Vodafone introduces postpaid to prepaid balance transfer service

Vodafone India has introduced 'post-to-pre talk time transfer' service, which will enable its postpaid customer to seamless transfer balance to a prepaid customer. The only catch here is that both the postpaid customer and the prepaid one will have to be in same circle. This service is currently available in Mumbai, Maharashtra & Goa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh circles and the company is expected to launch it in other circles in a phased manner.

Speaking on the launch of this initiative, Vivek Mathur, Chief Commercial Officer, Vodafone India said, "Post-to-pre balance transfer is a special initiative to empower our customers and help them remain connected always. This latest initiative addresses a latent need within customers groups, thus enabling them in controlling spends and assuring uninterrupted service. This initiative is an example of the Customer First belief in Vodafone India that has become part of our mission. We constantly seek unique ways to make ourselves more relevant to our customers' needs and tastes. The Post to Pre Balance Transfer service s one more way of demonstrating to our customers that we truly live by our message, 'Power to You'."

It is noteworthy that the Vodafone has already been offering prepaid to prepaid balance transfer for quite some time now. The way this service works is that the subscriber who is transferring the balance will have to dial *130# and follow the instructions at the IVR or alternatively dial *130#*Amount*Recipient Number#.

After the transaction is complete both the sender and the recipient will get a SMS stating the balanced transfer. For postpaid to prepaid transactions one can transfer a minimum of Rs. 50 and maximum of Rs. 100. Additionally, the person transferring the balance will be charged service fee of Rs. 3 per transaction.

The other thing to note is that a single recipient can receive maximum of three transactions in a day. However, the maximum amount that can be transferred from a single postpaid connection or received by a single prepaid connection cannot exceed Rs. 1000 per month

As per the company, this service will be of special benefit for those postpaid Vodafone customers who have family members, domestic staff, friends or office staff using a prepaid Vodafone connection and are in dire need for balance.

In a time where subscribers are aware of online banking and online recharges, not sure if this balance service is really of value. The most important thing in any online recharge is that one does not have to pay any transaction fee, however small or recharge it may be and there are no caps. Moreover, there are plenty of site offering free benefits with online recharge, we are not sure if this scheme as relevant today as it might have been a few years ago.