Apr 25, 2007 03:32 PM
4210 Views
(Updated Jun 01, 2007 11:03 AM)
I have been a rather happy BSNL DataOne condition almost from the time they launched it.
The only time I really had a problem was when we shifted home. BSNL took way too long to shift our phone, and that meant I was without a broadband connection for as long as it took them to shift the connection. I did take Tata Indicom during that period - and the quality of that service was enough to crave for DataOne AND write a review on mouthshut.
Coming back to DataOne, there is not much to complain about. The connection speeds are good, there is negligible downtime - and since I work from home, I need the connection on throughout the day - and my initial experience was pretty good too.
Just to give an example, when our phone connection was shifted to our new home, the telephone exchange was in constant touch to check if the DataOne connection was working. After repeated attempts failed, I was advised by the person from the exchange to try calling the DataOne toll-free call centre. They in turn, identified the problem as having to do with a disabled account and promptly enabled it and the password and I was online almost instantly.
The other thing I like about DataOne is the fact that they allow you to set up a home LAN using a single connection, and also that they give you the option of an ADSL modem with wireless capabilities.
Now for the cons.
The first of these pertains to the password. I understand from a lot of people that the password that they create is rather basic and can easily be guessed, leave alone cracked. Nor is there any requirement to change password at first logon. This is a major deficiency and one hopes BSNL will fix it.
The second pertains to the "Check Usage" feature. In plain and simple terms, it is non-existent. (PS: Please read the update below) Sure the DataOne home page has a URL for it, but it goes nowhere. This means that I have absolutely no means of knowing whether or not I am being charged for genuine usage. There are a couple of downloadable "applications" which claim to connect and retrieve this information but they all point to DataOne URLs which do not work either.
The third crib I have with them pertains to problems my brother in Hyderabad is facing in getting a connection(I am in Bangalore) despite having a BSNL phone at home. Admittedly, he lives in a part of town where DataOne has not been made available and there might not be a great demand for it, so it is entirely possible that it is an isolated case, but it still is a problem, at least for a bona fide user.
The final crib I have is with their call centre. It is a toll-free number but brace yourself for a longish wait before you can get through to a human voice. Though, once you do get through, and unless you have a seriously convoluted problem, you can expect a quick resolution.
Overall, I would recommend DataOne if you have a BSNL line at home, and are looking for a reliable, hassle-free service.
Enjoy!
*UPDATE ON 01-JUNE-2007
*I have received comments from other members that the check account usage function on the BSNL website does work. Based on this advice I have checked and am able to confirm that the check account usage function is indeed working. However, and this is true in my case at least, for this to happen, it appears that it is necessary for one to disconnect from the Wireless LAN and connect directly to the DataOne modem. So as long as you are able to implement this workaround, you are fine
