The local service provider is only as alert to your needs as you are.When I applied for a cabled broadband connection, the only authorised local technician danced into our drawing room and pitched his wares. At that time, the BSNL took a month to procure a modem and I signed on both simultaneously.No service business partner writes out reciepts for payments made and I paid the installation by cash when I saw the first web page open. But I paid the plan charge by cheque only.
The unfortunate choice of my tarrif plan meant that whenever I was calling to find out why I cannot login to use my broadband connection, the mobile was either switched off or the technician was off duty and not obliged to help.This went on for a while till I started calling the Sify Broadband helpline in the wee hours of the morning to get trouble shooting done over the phone. My next renewal was for a daytime connection and I stopped renewing when BSNL installed the modem at home.After seeing how enormous the phone bills are as every byte downloaded is billed.
I reverted to Sify Broadband and once again the collection of payments was not acknowledged by reciepts. Although annoyed by the service provider’s apathy, I felt it cheaper to take up the Sify Broadband connection for our limited purpose at office. When the renewal of the office connection was due last month on 3rd, we had already called the local service provider several times before hand to collect both the office payment and my own which was due on 13th. So when the fellow did not turn up to collect either payments, I decided to check out the self renewal option and wait till he noticed the messages in his inbox.Sadly, he only kept postponing the collection till one fine day this month, he turned up with a bunch of bills stapled together and collected my cheque. He asked me to stop clicking on the self renewal option promising that he would come and collect the payment at his convenience and only needs to be called to register the request.After this.
I noticed that all my renewals were disabled though my payment was debited from my bank account. When I called him to find out why I was told that I still owed him money(?!) I asked him how and he brought a funny statement showing how many times he had disabled my renewals to show how much I had already used up through my self-service. I pointed out that if he had disabled all my attempts to fully exhaust even a single self-renewal, how can he possibly have used up all the amount that I paid through my cheque.To this he surprisingly retorted that what he was saying is true and that I could complain all I want to the toll-free number and it would not mean a thing to him.
Everyday, every minute that I could spare, I persuaded the Sify Broadband people to understand my predicament and either return my money or enable a renewal. All efforts drawing naught, I decided to sue the local service provider as well as the Sify Broadband office in Chennai. It was then that the office in Ahmedabad responded to one of my emails and intervened in explaining to the local service provider how my claim was justified.The local service provider tried to convince the relationship manager in Ahmedabad that they had never been called and that I owed them money for a full renewal. All the while stating that though they have the cheque and the funds, they have no information as to what I want(?!).
A lot of bad language and sheets of statements later, I called the local service provider to refund the balance that he owed me. He sent some fellow with a cheque and some minute-wise read-out of my internet usage since the 13th. He valued my mere 5 day usage at Rs.162 while my cheque was for Rs.511.Today, I am happy to note that I have collected my balance from him in cash and renewed my connection at an I-way and plan to try the credit card option at office too.All of this leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, none the less, as not one receipt has been given to us for all the payments made and I am more certain that ever that the local service provider is piling up the money paid in connection renewals without having to pay taxes. Accountability being nil, he makes unsuspecting customers easy prey to his extortion demands.