<p class="ds-markdown-paragraph" style="margin: 16px 0px; color: #0f1115; font-family: quote-cjk-patch, Inter, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><span class="">A rickshaw driver pulls over to the side of a busy roundabout, engine idling, as he pulls out his keypad phone. He dials a short code his nephew taught him&mdash;*833#&mdash;and the words "Lesco bill checker" appear on the tiny monochrome screen. This USSD-based service, designed for users without smartphones, allows him to check his balance without internet or apps. He enters his 14-digit reference number using the worn keypad, and moments later, the screen flashes: "Due amount: 1,875 Rs. Last date: 20th." The Lesco bill checker has just saved him a wasted trip to the customer service center, which is a half-hour drive in the opposite direction. He tucks the phone back into his shalwar pocket, shifts the rickshaw into gear, and decides he can pay tomorrow&mdash;right after he buys his daughter new school shoes.</span>