Internet Service Providers (page 2)

Tata Communications was the first company to launch broadband services on the WiMax platform on a large scale for retail consumers in India. In the initial phase, the company's WiMax network will offer broadband internet access and content services to enterprises and residential customers in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Cochin, Chandigarh, and Kolkata. In fact, as per data provided by the company, Tata Communications currently serves over 5,000 enterprise and retail customers across ten cities where it offers this service.

While India's telecom (read mobile) is booming, its braodband sector is witnessing rather slow growth and is way behind the targets set by the Department of Telecom. India has just under 3.5 million braodband users as of January end according to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). While WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) is still an evolving technology, it is still considered a threat to third generation mobile services. As per global industry experience, WiMax offers data speeds that are 10-30 times faster than 3G. To put this in perspective, the data speeds of 3G networks are over five times faster than those offered by 2G cellular networks that telcos in India currently use.

iPass Inc. (NASDAQ: IPAS), a global provider of services that unify the management of enterprise mobility, and O-Zone Networks Pvt., the latest operator to enter the Indian Wi-Fi market, today announced that they have signed an agreement to add O-Zone's growing number of hotspot locations to the iPass leading Global Broadband Roaming footprint. Recently launched, O-Zone is working in partnership with India's largest listed real estate developer, DLF, to bring Wi-Fi internet access to popular venues across the country.

With a long-term goal of rolling out more than 6,000 locations within the next four years, O-Zone expects its customers and visitors roaming on its network to benefit from reliable access to more than 500 high-speed wireless internet points in its first year. The new network will include comprehensive coverage in the popular business destinations of Delhi & Gurgaon IT as well as various Cyber Parks.

"This agreement with iPass is fantastic news for O-Zone and will really help to validate our rapidly growing network," said Sanjeev (Bobby) Sarin, Founder and CEO of O-Zone. "We're excited that business travelers from around the world will be able to securely connect to their corporate networks or the internet, when and where they like, during their trips to India."

Prior to full integration in the iPass network, the O-Zone network infrastructure will go through iPass' Enterprise Ready Certification process, ensuring adherence to high levels of access reliability and compatibility with enterprise systems. These locations will add to the world's largest active Wi-Fi network of over 91,000 business-friendly broadband venues including 83 of the world's top 100 airports and 520 airports in total.

"India is rapidly becoming a priority destination for iPass Global 2000 customers," commented Anurag Lal, Chief Business Development and Sales Officer, iPass. "We're delighted to have an agreement in place with O-Zone as their expansion plans look very exciting."

The O-Zone network is due to cover a wide range of venues including shopping complexes, coffee shops, fast food chains and hotels as well as major international airports.

This isn't an exaggeration. Over 85% of internet deals with third party content. This includes search engines, mail services, messengers, blogs, communication and community sites. If they were to be held responsible for the sites searched, mails sent, blogs filed or scraps on community sites then service providers would be hauled up by the police for acts they are not even faintly responsible for.

Why, then, is the committee proposing this insanity? The answer is simple -- the committee has failed to understand the internet. Frankly, there's no difference between the phone and the postal service and the net -- it's just that one delivers voice or post and the other data. Both deal with third party content which is impossible to verify.

How would a mail service know, for instance, if two friends exchange copyright material? Or, how would a search engine track if someone accesses sites spreading hatred, or worse, promoting terror? It's all out there the responsibility of who fetches what should be that of the individual, not the service provider.

Therefore, what the standing committee is seeking to do is something like making a postal service responsible for every mischievous mail it delivers perhaps by a drug dealer giving details of a consignment or a student sending photocopies of a book and hence infringing on copyright. Or, something like making a phone service, such as MTNL or BSNL, responsible for every bit of dirty talk or criminal conspiracy over its wires.

Service providers under no obligation in US, EU

``This will result in a snowballing effect on consumer tariffs of as much as four times, by putting multi-point taxes on the same item,'' says Rajesh Chharia, president, Internet Service Providers Association of India. He confirmed this was the position of the entire industry, including big ISPs, and not just small players.

Trai doesn't agree. ``Costs will not go up,'' says Trai chairman N Misra. ``Just 20% of licensees account for 98% of the business. With more competition, costs can only come down," he explains.

ISPAI questions Trai's intervention on grounds that other countries have little or no regulation in this sector. Internet service providers pin hope on DoT.

"The move is regressive considering this is the year of broadband. The government wants to take India from 2.1 million broadband users in March 2007 to nine million by March 2008 and make broadband free. Trai's prescriptions will not allow this to happen," says Col RS Parihar, COO, Tulip IT Services and secretary, ISPAI, about 6% licence fee of on annual gross revenue.

Strangely, despite its strong views, the ISPAI has not considered asking Trai for a review of its recommendations. "The industry can seek a de novo review. Though this step is unprecedented, it is better than engaging in an outright confrontation with Trai. Especially if ISP's can point out factual inaccuracies in Trai's work," say telecom analysts.

Instead, ISPAI is counting on Department of Telecomtaking action in its favour, by rejecting these proposals of Trai, outright.

The industry also believes that the move will kill domestic web hosting as the 6% levy makes web-hosting services unviable in India. This implies that even local content will eventually get hosted abroad. .

"This appears to have been done to protect the business interests of integrated players despite ISP's providing these services much cheaper. Is this the level playing field the consumer deserves?," questions ISPAI.

Indian market is set to get another player in the IPTV market with Bharti revealing that they would launch the Airtel IPTV service by the end of the current year.

MTNL and BSNL are the two players in this market which has not really picked up. Bharti aims to launch its first full-fledged IPTV applications on its broadband fixed line telecom services in Gurgaon later this year.

Incidentally, Reliance is also planning to enter this segment with their own IPTV service launch.

Airtel added that the launch in the Gurgaon city would be followed by the launch in the entire NCR by the end of the current financial year.

They are already conducting trials in around 100 households in Gurgaon. Airtel added: "We are developing partnerships with several companies in the areas of content and technology. Everything will be in place by the end of the year."

Bharti also revealed that they plan to increase their focus on serving the SMB sector. A company representative added: "According to our estimates, SMBs in India spend over $15 billion on IT and telecom. We believe this can be one of our growth areas."

Well, My issue is:

1. I have subscribed for Tata Indicom DSL Service on 26th September 2006, and my services are not yet activated, even though my cheque has been cleared from my bank account in favor of VSNL on 5th Oct 2006.

2. While installation, the installation guy install the Web Camera, which was under the scheme, BUT forget to give us the appropriate Driver CD. In absence of the driver CD, the web cam is lying around as GARBAGE. Enquiring the technical support, the reply came that we do not provide assistance in this matter and you have to look at your own. What's the use of this free gift...?

Steps I have already taken:
I have contacted VSNL thru Voice and e-mails 15 times in past 1 month, for which i didn't even have a single reply from them. Instead, I have been given 4 different CASE Ids 828378 / 828580 / 886256 & now 901516. And, each case was closed without noticing me; as a result I have been hanging for JUSTIC for past 1 month.

Persons I have already contacted and tried to resolve this issue with:

• Mr. Satish @ 9212704589:  Most of time his cell is switched off.
  
• Mr. Punit @9212292777: Only False promises to rectify the issue from past 1 month.
  
• 15 E-mails have been sent to birendra.saklani@vsnl.co.in , teena.rana@vsnl.co.in , customerservice@vsnl.co.in , pooja.jain@vsnl.co.in
  
• Mr. Birendra Saklani thru e-mail [birendra.saklani@vsnl.co.in]: Forwarded him the Bank Statement also, but no reply from him.
  
• Ms. Teena Rana thru e-mail [teena.rana@vsnl.co.in]: Forwarded her the Bank Statement also, but no reply from her as well.
  
• Ms. Pooja Jain thru e-mail [pooja.jain@vsnl.co.in]: Forwarded her the Bank Statement also, same is the case with her...
  
• corp.helpdesk@vsnl.co.in , customercare.delhi@tatatel.co.in : As usual, no response from these two e-mail as well.
  
• Customer Care Centre (Vsnl / Tata Indicom) @ [66500121]:  Contacted number of times and explained them,  that my  cheque has been cleared from my bank account. However, NO Positive Actions taken yet. I have been given 4 Case ids for the same issue. [828378 / 828580 / 886256 & 901516]

• Registration Slip Number was: 0938419
  
• Registration Date for DSL Service was: 26-09-2006 in the name of Sumit Shah.
  
• DSL Tariff Plain Registered for [New 3-64 Unlimited], this means that I have registered for 3 month PRE-PAID Unlimited DSL Services at the speed of 64 kbps.
  
• Payment Mechanism:  Pre-Paid.
  
• Amount Paid: Rs 1628.00/-
  
• Cheque Number 000004
  
• Bank Name: Kotak Mahindra Bank
  
• My Account number ************
  
• Executive Name:  Manoj Kumar.
  
• Executive Telephone Number:  9210080393
  
• Customer Care Telephone Number: 66500121
  
• Cheque has been cleared from My Account on 5th October 2006. (Also confirmed by inquiring our Bank Statement / Bank Executive.)
  
• My user id: sumit0105@vsnl.net

P.S: All the correspondences and bank statement is attached herewith this e-mail.

Could someone provide list of some of the ISPs (preferably broadband) who operate in sector 56, Gurgaon?

In a statement issued by the company, A K Sinha, chairman and managing director, BSNL, said that broadband subscribers would now get BSNL DataOne service of 256 Kbps, at a monthly charge of Rs 250, down from the earlier Rs 500.

Sinha said, "Following this move, we expect to add about 1 million broadband connections this year and about 2 million more next. About 1.8 million dial-up internet connection users would be attracted to come over to the broadband network, for enhanced browsing experience".

He also stated that BSNL had plans for expansion of the GSM network, customer services etc.

With respect to BSNL's reduction in broadband tariffs, if users opt for a one-time annual payment, charges will be still lower i.e. Rs 2,500. However, BSNL has slashed the download limit on the Rs 250 plan to 400 MB, as against the 1 GB available download on the Rs 500 plan. This means that the scheme could prove to be expensive rather than cheap.

But... the company allows subscribers to download at the rate of Rs 1.40 per MB instead of the previous Rs 2 per MB, once the 400 MB limit is reached.

For business plan subscribers, BSNL has cut tariff rates from the existing Rs 1,200 per month to Rs 750 a month.

Meanwhile sources reveal that MTNL has joined the fray and plans to offer a scheme, wherein broadband subscribers will have to pay a certain minimal amount per MB of download, rather than monthly charges.

• Sector 12,
• Sector 14 ,
• Udyog Vihar,
• DLF,
• Sushant Lok,
• South City,
• Palam Vihar,
• Sun City,
• Ardee City,
• Sector 4 &
• Sector 37,
• IMT,
• Old Gurgaon complete,
• Malibu Town.

To cap it, the operators have formed a cabal. There are three big operators who have given their business to many small-timers on franchise and the authorities appear to be soft-pedalling the issue.

The general view is that the private operators show uncensored ad strips and news on TV network. The development militates against a directive of the Punjab and Haryana High Court. The overwhelming view is that the cable operators use power of press through backdoors.

The other sore point is the misuse of governmental assets like electric and telephone poles to lay wires to the houses for cable connections. This misuse mars the overall look of the residential colonies. When a consumer gets his cable disconnected, the operators snap up the wires leaving them dangling outside the houses.

One would not know whether they are live wires of the electricity department or telephone. Generally the wires of the operators are so laid up with the electricity wires that there is always a danger of an accident arising out of possibility of wires getting electrically charged up with current.

The cable mafia has wields considerable clout, not only in Gurgaon, but in other parts of NCR towns.

According to sources, a notice was issued to the cable operators in Gurgaon sometime in 2000-2001 by the electricity department directing them to remove their wires from its electricity poles. But the operators did not give two hoots to the notice.

Reports have it that the operators keep the politicians of the ruling party and a section of those in the administration and the police in good humour.

One way is apparently to keep the influential persons in the political spectrum happy by giving them goody-goody publicity through the channels of TV network.

The mafia also tries to play a key role in during elections. The operators adopt bulldozing approach against the average consumers, whether in terms of laying down rentals or the quality of services.

I Applied for Tata Broadband Internet Connection for our office at Karol Bagh on 13th May 2005, and paid the amount required by them towards booking on 13-5-2005 vide application form No 1413651 dt 13-5-2005

The Marketing men from TATA Indicom broadband promised to give connection in 12 days maximum. Subsequently the connection was not given even after 12 days.

After several calls from 25-5-2005 to 2-6-2005 with Tata indicom DSA-Spin Telecom  who booked the connection, there was no satisfactory reply and on 2-6-05 we were advised to call and register a complaint at 55500121. The complaints were lodged with them on Telephone on 2-6-2005, 3-6-2005, 6-6-2005, 7-6-2005, 9-6-2005 and 11-6-2005 and 13-6-2005 & 15-6-2005  and lastly on 17-6-2005 but no satisfactory reply was given by them as to the status of the complaint. No complaint Number was issued by them on complaints. Each time a new person attended the Call and reply were sterotype that i will get a reply in 24 hours but nothing moved on complaints.

We also emailed to them complaints at corp.helpdesk@vsnl.co.in, customerservice@vsnl.co.in on 6-6-2005, ravi.kapoor@vsnl.co.in on 11-6-2005, 13-6-2005 & lastly on 17-6-2005 but none gave any reply forget a assurance about the status of connection after much persuance and fallowup on 19-5-2005  Now after 5 weeks of application, they have replied that "In reference to your mail, we would like to inform you that as the Broadband Service is not available in your area as your area is not feasible, we will definitely inform you as soon as the service becomes available in your area. "

But here again they have not mentioned when they are going to refund the booking amount."

The Big Question is Why did they accept the booking in the first place if their home work for the area was not complete.

Any Answers from any one in Tata Broadband???.

Perheps after siphoning the VSNL and its surplus the tata group has adopted the ways of a fraudster to defraud the unsuspecting customers and ruin the VSNL as well as the good reputation earned by the Tata group.

I hope that Tata indicom will in future first conduct a proper survey and only after that will start taking booking amounts.

Tata broadband should not have taken the booking in the first place if the connection was not possible in the area.

This delay to give connection as well to reply has caused great inconvience as well  as loss of precious time in fallow up and mental agony.

This was not expected from a company havng the back up of Tata Brand. The Overall experience with the Company Tata indicom has really been pathetic.

We welcome feedbacks from Hathway - Hathway bhawani Cable Net customers and even all cable net users ....

I had called the Iqara call-center where I was given a complain number and was informed that the connection would not be possible.  I was told to send a formal email complaint letter for registering my request for refund.  

The tariff chart:

Plan	Speed	Cost per month	Traffic limit
Home 500	256 Kbps	Rs. 500	1 GB
Home 1000	384 Kbps	Rs. 1000	2 GB
Home 1800	512 Kbps	Rs. 1800	5 GB
Home 3300	1 Mbps	Rs. 3300	10 GB

Click here for complete details of BSNL DataOne Tariff Rate Card.

Its unfortunate that there is no plan with unlimited traffic option. What's the point of having a fast connection of 1 Mbps if you have to keep looking at the download/upload meter? There are some options to reduce your monthly bill further by prepaying an annual amount.

Modem can be purchased for Rs 2,000 or be taken on rent of Rs 100 per month. Modem installation charges of Rs 500 are extra.

• The project, once completed, is expected to give a stiff competition to other broadband service providers, including the BSNL, as the promoters have indicated to charge just Rs 100 a month for a domestic broadband connection.
• The project will provide services with a minimum bandwidth of 2,000 kbps, which is almost eight times higher, as compared to the bandwidth offered by the BSNL.
• The network will also enable the rural folk to access video-conferencing, internet surfing among other facilities.

• Telecom PSUs BSNL and MTNL will launch their broadband services throughout the country on 15th of January 2005 at Rs 500 per month.
• Though the broadband connection at 256 kbps costs Rs 3000 in the market the PSUs have agreed to provide the same services at Rs 500 a month.

While MTNL will launch the services in Delhi and Mumbai, BSNL will do it in Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad on the same day.

The new package is designed to give an enhanced online experience where the user would be able to access the Internet and its applications faster, Hathway Cable Internet said in a meeting. The package, which is a pre-paid and annual scheme, would help in strengthening the company's broadband operations, it said.

To push broadband and internet penetration in the country, the Indian government on Thursday announced its broadband policy, but rejected TRAI’s proposal of unbundling the copper loop owned by BSNL and MTNL. "Unbundling of local (copper) loop in developed countries like the US and the UK has led to chaos, especially in the maintenance of lines," Communication and IT Minister Dayanidhi Maran said while announcing the broadband policy. Instead of unbundling the copper loop, the policy has allowed the access providers to enter into mutually agreed commercial arrangements for utilisation of available copper loop for expansion of broadband services. "Use of brand name being treated as a part of the value shall be permitted in such commercial arrangements," Maran said, adding this means the franchisee, using copper loop of BSNL/MTNL for offering broadband services, could use its own brand name.

He said he would request BSNL and MTNL to explore the possibility of offering internet tariff ranging between Rs 500 to Rs 800 a month. Broadband has been defined as an always-on data connection supporting interactive services including internet access with download speed of 256 kbps per subscribers.

With regard to the proposed fiscal incentives for the broadband service providers, the Department of Telecom has started consultation with the Ministry of Finance and soon a package would be announced, Maran said. "By the end of year 2010, the policy aims to target 20 million broadband subscribers and 40 million internet subscribers," he said.