Why is this so hard, I am thinking?
It should be as easy as walking in to the vendor, getting the information and then the connection.
But if life was that easy, this wouldn’t be India, would it?!
So here I am, still struggling to find a broadband connection at home, after Airtel cancelled my line because they didn’t have a port in the new apartment I shifted to recently. I’ve posted about my experience with them here.
I thought I would try and get the Reliance Data and Voice Modem, but after 4 visits to their Webworld, this is what happened yesterday.
Needless to say, I am mostly speechless about how difficult a simple thing can turn out to be! And it’s their smug and ‘we-don’t-need-you’ attitude that really bothers me. Even if I can pay cash now, I don’t want to go back to that place. Ever again.
Next is BSNL, and let’s see what happens there.
My mail to TATA INDICOM for disconnecting my internet. Pretty similar experience!
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Respected Sir,
I was informed by customer service desk on saturday that the service would be disconnected owing to “cost-cutting” initiatives. They plan to de-commission the server to save costs!
When it comes to signing up a customer for service or when it comes to leaving a customer in lurch, there is an amazing amount of consistency in terms of speed. However, when it comes to delivering the service , one doesn’t find an iota of consistency!
Customer Service team has offered to give a refund, I have declined the refund because :-
1. I do not have have the bandwidth to track the the refund of the cheque. It would be another agonizing set of phone calls. At this rate I would have spoken to more than 90% of the customer service executives employed with TATA INDICOM and would have spent more money and effort to track the refund compared to money that I would have received!
2. I understand TATA-INDICOM is having severe cost presssures. By not claiming the refund, it gives pleasure in donating money to TATA INDICOM so that they can meet their revenue targets!
3. I will save neccessary stationery costs for TATA INDICOM so that it contributes to the “cost-cutting” initiative!
What amazes me is the level of business planning that is being done before signing up a customer. It is extremely painful to see a private company carrying a TATA brand-name is providing deplorable services when compared to state-owned telcos. It is time to re-christen the name of the company by removing TATA as TATA signifies trust and service.
I will stop with this mail. But some of the other customers could call up CNN-IBN and NDTV and give the ‘necessary’ publicity to your company by demonstrating the service levels they received. Not many people can swallow their hard-earned money going down the drain! You might have to spend more money for doing damage control as compared to de-commissioning the server!
It would be very interesting to see as to how long the company prospers with these level of services.
I appreciate your time in reading this eMail.
Thanks, Jagdish
goodness! such pathetic state of affairs in blr of all places! i know all service providers are basically pathetic and need to be flogged but not having a port in a particular location in some place like blr is like unbelievable.
sweets…just get GPRS enabled on your phone through airtel (go for the mobile office option) and voila! you can surf the net anywhere using your phonewa as a modem. i am a recent convert after the bsnl broadband at home kept tripping.
and ya..even the airtel customer service has this smug attitude. sheesh!
🙂
BSNL is pretty good.
But, first you have to go through their bureaucratic hurdles.
fill up a form, get sign from 3/4 people, go to another location to pay money, fill up three forms and get it signed from the cashier that you paid money, give to two different people(retain the third one with you, so that you have proof of that, in case the other two are misplaced, which is not uncommon).
then talk to two other people that you have already paid and the “file” needs to be moved. Depending on various scenarios, based on the moods of so many people involved, and ofcourse the start timings which can be streched upto “lunch” where the second guy is gone for lunch by the time the first one appeared in office.
spare a couple of days away from office.
after all this, there are chances that you might get the connection in a week (if you are lucky).
I am very fortunate to get in less than a week.
Again there is a catch, if you already donot have a landline connection, you can apply for them together(you need to have a landline connection to have broadband)
but chances are that they are two dependent things, and based on moods and work timings of two different groups within same org, who sets up your landline and then broadband.
But having said all this, its a pretty reliable connection, and I went for it because none of the other service providers “serve” our area.
BSNL all the way. I filled in one form and submitted it at one location after paying the advance money at the same counter. That was the easy part, getting the connection was lot more difficult. The modem installers didn’t know what to do and I was given the wrong password to boot. Finally it all came together after one month and its been fine so far. More or less. There have been downtimes but hey this is BSNL – I would be stunned if it all worked perfectly.
There is no way I’m going to pay the scamsters at Tata or Reliance or Airtel for broadband – their customer service sucks.
jagdish: this is the first time i’ve heard of cancelling the line because of cost cutting reasons!
Twilight Fairy: unfortunately, yes… 🙁
Aqua: hey, thanks! will check out the option!
Srikanth: that’s one hurdle too many!!
Kartik: will check it out. i have the form. so will submit it one of these days and let’s see what happens after that! let’s hope it doesn’t take that long…
get an airtel card installed in ur laptop by spending a one-time payment of Rs. 5000. pay about Rs 600 per month for 120 kbps connection.
I have to say that although I had some initial problems with TATA Indicom’s broadband services, as in being given wrong information by their customer care service on a couple of occasions, it has been smooth sailing since December of last year. I have had no complaints and when I am at home the computer is always switched on. So I am one happy customer after that initial 2 month glitch. 🙂
Still with BSNL? I too have one, and everyday, the connection conks off for a few hrs.
I had a very bad experience with tata Indicom. Then we had BSNL which really works fine. Now moved to different location and Airtel Said They can’t and BSNL said 6 months. So ended up with hatway. Intially they were good in providing connection. But now a days its down alomost all days. You call them they will say it will be rectified within 24hrs.
I don’t know when I will get BSNL connection
Try Reliance WiMax broadband available in most areas now. More details on my blog as they contacted me today…
http://convergence.in/blog/2007/06/05/reliance-wimax-in-bangalore-up-and-running/
All the best with BSNL! I applied for a phone connection with the hope of installing BSNL Broadband, in October 2006. Still waiting for that connection. You know why? The person at BSNL who fed my application into the system typed in the pin code as 560096 instead of 560086. To discover that this as the reason for delay took me about 3 months and to rectify it, several phone calls to the exchange where the file is mistakenly sitting at, then to my exchange for follow up etc etc. Nothing has happened yet. I want my money back, but the paper work for that itself is so daunting, I can’t be bothered! I don’t know why they are spending tax payer’s money on all those hoardings. Just to give Mr Maran an ego boost. All the best.
I have a Zeenext connection which troubles me once in a way, but is better than nothing.
whatever you do, don’t get TATA INDICOM. we had a terrible experience with them, which entailed three weeks of no internet connection and horrendously unprofessional customer service during that time. we made the mistake of paying for four months in advance, and after two switched to airtel. we’ve been very happy with airtel. you are not alone!
Hi Folks,
I am now worried by applying to RELIANCE WIMAX.
I applied for a RELIANCE WIMAX connection past 2 weeks. I still havent got any connecion yet though. I am tired of calling the executives each and every day atleast for 3 times. I get a tailor made answer as “Your connection is under process, you will get the connection in next 3 daysâ€. Now a days no one is responding to my call at all. If I try from other no. they give me the above mentioned response I dont know when will i be getting my connection.
Even if i get my connection in next couple of days, I am worried whether the installation process will be successfull or not, if not again how bad do I need to struggle. More over i am not getting a direct contact to RELIANCE.
If any one can help me on providing the solution please feel free to contact me on 9900600356 (any time)
Hey Folks,
I got my connection, the speed is really awesome even if i have selected 150 Kbps, no problems as yet. If at all if you want to get a Broadband connection, then I suggest please go for RELIANCE WIMAX.
Thanks a lot Reliance.
I am very happy with it now
People in Bangalore,please dont opt for Reliance wimax.It is not at all reliable.
I took it a week back and during weekends and weekday nights,there is no connection.
And the Cusomer care is really irritating.
Go for something else,But not for Wimax
Same for me.. .
I was very happy with the connection 1 st week. Later got the colors out
Bangalore,please dont opt for Reliance wimax.It is not at all reliable.
during weekends and weekday nights,there is no connection.
And the Cusomer care is really irritating.
Go for something else,But not for Wimax. Password needs to be RESET atleast thrice in a week and you will have to make a call to a STD cust care no. Which is really expensive. and to connect to the server is adventurous.
Plannig to Quit soon.
Beware of Infospace Technologies
(distributors of Reliance Wimax)
I bought a Reliance Wimax connection from these guys. They promised me a connection in 2 weeks after collecting money from me, but were unable to do so saying there was no tower near my house in BTM Layout, Bangalore. However I ahve been asking them for a refund and they are not paying up!!! So guys please do not pay any money to these people in advance and get cheated.
nice to read different experiences….
been with airtel for broadband, nearly 2 years….and service has been v.good…but not with their EDGE Data card….is quite slow.
My parents use BSNL broadband, and man…the speed rocks….though the same cant be told about their service 🙂
Reliance wimax connection was pretty good till now. Only problem is their customer support people who are not available any time..
http://reliance-wimax.blogspot.com/
hi guys,
I am from Bangalore. I took the wimax connection from reliance. The service is pathetic.
Please don’t go with the Reliance Wimax connection.
There DHCP server will be down some twice or thrice in a week (I have experienced it). Apart from this, there is some serious problem with their instrument (indoor). If you call their customer care, they will give you a call report number. There after you keep on calling them. Every time they will say the same thing, “We will look into the matter”.
I am tasting the same thing for last 4 days and no action has been taken.
So guys, I will advice every body “NOT TO GO WITH RELIANCE ” .
Tata wimax broadband connection avilable now in
all over Bangalore.
Fill up a application today and get connected within 48 hours ( 2 Days ).
Are you worrying where to get application form.
IF you want to know the tariff plans, connectivity details and features.
IF you need application and any Queries.
Pls Contact On
9243108958.