Monthly Archive for September, 2007

Tata Broadband: In a thick soup

Published on 26th Sep 2007 in Indian Telecom. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Tata Broadband has been taking it’s customers for a ride. Their customer care is pathetic and it’s difficult to make them act on your complaints. I write in about a person’s story who has been fighting the company since Feb 2006, all for 17 months! So far, there has been no response to the person’s emails / couriers to the company’s CMD and from TRAI who is supposed to be the “caretaker” of the customer’s interests.

He explored the matter and raised the issue on Broadband Forum He tried to raise the issue at mouthshut.com which claims to be a “neutral” website for consumer reviews. However, his posts were manipulated and deleted by the people behind the website.

This by itself is a matter of grave concern. None from the company responded to the customer’s plight despite the various deadlines. They ignored him like they do to thousands others. What I didn’t realise is that most of the ISP’s donot have toll free numbers which makes it very expensive for the customer to call in and lodge their complaints.

TRAI is supposed to act as a regulator but is more like a emasculated paper tiger. None of the ISP’s seem to care two hoots for the “regulator” because on it’s own it cannot act. Even though there are legal safeguards for the customers, they are not enforced. This only has emboldened the companies to act against the same customers without giving them the services promised for.

This customer in question has been made to suffer downtimes and deficiency in service. In effect, this is clear breach of the service agreement with the customer to provide him a decent service. I understand that the company responded to customer via it’s communication arm where in they just sought to wash off their hands of the matter claiming that the downtime is beyond their control.

Tata Broadband (and erstwhile VSNL) has been stuck up in a time warp. I understand that a mainstream media channel is interested in the story and might be airing this segment in October. I would appeal to all to list their problems with their ISP’s (and Tata in particular) for possible resolution. If this gets aired in media without Tata’s response it would be a major embarrasment for them.

For very obvious reasons, I have obscured the details here. Follow the story in the forums or here and watch it unfold!

I am copying and pasting the details as on the forum for your perusal.

MouthShut tried to take the following text off their website 7 times… I am back [yet again] because many of you did read it (550+ individuals) and many did like it because it was very helpful to them! very helpful to them!

I simply ask: Why should you all not know the truth?

In my fight with the ISP — VSNL/ TATA-indicom — I have escalated my issue(s) to the highest level now and look forward to an excellent cooperation from the media to help fight the cause for us consumers.

I have been the ISPs customer since February 15th, 2006. The following is a listing of the continuing faults, i.e. my allegations:

1. Constant breaks in service, i.e. connectivity.*
=> The line is down 10-30% of the time every month… it has been even up to 80% at times.
2. Constant fluctuation in bandwidth (down- & upload speeds).
=> I bought and pay in full for 256 kbps (256 kbps Infinity Post Paid) but only get 201 kbps (download) and 160 kbps (upload) speeds!
3. Low speeds that range from 10-100 kbps (kilobit per second) occur often.
=> Connections like this make browsing next to impossible… this happens often and is not called a break in service!
4. No credits for short and also prolonged lapses in service.
=> Despite all the breaks in service, drops in speed, lacking bandwidth, very little or no credits are given.
5. Incorrect and unprofessional billing.
=> If you get 6 different versions of printed bills with next to no credits for proven downtimes OR lapses in service, you can call it a fraud!
6. Long wait times to register complaints.
=> Wait times on a non toll-free number can be up to 12 minutes.
7. No toll-free number to register complaints at VSNL cost.
=> All calls are made at the consumers cost – and these amount to many calls a month!
8. Non-functional (also slow) web mail services.
=> The VSNL webmail services are a catastrophe!
9. Incapability to correct my address.
=> After over 17 months and 5 reminders there are still mistakes in the address!
10. The ISP is interrupting my business and hence influencing my life’s quality!
=> It is obvious that someone who is so dependant upon a functional and fast internet cannot do his work under the circumstances!

Some facts for you:
- I have been a VSNL/ TATA-indicom customer since February 2006.
- I have lodged 85+ official complaints (with unique complaint numbers!).
- I have sent them 50+ eMails, reprimanding them.
- I have been forced to spend more than 2,100 minutes on the phone with them.
- I have billed them for Rs 1.5+ lacs in expenses/ cost to me (increasing by the day!).
- I have written to the VSNL CMD, Mr. Subodh Bhargava (5+ times).
- I have written to the TRAI Chairman, Mr. Nripendra Misra (once!).
- I have involved CNN-IBN to fight for me/ us.*
- I have filed an RTI application with the TRAI RTI Officer Mr. Jiwan Dass (once!).
- CNN-IBN has now handed in a DVD to VSNL with the allegations.*

The contact details (in case you have a grouse against your ISP, specifically TATA, is as following”

Mr. Subodh Bhargava
CMD
VSNL – Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (TATA-indicom)
Bangla Sahib Marg
New Delhi – 110 001
Delhi
Home Phone: +91-124-5063146
eMail: s.bhargava@vsnl.co.in

Mr. R. K. Khushu
PA to CMD
VSNL – Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (TATA-indicom)
Bangla Sahib Marg
New Delhi – 110 001
Delhi
Office Phone: +91-11-23747319
eMail: rk.khushu@vsnl.co.in

Ms. Mamta Jain
Customer Assurance Head
VSNL HQ – Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. (TATA-indicom)
M. G. Road, Fort
Mumbai – 400 001
Maharashtra
Office Phone: +91-22-66101240
eMail: mamta.jain@vsnl.co.in

Mr. Nripendra Misra
Chairman
TRAI – Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan
Jawaharlal Nehru Marg (Old Minto Road)
New Delhi – 110 002
Delhi
Office Phone #1: +91-11-23211236
Office Phone #2: +91-11-23213409
eMail #1: cp@trai.gov.in
eMail #2: trai@del2.vsnl.net.in

Mr. Jiwan Dass
RTI Officer/ Chief Public Information Officer
TRAI – Telecom Regulatory Authority of India
Mahanagar Doorsanchar Bhawan
Jawaharlal Nehru Marg (Old Minto Road)
New Delhi – 110 002
Delhi
Office Phone: +91-11-23211622
eMail: jiwandass@trai.gov.in

Hope this gets carried out to it’s logical conclusion.

Take your own battle to them and copy me on your correspondence(s) if you like. Don’t forget: if you release the pressure on the ISP (Internet Service Provider) nothing will [ever] change.

MTNL: Low cost PC’s

Published on 25th Sep 2007 in Broadband in India, Digital Divide, General Thoughts and Indian Telecom. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

This is a first from telecom company. MTNL ties up with Novatium for low cost PC’s. It only affirms what I had been asserting long time back. The hardware is incosequnetial and the real growth of broadband can only take place if the telecom firms sell their broadband as a service concept rather than an add on to the plain vanilla service. This only would make the service viable.

Novatium does away with the basic CPU as you know of. All the computing takes place at the central server which serves as a hard drive. So in effect you just connect the system to broadband and access the web. This makes sense for India because this model is based on sound economic fundamentals. I am glad that Novatium is getting the required media attention; for long they have been languishing in the background. If I am not mistaken, it’s run by Rajesh Jain, the guy who made crores after he sold his portal to Sify for a whopping 400+ crores during the height of dot com boom. It’s another story that Sify turned his magic into a wasteland.

He chose to slowly invest his money in ventures like these and runs a popular blog called as Emergic. Even though it runs on yucky Movable type platform, I still enjoy some of his write ups.

Novatium would surely be a project to watch out for. I really hope that BSNL picks up this idea and rolls out a nationwide service. Telecom operators would then become true blue service providers.

I hope that they iron out the chinks like uptime of the availability of the platform. I assume that the service is also prone for breakdown if the telephone goes kaput. MTNL is known for it’s customer apathy and I dare not venture in it’s smelly offices. Further, Novatium would have to recoup their investments. Interestingly, they offering a choice between Linux and Windows platform. If linux can get a mainstream exposure, I am sure that it would do a world of good to them.

Some one from Ubuntu India should contact these guys to roll out preloaded Linux boxes. It is a breeze to learn the new desktops and for a person who has never been exposed to computers, it would be the right thing to do; unless one is forced to unlearn crappy windows and learn Linux from a scratch.

Hutch becomes Vodafone

Published on 21st Sep 2007 in General Thoughts and Indian Telecom. 7 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

This is another example of foreign imperialism. Slowly we ought to get used to the limey lingo and their products. Vodafone in India (albeit by backdoor) is a perfect example of how sovereignity of my motherland is being butchered by the bastards.

I remain opposed to foreign interests in a vital sector like telecom and there is no way I can ever endorse the idea that they should remain in this nation. Having a pug as your mascot only means that this company has gone to the dogs.

It was stupid of them to launch an advertising blitzkreig to change everything to pink. And now everything to be changed to Vodafone. Oh boy! They surely have a lot of money to burn. Incidentally, their website is full of coding errors and cannot even render itself properly across a standard compliant browser like Opera.

I dont think that Vodafone would be able to really shake up the telecom industry. They would remain behind Airtel for times to come unless they consolidate and dish out something worthwhile. Maybe unlimited GPRS or something exciting in their portal. At times I wonder as to how a company can make oodles of money selling caller tunes. Or something like an exclusive deal for Apple iPhone. I am sure there are many to sink in their money for that overpriced gadget.

Clash of the nuts

Published on 21st Sep 2007 in Indian Telecom. 0 Comments Tags: , .

They clank like skeletons and make an awful noise. Everything gets played out in the media which they currently aim to control and fight for.

India media group, a motley rag tag group of self serving media houses have realised that forays by telecom companies in their turf would seriously undermine their advertising revenues. Presently, the whole industry works on very opaque structures. No one knows the amount of money coming in, the methodology of the television rating points (TRP’s) and the fancy valuations of the media houses. Their commercial interest lies in the manipulating the “pubic opinion” even though informed debates is questionable entity.

On the other hand, telcos are fighting against the cap of 74% cap on the FDI which they enjoy and the media houses don’t. Currently, rules don’t allow more than 49% foreign ownership in the media; albeit much of the money that comes in is really questionable. For example, no one knows that how an unknown entity like Subash Chandra came from the middle of nowhere and latched on Indian cable TV boom to be the most visible face of Indian television. No one has done a “sting” on their sources of money.

As I mentioned earlier, both the media houses and the telecom companies are fighting for the advertising share. And local advertising is booming. Who would have imagined that there is a company making Dollar underwear had they not advertised in the media? Thanks to the reach of ‘Aaj Tak’ (which incidentally has the highest number of spots for dollar /amul underwear and tmt saria ads). Telecom companies would excite the media managers who would be in a position to latch on targetted advertising tailored to your preference.

Mr Ramachandran, you are not as innocent as you sound yourself out in the media. He asserts that the rules of engagement donot apply to the telecom companies as a whole because they are mere “carriers”.

Law is truly an ass. It works wonders for those who know how to twist it around and contort it for their own benefit. Lets see how this slugfest plays out in the coming months.

Appeal

Published on 08th Sep 2007 in Indian Telecom. 12 Comments Tags: , , , .

If I am not mistaken, TDSAT entertains applications from group of consumers if your interest is being compromised. I am seriously thinking of questioning the broadband policy and have TDSAT question TRAI about it’s ineffectual enforcement.

However, I would need time, a lawyer to interpret the rulings and someone with an understanding of TRAI act. I believe that there is some provision to make it work.

Remember, that this is in public interest and more the people, the better it is for us to get broadband that we deserve. I am sick of their promises and it’s time we exercise our right. I dont expect the media to help us because they are easily bought and sold.However, if someone from that industry is willing to help us, I would be more than happy.

Presently, I am based in Delhi. Would it be possible to get together and chalk out a plan? It would make sense to set up a wiki or collaborate. I know, after the initial enthusiasm, the interest might vain off. However, I am not keen to rest till this matter is sorted out in it’s entirety. I remember the time when the interested consumers got together to act as a pressure group and forced BSNL to introduce unlimited plans. We would now want to have all caps removed, definition of broadband to be minimum 2 Mbps, all restrictive slabs to be removed and charges for broadband access strictly on the basis of value added services.

These dodos have enough bandwidth to supply but they are creating artificial scarcity. This is totally against the free market economics and anti consumer. TRAI as a watchdog has clearly failed in it’s duty.

There is an NGO called as Telecom Watchdog. I don’t know about their origins. I believe that they would be willing to help the consumers and it would be worthwhile to argue the case in the court about the artificial caps for broadband access.

Let me know if this is possible. Empty your thoughts in the comments section.

Thanks in advance.

TRAI: Another salvo

Published on 07th Sep 2007 in TRAI. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Wow. It’s called as kicking in between the telecom companies crotch. It would hurt them for sure.

TRAI has called for universal implementation of IPTV by the cable service providers. This means that cable companies would provide a direct competition to the telecom companies as far as voice services are concerned. If they are carrying the net to the customer premises, there is no way anyone could stop ultracheap VoIP calls and ineffect telephony service in the guise of IPTV. Plus, they could easily hire oodles of bandwidth from guys like Power Grid Corporation or the Railways and carry them to the end customer premises.

This means that telcos should shit in their pants because all there massive investments would not attract customers at all. I have argued that customers are actually loath to change their landlines and this provides a great oppurtunity to lock in brand new customers with all the lollies. Wireless is good in theory but then wireline can provide a better bandwidth.

Yet, the dickheads are sleeping soundly without realising the potential for the market with their ostrich like attitude. This is specially true for start up companies like Airtel who are clear laggards in the broadband space. BSNL is silently coursing ahead with about a million subscribers. If they play their cards sensibly, I am sure they have a winner at their hands. Unless of course, babus sitting there sell their soul to the devil.

It is this proactive attitude of TRAI that has found much appreciation here. Something surely has happened to TRAI and I have no clue as to how it has found it’s teeth. I am waiting for their salvos on broadband and many companies get going by selling their narrowband as speeds “upto 256 kbbps”. Of course, this is illegal and TRAI needs a kick in the bollocks to wake itself up. Earlier on they mandated a Do Not Disturb list to be maintained which clearly means that our numbers and private details were being sold to the tele marketeers. Not surprisingly, media has chosen not to anger it’s major advertiser and instead chose to keep mum about the whole issue.

Airtel is clearly a laggard and so is Reliance. Whither the oppurtunity of 100 mbps plans? Agreed, it was all hogwash by elder Ambani but the younger sibling is burning his cash on trying to size up the media. Telecom needs his attention and he ought to cough up cash in the wireline space to make himself relevant. Having a website dedicated in your own name is just to score a point over those who don’t have.

Is TRAI reading this blog? Then wake up and do something!

Shifting to Delhi

Published on 05th Sep 2007 in General Thoughts. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

I recently shifted to New Delhi which would explain the long absence from this blog and I owe you apologies. However, shifting here was imperative because I was not getting the required exposure there in Ludhiana.

Life can be very drab in a metro specially when one is not keyed in to the “night life”. Hiding behind dollops of artificial life and make believe, Delhi is a contrast of many different worlds in a single place. I have been to the poshest of the posh places, stayed there with family friends and pass by the hovels that pass for a “shelter”. Generations of family members remain cramped in a place running aground with stench and open drains with piles of human excreta strewed around. The definition of “aam aadmi” does not change here and I keep on wondering about the well intentioned affirmative action of the Government.

I work in an ISO certified hospital (and training to be an Oncologist). I see people die under ISO branded doctors. Everyday is a battle with the life and death and unfortunately it is a loosing battle. Patients become “case studies” much to my chagrin because it is difficult to keep an impassioned attitude all the time. Yet, there are scores of nuts who seem to be overtly caring about their near and dear ones expecting miracles.

Delhi does not value human life at all.

I see scores of people running after the buses; an abject failure of the public transport. Metro has eased the hassles to a large extent but it touches roughly 6% of the population. There is a constant tussle of the civic agencies and a perfect example of passing the buck.

The traffic lights abound and at times I wonder whether Delhi is a big red light area. The whole traffic seems to move as if there is a huge amount of pent up energy waiting to be released. There are a large number of nuts racing their vehicles like wannabe Formula one drivers only to break 10 feet ahead at the next red light.

I read about the various prostitution rings and the massage parlours; about the casting couches, about pseduo celebrities et al. The ones who make it the much vaunted page 3 of Delhi Times.

Yet, this place retains it’s eminence for exposure to varying oppurtunities. Being close to the corridors of power opens up a lot of oppurtunites for a person on the social ladder.

I shall be trying to be regular in posting the entries; yet I cannot promise. Life is very hectic. However, I shall be posting anything significant related to the telecom sector here; as usual.

Meanwhile, I signed up for Airtel. There is nothing extraordinary about this service except for the fact that it has a good upload speed. This is a far cry from BSNL. Airtel is plain vanilla broadband without any differentiation for it’s subscribers. MTNL still scores ahead of Airtel solely because of it’s reach. Airtel sucks in many quarters because it has not been able to spread it’s network far and wide as yet.