At the outset, this is not a review of the Dataone service. It is the story of how I tried to get connected to the service and how I failed utterly in my quest! So please keep this in mind, because mine is not a laudatory review. I’ve been a BSNL customer for ages and have always preferred to use its services, though other newer services have become available. I have a BSNL land line already, and heard all these great reviews about Dataone and decided to jump on the bandwagon. This is my story...
Day1:
Travel upto BSNL office in pandeshwara, get application form, fill it up. Go to contact internet officer (or whatever they are called) She assures me that the service is available in my area, after checking. Quite polite and nice. I cough up 1770 as deposit, connection charge, advance rentals, modem charge etc..etc.. Fine!
Day2:
No signs of life or cable connecting. I decide to wait ....
Day4:
Am slightly impatient, this IS the 21st century, isn’t it, I think, so I call my exchange. Transcript of conversation follows:
’’ Namskaram saar, naanu hosa broadband connection book maadithevi....{Goodmorning, I’ve booked a new broadband connection}’’ I pause hopefully. The exchange guy replies, ’’ Broadband? (what on earth is THAT?) Namma exchange il bradband facility ee area illi kodathilla ansathe...’’ {Our exchange doesn’t have that facility, I feel}. ’’Ohh, OK, but naanu deposit already kottayithu... main exchange alli facility ithe helidru..{ Oh, but I’ve already paid the deposit and the main exchange says the facility IS available}.
The guy proceeds to tell me to wait for a month and not call his higher ups regarding this. Naturally, I call up the main exchange, but am told to call 1957. So I call them. They tell me ’’Sorry sir, your exchange doesn’t have it!’’ Great!.
Day 5:
I go back to the main exchange, chat with the lady in charge. She is apologetic and says I’ll get a full refund. Come next week.
Day 10:
I go back, hoping to go for airtel. I meet my by now familiar officer, she tells me to go to the 3rd floor. I go. Big sign: Lift not working... OK, so I climb to 3rd floor. In a big room, I stand rooted like a deer in headlights. No one asks me what I want, so I approach the closest man. ’’Yen beku?’’ {’’What d’you want?’’}, he asks tersely. I tell him. He asks someone else and they tell me the file hasn’t come. I blow my top(a bit). Finally I’m told that the cheque will come to me.When? I ask. ’’ Gothilla..’’ {Don’t know!}they say. Then WHO knows?. I feel like pulling out my hair... No one catches the buck...Finally someone tells me, it will come in a week, and I have to get back to work, so I leave...
Day 14. No cheque yet.
So, BSNL isn’t still all roses. it still is a sarkari operation. So keep your fingers crossed when you go for it. Be sure that they will connect you before you hand over your money
PS: Got the cheque on day 21.. so you can trust the govt, like the mills of God, they grind slowly, but.. do they grind exceedingly fine?
Pros : It still might be worth it if it starts!
Cons: getting it