Like everybody else, I fell a prey to the TATA name.
As soon as I called one of their franchisee, I was assured that one of their representative will call upon me and do the needful and I don’t have to call them anymore or have to go to their office, which is more than an hour’s drive from my place in Mogappair (West) in Chennai. I felt like flying in the sky thinking, wow!, here is THE PROVIDER.
As fixed, their representative visited us and did the needful. I thought i’ll have to visit their office anyway since I had planned to pay the initial deposit by card, but they made it pretty easy with some carrying card charge slips. Boy, cant say how I felt at that moment!!
The representative assured me that I will get my connection within 5 days and he will get me the ph. number (as per my wish) the same evening.
Came evening, he called up and gave me the ph. number too.
I was just counting the days.....day 3, day 4 and on day 5, I thought I can listen to my wife’s sweet voice over the phone telling me we have got the connection. nothing happened!!!!
When I called up the franchisee people, I was told that they will get back to me which they never did to date.
Again, I called them up for the second time, one of the girls working for that franchisee was intelligent enough to say that since she has not spoken to me earlier she cannot comment upon this!!
The ordeal was getting worse day by day and finally after 10 days I got fed up with them and told them that I don’t want the connection anymore and want my money back with an apology for causing me hardship.
Only then they used their brains and this time, they assured me that I will get the connection in 2 days and they will call me the next day about this. (again, which they are yet to do).
On day 15 after booking my ph., I visited the TTSL Chennai office traveling 1-1/2 hours. to my unluck, they server was down today.
The guy in customer service was proud enough to say that he couldn’t help me at that moment because theirs is a fully computerized office!!?!??!??
On seeing my reluctance to accept such an answer he assured me that he will get back to me and asked me to leave my number, which I was not willing to do.
Finally when I said that I need to talk to his superiors about this and I want a confirmatory reply from them pat came the reply that they are all busy (I was wondering at that moment as to whether I were in a TATA office or in some other govt. office where u often get these sort of execuses).
When I told him about my not willing to take the connection anymore, I got an answer that refund of the deposit I paid will take 3 weeks (remember, theirs is a fully computerized office!!!).
At last, on day 17, I got my ph. at home.
I can’t send SMS to BSNL numbers. (but I was told that I can SMS any number anywhere in the world).
I have neither STD nor ISD. (but I was told that STD will be activated by default).
Everytime someone wants to call my TATA ph. number, they need a lot of patience as it takes between 5 and 10 minutes to get my number even though the line is free.
Of all things, I’m yet to get my first bill keeping my arms crossed!!