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Ring Side view of Indian Telecom Circus

The “millions” dream

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Millions. Millions of customers. ’s dream has grown sour. Why do they offer themselves on the platter to get themselves trashed here time and again?

Currently, if BSNL’s statistics are to be believed, it has roughly around 2 lakh customers. Nowhere near the 10 lakh(or a million) it had promised itself. I can visualise a boardroom full of “intelligent people” with glum faces and power point presentations (if they are smart enough) trying to sugar coat their measly existence. I have no idea as to how can they even justify their existence in the jobs. They should be kicked out for non performance, missing deadlines and crappy phone services. Can anyone and I challange anyone be justifiably proud to say that your telecom company is BSNL? You would be laughed out.

Let me tell you something folks. You can retain customers with services. You need to create a buzz around a product. For example, iPod. It looks good, sounds good and Apple has made a killing on a crappy product.(Useless product because it locks down the songs in it’s own format- I should be able to distribute it free to others, copy or modify the product I have bought). Well, point is that iPod is riding on the brand value it has been able to create for itself.

Similarly, you need to know that a satisfied customer is your best salesman. This blog would “officially endorse” BSNL if and only if you give what the customers need. Not your crappy modems (restrictive trade practises) or measly download limits. And then go around the newspapers and burn up tax payer’s money to advertise “new affordable tariffs” (again a gross misrepresentation of facts).

I remember, how I had to “pull the strings” to get the Broadband off ground here. It took several trips, a couple of phone calls, some “considerations” (a euphemism for bribes), a lot of shouting and finally I was saddled with slightly faster than a dial up “broadband”. Frankly, its better than not having anything. So far, it has worked, gone kaput couple of times and mostly I manage to stay online for couple of hours. Of course, the “customer care” is “world class”. Those poor sods are worse than the “son in laws”. Still, I can’t complain much because as a matter of fact and as a customer I have no rights to make these “son in laws” accountable. That reminds me that they owe their allegiance to the “corpse worshippers”(Marxists) who have just added to our miseries all around.

Whew! 

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Hi,
I dropped in, in your blog my way across the blogosphere! Good insights into Telecom field, especially our behemoth government companies, and not to mention, the son-in-laws :)
I too subscribe to DataOne, and I would agree with most of the complaints raised by you. The personnel who come to install the service were very poorly informed of what they do. reminds me very much of our education system where we are taught to rote, but not to question! When I asked them a few questions (which I believe they should know) they terribly sulked and said "Ask DE/AE/JE/BE/CE" Donno how many sub-posts they have to eat all our tax payers' money in BSNL/MTNL!!! Add to this the pathetic helpline which I would like to term "mock help line" where I always get responses like "We don't know sir", "I will give you complaint number sir" . Once, in the helpline, the customer care personnel went to the extent of saying "I can do nothing. Our technical people only can help you" (which is very true, but he said it in a very irritating tone". Don't know who trains them!!

If the government wants to reform BSNL, I belive they should go for public offers. I think this would improve the accountability of the company to the general public and their employees may be forced to deliver more...Don't know why this step is not taken forward. Are you aware of any legal hurdle that stops the government from making BSNL public? (Another argument could be that, MTNL is public, but its services haven't improved that much, but I believe in making a company public).. Our navrathnas (so-called) are doing a good job at delivering share holder values. Over a period of time, the government should sell its shares completely so that it is no more government controlled and likes of Maran don't play politics with Government Telecom companies....
Cheers,
Venkat

Hi,
I dropped in, in your blog my way across the blogosphere! Good insights into Telecom field, especially our behemoth government companies, and not to mention, the son-in-laws :)
I too subscribe to DataOne, and I would agree with most of the complaints raised by you. The personnel who come to install the service were very poorly informed of what they do. reminds me very much of our education system where we are taught to rote, but not to question! When I asked them a few questions (which I believe they should know) they terribly sulked and said "Ask DE/AE/JE/BE/CE" Donno how many sub-posts they have to eat all our tax payers' money in BSNL/MTNL!!! Add to this the pathetic helpline which I would like to term "mock help line" where I always get responses like "We don't know sir", "I will give you complaint number sir" . Once, in the helpline, the customer care personnel went to the extent of saying "I can do nothing. Our technical people only can help you" (which is very true, but he said it in a very irritating tone". Don't know who trains them!!

If the government wants to reform BSNL, I belive they should go for public offers. I think this would improve the accountability of the company to the general public and their employees may be forced to deliver more...Don't know why this step is not taken forward. Are you aware of any legal hurdle that stops the government from making BSNL public? (Another argument could be that, MTNL is public, but its services haven't improved that much, but I believe in making a company public).. Our navrathnas (so-called) are doing a good job at delivering share holder values. Over a period of time, the government should sell its shares completely so that it is no more government controlled and likes of Maran don't play politics with Government Telecom companies....
Cheers,
Venkat

Well dude,
So much for the "always on" connectivity. I have had to reply to this from a Sify iWay. Trust me, not only support sucks but also does the connectivity.

Bad enough. For the past 24 hours, at best the speeds can be described as patchy. No download or consistency. Useless to call up customer complaint.

It isnt the first time, it happens every time once in a while to remind me that I am a government customer. Damned if I dont have a Internet connection and doubly damned if I have one!

BSNL Dataone isn't as bad as you think! I agree that support sucks but if you have things going, the connection speed and performace is never disappointing!

BSNL Dataone isn't as bad as you think! I agree that support sucks but if you have things going, the connection speed and performace is never disappointing!

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