Steps to apply a BSNL Broadband connection in Bangalore - Part I

I have recently relocated to Bangalore and since I am a ‘High End’ person, I want the net connectivity as fast as possible and that too, an unlimited connection [not with any download limit]. So even before I came here I enquired with some of my friends here about the procedure to get the internet connection. After my small survey, I got the following details.

The major providers are [One thing to note is that, I am talking about home connections] BSNL, Airtel, Tata Indicom, Sify, Reliance (I have seen the ads only; I haven’t met any one who is using it)

At first, I almost dropped the idea of going for a BSNL connection because of the formalities and lack of proper customer support and all. One of my friends knows people who are using the Tata Indicom connection. When he enquired about it, they said, the connection speed is somewhat ok, but most of the time, there won’t be any connectivity. About the Sify, my friends who used it said the speed ‘fluctuated constantly’. Most of my friends were using Airtel and almost all showed a thumbs up for Airtel. For Airtel, we planned to take the 128Kbps connection which cost around 700INR. When we ventured into it, we came across a small problem, there was no Airtel connectivity in our area and so plans for Airtel connection was cancelled.

Oops! What do I do? Naturally being an adventurer, I decided that I will go for the BSNL connection. So I thought I’ll go for a reckon mission first and I began checking out the details in net, getting details from people who use it etc. The BSNL tariff goes this way: For an unlimited connection, the plan is HOME UL 900 & HOME UL 900 PLUS with 256Kbps along with a phone. (Airtel also provide a phone I guess) The difference between PLUS and the ordinary is that, with the PLUS connection, you don’t have to give rent for the phone, just give the fare for your calls (Rs 1/- per pulse), the other one, there will be rent, but you have 50 free calls. At that time I met some of my friends who are using the BSNL connection (256Kbps). I tried it and the speed was amazing. Also in the BSNL application form it says like this 256Kbps - 2Mbps. The speed may go up to 2Mbps. Thus I finalized on a BSNL connection. [Added advantage: the BSNL monthly bill can be used as address proof.]
For that,

1. You have to find out under which BSNL office does your place come in. (I stay in Madiwala - Maruthinagar and the BSNL office is in Koramangala BDA Complex)
2. You can get the tariffs, both phone and internet through the BSNL site - http://bsnl.co.in/ - Also you can download a form and fill it out (Don’t do it).
3. Go to the BSNL office and to the new phone registration counter. I told them that I need a new internet and phone connection [not an existing customer]. They gave me a form which is really different from the one I got from net, so I used this.
4. While filling, you need to select the plan of broadband/phone, the modem, the method you choose to pay for the modem if you are buying from BSNL etc. I suggest that you refer the site before going to the BSNL office and filling the form.
5. Submit the filled form, along with your address proof and 500INR. If you need the ISD facility, you need to attach a photograph of yourself in the form. It’s better to have a BSNL phone number of a nearby connection. There is a column in the form asking for that [optional]. I didn’t fill it out anyway. I guess that makes it easier for them to figure out the switch for your connection. As the address proof, you can either provide your rent agreement or a letter from your employer showing the address to which you need the connection. [These were my choices for id proof]
6. They will assure you that you will get the connection with in one week itself.
7. Ask them for a contact number. For me, they gave the telephone number of the exchange.
   This is the point where I have reached till now. And the rest, I will explain from the experience of a colleague of mine.

He did the above steps and waited for around 1 month. Whenever he contacted, they tell him there is shortage of this and that and all. Finally, he called some top guy it seems, and he said everything is ready for him. All he needed to do was to contact the line man. Then only he knew that what he was lacking. He didn’t ‘meet the line man, properly’. [I hope you understood what that meant] Now I am waiting for one week and I too mostly have to meet the line man ‘properly’.

There are some more tips I would like to share with you. There is an online application form in the net. I have tried that. After pressing the submit button, it says registration successful. But nothing much will happen (I didn’t expect anything to happen). I guess, after that, they are supposed to contact us. It’s more than a week since I tried and nothing has happened yet.
In brief: There is no use in filling the online form. [From my experience]

I hope I will be able to get the connection within one month, so please do visit this page for updates on this. Till now, the BSNL services are really above my expectations in my experience. But in my personal opinion there is a large scope of improvement for the system.

Every person whom I asked about a BSNL connection agreed in one thing. “Once if you manage to overcome the ‘starting troubles’, you have the best choice of broadband in the city”.

Reference sites

• http://bsnl.co.in/service/dataone_tariff.htm
• http://community.livejournal.com/bangalore/230857.html
• http://www.airtel.in/ForYou_BroadBand_Plans.aspx?path=1/9/146&cid=4
• http://www.airtel.in/Coverage_Broadband.aspx?path=1%2f9%2f151
• http://www.tataindicombroadband.com/
• http://broadband.sify.com/showplan.php?id=12