I subscribed to the Tata Indicomm datacard package(Rs 700 a month) on November 5, 2007 after hearing horrific reviews of the Reliance data card(poor service, realibility and dodgy billing practices). After an initial deposit of over 3000 rupees for the USB plug and play device(I also donated Rs 60 to a Tata Indicomm customer care executive in the process since both of us forgot about the money that was due to be returned to me as change), the USB was delivered to me two days later.
After 3 trips to the customer care centre, the USB modem refuses to connect me to the internet even though it works like a dream in the Tata indicom store(perhaps they have signal boosters?). Being a scientist, I tried using it at random locations to verify its failure rate- it failed to work in 3 locations in Mahim, 4 locations in lower Parel and 1 location on a continual basis for a week. So, I was back at the customer service hub in Fore, Mumbai yet again!
Customer service is completely incompetent. The cash desk does not accept any cash below Rs 200 so I was unable to pay the Rs 51 I incurred for trial surfing the web using the datacard from their store. The automated machine at the store was out of service and while I stood there reading the bill which said that the meagre sum of Rs 51 incurred for surfing the web instore for 30 mins would escalate to 164 Rs after the due date which was a week from that date.
Conclusion- Customer care service executives in store and at the end of the phone are apathetic and deliver a mediocre service. The datacard is being advertised aggressively in all media while the service is still largely unusable in most parts of Mumbai. Beware of testing out datacards in Tata Indicomm stores which obviously have signal boosters- the card is highly unreliable in other parts of the city(those in Mahim-stay away from this card). I cancelled my service 10 days ago and am still awaiting the refunds that I was promised. All in all, stay away from Tata Datacard USB plug and play service.