Sify has gone in with the worst model possible

I think Sify has gone in with the worst model possible. Even I have faces downtimes due to their faulty system - so much that I had once faced 18 straight days of downtime because of a minor problem that Sify said is not our issue please check with local guy. The Local Cable Operator SSV Cable was so rude that most of the time he told me that mine was not the only case he had on hand.

Surprisingly, Sify keeps calling me to renew continously even during the downtime. So bad that I told that its not working since the last 18. They answer no problem - just renew it will work. we will give oyu free time. They never did - they keep calling me even now after months of disconnection to renew. Till Date Sify owes me a downtime of 25 days and all this is in record - they should know

Source: Sify Broadband Blog

Spreading Broadband in India

I came across an advertisement in a computer related industry magazine. Those people wish to get together and discuss ways and means to spread the broadband in India. Well, it would have been an honorable attempt if they would have involved the ordinary people like us. Every day passes by and I keep my hopes alive that one day I would have some kind of a decent way to access Internet. And every day I get a major disappointment. The people who are supposed to make this happen are not doing their job good enough. There is no urgency on their part to make this effective means to spread broadband at all! As I had earlier mentioned under the post, Eternal Wait for Decent Telecom, I am still waiting.

Coming to the conference part. What do you honestly expect from the same people who are involved in the Internet services? Assuming Sify's representative is going to be present there. What would he/she have to show in the name of spread of broadband? When they had time, they did not do anything. Instead bastardized the whole concept of access. I am glad I never had Cable Internet running up to my home. Or else there would have been a competing website to this one!

Sitting in the air-conditioned plush offices, it is easier to dictate terms to the media and pour in money in advertising binges. I mean it is asinine to see gobs of money being wasted to allure new customers. Admittedly, everyone around me is frustrated. Fewer people have the will to fight and fewer still come on line to these forums. Hence, what you see here is just the tip of the iceberg.

Most of us are not really bothered to affect the changes. The total cost of ownership runs way beyond the installation charges and monthly charges. The incremental cost of running after your service provider and telephone calls do not get factored in. What of the wasted time? Who can quantify that to compensate you? The irony is that even after running around and having your services restored, there is no guarantee that it would not happen again.

The problem is deeper than what it appears to be. Traditionally in India, it is the educated elite that make decisions without realizing the ramifications of their actions. What rubs salt in my wounds is that when they claim that India is an IT superpower! It would have been easier to ignore them as inconsequential idiots if we had better options. The twist and turn of the events of the telecom policy and subsequent roll out has seen that a handful of operators remain on the scene. Therefore, time and again it becomes extremely important for us to make them realize that they cannot get away with the abuse of their monopolies.

Simple fact is that advance planning is needed to roll out the services in a particular area. This is based on the projected demand. Well, in the event of shortfall, this should be scaled up rapidly. If this fact isn't clear to them, what is the need to hire fancy idiots as showpieces? It is better if all you could just sit dumb and pretty. My only grouse is that at times we need to interact with them, which is a major drain on my patience.

I am wondering what are they really going to discuss in the conference? Are they not dime and a dozen? This is the first instance that I have come across though. For obvious reasons I cannot declare the magazines name or else I would be accused of slander! Well, Microsoft is sponsoring the same. This again gets on my nerves. Why do need such corporate sponsors who abuse their monopolies?

In the event of anything substantial coming up (which I really doubt), how are they going to implement any ideas that crop up? Would these telecom operators really improve on their customer quality? Simple rule of the thumb is that it takes much more to acquire a new customer than to retain one. I have been extremely happy with Reliance over the past 1 year. They have lowered my telephone bill substantially and the best part is that they have expanded all across the country. The roaming rates are the lowest in the industry. Well, they do not have top of the world billing, but for one who uses his phone sparingly, is enough. I declare that I am not a spokesperson for Reliance and see it with extreme cynicism as they move towards establishing their prominence across the country. However, the fact remains that I am satisfied customer. Of course, I am doing this for them free of cost. A first persons account based on peer assumption about the quality of a product is far better than Sachin Tendulkar spreading his arms with a signature tune in the background.

Logic. Just like bandwidth, is a scarce resource. I really pray that people with intelligence, including the ability to use the same ought to get in the telecom industry. Conferences with highflying corporate sponsors achieve little. What is required is the urgency to make this all happen. If I were happy, then the posts would reflect my happiness too. Or else I d remain in the permanent gripe mode!

Discuss on: Sify Broadband, Tata Indicom, Airtel Broadband, Reliance Broadband, MTNL - BSNL Broadband, Dial Up, Others

This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on the Broadband Blog on Techwhack.

Broadband penetration in India

What could be done to increase the broadband penetration in India? Arguably, this is not an easy question that could be answered. This perhaps brings head all the previous posts where in I had mentioned about the regulatory mess and telecom muddle. As to how TRAI is basically ineffectual in enforcing minimum standards and how the telecom operators are happy to line their pockets with money.

The benefits of increasing Internet penetration are manifold. It has been conclusively shown that increase in the telecom sector leads to growth in the GDP. This fact should not be lost to the policy makers. While in media, the companies tend to pat on their backs to congratulate themselves about the increase in telecom density, the truth is far from what is made up. It is difficult to pinpoint any factor that may bring about an increase in the broadband reach. I shall try and lay out a case for the same.

There is felt demand for any goods and the supplier sidesteps in to fulfill the same. This is the fundamental rule of economics. Once the demand is robust enough, supply side has to stand up to expectations. However, in India, supply in terms of telecom operators has taken it lightly so far. There is minimum stress on the quality of the services. Back it up with ineffectual regime and you have a disaster. This is what is being replicated across board.

Literacy is one factor that can fuel the demand for the same. As literacy grows, it brings about a critical viewpoint towards the prevailing issues in the society. Access for the same is mandatory for health care indicators and overall growth of the economy. Any nation cannot claim itself to be a “superpower” as long as the quality of the manpower resources cannot stand up to scrutiny. It is shameful that after 50+ years of independence we have one of the largest burdens of illiterates in this country.

The reasons cannot be accounted here though. Broadband access through cheap computers holds the real potential to replace the traditional methods of teaching. Fact is that existing ways to teach do not factor in the involvement of either teachers or students. In that case, audio visual content can vastly enhance the delivery of educational materials to the children with the option for a feedback on the same. I can foresee streaming audio visual content through existing optic fiber cables in the rural primary schools. This coupled with other incentives could really increase the outreach of the Sarv Siksha Abhiyan that is being planned by the government.

For this, I propose open scale architecture of networks, which are easy to update. The best possible solution is Linux. Windows based Operating System would create a headache for licensing and updates. Given the customizability of Linux in local languages, it would make much more sense to lay stress on traditional knowledge systems rather than teaching alien concepts to children. What basically is required is the open box thinking, rather than moth eaten hair brained ideas that rot in mountains of files all over.

This is only possible if the taxation is reduced. This year's budget has tried to address this pressing problem, without any headway. The fact is that we need cheaper chips and motherboards, rather than fancy Intels running Windows. Most of the computers are designed with the object of keeping gaming in mind. However, Open Source projects have given a credible answer to the pressing digital divide. It might be possible to set up IIT’s K-Yan which provides a perfect tailor made solution to the obviate the need for a computer. It has built in projector with a DVD player and a computer. Produced on a mass scale it could be real cost effective solution. However, for that we need to weed out the taxes and give a tax holiday. For all the idiocy in Bangalore, the IT capital of India, a sizeable tax could be collected from the millionaires. Media has become woolly eyed and goes in raptures as and when either Infosys or Wipro is mentioned.

This brings us to the next aspect. If India really is the IT nation with companies like Infosys and Wipro serving the western companies, why not force them to branch out to have a stable Operating System based on Linux? A food for thought? The brain capital could be utilized better hiving off separate divisions for development of India specific computer. Simputer was a great concept but never really took off. For all their claims, let Mr. Murthy declare his intent to give something back to this country in a sizeable and significant manner, rather than chase foreign companies who are not loyal anyway. More than money, Mr. Murthy, you could earn goodwill.

To make this happen, we need bandwidth. TRAI reduced the international bandwidth rates, which brought my earlier contention in clear focus. At the heart of these companies, profit-making motive is the real reason. While corporate customers are able to negotiate down to earth prices, higher access costs are passed on to the customers, based on the assumption to pay indefinitely. However, despite the media hoopla behind the TRAI's action, the most important factor is to reduce the domestic bandwidth rates. Once the local access charges are reduced, it would make real sense to end consumer. As long as it does not happen, TRAI is fooling itself that broadband would really increase. For the same reason, there would not be fall in the International Long Distance rates because much depends on the carriage fees and termination charges. Ultimately, the core issue needs to be addressed.

For all this, the equipment needs to be manufactured in India. This budget did allocate a paltry sum to C-Dot, the sick manufacturing arm of the government, but clearly much needs to be done to bolster research and development in telecom equipment. Importing the same benefits only the foreign companies and leads to outflow of foreign exchange. The incremental costs are higher as a result needed for maintenance.

These are some suggestions to increase the broadband spread. As I mentioned much needs to be done to spur on growth and generate demand to really affect the rapidly growing digital divide.

Discuss on: Sify Broadband, Tata Indicom, Airtel Broadband, Reliance Broadband, MTNL - BSNL Broadband, Dial Up, Others

This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on the Broadband Blog on Techwhack.

Paid Media Exposure by So-Called Broadband Giants

I came across this write up in Financial Express today on Sify. I was wondering about the motive behind the same. Then I realized that this was nothing but paid media exposure. For all what Sify has done in the name of “broadband access”, it cannot be excused. I really wish that the journalist had some idea to Google search for Sify and it would lead him/her to this web site. Unfortunate that some people retain their jobs with minimal application of mind.

Everyone is eyeing BSNL now for the huge amount of local loop it has. Admittedly, it should open up it's infrastructure on a revenue sharing basis. However, in places where one would have a choice, it would get BSNL in direct competition with other service providers on its own network. If that sounds asinine, well it is. Of course, BSNL would never ever want comparison with its own lame duck broadband services. In the clash of the egos and corporate wars, the ordinary customer like you and me has to suffer.

A low down of the situation here and judging the same realistically. 6 years back I was on dial up. 6 years hence, I still am on one. The only frustration stems from this fact that prices remain high as ever; the final outgo in monthly payments is marginally less than 6 years though. As the world accelerates towards Open Access and free form entertainment, I have to contend to use my dial up sparingly. Why would the corporate honchos listen to us and for what? The nation suffers and so do we all. One thing is for sure. You would never ever find such Blogs in the mainstream media. Ever think that a newspaper like Times of India feature the insanities that we have to face to access electronic resources? Well not.

Another factor that triggered this post was the Tata advertisement asking for salesmen on job in the eight cities where they are planning to launch. Apart from the metros, it is Chandigarh and Lucknow included. Well in my earlier posts, I had clearly mentioned about the first mover advantage. Under the aegis of Tata Broadband, erstwhile VSNL is planning to have a changeover. So what, if their tariffs remain as expensive as ever? Who cares? There might be enough people (who do not read these posts!) to sign up for the Tata brand name. Personally, I have nothing against them. It is those marketing idiots that they have hired who would be chasing the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. So what if these markets are saturated? They have a reason to believe that people would be falling over each other to sign up. Alternatively, they have conjured up hallucinations that there would be riots for their broadband connections or whatever they choose to call it? Again, I see a lost opportunity to wire up my hometown and numerous others dotting the landscape that is India.

Why do these companies shy from investments in small towns? The answer can be found by going a bit back in the history. When mobile phones were introduced, they were considered to be elitist. There were numerous arguments that mobile phones were a show off. I remember the first Nokia's I ever saw. They were big bulky and ugly and looked like bricks. However, within 5 years the whole scenario changed for the better. Mobile phones have become fashion statements and essential part of the way we conduct our economy. The underlying factor was the change in the attitudes that was brought about by advertising. The companies have to get down to the basics and communicate the fact that Internet has the potential to change the way we access resources and conduct transactions. I had written a post earlier on the way broadband can effectively transform the nation.

Herein lies the rub. Companies want to scale up “profits” as quickly as possible. Their main thrust in the cities they believe that would have paying capacity. Agreeable to an extent. With the current emphasis on e-governance and computers being introduced in schools, it would make it imperative to connect them on line, which would be beneficial to all. I really wish that there were some way out that we did not have to depend on these companies to access Internet.

Again, given the promised revolution in broadband access by Reliance, I am seriously hoping that these very people would be forced to eat crow. Some ISP s like Sify Broadband should be wiped out, given the current hoopla that they have been able to generate on these forums. We are fighting against a super structure that takes its customers (all of them) to be incapable of taking decisions on their own. They believe that they can get away with the lousy support that they provide. Well, with an army of morons that most of these companies have hired, I am pessimistic about the state of affairs changing in the near future. When it does, I shall stop complaining about the same!

Discuss on: Sify Broadband, Tata Indicom, Airtel Broadband, Reliance Broadband, MTNL - BSNL Broadband, Dial Up, Others

This post was submitted by Dr. Abhishek Puri on the Broadband Blog on Techwhack.