mode to one common area or facility mobile, maintenance and synchronisation of 1500-1600 contacts, etc. The solution is rejected purely on competency grounds.
This solution on the outset looks the most attractive as almost all residents will have mobiles for which they are already paying. The only delta which society has to pay is for the common area extensions (50-100) which will cost Rs. 15000/- per month to society or Rs. 10 per month to every resident. However this solution has serious drawbacks due to spotty to nil cellular coverage at multiple network points, call drops due to mobile network congestion, Relocation of cellular towers outside the facility causing variation in signal strength, no intelligent features like call parking when simultaneous calls are mode to one common area or facility mobile, maintenance and synchronisation of 1500-1600 contacts, etc. The solution is rejected purely on competency grounds.
Solution 4
The negotiated costs are Rs. 1000 one-time and lifetime fixed installation charge [to be paid by owners] and Rs. 100 per month subscription charge [paid by resident for use]. No charge to owner if flat is unoccupied. This is inline with our "agreement to sell and construct" signed with builder where builder will provide only cabling infrastructure and 3rd party will provide service at one-time installation and monthly subscription. This makes the communication infra contained and independent of external factors APR with only operation in hands of a 3rd party.
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