Consumer Blog » Internet Service Provider

Airtel to launch 16MBPS wireline Internet Connection

myvoice — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 07:11:05 +0000

Airtel, which has 8MBPS wire line internet connectivity for quite some time now, is likely to launch their 16MBPS connections soon in select cities like Delhi and NCR, Chennai and Bangalore. Here is the media reports :

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel has pioneered 16 Mbps broadband – the fastest wireline broadband on DSL in the country. This service, powered by Airtel’s Carrier Ethernet Network, will be initially available in the cities of Delhi NCR, Chennai and Bangalore with phased roll-out to additional cities of Hyderabad, Pune, Mumbai and Kolkata. … Source

Customers will have two traffic plans:

a. Speed Combo 2999 – receive 16 Mbps broadband speed with monthly data transfer limit of 20 GB along with a fixed line connection at Rs. 2999 per month
b. Speed Combo 4999 – receive 16 Mbps broadband speed with monthly data transfer limit of 50 GB along with a fixed line connection at Rs. 4999 per month.

Interestingly, they do not have any unlimited plan as of now! But with 16MBPS bandwidth, unlimited download makes a lot of sense for subscribers. With recent controversy over fair usage policy, most probably, Airtel is avoiding the unlimited download plans.

With introduction of this, Indian Internet Subscriber too can enjoy true broadband connectivity.

Another Broadband Internet Service Provider-RCOMM

myvoice — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 13:38:56 +0000

Internet Broadband subscribers will have now more options. Recently Anil Dhirubhai Ambani (ADA) group company has started CDMA wireless broadband service, Reliance Netconnect Broadband Plus in Lucknow after Mumbai as per news.
They will be offering downlink speed upto 3.1MBPS and uplink speed of 1.8MBPS. It has The company will also offer an Unlimited Night plan at Rs 499 per month. For more, click here.
Most probably, this is a very good news for broadband internet users in the country as many users are baffled by fair usage policy of bandwidth by other broadband service providers. They have now another option to switch ISP in case unsatisfactory performance by any ISP. Reliance has revolutionized ( almost ) Mobile Telephony with their CDMA phone few years back. They are also embarking on “largest and most aggressive roll-out of broadband internet service. Netconect broadband service will be available in 35 cities covering 20,000 towns and 4.5 lakh villages as well as major road and rail routes across the country covering 99 per cent of India’s internet population”, as per the report.

LUCKNOW: ADA group company Reliance Communications Limited today announced the launch of its CDMA wireless broadband service , Reliance Netconnect Broadband Plus in Lucknow.
Speaking on the occassion Reliance Communications Regional Head Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand Saleem Haq said, “The launch of Netconnect Broadband Plus is an important catalyst and it will certainly act as a catalyst in the govrenment’s effort to increase internet penetration. … Source

VOIP to be made free by BJP

myvoice — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 08:12:50 +0000

Great news for internet and Mobile subscriber!

VoIP is going to be free if BJP comes to power!

Broadband Internet (2 Mbps with 1:1 contentio ratio) in every town and village, at cable TV prices (less than $4 per month).

Unrestricted VoIP would be implemented immediately.

Government of India to standardise on ‘open standard’ and ‘open source’ software.

Sounds cool ?

Here is the complete link, click here.

Unlimited Internet Download and Fair Usage Policy

myvoice — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 10:00:23 +0000

When truck overloads specified “Load Capacity”, traffic police ‘fines’ them. What about ISP(Internet Service Providers) and Telecom providers ? What happen to them when they take in more subscribers than their infrastructure capacities ?

“All lines in this route are busy, please try after some time!”, how many times you have heard that line ? Quite frustrating specially when you try to make calls from hospital, try to give your news of success in job interview, exams to your near and dear ones in far flung areas ?

This happen when ISPs, Telecom Companies provide enough links to that particular area. Are there any authority like traffic police to oversee traffic overload ? Or limiting number of channels ?

They ( ISPs and Telcom Companies), come out with schemes ‘Unlimited Download’, in their marketing promotions and we being Indians, we go fo those schemes and sign up for their services in bulk! But then we keep complaining we are not getting the bandwidth promised by ISP/Telcom Providers. These complaints had almost forced TRAI ( Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) to come out with plans to introduce norms hat would specify the ratio between the number of customers per unit bandwidth, which is known as contention ratio.

As per international practices, the average contention ratio for a home user package is 50:1 and that for business package is 20:1. TRAI has said that most ISPs compromise on quality by accommodating a higher number of subscribers thereby bringing down broadband speeds and congesting networks. .. Source

ISPs/Telecom Companies providing internet connectivity are opposing it and they have come out with a policy “Fair Usage Policy”. Now what is this Fair Usage Policy ?

They are

Airtel

Under the policy we have defined fair usage levels for unlimited data transfer plans and needless to mention, the usage levels set are very generous such that most customers will not be affected by the Fair Usage Policy.
On reaching the fair usage level, the plan speed would be rationalized by up to 50% for the rest of the monthly billing cycle. You would also be redirected to a page which will inform you that the speeds for the rest of the billing cycle month would be as per the Airtel’s Fair Usage Policy. – Airtel Source

Tata Indicom

Data transfer in excess of Fair Usage Limit as per the applicable tariff plan shall be treated as a violation of TCISL FUP.
Upon such violation of FUP, TCISL shall contact the Customer suggesting for reduction in usage or upgrade to a higher bandwidth plan.
Despite the above, if the customer fails to upgrade to a high speed plan or continue to violate the TCISL FUP, TCISL reserves the right to suspend or terminate the customer’s account immediately without prejudice to other rights available to TCISL under these Terms and Conditions. -Tata Indicom Source

Why should customer suffer for the inadequate infrastructure by ISPs/Telecom Companies ? How is is logical to ask consumers to be “Fair” while they had committed unfair means “Marketing Glitz like Unlimited Download” to get subscribers signup ?

For more one might like to visit this link.

My Experience With Airtel Broadband in Jaipur, India

myvoice — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 15:10:41 +0000

When I shifted from Delhi to Jaipur, first thing I did was apply for Airtel Broadband connection! With amazing efficiency, they accepted my application on 1st Oct 2008, and installed the telephone on 3rd Oct 2008 as 2nd Oct was Holiday!

I was sweet talked by Airtel Executive that if I book the broadband connection on the same day, make payment of Rs.500 by check and opt for the unlimited package, I would be given a Wireless Wifi Router free! Though I had Wifi Router with me, being an Indian, I took the deal!

Problem started when they sent the first bill! The bill came around 20th Oct 2008 with last payment date of 28th Oct 2008. But sadly it included the additional extra Rs. 1500/- for the WiFi router!

Sequence of Events followed :

1. I called up Airtel Customer care! After frustrating customary talking to machine called IVRS, finally I got to speak to human customer care executive! As soon as I explained, he told me, there was no such offer! Stumped, I gave him details about the Airtel Executive name, number etc.! Now he got stumped! He put me on hold and came back after 2/3 minutes, recorded my number for 3rd time and promised he would get back.

2. After 2 days, no call from Airtel. I called up the original Airtel Marketing Executive, he promised he would get back, and he surely got back!

3. Sadly, last date of payment was nearing. I shot another email, informing as the due date is nearing end and my problem not near any conclusion, I will not make the payment as and my services not to be deactivated! They did not.

4. After due date expired, 28th Nov 08 itself, one collection agent from Airtel came demanding payment. I explained him and he went back!

5. Finally, the marketing executive called and informed the issue fixed! By the time, my next bill came along with late payment for the last non-payment bill!

6. Another email, argument on phone! Finally I got waiver for late payment, but bill with waiver of the WiFi router has not arrived and I started getting calls informing my services likely get disconnected if I dont pay up the bill!

7. I again called up Airtel Customer care, shot of email.

8. Finally, in Dec 2008, I made payment after deducting all late payment charges, extra Rs.1500/- and peace returned to my life!

Moral Of The Story: I had to argue, work hard, make calls to save myself from paying extra amount to Airtel which was unjustified. Had I not fought, they would have made few hundred more completely illegally!

Sadly, this may be happening to everyone and we may not notice as it is a small amount! But just imagine, Airtel has 10lacs subscriber, they make this kind of mistake, over charging to all these subscribers, and only 10% of them like me, “nutcase”, fight with Airetl Customer care department, talk to Machines (IVR Ssystem), get justice! And Airtel gets payment from 90% that is 900,000 multiplied by Rs. 15000/- equal to Rs. 135,00,00,000/- that is Rs. 135 crores! Ring a bell ?

Contact Me for the complete Email Communication with Airtel. ( I made them private.)