BSNL Blues

In this era, bloggers & online-socialites like me, choke without internet at home & I'm almost dying for it's been three days that I've survived without internet at home.  So naturally I wanted to vent out my frustration on BSNL (surprisingly somebody has written this: BSNL: India's Most Valuable Company.(Brief Article): An article from: India Telecom), so I call up 1504, BSNL broadband helpline.

After choosing the language & services (thankfully it was just 2 options), the voice said, "Please press 9 to speak to an operator" and I did so.  For next 19 minutes 23 seconds (not a second exaggerated) my ear-drum was hit repetitively, in three different languages, with, "You are in queue, please wait.  BSNL is offering special gaming service to its broandband customers at an affordable price, it's a collection of entertaining and educative games. For free 15 days trial, please logon to www.bsnl.co.in".  

Then this very timid sounding bloke answers the call:

TSB: Good evening, thank you for calling BSNL. How may I help you?

Sac: I'm unable to connect to internet from past two days.

TSB: What operating system do you use sir?

Sac: Mac OS X

TSB:  Apple Mac OS sir?

Sac: Yeah (Hell who else makes Mac OS???)

TSB: Which computer do you use sir?

Sac: "APPLE" Macbook Pro

TSB: Sir please open Internet explorer and type 192.168...

Sac: Boss I've done all that & the troubleshooting results say blah blah blah blah (By the way Internet explorer on Mac OS sounded interesting.  Any new joint ventures of Jobs & Gates?)

Beeep Beep!!!

Yeah!  Call drops are quite common from fixed lines of BSNL!!! Perseverance pays when dealing with BSNL!

I dialed again...

It maybe hard for you to believe, that stupid gaming message kept pounding my ears for about 24 minutes 7 seconds.  I felt like strangling that lady but it was a recorded voice unfortunately.  Yet another timid sounding bloke picked up:

TSB: Good evening, blah blah blah

Sac: Man you first note down my name and number, have the courtesy to call back in case the call drops.  You've got such pathetic systems that I connect after bearing with that 20min of useless gaming crap and the call disconnect in like 2 min.  So please bear in mind that if it happens this time, be kind enough to call me back.

TSB:  Sure sir.  What can I do for you?

Sac: Listen, I neither want to open Internet explorer on my Mac OS X nor want to answer your typical FAQs you guys ask again.  I don't have internet connection for 3 days now.  The troubleshooting  results say "FAIL" on every goddamn test it did.  (I was a bit mean here, wasn't I?)

TSB:  Yes sir, PPP server is down.

Sac: I called you guys yesterday, you said that PPP server was down and should be fixed by midnight.  Today again you give me the same excuse.  I promptly pay 1300 bucks every month & I've got many tasks to finish which I can't without internet.

TSB: Yes sir, sorry sir, but server is down.

Sac: Can I speak to your superior, your boss or somebody there?  (They don't give a damn to such articles I guess: BSNL -- New Challenges and Milestones Ahead.(Brief Article): An article from: India Telecom)

TSB: Please be online sir.

After few seconds...thank God he didn't put the gaming promo crap again.

TSB: Thanks for being online sir, I've logged a complaint.  Please call the exchange and give this complaint number, they'll give you an alternative connection.

Sac: What's the exchange number?

TSB: 1500

Sac: OK Thanks!  

--click --

Dial 1500

Same set of options to choose from, thankfully that gaming promo wasn't here. A very serious recorded voice said "All are agents are busy. Please wait".  After about 6 min 32sec an elderly lady answered the call & I conversed in Kannada.

Sac: Hello madam, I don't have internet for three days...blah blah...

EL: Saar server down ide saar eega.  Nothing could be done, it'll be OK in two hours

Sac: Nodi madam, I have lot of work to do for which I need internet.  I've logged a complaint with the complaint ID blah blah.  They asked me call this number to get an alternative connection.

EL: Illa saar, alternative connection ella yenu illa.

Sac: Madam but the told me that you'll give me an alternative connection...

EL: Saar neev vond kelsa maadi, call up 1504 and tell them

Sac: Madam neev yen table tennis aadta idira? I call up 1504 they ask me to call 1500 & I call up 1500 you ask me to call 1504!  (Now this is service excellence of BSNL!)

EL: Illa saar, they just want to escape they just put the ball in our court (What did you do just now dear m'aam?)

Sac: Can you give me contact of some officer?

EL:  Yes sir sure, call up our Area manager on this number tomorrow.  Let him also realize!  (These kinda statements can come out of only employees of PSU)

Sac: OK madam thank you...so surea alternative connection yenu sigalla anta?

EL: Sure sir, haagenu illa. 

Sac: Thank you madam

--click--

After all this haggling & fighting the internet is still down.  Will try my luck with the area manager & update.