I am using BSNL for quite sometime and stopped using any other ISP. BSNL started their node at Pen most probably in Nov. 2000. Initially, we have faced lot of problems because they took 2-3 months to streamline whole operation. After that, performances improved.
In 2001, administration of Raigad Telecom District upgraded telephone system of Dhatav, where I stay. Their senior staff took lot of pain (it is a fact) to attend minor defects in their system and today surfing internet is not a pain. Most of the people in this area use BSNL and the reasons are:
Fast and undisturbed connectivity
Good speed, very rarely less than 48, 000 bps during the day. At night, speed is much higher.
Fast down loading, normally around 5 kb/s during the day. At night, it can go up to 8 kbps. Today I have down loaded Yahoo! Messenger, size 7.79 MB, for one of our machines in 22 minutes at 1100 hrs.
For BSNL we dial 172233 and it is a local call. For any other ISP we have to dial 9522 ---- some Bombay number, which is quit expensive, and speed is rarely more than 33, 000 bps.
Service from Alibag or Pen is not bad.
BSNL may be the cheapest in the country. I pay only Rs. 500/- for 100 hrs.
Dhatav is a small industrial town in Maharashtra and Roha is about three km from this place. However, surfing internet is not a pleasure at Roha, especially during the day. Situations have improved after installation of new telephone system but not a fault free system; small faults not yet attended.
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My intention of writing this review is to highlight importance of good telephone connections for good connectivity. Even accumulation of dust inside the adaptor near our computer may be the reason for poor connectivity. During monsoon, water seepage in the junction box of telephone lines may not disturb STD facility but disturb internet connection.
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We should not only blame ISP for poor connectivity. Many factors slow down the performance of an ISP. Even our CPU or modem may be the reason for poor performance.
As an ISP, BSNL does not have any special feature but here in Dhatav, we are the happy clients of BSNL because of easy connectivity and high speed and low cost.
It is better to make an independent survey of the nearby area and based on that chose the best performer as your ISP.