Download ringtones for the latest songs!
Answer this question and win gold worth millions!
Do this and do that!
These are the kind of messages a Pakistani mobile subscriber gets every other hour.
These spam messages, which were initially meant to be a free VAS to keep customers updated about latest promotions, have now become a major revenue generating source for cellular companies.
This holds true especially in cases of lucky draws and quizzes, as cellular companies bombard subscribers (except postpaid) with such messages to lure the maximum number of participants.
One reply from a customer to such lucky draw message generates at least Rs10 for a mobile operator, while they get millions of such replies for each campaign.
To get maximum engagement, these text messages are often sent in Roman Urdu or even in unicode to make sure that a large number of subscribers can receive and understand the message.
It gets worse if you are an MNP user – in this case you will not only get promotional messages from your current operator but your former operator will also s you such irritating messages.
Though cellular operators tell us that subscribers can call help lines to get their number taken off lists for such promotional messages, our readers experience otherwise. Many readers frequently tell us they have called help lines, but the messages don’t stop/
Their only hope is PTA, which is usually not too bothered about such issues. Mobile subscribers urge a simple way to opt-out of the list for receiving spam messages. This would be equally beneficial for mobile operators too, as they can save resources by not sending messages to those who are not interested in such offers.
A version of this post originally appeared on ProPakistani
COMMENTS (8)
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yeah...Ufone is pretty irritating.
@Frosty - I think you meant "spasms"... Clupits are notable for their spasms.
Spamming is serious offense. But not regulated. Hundreds of thousands companies, with their products services, solicitation on SMS. Several immoral solicitations are seen regularly which also tries to deprive the balance of the replying party. FIA crime cell should take serious view of this.
Ufone is the biggest clupit I believe .. I am sick of their spams..
There is an option to block these messages!! Just call the help line of your mobile operator and he will tell you the method to block these promotional messages. This is an easy step but you just have to tell your mobile operator to block the promotional messages.
Thank you for writing this. They've gone too far that they don't even care about timings, late night, Sunday noons (when people usually sleep) and whenever they feel like sending promotion.
Two days ago, I was even subscribed to an official info service automatically,
I am sure many of us are irritated but we didn't knew where to complain this, but now that you've raised the voice, I hope that will not go unnoticed.
Yes Telenot is doing alot...