It’s easy to see the bias of the author about the “impoverished” Indians but there is too much optimism about targeting the benefits. The fact that the Aadhar scheme doesn’t really address the basic issue of data privacy, it is too much of a gamble.

Nandan also mentions about setting up a massive server farm for the data requests. The lack of Broadband at the peripheral level has hampered the data collection (that was a no brainer); which means that the basics have not been sorted out. The article also mentions about the queries to the database and problems cropping up later to be fixed. If I am not mistaken, this is as dumb assholism as it can get. Reason? All potential issues need to ironed out before data collection on a massive scale is carried out.

In my opinion, having a fault tolerant broadband over fixed line is imperative. The growth of the mobile telephony and hence the crappy 3G implementation is not in the public interest. Given the price structure of the data plans, there is no way that a reliable network geared for the public good is utilized for it’s need.

At the same time, public service networks like BSNL/MTNL need to be flogged for dragging their feet for missing the rural broadband plans. Wimax/LTE etc are good enough in theory but there is a theoretical limit to the extent of the data that can go through wireless.

Aadhar scheme is a hair brained exercise; much like the emperors clothes. Useless in execution with purported benefits not spelled out and absolutely no word on the data privacy.

Related posts:

1. Media wants to slow down Broadband? Well, it could be the big news. I have always...
2. Skype: Microsoft acquistion and disruptive VoIP? New York Times has run a story on Skype‘s acquisition...
3. State of Mobile Web: Some numbers. Opera Mini‘s reports on the state of mobile web are...
4. Value added services: VAS in a limbo Of course, there are people who are breathless about India‘s...
5. Chrome Notebooks: Any business model for developing nations? A lot has been made up for Google Chrome OS...

Image via Wikipedia

This is equivalent of Vodafone India buying up Loop/Videocon + other smaller players who got in the “telecom business” because they could encash the spectrum deal. It is a basic premise, should not take long to understand.

A lot of “influential idiots” are not happy about it because it spoils their ecosystem. The big network wheelers and dealers would have deal with a giant monolith and they would not be able to get the same “rates” as they would get otherwise.

Its difficult for me to base any comment on the merits of the case since I am not an expert nor US market is the focus. But it is a bad omen for this country to have international players in the country (can anyone give me any reason as to why BSNL cannot be made proactive) and they are messing up with public property.

I agree to an extent that teledensity has improved with entry of private players. Yes, BSNL has been a failure. Its a pathetic useless company to deal with. But at least it’s publicly owned. The point here is that BSNL could have been made to sweat out, be made to work. It wasn’t done. And then, you don’t have a legislative framework to keep the consumer interests paramount. The regulators have their heads up their ass.

Related articles

• AT&T agrees to buy T-Mobile for $39 billion (ajc.com)
• Vodafone Essar launches 3G service in East Uttar Pradesh, India (intomobile.com)
• AT&T Sprints Ahead with T-Mobile (online.wsj.com)
• AT&T To Buy T-Mobile For $39 Billion (informationweek.com)
• AT&T To Buy T-Mobile For $39 Billion (huffingtonpost.com)
• AT&T lets T-Mobile bygones be bygones (finance.fortune.cnn.com)
• AT&T To Buy T-Mobile USA For $39 Billion (npr.org)
• AT&T to acquire T-Mobile USA for $39 million (news.cnet.com)
• Vodafone top gainer in India number portability-trade (reuters.com)
• AT&T To Buy T-Mobile USA For $39 Billion (npr.org)
• In The Race For More Spectrum, AT&T Is Acquiring T-Mobile For $39 Billion (crunchgear.com)
• In The Race For More Spectrum, AT&T Is Acquiring T-Mobile For $39 Billion (mobilecrunch.com)

Related posts:

1. BSNL Broadband Buying Decision BSNL Broadband Buying Decision Much has been talked of the...
2. Reliance Broadband: Buying out HFCL Connect? Well, my insider sources are not willing to confirm nor...
3. A decade of mobile services It’s 10 years since the first mobile call was made....
4. Hutch: Sell off Ending two months of speculation, Vodafone enters India by buying...
5. Vodafone 3G India: Slick Promos You Tube Video of Vodafone 3G Advertisement This is NOT...

Image via Wikipedia

Forget the statistics, the “key words” or even foward looking statements. Although strictly not under the purview of the blog, mobile Internet has attracted the attention of lot of people. Even though, it cannot support the applications that a true broadband needs (due to inherent limitations of medium), it is perceived to be cheaper than laying down optic fibre cables. The existing mobile towers can be rejigged and made to serve the customers with fewer incremental investments.

In any case, this again is a reflection of state of mobile internet in India. Opera has launched Appia powered Mobile App Store which would serve the needs for “apps”. I am not aware of how the apps are coded but perhaps they are platform agnostic.

Opera Mini is on a roll. Not only they have a clear dominance in over 200 countries but a simple elegant Java powered mobile app is awesome. I have used it on my Android and can testify to it’s usefulness. Infact, it is easy to download and run it on an emulator and use it tethered to your GPRS handset.

Mini has also been sucessful over it’s mobile counterparts (or something like BOLT which are alternatives in mobile space) for one simple reason; it’s ability to compress the data and serve it to end user. So far, they have not mentioned about the huge amount of data flowing in through their data centre but nevertheless, they would be willing to scale up, build profiles (if I am not mistaken, best way out would be individually numbering each download) and then serve it up for targetted advertisments. It is all a matter of scale.

On the flip side, it’s petition in EU against Microsoft has not really worked “the wonders” that it was required to. It’s desktop share is still a pathetic 2% worldwide despite being ahead in the innovation game. I am using Firefox 4 presently (nightly builds) and can testify that it is one of most significant advances in the history of open source browsers. Though Web Kit based browsers are cool (over proprietary engines like Presto- which again is a matter of debate), I can see some real heavy lifting done by Firefox; be it in extension development or all around stability fixes.

At least, on my Linux Mint installation (with a few other extensions) it is a great product; in consonance with Thunderbird, the migration to Open Source is complete.

Getting back to Opera, it still needs to tone up it’s work flow. At least, that seems to be a despondent mood on the forums/ news groups. After sticking out years crowing about web standards (yes, they are important) but persistent arguments about Acid 3 compliance and being the “fastest” out their are wearing thin. I care not about the fancy “tests” for they have no meaning for me as far as the page is rendered on my useless BSNL. I see the lag where it matters the most and is hurting Opera users.

Still, I wish them the best for their app store which would be a significant gain of revenues; it could have been implemented with some form of micropayments (which would be a pain to implement it) in an ecosystem where there is no clear defined “way out”. App based advertisments (like Angry Birds for Android) is surely a way to go.

Related articles

• Opera Launches Appia-Powered Mobile App Store To The Public (techcrunch.com)
• App Stores Everywhere! Opera Opens Mobile App Storefront (gigaom.com)
• Opera Opens Mobile App Store That Works With (Almost) All OSes (mashable.com)
• Opera Opens Cross Platform Mobile App Store (readwriteweb.com)

Related posts:

1. Opera: State of mobile web I am not here to be a party pooper but...
2. Mobile Internet This is indeed the “future”; even though I don’t suck...
3. Mobile Internet: Rajesh Jain’s take on the issue I would again link to the excellent series of write...
4. Opera Mini Opera is an excellent browser. Period. Though, I fail to...
5. Opera Mini released The fourth beta of Opera Mini has been released.Amazingly, this...

Image via Wikipedia

I have shifted to Firefox beta builds and I must admit that after a long time, there has been a credible worthwhile option in the Open Source. I have always aligned with open source; though I have been using Opera as my default browser. The annoyances come in when one can’t customize the software to one’s taste.

For example, Thunderbird allows one to set up multiple email identities. Opera mail refuses to listen to it’s customers (be it on their news servers or their forums). Although I have to admit that it terms of GUI or innovations, nothing beats it; even though their software sucks.

In any case, Chromium was too overbearing for me in the past few builds; it was refusing to open up, sucking up on the experience. And I have no qualms in admitting the fact that Firefox is indeed the next Chrome; the browser battles have been drawn up clearly and it remains to be see how it finishes off.

Opera would remain at it’s pathetic best unless they open up the API‘s and make it more extensible. At present, because of its poor market share AND lack of “open source”, desktop is sucking up. The problem is that it extends to their entire ecosystem (on mobile phones and other platforms) that is impossible for them to open up the code. Well, thats part of the reason.

I have my annoyances with BSNL broadband off and on… and I am looking at the computational databases with interest. Broadband has a lot of potential; it remains to be seen how we extend our imagination.

Related articles

• Browser War: My Background (martintjandra.wordpress.com)
• Firefox 4′s last beta? (download.cnet.com)
• Using a Bookmark Manager: Firefox, Opera Options (brighthub.com)
• Open Source Wake Up (arnoldit.com)
• Why Firefox Could Still Be the Browser Story of the Year (ostatic.com)
• Firefox 4′s last beta? (download.cnet.com)
• Mozilla CEO Gary Kovacs Talks Firefox 4, Competition With Google’s Chrome and More! (Video) (kara.allthingsd.com)
• Choosing an Alternative to Internet Explorer (devicemag.com)
• How to Restart Firefox in Offline Mode (brighthub.com)
• Open Source, my aaS ? (cloudave.com)

Related posts:

1. Opera India This is not a promotion for Opera. But once in...
2. Opera Mini Opera is an excellent browser. Period. Though, I fail to...
3. Broadband Blog:Modified content Ever since this was “ajaxified!”, I have been experimenting with...
4. Opera 9 Released! Opera is my favourite browser. The beta review appears here...
5. Opera Mini released The fourth beta of Opera Mini has been released.Amazingly, this...

Although I experimented with a different theme, but I stuck on the present option. It is much more “feature rich” in my opinion and generally works.

What I have done around this time is to integrate the tags and the posts in a more fundamental manner. It took some tweaking of Simple Tags plug in and Open Calais integration (via their API key), which is the first step towards “semantic web”. The idea is to have a better search (from the tag clouds AND the database) as well as be relevant for the searches. I was keen to get a RSS aggregation enabled on the site but it wasn’t possible to do it effectively. Further, it would have just polluted the pages and the different posts so I gave up the idea.

What I love about the tags (and being able to apply it automatically) is the ability for “deep search” and relevance. Although taxonomy is being deprecated in many blog posts, still it is far better than the keyword searches that search engines rely on. The obvious evolution is semantics and identification of contextual linkages for identification of content (instead of merely categorizing them) and this is first step towards that.

On the sidelines, I have emailed to Business Standard regarding the BSNL update on the RTI application and hoping that there would be some traction on that count. I also hope that they would keep me in the loop and do the needful of bringing about at least some accountability in the sector.

Related posts:

1. Virgin India Mobile: sucks? So far, I have not had user reviews. A Google...
2. Virgin India Mobile: Now in Google Search The blog posts are in top 10 of the search...
3. The new wave of networking In this broadband era, networking in terms of personal space...
4. Mobile phone smut Sex sells. In any form. If it is a “scandal”...
5. After a long hiatus I wish I could have more time packed in the...

There have been some attempts in the past (this post beautifully highlights what has been covered in India) However, practical suggestions apart, barring a mention in the media for the same, I have no clue about their present status.

One of the biggest obstacle in community funding is the funds. It’s impossible to get people excited about a shiny new broadband because of huge capital expenditure. One easy way out of this mess is to involve the Government to invest after negotiating long term rates with suppliers. This would make it easier and technically, BSNL and MTNL are public owned entities in their own right. It is a separate matter that their decision making is isolated from what is required to what is actually provided.

Hence, I don’t remain convinced about the community networks. There are ownership issues; we know in Indian model of “board membership” means a permanent way to swindle funds. Indians unfortunately, have lost touch with community participation and has remained in the hands of few well meaning NGO’s; some of them might get a mention in main stream media but no one talks about their failures.

However, running an Internet cafe on community lines is different from owning the actual line. Barring a nominal amount of capital expenditure (one needs funds for everything!), there is no other way any such model could sustain itself.

Related posts:

1. Alternative networks? Wifi networks carrying calls other than the conventional means? Govndraj...
2. Broadband: Unlimited Fun It’s been a roller coaster. I have been surfing surfing...
3. More Mess in Indian Telecom More Mess in Indian Telecom The recent cabinet decision for...
4. Mainstream media interested Finally, after a long winding hassle, CNN-IBN’s tech correspondent is...
5. The new wave of networking In this broadband era, networking in terms of personal space...

Needless to say, it is highly inadequate. I have the right to appeal; but dragging them to Information Commission straight away is not possible. It does not discourage me, to be honest because I had expected this stone walling.

I am taking a legal opinion on this and would update this space soon. I don’t have an access to a scanner; so I would have to snap it up, convert it to a PDF and then upload it somewhere and embed it. Or perhaps directly from image uploading site.

Truly, their attitude sucks. I really don’t know what have they done to deserve my hard earned money to support them.

Related posts:

1. Update on BSNL Broadband RTI I had applied for information under RTI act on wide...
2. Update on BSNL Broadband Service Update on BSNL Broadband Service BSNL has finally rolled on...
3. India Broadband and Telecom Update There is a lot of noise in the media without...
4. BSNL Broadband: Some reasoning behind RTI Of course, I am pissed off with the development. There...
5. BSNL Broadband: Why it isnt revolutionary I have been missing out on real incisive comments on...

I wanted to inspect the documents first; however, it would have meant extra paper work and going to their office; I decided against it. All I need is the reply from their office and I shall update it over a period of time here. In case there is any inconsistency, I have the right to appeal and approach the state information commission.

The big issue here is that it does not constitute ways and means to force them to change their policies; it cannot be done specially when they are going to argue that 256 kbps “unlimited” is dirt cheap per month. The bigger issue is whether 2 Mbps can be made the norm or not.

TRAI has refused steadfastly as far as the definition of broadband is concerned. They haven’t given me any “extra information” on that count. They have also not mentioned as to who has defined the broadband. They took the cover of contestable ITU definition that is as vague as it can be. I am sure that BSNL would duck under cover of “regulator” knows it all. Hence, we are back to square one.

Who decides then that 2 Mbps should be bare minimum? I think that RTI should provide us some answers regarding the pricing details and their sources. It’s a long drawn process and companies don’t want to act because it would spoil their status quo. TRAI’s officials are looking at post retirement lucrative options to join a fancy board of some telecom company. It is easier to feed fat a bastard than to service the mass of customers. We all know the story, isn’t it? Specially when Pradeep Baijal was hauled up by the investigative agencies. Backroom manipulations ensured that there was not much drama made out of the “news”. No one knows who Baijal is and frankly no one cares.

It’s a messy country.

Lets wait for their answers to come. The application submitted in their ‘dak section’ would take at least 1 day to wind it’s way towards the orders; the file containing the reply would take another 2-3 days to be dispatched and thereafter it is at the mercy of Department of Posts to deliver it to my premises. Do you know that a speed post (courier) takes 5 days to be delivered WITHIN the same city? Specially when I stay just 3 kms from the exchange and the head post office?

Deva re deva!

Related posts:

1. Update on BSNL Broadband Service Update on BSNL Broadband Service BSNL has finally rolled on...
2. BSNL Broadband: My stinker Lav Gupta is heading BSNL’s broadband division. I have nothing...
3. BSNL Broadband: RTI application submitted I decided to stick around after lunch time today to...
4. India Broadband and Telecom Update There is a lot of noise in the media without...
5. BSNL Broadband: Mail from BSNL I have decided to post the mail recieved from Mr...

I don’t get a huge amount of traffic anyway but I have updated the social plug ins at bottom of the each post. I wanted to set up an email system with perhaps email delivery to the inboxes but decided against it. We get so much spam as it is and it’s not worth it. For me, RSS rules my life in terms of content delivery and it has been highlighted on the main page itself.

Changes bring forth a newer perspective and rejuvenates the thought process. Although most users perhaps don’t ever need to come on the web site (since the RSS feed summaries are full on by default), still, it makes sense to have a fresh outlook.

A very happy new year to all the readers and this year too we are without any advertisements. Thanks to my web master, thanks to all those who are involved in the upkeep of this blog and thanks to you readers. Although I must admit that I do miss engaging content discussion but due to paucity of time and other commitments, I am unable to do full justice to this space.

I am waiting for BSNL RTI reply to detailed questionnaire and that should see a lot of activity in the near future.

Cheers!!

Related posts:

1. Broadbandblog: Added new theme This is one awesome theme. K2 rocks. I love the...
2. Broadbandblog: What goes on here I had a look at the statistics here (which I...
3. Broadbandblog:Asshole of the year As usual, the blog is happy to appoint the contenders...
4. Broadbandblog: Spring Cleaning I was tied up in recent times due to some...
5. Some changes Thanks to Sushubh for this effort. The theme has undergone...

1) Smart phones and Android taking center stage with Nokia dying a slow death.

2) 2G spectrum scam

3) 3G mess.

There are tonnes of web sites scattered all around to tell you about Android’s home coming. I am not getting in the debate about what is good or bad but Apple (across the lines) remains aspirational because of it’s perceived value.

2G Spectrum scam has also been mentioned extensively with the political fall out affecting Congress and it’s cohorts; again the debate has been frittered away to be of any consequence.

3G Mess is bad. Really bad. Partly because it has been sold on lines of “only Internet access” you’d ever need. As mentioned in these columns (and comments) that none of the devices support advertised speeds of 21Mbps; more so, in absence of clear definition of what 3G speeds are, you would not really see much traction there. The operators have dreamt of fat profits accruing from the sales and perhaps are marketing different plans for mobile handsets and wireless modems. Docomo even explicitly prohibits “tethering” mobiles to laptops citing it as “violation of terms of use”; as it they can “prove it court of law”. Assholes.

4G is on the horizon and as such the media reports were peppered with what technology to choose. There are of course competing issues; I am not qualified enough to explain the merits/demerits of each.

Another highlight of this year was the final recognition of menace of telemarketing calls and sms (with sms rates being usurious and companies raking in huge profits from what is essentially free for them). I have written about it earlier but there are others in space who have written about it more extensively (Rajesh Jain on Telemarketing and SMS Spam[1,2,3,4,5])

Mobile Number Portability (MNP) would be a big issue in 2011. Although it has been launched in Haryana, there are not enough media reports about the impact of MNP on the same. Is it surprising? With telecom companies leading in advertisement spends, they hold enough leverage to influence reporting the issue. Hence I would remain blocked out on the same unless it becomes a major issue. However, they don’t give a shit to the users because there is no REAL choice between the service providers. Most of the new operators have yet not launched their operations (and hence got notices for the same) so it is difficult to comment on the same. I foresee a lot of activity in next year in terms of new players and mobile number portability to affect them. Yet, with the rise of cheap “chinese manufactured- Indian branded” hardware with dual and three SIM card slots, issues like MNP don’t hold much promise. Hence this too would remain a lot of hot air with some speculation towards “power to consumer”.

I have written extensively to TRAI, Department of Telecom and various stake holders in media about why need broadband and what is basic policy flaw in the system. This has also been a subject of my RTI applications being filed with them. At risk of sounding repetitive, we all need a proper system for growth of the nation and that is a foregone conclusion. However, the system is designed not to provide but to deprive the users from opportunities. If public good were at the heart of policy makers (and politicians), we would not have been a kangaroo republic (mistaken for a democracy).

I fail to understand the stupidity of media houses not to push for all inclusive growth in Broadband; since their own very future depends on it. I have briefly toyed with the idea of setting up a NGO; there is no scarcity of ideas that need to be implemented. What is lacking in this space is will to implement those ideas. The whole scenario is lumbering around like a giant iceberg. Yet as monotony in this space grows, Internet access is fuelled by explosive growth in social networking to Facebook’s data servers. Here in lies the rub. Media in India is even lacking in this space and focusing instead to try out experiments in their own walled microdomains expecting the advertisers to come on in hordes and expecting to rake in millions of dollars from advertising click throughs.

However, this dream lies shattered with corpses of media houses dotting the landscape instead. Content is supreme and while we retain the numero uno position for generating mountains of crap in terms of bollywood export, this has not found a “release” except from traditional channels of multiplexes and to some extent, DTH. Instead, we don’t have a Hulu or Netflix like player capitalizing on this aspect of delivery. 3g cannot do it. 4g cannot do it. Wifi perhaps. Broadband on wirelines- definitely.

This blog has also seen some write ups on the need to tone up internet exchanges, need for TRAI to jig up it’s broadband policy and a call for Public Internet cafes. Interestingly, we also saw NDTV’s programme on broadband which we linked on to and perhaps the first in a long long time coming in from mainstream media. TRAI did talk about “fair usage policy” although in context of telecom tariffs. Another highlight was my post on online education and something on cloud computing in respone to Chrome OS.

This, by and large, what I had written with some guest posts. I have already filed in RTI application with BSNL as listed and I am awaiting their response. My only aim to get to root on pricing on Broadband, the mess and perhaps get a better deal on it in the long run. The first step is perhaps to re-define broadband from it’s present definition. I am also planning to involve TRAI in this loop along with perhaps Department of Telecom and see how they differ. Although TRAI is the regulator, the real power lies with DoT. Yet, it is a blame game that they are likely to play. DoT would say that TRAI has to come up with regulations first. TRAI would say that DoT is the real boss and they have to come up with a “circular”. No one wants to work and consumer gets the fuck of his life.

I have seen the Indians from close quarters. They would suffer all the insults with great temerity and humbleness. Perhaps it is the servile attitude that is ingrained in their psyche. Neither we are going to see a good amount of activism to make the public institutions deliver nor are the companies going to make any efforts to tone up their services. It costs real money to keep up with after sales service which actually eats up the profits and hence customer service is perhaps the last of ideas on their minds.

This post by itself is a huge huge post in a long long time! Maybe perhaps, I have written about trends subconsciously which I feel would impact the telecom landscape in some way or the other. The market is not geared towards course correction but is littered with asymmetric information to disadvantage of consumers. Sadly proactive approaches, either at regulator level or mass media or even at consumer level is sorely lacking.

The new year is not going to change this scenario in any manner whatsoever.

Related posts:

1. Round up All in all, the recent announcements maybe a cause for...
2. Broadband Initiative for 2010 There were a spate of articles in lay press regarding...
3. India Broadband and Telecom Update There is a lot of noise in the media without...
4. Future Trends in Telecom in India Future Trends in Telecom in India Over the past few...
5. A Few Questions on Indian Telecom A Few Questions on Indian Telecom This little anecdote goes...

Submit it to the PIO and wait for the answer from them. I wonder what has been the reaction from their office after getting a detailed questionnaire. Lets wait for the answers (next year).

I am keeping my fingers crossed. My contention is that you make the top incumbent come clean on the prices which would help you to negotiate the prices with say Airtel. At least I would have a broad idea as to how the revenues are split, what are the issues that need to be sorted out and confront TRAI with the same to issue policy decisions (perhaps Department of Telecom too).

I think, all it needs is a simple will to do something instead of getting mired in the red tapism. I have already written to the DoT Secretary (R Chandrashekhar) but he has not replied so far. I am not even sure whether the email has landed in his inbox.

Some time later next year, if everything goes well, I might plan to meet him in person.

The idea is to get broadband liberated; so that at least I get the best value for my money. I’d rather have a functional DSL first for starters; fiber can wait for some time.

I was also surprised to see BSNL’s equivalent IPTV packages in their customer care. I am not sure how this would work out or what is the customer review. Although it is a good option for time shift TV but with bundled speeds of 256kbps, I am not eager to join them. With customer resolution at local BSNL exchange, I am not keen to run around to get my service fixed in case of any “issues”.

Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Related posts:

1. BSNL Broadband: RTI application filed :) Opening up another salvo, I am planning to file another...
2. TRAI: Filed for RTI application regarding Broadband Here is the text of the email, fax and the...
3. BSNL Broadband: Mail from BSNL I have decided to post the mail recieved from Mr...
4. Another mail to BSNL Broadband I got a reply from some of the BSNL’s staffer’s;...
5. BSNL Broadband: IPTV and beyond BSNL launched it’s IPTV service recently. There has been a...

He writes:

1. FUP is not illegal, and there is nothing legally wrong with what any ISP is doing when it wants to keep it’s network under control – it is perhaps unethical to advertise a broadband plan as “unlimited” and apply an FUP. I prefer (and use) the term flat-rate, which refers to pricing, not usage.

TRAI, the regulator defines Broadband as “always on with a speed of 256kbps”. They have supported this definition that has been taken from ITU web site. The whole point here, from an end user’s perspective is that the definition has remained static. I think the FCC definition has also remained stuck here. However, the push for “faster speeds” has mainly come from academia and the realization among the telcos that serving content through their dumb pipes can be very lucrative, net neutrality be damned.

All the more they ALSO realize that it pays in the long run to get the customers hooked on to “speeds” AND “content” and then make money out of “traffic shaping” and the works.

Yet, if you look at the pdf from ITU (opens up a link in your pdf viewer), do check out the page 19 (under pricing) where it clearly states the success of South Korea broadband has been because of “flat rate”.

Here BSNL (others and your probably included) have different tiers with a “limit”. Now this limit can be argued. As I had mentioned that majority of your users would be content with social networking / email you would hardly see the “abuse” of network. However, BSNL is a public service. Which means that the network effectively belongs to public and for arguments sake has no say in the way it overlords it. Thats my opinion.

You would be owning the fiber and its for you to come out with what ever plan/ideas you wish to.

As far as TRAI is concerned, it does NOT mention the word “fair usage policy” which is again in contravention to license terms (as all the ISP’s are regulated by TRAI/DoT) and hence ILLEGAL. So you are right too except that it sugar coats the bitter pill.

2)

Many sites – even many India-centric sites, are hosted abroad. This is where the “strain on the networks” usually comes in.

Yes, I know it. Koreans have much of it hosted inside the country because they are not too comfortable with English. Duh. We are among the largest speaking country in the world by the way; still it is not a huge net market.

3) BSNL only has an International cable between India and Sri Lanka – it doesn’t have any going anywhere else. It buys almost all of it’s bandwidth from VSNL – 65% from VSNL/Tata India, 14% from GlobeInternet (a subsidiary of Tata in North America), with the rest from a small assortment of other ISPs both domestic and foreign through it’s various arrangements.

Thanks for letting me know this. I am waiting for official confirmation including the break up of prices.

4. We can safely assume that they’re anticipating about 300GB of usage on their FTTH plans, at Rs10/GB. Cheaper than what I can get it for, but they’ll already be getting the volume discounts I’m aiming for.

Network usage varies WILDLY. I cannot nail even an “AVERAGE USE” but well, it can possibly be predicted once the metrics are clear, the amount of traffic flowing in your fiber and the works.

7. If you’re an ADSL customer, 768kbit/s is pretty much all you’ll get out of a DSL line anyway, unless you’re really close to your DSLAM. ADSL2+ is meant to go up to 3.5mbit/s upload speed, but in NZ I’m 300m away from my cabinet on fairly decent quality lines, and I barely hit 900kbit/s. Since the default upload speed they provide I think is 256kbit/s and you purchase more upload in 256kbit/s increments, this probably is to cover their ass so as to prevent people from trying to buy 1 or 2mbit/s upload and then getting about 768k.

Thanks! The wording on the web site sounded as a “limit” without mentioning the technical reason. Let them confess in writing that it it still is ADSL and then I can question them as to why it is taking delay in introducing ADSL 2. I can file as many as RTI’s I want!

@operamaniac Right of way and civil works costs a fortune. I mean that quite literally – about 75-80% of our laying of fiber to homes goes towards these two things: the fiber and equipment to run the network are negligable costs by comparison, and since it can be crores per kilometer, it won’t take many kms of fiber for us to reach 1,000 crores.

The sad fact. It is the job of municipalities to lay down fat ducts throughout and just offer it to the end users. Simple. Far sightedness is not a virtue in this country. It comes at a premium from those who are NOT in this country.

Interestingly here’s something from Wikipedia entry for ‘Internet in Japan’. It says and I quote:

Operators struggle to maintain enough bandwidth to allow maximum usage of the service by customers. Even the largest operators have capacities in the region of tens of gigabits while customers with gigabit FTTH services (or higher) may number in the thousands. This problem is further compounded by limits caused by internal router bandwidth. Estimates of traffic based on data collected in May 2007 by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications set total network usage at approximately 720 Gbit/s combined. The report further states that by May 2008, total traffic will exceed 1 Tbit/s.

Woooo. But then these are 2008-09 figures. Similarly the ITU report that I alluded above is 2003. Much has changed in past 7 years; we are still stuck in the kbps and well….. Time to change the tune, the gears and tracks.

@ Operamaniac a.k.a. my dear web master. 3G is not in my radar right now. In fact, I wanted to ask them as to how they have utilized the USO fund and what is the state of broadband connections in the rural areas. I know for sure that they are spending disproportionately on 3G services and neglecting the land line when it should be reverse. Lets see how they react. At least it would be a basis for seeking legal remedy or anyone who wants to file a Public Interest Litigation.

Cheers!!

Related posts:

1. TRAI: No response to appeal So far, I haven”t received a response. I am aware...
2. TRAI: Response to RTI application This was disappointing to say the least. It was expected...
3. Tata Photon Plus: Comments on Broadband Forum I am linking on to the quality of the services...
4. Reliance India Mobile: Can you ever get positive comments? I don’t own any responsibility for any of the personal...
5. TRAI: Disppointing response from Appellate Authority As per the previous post, it is clear that they...

Hence it is to have them admit on paper that the prices have “stagnated” indeed. 256 kbps is nothing in this day and age when the speeds elsewhere have touched over Gigabits.

The “perfect pricing” can always be debated. I would root for ATLEAST 2 mbps for INR 700-900 price band. This of course has to come with any stupid “fair usage policy”. In any case, wherever there is abuse of the network, they ought to ask the customer to perhaps a higher speed band.

Network abuse is in built and the very idea that traffic is being monitored ought to be deterrent enough. In any case, even with the restricted traffic shaping, I hardly see any traction in the space; it is an awful experience to stream the videos or access data intensive web sites.

If majority of the user space in India centers on Social Networking/Matrimonial sites and email, I don’t foresee any “overloading” of the networks. If they are really interested in lowering the overall costs, then they have to explore alternatives like NIXI to peer the data amongst themselves or cache the data for faster access.

Why BSNL then? Foremost reason is that I am it’s customer. Secondly, it can be alleged that because of it’s “monopolistic stance”, the real “revolution” in speeds and prices has to come only after goading it to work. If BSNL as the “market leader” is made to act on prices being offered, others have to match up to it. Well, thats what the intention in the long run is.

One more thing. I have specifically asked for the various break up charges. I strongly feel that the charges ought to be in public domain. How much is BSNL really affected? It is buying bandwidth from upstream and distributing it (apart from owning it’s own gateways, if I am not mistaken). One ought to know how much it really costs to move gigabytes of data on it’s pipes. In the same vein, RTI filed with TRAI previously was very clear that there is nothing like “Fair Usage Policy”. Hence it would at least force BSNL to acknowledge that FUP is “illegal” and help is to fix a responsibility as to who has come up with the idea. He/She should be hauled up over the coals.

Hence this is truly a disruptive power of RTI to expose the cosy nexus between the various ISP’s because they are defrauding their customers. One particular issue that caught my eye was FTH service being advertised as “upto 1 Mbps” and being more expensive than the same service being offered by DSL. Hence, I have asked them for an explanation about the same and the differential in pricing. FTH is not being advertised heavily which has the real potential for future.

I am also keen to know about the “limitation of upload speeds” of 768 kbps (as per their web site); I feel that this is an artificial restriction and should have their response on “traffic shaping”.

It is very clear from the outset that much of the information would be withheld, not revealed etc etc. Hence the best option is to wait, file an appeal and then present the case strongly in the state information commission.

I am willing to fight it out.

Related posts:

1. BSNL Broadband: Mail from BSNL I have decided to post the mail recieved from Mr...
2. Update on BSNL Broadband Service Update on BSNL Broadband Service BSNL has finally rolled on...
3. BSNL Broadband: Why it isnt revolutionary I have been missing out on real incisive comments on...
4. BSNL Broadband: Details of RTI filed This is a non pdf version listed here: 16th December...
5. Insanities offered by BSNL Broadband Insanities offered by BSNL Broadband BSNL has finally jumped in...

16th December 2010

To
The Central Public Information Officer, BSNL,
O/o General Manager Telecom,
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited,

Sub: Information sought under RTI Act 2005 regarding the definition of Broadband, the prices and clarification of “limits” sought.

Dear Sir,

THIS INFORMATION IS SOUGHT IN THE PUBLIC INTEREST, AND THERE IS OVER-RIDING PARAMOUNT LARGER PUBLIC INTEREST TO BE GIVEN THE INFORMATION I HAVE ASKED FOR. This information is sought under the RTI Act 2005, and as the applicant I would retain the right to inspect or ask for certified copies of the relevant documents/records/informations.

Please explain the following:

1)What is the defintion of the term “Broadband”?

2)What is the source of definition? Please provide relevant documents to support your contention.

3)Since when BSNL has been offering Broadband services? Please mention the date and commencement of services in India.

4)What are the various speeds being offered by BSNL?

5)What are the charges for various speeds being offered?

6)How have the charges been arrived at? Please provide AN EXACT BREAK UP of the costs incurred by BSNL to provide the broadband services for RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. The break up should include the cost of the overheads, the costs involved in keeping the lines functional, the cost of the bandwidth or any other head as mentioned and filed.

7)What is the cost of Fibre To Home Service (referred to as FTTH) being offered by BSNL?

What is the break up of the cost of Fibre to Home Service? How has BSNL arrived at this cost?

9)Who sanctions the use of Optic Fibre for domestic usage? Under what conditions can a residential customer apply for the same?

10)What is the BREAK UP of the cost incurred by BSNL to provide Internet over optic fibre? How has the cost been arrived at? Please give the relevant file notings regarding the same.

11)Who in your organization decides about the pricing of Broadband? Who gives the order for new plans to be introduced? How are the various plans AND the charges are arrived at?

12)What is the email id AND contact details of the concerned person who deals with Internet and Pricing of broadband?

13)Where does BSNL purchase it’s wholesale bandwidth from? What is the break up of the price paid to the company from where BSNL purchases it’s wholesale bandwidth?

14)Who in your organisation decides about purchase of the modems. Under which rules do you certify the modems? Where are the rules listed?

15)As per media reports, a large percentage of your landline subscribers have surrendered their connections. How many landline connections were surrendered in the past one calendar year (2009-2010)? What initiatives have been taken by your company to sell Broadband on land line as a value added service?

16)Kindly provide the details of the advertising spend for promotion of Broadband in India. How much of it was allocated to promotion of broadband over landline?

17)What is the meaning of the term “UNLIMITED Broadband” listed on the web site: (http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/New_BB_postpaid.htm)?

18)If the plans are unlimited, by natural corollary, the speeds should remain the same throughout the monthly billing period. Why are the speeds to be reduced (under the plans labelled as ULD- unlimited with differential speeds) after downloading a fixed limit of data as listed under various heads on this web site link: (http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/new_BB/BB_home_only_unlim.htm)

19)Who decides the “limit” of data to be downloaded in the “unlimited plans” and speed reduction after the same? What is the file noting/information related to it? Who has signed the official sanction for the same? Why has it been done? How has this figure of “unlimited” been arrived at?

20)Under the clause mentioned on the web page (http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/New_BB_postpaid.htm) it has been clearly mentioned that “For Broadband plans where bandwidth is 1Mbps or more, the uplinking will be maximum upto 768 kbps”. Why has it been done so? What is the justification to arrive at such a clause? How has the figure of 768kbps been arrived at?

21)What is the meaning of the term,” UNLIMITED WITH FAIR USAGE” (ULF) as listed on the web page (http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/New_BB_postpaid.htm). Who decides what is FAIR USAGE? Where has the term “FAIR USAGE” come from?

22)Is the term “FAIR USAGE” mandated by the regulator, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (referred to as TRAI)? If yes, under which provision of TRAI’s notification has this term been defined? What is the relevant file noting/ notification/ web site address under which BSNL has defined the term “FAIR USAGE”. If this term has not been defined by TRAI, who has authorized the use of the term “FAIR USAGE”? Kindly provide the details of the file noting/ decision taken to issue the term “FAIR USAGE”.

23) Under the web page (http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/bb_ftth.htm#q1) in section related to FTTH bandwidth “UPTO 1 Mbps” has been listed as Rs. 2999. Under the Broadband prices listed on web page (http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/new_BB/BB_home_only_unlim.htm), the price for 1Mbps (upto 15GB) has been listed as Rs. 1000/- (all tariffs listed are excluding the service tax).

I need to know :
a) What is the meaning of the term “upto 1Mbps” ? Can the speed vary from 128kbps to 1 Mbps? Who has defined the term “upto 1 Mbps”? Is this mandated by TRAI? If yes, where is the relevant file noting/notification/web address of the communication received from TRAI? Where has this been mentioned on their web site?

b) Why is there a price difference between the two services when the speeds i.e. 1 Mbps are same in both the plans? Kindly explain this in detail.

Related posts:

1. BSNL Broadband: RTI application filed :) Opening up another salvo, I am planning to file another...
2. TRAI: Filed for RTI application regarding Broadband Here is the text of the email, fax and the...
3. Reliance Broadband:Some details I have taken a liberty from self imposed hiatus here...
4. BSNL Details This is a post to address the queries posted here....
5. BSNL Broadband Hoopla There are hosts of complex interrelated issues that need to...

Please feel free to submit it from your end.

Thanks!
BSNL RTI Application Online

Related posts:

1. BSNL: Tender mess At the heart of the matter is the official bungling...
2. Dire Straits for BSNL Broadband This post is self explainatory What all I had been...
3. BSNL Broadband: Downtime Recently, my “broadband” suffered some kind of a nervous breakdown....
4. BSNL Broadband: Why it isnt revolutionary I have been missing out on real incisive comments on...
5. Review of BSNL Broadband Oh well, after a lot of wrangling and a couple...

It is not hard to imagine that Baijal did everything to subvert the process of fair “process” and instead chose to suck and align himself with the corporates, public be damned. It is the lure of these post retirement positions in high places that massages their assess and prostates which makes them vulnerable to poaching. Who gives a damn to the paying public? No one. Perhaps you all idiots deserve this because you elect the same set of bastards (or perhaps don’t vote at all).

Here’s what I had written about Baijal the ex TRAI boss way back in March 2006. It is relevant even now.

Sir, I understand that you are about to retire. Well, finally, yours would be a good farewell. You might end up writing your memoirs (for which I am sure there would be enough “intellectual idiots” to wax and wane about you) or join a board of some telecom company; Reliance is a good option. It’s the calling card for most of the retired bureaucrats who network with old pals.

I have always supported the last mile access option. Why the fuck should BSNL/MTNL sit over miles and miles of old copper wire to premises? All of this is going waste!

Here’s again what I had written way back in the same post:

Sir, there is a lot you can do still. Despite the fact that BSNL Broadband connectivity being one of the most expensive means of access, you have refused to take any action against them. While in your regime, Broadband was introduced, you could have insisted to open up the last mile access.

Still, the reason to dig this Baijal up was that he has been raided in the ongoing Telecom Scam ramifications. This is what Business Standard has to report:

Baijal, who retired from Trai in 2006, is employed by another of Radia’s firms, Noesis. The former IAS officer of the 1966 batch was the disinvestment ministry’s first secretary when it was created.

Here’s a bit about Noesis (a consultancy firm floated by Radia- among the four in the scanner):

NOESIS is a professionally managed corporate & strategic business advisory firm. The key promoters come with extensive experience, understanding & knowledge of process of governance framing of public and regulatory polices in different spheres of the economy with over 300 man years of collective experience in consulting on issues at macro and micro level, with excellent networking and delivery capabilities across different geographies and levels.

One starts smelling the rat. Interestingly it does not mention anything about the people involved in their “management”.

It is no surprise that Baijal has been caught in the cross fire. Everyone knows that this is a “professional hazard” and in this stage of life, they would be able to weather the storm with no accountability. It remains to be seen as to how within power Baijal affected the public policies to benefit the chosen few, how public interest was trampled upon because this bugger chose to quote ONLY for the corporates and how you as a customer can demand accountability.

The easiest way out id to file RTI application, ask them for all the file notings under his rule and that should set the record straight. After my own prior commitments are over, I plan to do the same in the future. And write about this all here.

Related posts:

1. TRAI: An open letter to Mr Pradeep Baijal The apex regulatory authority is called as Telecom Regulatory Authority...
2. Tata Broadband: In a thick soup Tata Broadband has been taking it’s customers for a ride....
3. Paradoxes within Government What has the Minstry of Finance to do with Ministry...
4. Some things never change Its been over a year now and somethings never change...
5. Indian Telecom: Some changes BSNL was rumoured to be going in for an IPO....

If that is the case, lets see what 300 crores can get. For once, they could have invested in better human resources, beef up their call centers (instead of out sourcing them to dick heads), lay down more lines for broadband, subsidize the access to resources and extend fibre to my premises, if at all.

Of course, those on mobiles would say that this is good serious money to tone up the network and perhaps improve the service delivery front.

No nothing of that sort happened.

Instead we have Sunil Bharti Mittal sporting a T Shirt emblazoned by his logo (in Delhi’s winter chill, perhaps) posing on for the cameras splashed on the news papers. Hey look, thats what serious money can get you. Publicity. Which also means that none of the “serious questions” would ever be raised.

Why this sudden change? Does Airtel want to reflect on it’s global image and makeover? I am not an expert in these matters but seriously, I don’t ever give a F to the logo change. No one gives a damn to a company they are dependent on for their mobile telephony needs and I see Airtel morphing into another BSNL, a tired run of the mill operator who has ceased to “delight”.

Blame it on my cynicism or year end blues or whatever. As this blog grows in it’s age (and perhaps maturity and depth), I see the same old jaded faces and “excitement” at the “fastest growing industry”. Lies and damned lies.

Perhaps the idiots would ever bother to ponder and reflect on the wasted 300 crores. As someone on Twitter had pointed it out that it resembles a worm squiggling over splattered red paint. I am not sure how accurate this comment really is but well there is a good take on Faking news.

Related posts:

1. Airtel Broadband: Ineffective marketing? Ever since it has introduced the new 512k unlimited plans...
2. Airtel Broadband Home Page Thanks to DontAsk on the India Broadband Forum… I managed...
3. Bharti Airtel: “Running Network Analysis” This was the update on a write up on The...
4. Airtel and Sunil Bharti Mittal – Untold Story Airtel and Sunil Bharti Mittal – Untold Story Sunil Bharti...
5. Airtel Broadband Offensive Advertisement This is just the worst form of advertising being done...

I have ranted here enough, cried hoarse over the “interest” of media in Broadband issues. Even when they take it up (in the past few years), they have made a mess of the whole thing and situation. There is no sustained campaign. No sustained interest. Scams after scams are being generated to deflect public attention and all the while Broadband or issues related to it would be relegated to background.

I have tried, on several occasions to tie up with some media house, even write in a column free of cost, just to make the voice heard. Yet, they persist with inane shit about “controversies” with reams of newsprint being focused only on the “affairs” or the crap Page 3 shit. Serious issues about competitiveness and lack of ICT initiatives (or even a discussion on it) is beyond reach.

Why? Why? Why? Why is the country fucking hostage to overgrown old idiots in TRAI with enlarged prostates? Those idiots would be content in having a rectal massage than doing something concrete. Or for that matter the fucking cobwebbed idiots stinking and rotting in their own fucking excrete in Sanchar Bhawan (or BSNL/MTNL) totally fucking devoid of any imagination to progress further than what they have.

It’s hard to imagine the glacial pace of work; now media as the “fourth pillar of democracy” has also seriously eroded. It was always alleged but this is more of a direct proof of their involvement. The worse, well, is not yet over. Barkha Dutt is being ripped apart on Twitter, blogs and everywhere; evidently no one likes her.

Enjoy this video:

Related posts:

1. How media is compromised Airtel has branched out in new areas. Yet, how are...
2. 2G scam India: How it impacts national security This is a rather detailed and longish post on Rajeev’s...
3. 2G Scam India: WTF To be honest, even I don’t know. I quote from...
4. Paid for Media Exposure in India Paid for Media Exposure in India Is there a paid...
5. 2G Scam India: The lid of the newsmen The list of the videos posted on You Tube. How...

Amid demand for ouster of Telecom Minister A Raja on account of 2G spectrum allocation, former Telecom Secretary D S Mathur today said that his proposal for auctioning the radiowaves was ignored.

Raja has been claiming that he managed to break the cartel of telecom players and managed to give 2G spectrum to new players to bring in competition that resulted in massive growth in the sector, besides lowering of tariffs.

Anyway, like the famous (or infamous Common Wealth Games) controversy, this too would die a natural death.

What I wanted to highlight here was the quote in the mainstream press (and final admission by Government on paper) that there has been a cartel of powerful operators. Thats the reason why they ignore your complaints, firewall you from the higher ups and give you a middle finger. Thats the reason no one bothers; forums or no forums.

I see a lot of sissies and misguided idiots venting out their frustration but not willing to go out to that extra mile to screw the companies.

What prevents the Indians to get together and file a class action suit against them? What is that holds you to file multiple RTI applications with TRAI, Department of Telecom, BSNL and MTNL to uncover the true cost of telephony and force them to bring more transparency?

Related posts:

1. MTNL: Scam? No, I didn’t sniff out the details. Someone else did...
2. New Telecom Policy? In what appears to be an “exciting” new phase of...
3. Virgn India Mobile: Grey areas Mobile Virtual Network Operator or MVNO is a “backdoor” entry...
4. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Over the past few years,...
5. BSNl Broadband- A scam? The text of my email to various newspapers and news...

I think that they have screwed it up given the fact that BSNL has upped the ante as far as tariffs are concerned. With the imminent launch of Airtel/ Vodafone and other private players, it remains to be seen how 3G market would shape up. I think that there is a going to be a big market for the data cards given the pathetic landline access.

Interestingly, here’s something from the Tata’s end user agreement:

Mobile internet is not to be used for other activities (e.g. using your handset as a modem, voice or video over the internet, peer to peer file sharing). Should you exceed your fair usage limit or such use be detected, TTSL reserves right to take action by restricting bandwidth, and/or suspension of data browsing and/ or temporarily suspend subscriber account in case of data usage in violation of fair usage policy.

Ha ha ha. For all practical purposes, I wonder whether they can actually “control tethering”!!

I wonder where did these assholes spring from!

This is taken from the forums:

I usually refrain from speculating on the price wars or report on the “latest trends” but to be honest, these people have screwed it up totally.

Related posts:

1. Tata Docomo 3G: Failed start? I shifted to Docomo because of one reason alone. It...
2. Tata Photon Plus: Open Letter to Tata Executive This is in response to Tata Teleservices “executive” commenting on...
3. Airtel & Vodafone India: Royally screwed! The incumbents had a cosy oligopoly. Their talk plans were...
4. Tata and the Missed Opportunity Tata and the Missed Opportunity Tata are one of the...
5. Tata Indicom and its idiocies Tata Indicom and its idiocies If you thought that private...