Sometimes things that should be easy are a little more trouble than they should be. Like getting a SIM card. We started out with a Hyderabad phone that Dolly's mom had left behind. Its a pay-as-you-go, and to recharge it you need to be in Hyderabad. Roaming is expensive anyway (no free roaming here), so we wanted a local SIM card.
We are in the village, and we were surprised to find one of the local shops had SIM cards. One of the requirements of getting this SIM card (per the government of India) is to provide proof of address. We don't have that, and we won't have that. The shopkeer, however, agreed that a letter from JSS on their letterhead stating that we were working for them and they were lodging us at such and such address would suffice. We told him we would come back on Thursday with such a letter.
When we returned, he told us we needed something like a driver's license, or a voter ID card... we of course don't have either. And, if we are not able to provide some kind of ID, the SIM card will be deactivated. We went down to the shop which sells plates and bowls and kitchen supplies, where the shopkeeper, Kirti, had been friendly. He had kept us for a while talking, introduced his mother and sister, and had invited us back for tea. He was also a school friend of Ragesh, who looks after the lab above which we were staying, and whose kitchen we are also using.
Kirti did not feel comfortable using his ID to secure the phone for us, so he called Ragesh, who told us it would be taken care of by the end of the day. We were then invited to stay, and he ran next door to grab snacks and a bottle of Fanta, which his mother served to us with ice. We stayed for a while, and he and Dolly talked, and I followed along as best I could with my slowly improving Hindi. We sat there for about hald an hour, as we sat a number of people stopped by to see what was happening. So, ultimately things had a happy ending, and though it was a little frustrating, we were helped by kind and friendly people.
And PS... since I wrote this, we didn't get our SIM card registered in time, so it will be off for a few days. However, Ragesh is letting us use his phone to get the incoming calls we needed! So, more troubles, and more hospitality.
We are in the village, and we were surprised to find one of the local shops had SIM cards. One of the requirements of getting this SIM card (per the government of India) is to provide proof of address. We don't have that, and we won't have that. The shopkeer, however, agreed that a letter from JSS on their letterhead stating that we were working for them and they were lodging us at such and such address would suffice. We told him we would come back on Thursday with such a letter.
When we returned, he told us we needed something like a driver's license, or a voter ID card... we of course don't have either. And, if we are not able to provide some kind of ID, the SIM card will be deactivated. We went down to the shop which sells plates and bowls and kitchen supplies, where the shopkeeper, Kirti, had been friendly. He had kept us for a while talking, introduced his mother and sister, and had invited us back for tea. He was also a school friend of Ragesh, who looks after the lab above which we were staying, and whose kitchen we are also using.
Kirti did not feel comfortable using his ID to secure the phone for us, so he called Ragesh, who told us it would be taken care of by the end of the day. We were then invited to stay, and he ran next door to grab snacks and a bottle of Fanta, which his mother served to us with ice. We stayed for a while, and he and Dolly talked, and I followed along as best I could with my slowly improving Hindi. We sat there for about hald an hour, as we sat a number of people stopped by to see what was happening. So, ultimately things had a happy ending, and though it was a little frustrating, we were helped by kind and friendly people.
And PS... since I wrote this, we didn't get our SIM card registered in time, so it will be off for a few days. However, Ragesh is letting us use his phone to get the incoming calls we needed! So, more troubles, and more hospitality.
My Mom and I ran into a similar situation when we were in India last year. No problems at all buying a new cell phone, but the cell phone store didn't sell SIM cards and neglected to inform us of all of the paperwork hoops. Supposedly SIM card purchasing has gotten a lot harder over the last decade due to terrorism concerns.
When I was in India 3 years ago. I had little trouble also getting a SIM card for my phone. The guy had me take passport photos, fill out an application and I gave him a copy of my American passport and visa instead of a Driver's license.
Then a few days later, the company called me and confirmed everything. I had to put down my friends address (the one that I was staying w/ initially when I got there..in Mumbai.) as my residential address, when the company rep. called me to confirm everything I was in Bangalore, and he was like, how many floors are in the builiding you're at and what color it is etc... I was like WTF?
- Jas.