KOCHI:The decision by the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) to change
the rules for annual pre-paid data package by imposing monthly limit
from this month is drawing flak from customers. In a message sent to
customers, the public sector firm said, “the bundled free data will be
credited on a monthly basis, instead of the earlier ‘12-month
consolidated’ basis. Every month, free usage will be credited and the
previous month’s balance will be cleared. Additional data can be availed
using Special Tariff Vouchers (STVs). If the data-plan voucher is again
used before the plan expiry, the benefits will be given afresh.”
Under the revised plan, which came into effect on March 1, the monthly limit for customers who have taken data-plan for Rs 3,299 has been set at 2.5 GB/month. For the Rs 2,299 plan, currently there is a monthly limit of 1.5 GB. For the Rs 1,251 plan, the monthly limit is set at 0.75 GB.
The earlier norms, which lured customers into the plan, promised 30 GB/year, 18 GB/year and 9 GB/year, respectively, under the three plans, without any limit. Customers have come out in the open against the abrupt change in the norms. “First of all, the BSNL is doing something bizarre, after offering azbundled package for one year, by grabbing our money in advance for an year. Fixation of the monthly quota, and not allowing to carry over data from the previous months are tantamount to pick-pocketing the customer,” said James Wilson, a BSNL customer and member of the Mullaperiyar Special Cell under the Kerala Government.
“I am a person who travels a lot as part of my job, and I was very glad when they offered the bundled package as I could use it without frequently checking whether my monthly data is over, and without bothering about recharges.
Now, this ‘bizarre’ cap will force me to quit their already poor network and services. I hope someone would approach the Consumer Court of the TRAI to set this right. The BSNL is notorious for call drop and poor data quality. This is going to be another nail in their coffin,” he said.
When contacted, BSNL officials admitted that complaints are pouring in from customers on the sudden change in norms for packet data usage. “We have conveyed the message to higher officials,” said an official. “In fact, going forward, the BSNL is likely to end the carry forward facility in its plans too. There is a thinking along these lines,” a BSNL official told ‘Express’.
Costly call
■ The bundled free data will be credited on a monthly basis, instead of the earlier ‘12-month consolidated’ basis
■Every month, free usage will be credited and the previous month’s balance will be cleared
■ If the data-plan voucher is again used before the plan expiry, the benefits will be given afresh
■ BSNL is likely to end the carry forward facility in its plans too
Under the revised plan, which came into effect on March 1, the monthly limit for customers who have taken data-plan for Rs 3,299 has been set at 2.5 GB/month. For the Rs 2,299 plan, currently there is a monthly limit of 1.5 GB. For the Rs 1,251 plan, the monthly limit is set at 0.75 GB.
The earlier norms, which lured customers into the plan, promised 30 GB/year, 18 GB/year and 9 GB/year, respectively, under the three plans, without any limit. Customers have come out in the open against the abrupt change in the norms. “First of all, the BSNL is doing something bizarre, after offering azbundled package for one year, by grabbing our money in advance for an year. Fixation of the monthly quota, and not allowing to carry over data from the previous months are tantamount to pick-pocketing the customer,” said James Wilson, a BSNL customer and member of the Mullaperiyar Special Cell under the Kerala Government.
“I am a person who travels a lot as part of my job, and I was very glad when they offered the bundled package as I could use it without frequently checking whether my monthly data is over, and without bothering about recharges.
Now, this ‘bizarre’ cap will force me to quit their already poor network and services. I hope someone would approach the Consumer Court of the TRAI to set this right. The BSNL is notorious for call drop and poor data quality. This is going to be another nail in their coffin,” he said.
When contacted, BSNL officials admitted that complaints are pouring in from customers on the sudden change in norms for packet data usage. “We have conveyed the message to higher officials,” said an official. “In fact, going forward, the BSNL is likely to end the carry forward facility in its plans too. There is a thinking along these lines,” a BSNL official told ‘Express’.
Costly call
■ The bundled free data will be credited on a monthly basis, instead of the earlier ‘12-month consolidated’ basis
■Every month, free usage will be credited and the previous month’s balance will be cleared
■ If the data-plan voucher is again used before the plan expiry, the benefits will be given afresh
■ BSNL is likely to end the carry forward facility in its plans too
