Here’s a quick list of why nots.
- The signal strength and quality are simply too poor to have any meaningful conversation. On numerous occasions, the cellphone display suggests that the signal strength is excellent but you are either having a one-way conversation or the call simply gets dropped.
- I haven’t been able to send a single SMS so far. The BSNL help-desk always gives me the same message centre number - it never works.
- Although I received the SIM deposit-free (being a broadband customer), BSNL has undocumented ways of recovering an equivalent amount of money. In the first bill I was shocked to see that they collect one month’s deposit in advance. In April I am actually paying the rental for May as well.
- A call to the help-desk confirmed the above behavior. The quality of the help-desk is several notches below when compared to AirTel’s or Hutch’s help-desk.
- Roaming is a nightmare. Call quality is almost non-existent.
BSNL’s CellOne service sucks.
Having tried all the GSM service providers, I have come to the conclusion that AirTel offers the best service in Karnataka. I am switching over to AirTel again.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Vinod Krishna Bhat 05.15.07 at 9:24 am
Thanks for confirming what I hitherto only suspected
Goutham 05.15.07 at 1:06 pm
Oh you did not exp the “Preity Zinta” effect…with CellOne ???
I know signal strength is poor, but not as poor as u have exp’d. Definitely manageable. But Yes, Airtel is the best that I have seen in terms of coverage and customer svc. But their spam rate is extremely high. I will stick to bsnl, no spam calls / sms. Getting disconnected 2ce per day is ok rather than having to answer 10 unknown dragons.
Somehow, in India, ppl have to satisfy themselves with sub-standard service everywhere, isn’t it? Really sad.
Vinaya HS 05.15.07 at 10:28 pm
“Unknown Dragons.” That’s a great term!
Anoop 05.16.07 at 7:42 pm
Oye..BSNL na baitheeya! nanunna 4 years engineering 1.5 yrs Masters vodsiddhe BSNL..:-(…haha