BSNL’s new mystery broadband service

Mail Technology

BSNL, our wonderful government telecom
provider, has of late been putting out big newspaper advertisements touting its great new
broadband service called DataOne. These ads are remarkable in that they contain
absolutely no information except that they’re introducing a new service. That,
and their web site URL is all.

A couple of weeks ago, there was absolutely no information on their web site
either – all very perplexing at the time. Today, there was yet another ad about
DataOne, but once more no information about plans or cost. After today’s ad, I
checked their site again. Now they even have an FAQ
about the service.

So does it help? Nope, that’s basically a page about what ADSL
is. The two most important things you need to know are completely missing: available
throughput and pricing. Here’s what the page has to say about it:

How about Broadband Plans and Pricing?

These will be declared very soon. Meanwhile you can fill up the
registration form so that we can work out the logistics for your connection.

They even have a
form you can fill up to get a connection even though you don’t know what
you’ll get and for how much. (The form is an image. Wow!)

It contains the helpful clarification:

* Tariff will be most competitive in the industry

** Data rate of 256 kbps and above

That sure tells you a lot, doesn’t it?

According to Kingsly, who has spoken to some
BSNL folks, they have yet to decide on download speeds and tariff, and the
service is supposed to launched only around 15 January. So why on earth are they
wasting money on advertisements if they haven’t worked out any of the important
details yet? Who knows? Somebody on the india-gii list thought that it was
because they wanted to use their ad budget in this financial year. Ah, that
explains it all, doesn’t it?

I’m waiting to be pleasantly surprised by BSNL giving us a 512 Kbps unlimited
connection for about 2000 bucks a month. I’m currently on the Touchtel
Airtel Broadband 128 kbps DSL
plan which costs approximately Rs. 1450 per month with all the fine print
charges included. It’s already saving me about 5000 Rupees every month, but I’d
love to have some higher throughput. That 128 Kbps is called
"broadband" in this country is downright shameful.

11 thoughts to “BSNL’s new mystery broadband service”

  2. In India the word ?broadband? has been abused to limits you wont believe people sell at places shared 64kb access as broadband too where as technically anything less then 256 cant be consider as broadband
    I been using hathway in mumbai its pretty good ?best among the worst available ? 128 for 850 /-
    There MTNL in mumbai which offers ADSL and have heard its not all that great because they never say promise the speed one would get its always up so and so speed like upto 256 kbps etc kinda
    Hoping for reliance to join the race there were suppose to get into the broadband services and I think there services would? definitely start a price war, more players more competition and make more affordable and cheap and faster access (even if the bandwidth prices drop globally the players in India I haven?t seen them ever reducing any price.. they just keep exploiting) , reliance have there own large fiber optic network also I think it own FLAG or something like that company which own most of under sea fiber optic connectivity through different country so hopefully better service

  6. i would like to now more about the BSNL internet connection with the detals of cast for regesteration, time limits etc.

  7. I Think really giving a broadband of 256k in just 500 bugs then it is good.but the service sholud be good.thenever a company lauches a broadband.it commits for good service with the customers.but after sometime it just don’t care about the service or complantes. But in order to give a good service B.S.N.L have to be on its commitment.

  8. Dear Sir,
    I want BSNL broadband service and traffic plan.
    with regards,
    R. Mahendran

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