Hi!

I have been using Hutch connection for quite some time now, just above 2 years.

I bought a new Nokia 6820 mobile in order to get my PC connected to the Internet through EDGE, though EDGE is not yet launched in Gujarat region. I could still use GPRS.

Initially the GPRS service of hutch was pathetic to say the best. their customer care executives are technically dumbo.

Once it happened that I could not connect to the Internet from my home but I could connect it just about 1.5 Kms down the road. strange as it sounds, I called they customer care people several times a day for about 4 days, every time I had to repeat what my problem was, because everytime I got a new person on the line.

At last someone gave me a number of a Technical person who implements GPRS for Hutch Gujarat, I invited him to my home to check out the problem and he too agreed that the problem was strange, and would work for it, so after about 6 days I got atleast someone from hutch to agree that there was a problem.

Earlier whenever I used to call them up regarding the problem they would just shrug it off as if I am a dumb person, while I am technically a very sound person and pretty good at networking.

So now that this person agreed to fix my problem he did it the same night, when I called up in the morning, what was wrong? he said he has no idea but restarting the server at their tower near my home solved the problem....

After a month or so I got the same problem again, this time instead of calling the customer care person I just called up the one who solved my problem, he redirected me to another person who was incharge of my area, this person asked me to give him a few days so that he can figure out exactly what was wrong and find out a final solution. I did give him the time he required. and after about a week he called up saying that everytime he switches on the EDGE protocol at my area the GPRS network goes down....

Now that they just increased their bandwidth I am getting a fabulous speed....

But wait there is a catch.... earlier they used to charge 499 Rs towards monthly rental for unlimited usage, under their new scheme they will be charging a 199 Rs rental give me 10 MB frree and charge 50 ps / 10 Kb for every subsequent amount of usage.

If we calculate there are 1024 Kb in one Mb. thus (1024/10) * 0.5Rs = 51.20 Rs per Mb... thats a lot of money for a GPRS connection. I could probably get a leased line for that much amount of money.

Currently getting a speed of 10Kbps, there are 3600 Seconds in one hour thus 3600 * 0.5Rs = 1800 Rs per hour.

Imagine... its a very huge sum for anybody, so I suggest those using Hutch Access to beware and either use your service judiciously or discontinue and shift to other service providers.

I tried

While Idea has not commercially launched GPRS servcie in Gujarat, they do provide a 500 Rs per month unlimited usage scheme under their post paid connection in certain parts of Ghandhinagar and Ahmedabad, unfortunately not in Bopal (where I live).

While Airtel does provide the service but its seldom that it works (my brother is currently using Airtel for GPRS, so I know that) mostly they are upgrading their servers or something has gone wrong, and their network is always clogged.

Hoping that hutch brings down the rates, cause they had to do something similar in Hong Kong.

Anybody aware of other GPRS providers in Gujarat besides these three?

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