Experiences with BSNL and their Internet Connections
January 25th, 2005 Leave a comment Visited 26 times, 2 so far today
Experiences with BSNL
BSNL’s perfidy is legendary. They have monopolized the services to an extent that they resort to anti-competitive policies. More on that later. Over the past few years, Internet has played a dominating role in the way people access resources or connects to others. It is a whole new way of communication. I remember much of it was made when people talked of getting on the information superhighway. Internet access was controlled by VSNL, which remained the sole service provider way back for a number of years. High access charges remained the order of the day. Being the only service provider meant that it had no intention to improve the access. This underwent a qualitative change when the VSNL was sold off to Tata and BSNL stepped in to provide the services.
Leopards do not change their spots at all. Internet access was taxed heavily and the access charges remained all time high. In fact one of the highest in the world. This was marked by frequent disconnections and abusive “Customer Support Staffâ€. In fact, these idiots have these fancy names, which do no justice to the purpose with which they are hired for. Early on BSNL found out a way to manage the whole charade and signed up the customers who often were hampered by lack of choice or high cost option of other ISPs. Much of the reason was that their bandwidth was provided for by BSNL who charged them high carriage access fees. This ultimately was passed on to the consumers. Why was it so? I believe it is the scheme of the things that these government officials need to comfort themselves for shoddy services. No one has questioned them on this count at all.
This underwent a rapid change when the telecom sector was opened up for private players. Overnight BSNL’s thrust was to hold on to customers. They introduced a line exclusive for Internet access for about Rs.500/- per month. This was done in the name of the public service. However, a closer analysis revealed that BSNL’s officers were jittery about falling revenues and shift towards the other private payers who needed to woo for their own sustenance. Each of the ISP was provided for with a digital number access starting off with 172XXX and the line for exclusive internet access was restricted to that number only.
My love hate relationship with BSNL started with that connection. It was during my frequent complaints to the Internet section that shed light in the innards of this organization. Repeated complaints had no effect on the same. I had to email to the top heads of BSNL’s headquarters; some of them surprisingly responded. Indeed, barring a few honest do gooders, it is staffed with unfortunate imbeciles who cannot even type in the URL in the address bar. This was perhaps the reason that repeatedly my mails bounced back. Once the complaint landed on the table of the node in charge (insider story), he scampered off to set my connection to the desired level. Such is the power of being heard after complaining.
In my city, VSNL had happily launched their services. However, I could not access through my line for exclusive internet access because it was barred. However, in the initial clause it was clearly mentioned that all numbers starting with 172XXX would be provided for. Complaints to the relevant staff had no effect. Things took an ugly turn when the General Manager was caught in a corruption scandal. Thereafter the policies went out for a toss. It did make headlines in the local newspapers but that was that.
Ultimately, I sent across a mail to the VSNL to try to follow up on their level. However, in the reply fit for an idiot, they repeatedly mentioned that BSNL has blocked the access. This was in fact the same issue that I had highlighted. Subsequent emails went unanswered. Now I hear that by month end the connectivity would be provided for.
VSNL is spending a huge amount of money in staffing those people who do not deserve to be there anyway. I fail to understand how do these people get hired in the first case. That’s a mystery wrapped in an enigma, which has clearly no answers.
The above account is first person one. Repeatedly I have had complaints with the phone line, which only got resolved by knocking the telephones of the higher ups. Why are these people not accessible when they are supposed to be at all times? BSNL has set up a mechanism wherein each lineman has to report back the action taken report at the end of the day for resolution of customer complaints. This invariably gets faulted with no action being taken against the defaulting linemen.
Why this happens is beyond my reasoning.
The biggest fault is in the attitude that reflects the Indian society that does not reward merit and encourages inefficiency. Many a times I have faced enough hassles against those people who do not match up to the work they are expected to do. BSNL is no different. Perhaps the major reason that it is a government organization, which demotivates the staff even more. I cannot name names but in my interaction with the various levels, I have come across brilliant officers who have their hands tied because of the mediocrity around them. In fact, for the broadband launch there have been extremely efficient people working behind the scenes who have toiled day in and day out to launch the services. However, what did them in was the lousy package of prices, which seems to be beyond their control. The end mechanism has to be effected by the junior level staff, which has no clue as to how to go about. This reflects on the entire machinery anyway. I had earlier mentioned that BSNL has indeed set up a world-class infrastructure for broadband access. I have come across real people who have sought to make the best of the available resources and provide a decent service. These examples remain far and few though.
One cannot change the entire system overnight. This is not a log of my frustrations in here. However, an honest appraisal that people who are reading this ought to take initiative and question the same people who are supposed to act and make an effort. Falling customer levels and increased focus on efficiencies only would make these people wake up from their deep slumber. I shall try to rebut their claims with action on the ground. It is this way only that a change can be brought about in the same organization that has been funded by huge amounts of taxpayers money. We seek answers and soon.
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This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on the Broadband Blog on Techwhack.
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January 25th, 2005 at 04:33 am
It is tough 2 belive that bsnl would be providing world class internet connection , i have a very bitter experience of BSNL's DIAS connection and I m very sure they are agin going 2 mess everything , infrastructure could be (surprisingly) worldclass but wat bout its staff (I guess i dont have to point out about the class they belong).After all telecom engineer cannot become a IT engineer in a single day. Can they?
January 25th, 2005 at 10:33 am
It is tough 2 belive that bsnl would be providing world class internet connection , i have a very bitter experience of BSNL’s DIAS connection and I m very sure they are agin going 2 mess everything , infrastructure could be (surprisingly) worldclass but wat bout its staff (I guess i dont have to point out about the class they belong).After all telecom engineer cannot become a IT engineer in a single day. Can they?
February 24th, 2005 at 04:04 am
send me urs registeration form 2 have expence bsnl broadband
February 24th, 2005 at 10:04 am
send me urs registeration form 2 have expence bsnl broadband
March 14th, 2005 at 01:49 am
Mr Puri.
I totally agree with you, It is a real mystery how people get hired in these office. They are never available, there is no concept of service and worst is these Babu's Expect you to come to their office for everything. I wonder what happens to the Higher official's who are never reply back. Send a help email and it will be a miracle if some moron replies. They dont have any efficient process or system, They go around in circle and they make people go in circle. Sometimes it feels that you are dealing with idiots of highest level.
I had applied for BSNL net, they asked me to come to their office- 30 miles for me. I said I will mail them the form and the check, they didnt know what to answer.
I finally got a private provider, who came to pick up the payment and the form.
March 14th, 2005 at 01:19 pm
Mr Puri.
I totally agree with you, It is a real mystery how people get hired in these office. They are never available, there is no concept of service and worst is these Babu’s Expect you to come to their office for everything. I wonder what happens to the Higher official’s who are never reply back. Send a help email and it will be a miracle if some moron replies. They dont have any efficient process or system, They go around in circle and they make people go in circle. Sometimes it feels that you are dealing with idiots of highest level.
I had applied for BSNL net, they asked me to come to their office- 30 miles for me. I said I will mail them the form and the check, they didnt know what to answer.
I finally got a private provider, who came to pick up the payment and the form.
April 4th, 2005 at 10:58 am
Dr.Puri,
Actually I have BSNL DIAS connection and was really worried as I was not able to send mails and thinks in the same way of yours about BSNL schemes,service and abov all customer care and services.
April 4th, 2005 at 12:28 am
Dr.Puri,
Actually I have BSNL DIAS connection and was really worried as I was not able to send mails and thinks in the same way of yours about BSNL schemes,service and abov all customer care and services.
May 9th, 2005 at 10:41 pm
I want the Airtel Broadband Connection. Send me yours registration form
to have expence BSNL broadband.
May 9th, 2005 at 12:11 pm
I want the Airtel Broadband Connection. Send me yours registration form
to have expence BSNL broadband.
May 9th, 2005 at 10:43 pm
hi
May 9th, 2005 at 12:13 pm
hi
August 18th, 2005 at 05:22 pm
third rate fellows sitting on our heads v not able to do anything about it xcept keep cribing i dont c any change coming in during our times despite all the brilliant and honest people in the org.these morons cant rectify any probs technical billing service or any thing u name! but at the end of the month they get their pay check ! how do we stop them?
August 18th, 2005 at 06:52 am
third rate fellows sitting on our heads v not able to do anything about it xcept keep cribing i dont c any change coming in during our times despite all the brilliant and honest people in the org.these morons cant rectify any probs technical billing service or any thing u name! but at the end of the month they get their pay check ! how do we stop them?
January 9th, 2006 at 01:26 am
BSNL's incompetencies is not limited to only ISP services. They are master of scams too. I subscribed for WLL phone in 2003 and returned it back to them in November 2003 itself. Yet, they are still not refunding my deposit amount of Rs 7200/-
January 9th, 2006 at 12:56 pm
BSNL’s incompetencies is not limited to only ISP services. They are master of scams too. I subscribed for WLL phone in 2003 and returned it back to them in November 2003 itself. Yet, they are still not refunding my deposit amount of Rs 7200/-
March 25th, 2006 at 08:43 am
Mr. Puri,
I agree with you.. these technicians are ass holes who will not do there job properly and keep torturing innocent civilians like us. .here is my experience
I submitted the application form for BSNL BroadBand connection on February 14'2006 and after freequent calls and freequent visits the technician named Mizar Ahmed came to our house and that fellow just setup the modem and left saying you will get the userid password after a day and he will come next day but the next day has become 1 – 2 weeks now and that fellow didn't showed up yet and on calling his managers the response was that he told the guyz that its our problem.. I still calling them and he says i am comming but didn't showed up yet.. I don't know what kind of ass holes are these bsnl employees.
The best approach to improve bsnl is to privatise it and remove ass holes who will be sitting and just enjoying without working. I am still waiting for the guy to come and fix my connection.. Hope it's not going to be months.
Please suggest what should i do
March 25th, 2006 at 08:13 pm
Mr. Puri,
I agree with you.. these technicians are ass holes who will not do there job properly and keep torturing innocent civilians like us. .here is my experience
I submitted the application form for BSNL BroadBand connection on February 14′2006 and after freequent calls and freequent visits the technician named Mizar Ahmed came to our house and that fellow just setup the modem and left saying you will get the userid password after a day and he will come next day but the next day has become 1 – 2 weeks now and that fellow didn’t showed up yet and on calling his managers the response was that he told the guyz that its our problem.. I still calling them and he says i am comming but didn’t showed up yet.. I don’t know what kind of ass holes are these bsnl employees.
The best approach to improve bsnl is to privatise it and remove ass holes who will be sitting and just enjoying without working. I am still waiting for the guy to come and fix my connection.. Hope it’s not going to be months.
Please suggest what should i do
June 17th, 2006 at 12:54 am
Here’s what I’ve got to say.
I have this internet craze and can’t wait if I know I’m getting an internet connection. A few people including my neighbours gave me some good views on BSNL broadband Data One Hence, I decided to go for it. “DOWNLOADS” being my first priority, I opted for the UL 900 connection.
I’d been to the office to get the form, and the guy there was so arrogant to people there enquiring about their phone lines, etc. Well, I’d thought as much before entering the office. There is this UL 900 and UL 900 Plus! option and I was confused to which I should go for. Woefully, the morons there didn’t have a clue to what it meant. The main guy asked the others seated beside him to what it is. The way he answered wasn’t decent as well. Unfortunately my question was impotent to their big ears. He mumbled something as to indicate it’s just “Something”.
I wonder how these monkeys get their asses to work there in the first place, nevertheless they are paid at the end of the month.
Finally I helplessly submitted the form with just the UL900 plan. I still have no idea to what it means.
TIME TAKEN:
Sigh! This is something beyond my resoning as to why the inefficient blackguards take their sweet time to come home and install the connection.
My friends had to wait for 5 months, 2 months, 1 month and a half, a week, a fortnight, 3 days (Surprising, isn’t it?)
A coulple of my friends received the connection in just 3 days and keeps me wondering all the time.
ANYONE HERE WITH A GOOD ANSWER FOR TO WHY BSNL TAKES SUCH A LONG LONG TIME FOR JUST BRINGING THE MODEM HOME AND MAKING SOME TERRIBLE CONNECTIONS, SPARING THEIR 10 MINS OF THIER DAY?
I was astonished to find that there existed a “BSNL Helpline” I couldn’t control my laughter the very moment I got to know that BSNL knew something called as “Help Centre”
I called up to enquire about how much time the broadband guys usually take…
Ha, it was never like the regular call centres at all. All they say is “HELLA, YeAS”.
I never found them greet our ears (ears indeed hheheh). It was informative but I inturn had to greet them with “THANKYOU, HAVE A NICE DAY”heheh.. and there was absolutely no reply at all except that the person said “ha, ok”…cut.
It’s 3 days since I submitted the form and they still haven’t turned up. I’ve set my deadline time to atleast a week. How Sad.
June 16th, 2006 at 02:24 pm
Here's what I've got to say.
I have this internet craze and can't wait if I know I'm getting an internet connection. A few people including my neighbours gave me some good views on BSNL broadband Data One Hence, I decided to go for it. “DOWNLOADS” being my first priority, I opted for the UL 900 connection.
I'd been to the office to get the form, and the guy there was so arrogant to people there enquiring about their phone lines, etc. Well, I'd thought as much before entering the office. There is this UL 900 and UL 900 Plus! option and I was confused to which I should go for. Woefully, the morons there didn't have a clue to what it meant. The main guy asked the others seated beside him to what it is. The way he answered wasn't decent as well. Unfortunately my question was impotent to their big ears. He mumbled something as to indicate it's just “Something”.
I wonder how these monkeys get their asses to work there in the first place, nevertheless they are paid at the end of the month.
Finally I helplessly submitted the form with just the UL900 plan. I still have no idea to what it means.
TIME TAKEN:
Sigh! This is something beyond my resoning as to why the inefficient blackguards take their sweet time to come home and install the connection.
My friends had to wait for 5 months, 2 months, 1 month and a half, a week, a fortnight, 3 days (Surprising, isn't it?)
A coulple of my friends received the connection in just 3 days and keeps me wondering all the time.
ANYONE HERE WITH A GOOD ANSWER FOR TO WHY BSNL TAKES SUCH A LONG LONG TIME FOR JUST BRINGING THE MODEM HOME AND MAKING SOME TERRIBLE CONNECTIONS, SPARING THEIR 10 MINS OF THIER DAY?
I was astonished to find that there existed a “BSNL Helpline” I couldn't control my laughter the very moment I got to know that BSNL knew something called as “Help Centre”
I called up to enquire about how much time the broadband guys usually take…
Ha, it was never like the regular call centres at all. All they say is “HELLA, YeAS”.
I never found them greet our ears (ears indeed hheheh). It was informative but I inturn had to greet them with “THANKYOU, HAVE A NICE DAY”heheh.. and there was absolutely no reply at all except that the person said “ha, ok”…cut.
It's 3 days since I submitted the form and they still haven't turned up. I've set my deadline time to atleast a week. How Sad.