Jul 27, 2005 10:32 PM
4853 Views
(Updated Aug 18, 2005 02:46 PM)
BSNL Dataone Home500 No charge till 5GB+40p/MB!
Yes,that is what BSNL should be saying to the likes of Sify and AirTel and deny them BSNL's hardearned customers.
Introduction of technically depedndable Broadband by PSU is itself a remarkable achievement. They have also done it across major towns too and not just Metros. Service is something that BSNL has to improve a lot, not surprisingly - it takes the ageing SDEs (Sr Diuv Engrs) to move his/her butt.
But, for the broadband to make a revolution in India, what is needed is a pragmatic pricing policy from BSNL.
The current Home500 with 1GB per month & a steep add on of 2Rs for every MB is not in tune with the term 'broadband'. The BROADband capability is just not utilised by the customer, fearing steep bill; worse still, it leaves of lot of room for shoddy technologies of AirTel, Sify coupled with their 'dont care the least for the Customer' attitude to steal away BSNL customers, by tactical playing with their pricing policy.
Sify's /AirTel's broadband is hardly a broadband service; at best they match the poor cousin VSNL and its 64KB dailup offering! Yet, the pricing innovations like free at night being tried out in certain territories will effectively leave BSNL napping.
Indeed it would be nice to use the superior performing BSNL (true broadband) infrastructure. But if the pricing is not right, who cares? Leave the damn download on to chug along at (Sify/AirTel speed instead of broadband) thro the night & go to sleep! Price is indeed not reasonable in BSNL.
It is sad that after demonstrating their superior capability thru Jan-Jun 2005, BSNL is going to lose the lot of their customer base, to the Sifys and AirTels. Everyone knows that it is no complement of the private player's technology or their Customer Service Orientation. Knowing these private player's poorer business/billing ethics, one can expect a muddle & looting by tariff revision when BSNL starts rolling back its investment, due much diminished customer base. There goes the broadband revolution of India!
Is Maran hearing loud and clear, the BSNL customer's demand? Does he see the threat of the whole service vanishing after doing a commendable job of driving BSNL to offer Broadband truely on a fast-track?! He must realise that to get the BSNL PSU-minded babus to work. you need to keep kicking them once in a while. Pet project launch is fine; they will co-operate for the Minister's sake; but they will also be quick to go back to their good old comfort zone. Until a sustained critical mass customers take charge and task BSNL to perform, the Minister will have to keep a closer watch on BSNL & give periodic kicks to make sure the long-term sustainability of good wishes like 'affordable broadband revolution in India'.
For a start, he can ask for a pricing analysis & marketing department's view from within BSNL & their ideas to hold & increase its customer base?!
Afterall the likes of Sify and AirTel thrive on the PSU inefficiencies is a well known opportunity; but the difference is that the likes of BSNL does not want to 'serve' the customer, unless forced to whereas the likes of Sify & AirTel are looking for opportunity to cheat the Customers & loot his money!
