[aargee]

Originally Posted by finneyp

Don't know from where you are getting all this info, Govt still owns a majority stake in BSNL.

Sorry, I was under this impression

Guys, I'm not supporting BSNL in anyway, but to me, it sounds like better option as its cost effective compared to most of the other providers.Here're my own reasons
1. Rs 5000 annual payment (you get subsidy of 2 months payment)
2. Speeds upto 2Mbps (really good speed)
3. Night unlimited between 2 to 8 AM (though they only give you 7:55 minutes free)
4. More stable (wooes only when someone cuts the cable)

Show me one provider who can give the above 3 requirements of mine? I'm not asking this as challenge, but really as a question to switch the provider too. I still have an issue of the modem getting connected to internet without asking username & password which I don't like & this is pending complaint for over a month now. So the point is even I'm not happy, however looking at the cost & service benefits I see this is a good balance on both.

[condor]

aargee : 3. Night unlimited between 2 to 8 AM (though they only give you 7:55 minutes free)

@Aargee, pls clarify the part about only 7:55 minutes free. I use a 500 Combo plan and use morning times (7 - 8 am) almost every day for downloads. I am able to manage my chargeable traffic quite well this way.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by condor

@Aargee, pls clarify the part about only 7:55 minutes free. I use a 500 Combo plan and use morning times (7 - 8 am) almost every day for downloads. I am able to manage my chargeable traffic quite well this way.

Well, its like this. I schedule my downloads to start at 2:01 on my computer & auto shutdown the system 7:56. When I check the usage from BSNL, I see the internet connection time started at 2:01, however the shutdown time is like 8:00 or sometimes 8:01 too. So, now days I shutdown my system at 7:54 to avoid the excess usage of 1 minute everyday.

[sgiitk]

@aargee: Ypu are lucky. My entire colony is griping about the intermittent BSNL broadband. I am now thinking of dumping the Broadband and switch to EVDO (not BSNL!). I do not do any heavy work at home (we have a 1Gbps pipe at work), and avoid financial work at home.

To me reliability of service is more important than a few rupees. my son has Airtel with boradband in Manipal, solid as a rock.

[aargee]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

@aargee: Ypu are lucky. My entire colony is griping about the intermittent BSNL broadband.

Oh!!! No sir, I noticed a weird behaviour of disconnection around 5:38 to 6:19 usually & this happened about 6-8 months ago. Trust me, this happened everyday relegiously.

Originally Posted by sgiitk

To me reliability of service is more important than a few rupees. my son has Airtel with boradband in Manipal, solid as a rock.

True, but what to do? Money is also a factor that affects the reliability. Agreed that qualtity cannot compromise on cost, but the good ones costs almost twice with so many if's & but's.

[Blue_V]

I have a 650 package, well it dies sometimes but it aint dead. The lineman is a *erk. Non existant customer care.

Anyway how is the 800 Airtel unlimited plan?

[Raccoon]

Originally Posted by DerAlte

Not a correct comparison.
* When BSNL says unlimited, they mean it - there is no upload or download limit, not even in creatively formed language. Reliance and others actually place a limit - most consumers don't notice it
* BSNL keeps voice and data billing separate, others are creatively 'packaging' it
* BSNL lines break down, so do the service of the others. We complain BSNL customer service is hopeless - ever tried getting through to Airtel customer service (physically and metaphorically)? With BSNL, you can catch hold of the local AE/JE and get something done. Can you do that with Airtel, Tata or Reliance?

One has to remember Keynesian principles: TANSTAFL - or "nothing comes free in life"!

At least with Reliance, it seems there is no "fair usage policy". At least thats what I'v been told. So unlimited is unlimited. And btw, the new BSNL plans do have a fair usage policy! They throttle your speed to if you cross a certain amount of data. So unlimited is no longer unlimited with BSNL! Check out their plans to see what I'm talking about.

I know about 3 people using Airtel BB and are quite impressed with the service, when compared to BSNL. Though I absolutely hate Airtel as a mobile provider, it seems its BB department is doing things better. Dunno if they have a Fair Usage Policy though.

Originally Posted by aargee

Show me one provider who can give the above 3 requirements of mine? I'm not asking this as challenge, but really as a question to switch the provider too. I still have an issue of the modem getting connected to internet without asking username & password which I don't like & this is pending complaint for over a month now. So the point is even I'm not happy, however looking at the cost & service benefits I see this is a good balance on both.

You modem has the pw and username stored inside it. You need to configure it for bridge mode, if you want it to ask for a pw everytime. If you don't know how to do it, its might be best to take your modem to the BB dept. of your exchange. They will do it in few mins. I wouldn't count on the people who come home to be able to do it.


About my BSNL BB issues - went to the exchange today. A very brief summary - went to the BB dept. After testing they confirmed that the line has a problem. She asked me go couple of floors upstairs to speak with the concerned Officer in charge of maintaining the lines (can't recall designation). As always, they expect customers to do all the running... zero internal communication.

So I go upstairs, the guy isn't in office. I ask to speak to the Div. Engg. He isn't in his office either, so I settle for the Sub Div. Engg. He flat out tells me that he can't help and as its the job of the concerned officer. I told him the complaint has been with him since 26 March. He says I should still speak to him, as its his baby. I call the Officer from the Sub Div. Engg office itself, wondering why the Sub Div. Engg officer's post is there in the 1st place. Spoke to the officer, and got the usual almost disinterested assurance that it will be looked into.

Mailed the Nodal Officer and Appellate authority too. No response yet.

[arin_12]

My BSNL Broadband connection is almost 5yrs old. Not any big issue as of now. But from past 2 months I am exp a typical prob. The Modem gets dissconntect frequently and again it gets connected automatically... I Called them, they do some testing and say every thing is ok.
Now can you tell me how can I replace/verify the modem condition. Is any BSNL service guy comes to home and do the testing and replacement of modem ?

[Raccoon]

^^^Thats what they told me on phone - that everything is fine with the line. So I wasted lot of time in the process of checking other things like the wires and connections from the main junction box, splitter, modem, etc. No joy. Now the other day, when I personally went to the exchange, I told them about the low noise ratio and high attenuation, etc. (this time it was someone more competent). After testing, I was told that the line was indeed faulty, and I should contact the Officer responsible for maintaining the external lines.

So make sure the lines are good before fiddling with the other stuff. What are your SNR and attenuation readings btw?

[triedeverything]

I am disgusted with BSNL. It actually works when it does, but if it goes down, (like has been the case from last Thursday) you are at their mercy. The ADSL light on the modem is off or flickers once in a while. It is not the modem since I tried using the working modem from my neighbor and that too wouldn't 'see the light'. I've been calling the call center since Thursday and I came to know that they closed the first ticket I opened on Thursday! I've written a stinker to every big shot whose email is mentioned on the BSNL web site. I hope someone has got the sense to reply/take action.
Their IVR is even more pathetic than the agent. They first ask you to select your language and in spite of doing this, they continue to waste your time in all three languages! What I really hate is the wait times to get to a living breathing person. Not that it is going to help. But guess what happens most of the time you get to a person? Right. The person places you on hold again to check the status of the ticket! And 9 out of 10 times, you get disconnected during this hold time. Grrrrr! And then if you get back to the agent, you are often given a phone number to contact. Of course most of the time no one picks this second number given or you get cursed for calling someone who has got nothing to do with the issue! More Grrrr!

Shah Rukh has more hope that KKR will reach the semis than I have of getting the broad band fixed some time soon!

[aargee]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

You modem has the pw and username stored inside it. You need to configure it for bridge mode, if you want it to ask for a pw everytime. If you don't know how to do it, its might be best to take your modem to the BB dept. of your exchange. They will do it in few mins. I wouldn't count on the people who come home to be able to do it.

Trust me Raccoon, I know this better than the BSNL folks. They don't know how to change from the existing bridge type. I want the UID/PWD to be prompted everytime & sent 4 complaints, finally few of them turned up in Mahindra Trax, tried acting smart to me & finally fumbled up & said they'll come tomorrow; guess what? there's always tomorrow for them.


Anyway, they don't know how to troubleshoot an issue. When I complained several times that I'm unable to connect to internet, they call up promptly everyday & ask if internet is working. Finally when I troubleshooted (by experimenting with neighbours connection) I found the issue with modem. When I told this to them, they never accepted & questioned me back. Here're some of them...
1. How can you say that?
2. If you find out the issue, why're we here?
3. We've to confirm that the modem is at fault & not you


End of the day, they admitted its the issue with modem & replaced with a modem that has lose contact with the network cable. Now this modem is configured with bridge that doesn't ask UID/PWD. When I said I need it, they're unable to do it. Fed up really.

Originally Posted by arin_12

The Modem gets dissconntect frequently and again it gets connected automatically... I Called them, they do some testing and say every thing is ok

Welcome to the club. I'd the same issue. Have connection for 5 years (5 yrs old modem too), disconnection, then works fine & finally it stops working one day without detecting the network card. Just swap the modem with any of your neighbours & see if they also experience the same issue & you can bet BSNL from dollar or a beer that the modem is at fault.

[triedeverything]

I haven't got any response from any of the top brass of BSNL either. I spoke to an assistant engineer named Palaniappan and he wasn't even willing to listen to what I had to say and promptly disconnected the call! I've just sent a copy of the email to times group hoping they will publish the gist of the problem in the people's problem section.
Does anybody know what else I can do?

[finneyp]

The best way is to meet the Divisional Engineer of your area, only he can get the things done.
My BSNL BB was down for 3 weeks, despite repetitive complaints no-one bothered to fix it, finally went & met the DE, and the BB was rectified the same day!

[triedeverything]

Originally Posted by finneyp

The best way is to meet the Divisional Engineer of your area, only he can get the things done.
My BSNL BB was down for 3 weeks, despite repetitive complaints no-one bothered to fix it, finally went & met the DE, and the BB was rectified the same day!

How do I find out who this guy is? I stay in Ganganagar (R T Nagar Exchange)

[finneyp]

Just go to RT Nagar Exchange & ask them where is the DE's office.