Warning: This post contains strong language. Reader discretion is advised.
Hi,
So the jackasses of MTNL have ****** up a perfectly working setup at my place in Mumbai. Now my old folks are left without Internet. So I'm thinking of adding a redundant line. They dont require anything fancy - a volume based plan and a low latency connection ( for VoIP ) would be required at the very least. Reliance has cabling but I was burnt the last time I used their services. They're supposed to have improved since then but I dont want to fall into *that* trap once again.
Recommendations are welcome.
- Dinesh
There is no decent ISP in Mumbai i have almost tried 4 different ISP's which include Sify, Pacenet, MTNL, Reliance.
i am looking out for Tata they seem to have decent plans.
On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 8:42 AM, Dinesh A. Joshi dinesh.a.joshi@gmail.comwrote:
Warning: This post contains strong language. Reader discretion is advised.
Hi,
So the jackasses of MTNL have ****** up a perfectly working setup at my place in Mumbai. Now my old folks are left without Internet. So I'm thinking of adding a redundant line. They dont require anything fancy - a volume based plan and a low latency connection ( for VoIP ) would be required at the very least. Reliance has cabling but I was burnt the last time I used their services. They're supposed to have improved since then but I dont want to fall into *that* trap once again.
Recommendations are welcome.
- Dinesh
Anish Mohile wrote:
There is no decent ISP in Mumbai i have almost tried 4 different ISP's which include Sify, Pacenet, MTNL, Reliance.
i am looking out for Tata they seem to have decent plans.
First off, you're top posting and nobody has pounced :P Good.
Secondly, I dont care about plans anymore. They're good with 1 / 2 Gig limit with a 1 or 2Mbps speed. Reliability or atleast non-overlapping down times is what I'm looking at.
- Dinesh
On Monday 23 Mar 2009, Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
Warning: This post contains strong language. Reader discretion is advised.
Hi,
So the jackasses of MTNL have ****** up a perfectly working setup at my place in Mumbai.
What did mtnl ****up? What location? Imo mtnl is still your best bet. And some locations are better than others.
jtd wrote:
What did mtnl ****up? What location? Imo mtnl is still your best bet. And some locations are better than others.
Ok, I must hand it to them to have provided above average service for approximately 2 years. I knew it would be great while it *worked* and the moment it stopped, support would be a big issue. This is the moment :P
The problem is that the SNR ratios are all screwed up. I used to have 43dB downstream and 18dB upstream. Now its around 20dB downstream and 2-6dB upstream. As a result the the connection now constantly disconnects. It hardly ever is able to function stably. The MTNL CPE "modem" is also heating up unusually.
The MTNL exchange refuses to replace the modem as they dont have any in stock. They say their line is fine. They simply refuse to accept any fault on their part let alone fix anything. They can replace the modem with some other modem but they're not ready to do that even.
At their advice, my folk got the internal wiring replaced, it just made the matter worse since now the line has a patch :|
- Dinesh
On Monday 23 Mar 2009, Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
jtd wrote:
What did mtnl ****up? What location? Imo mtnl is still your best bet. And some locations are better than others.
Ok, I must hand it to them to have provided above average service for approximately 2 years. I knew it would be great while it *worked* and the moment it stopped, support would be a big issue. This is the moment :P
The problem is that the SNR ratios are all screwed up. I used to have 43dB downstream and 18dB upstream. Now its around 20dB downstream and 2-6dB upstream. As a result the the connection now constantly disconnects. It hardly ever is able to function stably. The MTNL CPE "modem" is also heating up unusually.
Ok. Tell the 1504 guys that that there is a line noise problem and that they must send technician with line monitor meter. Make sure you note the ticket no. and quote it everytime you complain (yell everyday) problem is solved in 1 to 2 weeks.
Happened with me. Besides the above, there maybe an authentication problem. Check the modem logs. Yell about that too. The MTNL linesman know nothing. If someone explains, they solve the problem.
The MTNL exchange refuses to replace the modem as they dont have any in stock.
Buy one. Rs1500 odd.
They say their line is fine. They simply refuse to accept any fault on their part let alone fix anything. They can replace the modem with some other modem but they're not ready to do that even.
At their advice, my folk got the internal wiring replaced, it just made the matter worse since now the line has a patch :|
- Dinesh
jtd wrote:
Ok. Tell the 1504 guys that that there is a line noise problem and that they must send technician with line monitor meter. Make sure you note the ticket no. and quote it everytime you complain (yell everyday) problem is solved in 1 to 2 weeks.
Alrighty...
If someone explains, they solve the problem.
Unfortunately, the linesmen dont admit to a problem existing in the first place. Hence the whole issue.
The MTNL exchange refuses to replace the modem as they dont have any in stock.
Buy one. Rs1500 odd.
I'm paying Rs.80 a month as modem rental. They ought to change it!
- Dinesh
On Monday 23 Mar 2009, Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
jtd wrote:
Ok. Tell the 1504 guys that that there is a line noise problem and that they must send technician with line monitor meter. Make sure you note the ticket no. and quote it everytime you complain (yell everyday) problem is solved in 1 to 2 weeks.
Sorry that should be adsl line modem (not line monitor meter)
Alrighty...
If someone explains, they solve the problem.
Unfortunately, the linesmen dont admit to a problem existing in the first place. Hence the whole issue.
True. They listen with their phone set. No hear noise no line problem. The line modem for adsl tests outside the audio band.
The MTNL exchange refuses to replace the modem as they dont have any in stock.
Buy one. Rs1500 odd.
I'm paying Rs.80 a month as modem rental. They ought to change it!
Send it back and stop paying. You will have to write to commercial officer afair. If someone goes there and meet em, it helps a great deal.
- Dinesh
On Monday 23 Mar 2009, Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
jtd wrote:
Send it back and stop paying. You will have to write to commercial officer afair. If someone goes there and meet em, it helps a great deal.
Commercial Officer? Where do I get a hold of this person's identity?
Go to the complaint dept at the exchange. They will direct you. Every exchange has one such officer. It takes a good 4 hrs though cause the guy is running in the field.
- Dinesh
jtd wrote:
Go to the complaint dept at the exchange. They will direct you. Every exchange has one such officer. It takes a good 4 hrs though cause the guy is running in the field.
Thanks everybody for your help. The problem was *finally* fixed ( after tons of headache ). As it turned out some non-MTNL wiring was put beside the MTNL wiring in the same pipe that delivered the cable to my home. The MTNL guys totally trashed ( hyperbole :P ) that wire and destroyed ( again hyperbole :P ) the junction box from which that *non-MTNL* wire had originated... Hehe... and the connection started working. So after all it wasn't MTNL's problem.
Actually nobody at MTNL knows what happened. They had claimed our wiring was at fault, then blamed the CPE, then blamed the port at the exchange, then blamed the wifi network at my place and in the end someone did something right and its working.
The downstream SNR is 43dB and upstream is 22dB :) yey!!
- Dinesh
On 23-Mar-09, at 8:42, "Dinesh A. Joshi" dinesh.a.joshi@gmail.com wrote:
Now my old folks are left without Internet. So I'm thinking of adding a redundant line. They dont require anything fancy - a volume based plan and a low latency connection ( for VoIP ) would Recommendations are welcome.
I am using Airtel Broadband for quite some time. No serious complaints. I am using 256 Kbps unlimited plan. (please be adviced on Goofy Fair use policy of Airtel Broadband).
Airtel may be available on your area. You have to check with them.
I am using MTNL as backup. Not used so far in last few months.
- Dinesh
With regards,
On 23-Mar-09, at 8:42, "Dinesh A. Joshi" dinesh.a.joshi@gmail.com wrote:
I am using Airtel Broadband for quite some time. No serious complaints. Â I am using 256 Kbps unlimited plan. (please be adviced on Goofy Fair use policy of Airtel Broadband).
I have been using Airtel for quite awhile, Plan 256 Kbps unlimited, no issues, been very satisfied with their service.
I had also tried TATA BB, pathetic service, had to finally disconnect it after 6 months of usage.
Rgds, -- Rupesh
Dinesh Shah wrote:
I am using Airtel Broadband for quite some time. No serious complaints. I am using 256 Kbps unlimited plan. (please be adviced on Goofy Fair use policy of Airtel Broadband).
Care to explain the "goofy" fair use policy?
Airtel may be available on your area. You have to check with them.
BTW I hate Airtel. They were in my neighborhood but those idiots didn't lay their cables in our building. Why? Because they didn't have a stupid junction box.
- Dinesh
Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
Dinesh Shah wrote:
I am using Airtel Broadband for quite some time. No serious complaints. I am using 256 Kbps unlimited plan. (please be adviced on Goofy Fair use policy of Airtel Broadband).
Care to explain the "goofy" fair use policy?
Airtel has a policy that they have set up which provides that if you are among the top users or cross some specified data limit, they will put you on a much slower plan for the rest of the month. So if you have a 8mbps unlimited plan and in 15 days you use up certain bandwidth / data transfer, they will shift you to 256kbps for the rest of the month (though you will continue to be charged for 8mbps unlimited plan).
I know of this as some friends of mine asked me to sign an online petition to TRAI against Airtel policy.
Airtel may be available on your area. You have to check with them.
BTW I hate Airtel. They were in my neighborhood but those idiots didn't lay their cables in our building. Why? Because they didn't have a stupid junction box.
The problem is not with the junctionbox. The actual issue is that if you do not have a certain number of users in your building, the will not bother to lay the cables to that building.
- Dinesh
scrapo wrote:
The problem is not with the junctionbox. The actual issue is that if you do not have a certain number of users in your building, the will not bother to lay the cables to that building.
They also have to deal with local cable controllers for every building or block.
On Monday 23 March 2009 08:42:59 Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
Recommendations are welcome.
this is a silly question. 'Good ISP' is an oxymoron. If you cannot live with Indian ISPs, live without internet. And I fail to see how MTNL can screw up a set up. My wife is totally non technical, but she lives with Linux and BSNL - all it takes is patience and extensive use of the phone.
Kenneth Gonsalves wrote:
this is a silly question. 'Good ISP' is an oxymoron. If you cannot live with Indian ISPs, live without internet. And I fail to see how MTNL can screw up a set up. My wife is totally non technical, but she lives with Linux and BSNL - all it takes is patience and extensive use of the phone.
Good ISP would probably be somewhat like Airtel. They're a private company, have above average support. Their execs are liars, cheaters of the first order but atleast their connection works and is reliable. Atleast their tech support doesn't come in chewing tobacco and hooks up a parallel line and announces that the line is clear :)
BSNL...thats a totally different game :P
- Dinesh
On Monday 23 March 2009 11:48:13 Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
BSNL...thats a totally different game :P
BSNL in Ooty rocks - the chief engineer is an Ubuntu fan, and a there are a few others who asked me for training in installing internet with linux.
Kenneth Gonsalves wrote:
On Monday 23 March 2009 08:42:59 Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
Recommendations are welcome.
this is a silly question. 'Good ISP' is an oxymoron. If you cannot live with Indian ISPs, live without internet. And I fail to see how MTNL can screw up a set up. My wife is totally non technical, but she lives with Linux and BSNL - all it takes is patience and extensive use of the phone.
You may be lucky but everyone is not so. The tech. guys at MTNL/BSNL know how the system works and are good at setup. However technical troubleshooting is a weak area and thats where it gets frustrating if anything stops working. Its worse if it is intermittent.
In my own case when I changed back plans and bandwidth after a past blunder of trying out MTNL's iptv, my authentication would not happen. The problem was that the pppoe could not find an access concentrator at the mtnl end. Inspite of describing the actual problem to them they kept wasting time in standard replies and procedures. Finally they triumphantly declared that my modem was bad. I reminded them that it was theirs and let them cross check with another one. After that they found out that instead of changing my bandwidth, the server guys had closed my account on the Access Concentrator back end.
With BSNL I had a frustrating experience at a client's place outside Mumbai city. We wanted to convert the wireless ADSL given by BSNL from pppoe dialup to an independent router. There was a mistake on the client's part too which I discovered after 4 hours there. The password would not get accepted in the pppoe connection and we kept going around in circles with the BSNL guys. The call would break so many times when calling the support center. Every time they gave different replies and the best one was from the local guy who set it up. He said that for a Rs. 250/- subscription we could use only one pc via dialup. To use it as a router we needed a minimum 750/- subscription. Finally it was found that out of 3 service passwords, the client changed one and forgot about it. This was discovered when we used another machine to log into their account and change passwords. Earlier since 2 passwords were correct we did not check the third and that was the trouble one. Finally I downloaded a password cracker from the net and recovered his password (xpee) from the sole dialup machine and the router was up in 5 minutes.
For DJ's place considering other ISP problems, he will need to be patient with MTNL and get the issue resolved. After that its bliss again.
On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 8:42 AM, Dinesh A. Joshi dinesh.a.joshi@gmail.comwrote:
Warning: This post contains strong language. Reader discretion is advised.
Hi,
So the jackasses of MTNL have ****** up a perfectly working setup at my place in Mumbai. Now my old folks are left without Internet. So I'm thinking of adding a redundant line. They dont require anything fancy - a volume based plan and a low latency connection ( for VoIP ) would be required at the very least. Reliance has cabling but I was burnt the last time I used their services. They're supposed to have improved since then but I dont want to fall into *that* trap once again.
Recommendations are welcome.
i used MTNL dsl earlier it worked well but came with a fat bill. also when it stopped working no one knew why. i use reliance bb delivered thru wimax in bombay. it works well. i use Tata indicom bb delivered thru wimax in bangalore . it works well but they deactivate your account when your payment is processed ( it did happen once ! ) . also sometimes it randomly stops and u really need to speak to a geek in tata ( rare spieces ) to get it sorted. they actually had to reconfigure the device in one case.
for this wimax service they fix a dish type thing and suspends a lan cable in to your home POE device which will then feed lan cable to your laptop / computer / wireless device
- Dinesh
Harsh Busa wrote:
for this wimax service they fix a dish type thing and suspends a lan cable in to your home POE device which will then feed lan cable to your laptop / computer / wireless device
I've a few questions.
1. How is the latency and uptime on the connection? 2. How much electricity does the dish consume? 3. How fast does the connection setup? 4. How much does the service deteriorate during rains? 5. Where is the dish fixed? 6. If I have a laptop with a wimax card in it, can I use this service on that laptop? 7. How do you login?
- Dinesh
On Mon, Mar 23, 2009 at 6:28 PM, Dinesh A. Joshi dinesh.a.joshi@gmail.comwrote:
Harsh Busa wrote:
for this wimax service they fix a dish type thing and suspends a lan
cable
in to your home POE device which will then feed lan cable to your laptop
/
computer / wireless device
I've a few questions.
- How is the latency and uptime on the connection?
uptime fairly decent now with both tata and reliance. in blr i had some trouble with tata initially but it works now.
- How much electricity does the dish consume?
never bothered to check. i didnot hear my parents complain about electricity bill
- How fast does the connection setup?
it took 2 days for reliance and 1 week for tata indicom.
- How much does the service deteriorate during rains?
did not for me atleast
- Where is the dish fixed?
on the terrace of my bldg . in bombay i m on 7th floor of 7 floor so cable aint too long . in blr i m on first floor of 5 floor bldg. still as good
- If I have a laptop with a wimax card in it, can I use this service on
that laptop?
not sure
- How do you login?
browser based auth .
- Dinesh
Recommendations are welcome.
I have used Airtel in Bangalore and they impressed me enough for me to seek them out in hyderabad. Never had any issues.
If you have airtel in your area go for them, they are the most professional of the lot! The MTNL guys dont even speak politely ...
SG
Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
Warning: This post contains strong language. Reader discretion is advised.
Hi,
So the jackasses of MTNL have ****** up a perfectly working setup at my place in Mumbai. Now my old folks are left without Internet. So I'm thinking of adding a redundant line. They dont require anything fancy - a volume based plan and a low latency connection ( for VoIP ) would be required at the very least. Reliance has cabling but I was burnt the last time I used their services. They're supposed to have improved since then but I dont want to fall into *that* trap once again.
Recommendations are welcome.
- Dinesh
Airtel is available in your area via landline and up-time as well as service is quite decent.
Rony wrote:
Airtel is available in your area via landline and up-time as well as service is quite decent.
Nope. I emailed them and got a prompt reply saying that "due to non-availability of network at the address mentioned we cannot provide service to you". ROTFL. Idiots! :|
- Dinesh
Dinesh A. Joshi wrote:
Rony wrote:
Airtel is available in your area via landline and up-time as well as service is quite decent.
Nope. I emailed them and got a prompt reply saying that "due to non-availability of network at the address mentioned we cannot provide service to you". ROTFL. Idiots! :|
As mentioned in another mail, I think you should stick to MTNL. You simply have to keep following up and keep the talk technical, for them to grasp easily. One psychology that works well with then is to show helplessness at their created problem. Avoid harsh talk or they will get defensive. Do get your internal cabling checked privately to ensure a stable connection. Talk to the Div. Engineer or his assistant as he is in a better position to understand about db levels and technical issues. These guys do send the linesman with a db level meter and slowly things will get sorted out.
-
Anish Mohile -
Dinesh A. Joshi -
Dinesh Shah -
Harsh Busa -
jtd -
Kenneth Gonsalves -
Rony -
Rupesh -
Sachin Gopalakrishnan -
scrapo