This review is going to be a bit elaborate explaining all the issues that I faced starting from applying for a new connection to speedtest.net.
On a day when I learned that there is a BB provider in my street, I applied online and received a follow-up call from the field representative(Santhosh).
Getting a new BB connection started during this pandemic and with WFH being a new normal. I have been using JIO 4G connection and I was able to manage my work OKish.
After a Lil bit of search, I found Cherrinet is running through our area/street - so immediately registered for a new connection.
Day 1: Their sales rep contacted me to get basic documentation done. He also informed me that it is going to take 3-4 days until I get my connection - note I was not informed about the payment here.
Day 2: I contacted Santhosh and asked him about payment and as per his instructions paid a fee 3 months for K-Starter pack and shared the text id to his number.
Day 3, 4 & 5: just follow-up with no definite time
Day 6: Their cabling team arrived at my house and pulled the cable - what they didn’t do is splicing of the optical cable and downside is they didn’t have any modem with them and informed me that the devices are being sent from Chennai and may arrive in a day or 2.
Day 7: Their network guy came with a modem(recovered from a closed connection) and surprisingly he didn’t bring the splicing machine with him - so he left without doing anything
Day 8: Another person came-in and thank god he got everything needed and activated the connection(finally). my basic speed test showed a down speed of 140 Mbps and up to the speed of 150 Mbps connecting to their own server(facepalm).
Day 9&10: I was working with my client provided VPN, which didn’t respond quickly even with a BB connection but was working smoothly with Jio hotspot.
So, I sat down for some research and tested the network speed with various servers and different destinations. To my shock, the speed test was spoofed by these guys(refer attached screenshot)
When connected to a server available at Bengaluru, the speed dropped drastically.
Day 11: Contacted their sales rep who in-turn asked me to talk to their network guy who in-turn asked me to talk to customer care and who will not answer the phone due to COVID.
Day 12: I ended up having another useless connection sold with fake speed test numbers.
Major drawbacks:
1.If you are working with remote VPN, then you are going to regret a lot
2.If you are using any meeting tools(Zoom, MS Teams, etc., ) - you are going to hear the robotic voice with losing sync between audio and video.
3.The default modem’s WiFi range is very pathetic and it doesn’t have additional antennas to throw the signal a little further.
I again advise people to think before you opt for a non-branded BB connection. They might be leasing a very less bandwidth from an actual ISP and cheating you with a false down/up numbers.