Broadband Unlimited Usage Packs are ridiculous
Sify is one of the broadband providers in India. Sify is just an example as many other broadband providers are offering similar packages. While some have MB limits per day, some have them per month.
Check out Sify’s Service Price List, especially the so called Unlimited packages. Sify’s idea of 150 MB limit per day in case of these “unlimited” packs is just ridiculous.
A speed of 256 kbps is realy just (256 / 8 = 32 KBps). Note the difference between ‘kb’ and ‘KB’. kb is kilo bits while KB is kilo bytes. 1 byte is made up of 8 bits. The reason why ISPs and broadband providers state numbers in kilo bits even when most software display download speeds in kilo bytes, is obviously to take advantage of the users ignorance of bits and bytes..
Anyway, coming back to our Sify example, at 32 KBps it will take me just 80 minutes to exhaust my 150 MBs. After that Sify will keep deducting one day for extra 25 MBs of usage.
8am to 10pm is the duration for this limit of 150MB. Fortunately at night there’s no such limit.
The calculation is
1 MB = 1024 KB
(1024 / 32) x 150 = 4800 seconds. i.e 80 minutes.
So technically if I start a download at 8am in the morning and it goes on till 10pm, I will use up my alloted 150 MB in just the first 80 min of the day. After that, in the rest of the day considering that I am using up 1 MB in 32 seconds, in 45600 seconds left in the day, I will use up 1425 MBs.
Sify deducts 1 day for every 25 MB of usage abov 150 MB. So by Sify’s logic, I would have used up 1 + 57 = 58 days worth of broadband connection in one day. How strange is that?
If this isn’t an unfair practice meant solely to take advantage of users ignorance of kbs and GBs, what is?
If you present this argument to the broadband company, they will ask you why in the world do you need these many MBs. The counter is that broadband can be useful and successful only if people can download as much as they want.. software, music, movies, games…
If I just have to check mails and do Google searches, I am much better off using a cheaper dialup.
These plans are tricking customers into thinking they have broadband when they really as just a little better off than dialup.
Is TRAI listening? If not, I hope at least the broadband customers are.
Ref:
http://www.sifybroadband.com/master_pricelist.php
http://www.bsnl.co.in/service/dataone_tariff.htm
Posted By - Harshad Oak
visitor said,
April 18, 2006 @ 1:53 am
aren’t there any other companies/ deals that offer you what you seem to want- truly unlimited download..maybe at a greater price…
or is this as good as it can get…??
Harshad said,
April 18, 2006 @ 3:10 am
I went through Sify’s and BSNL’s packages and I am unable to find a true unlimited pack. Unlike SIfy, BSNL at least does not claim that it is offering an unlimited package.
Iqara and Reliance apparently do offer true unlimited
http://www.iqara.net/homezone/suvidha/bbndsuvidha.htm
http://www.relianceinfo.com/Infocomm/Broadband/broadband_individualstariffplan.html
Ali said,
April 28, 2006 @ 8:25 am
Thise reminds me of BSNL’s night unlimited feature in their Dataone plans. And the weirdest thing here is - night as per BSNL’s definition is from 2:00 AM - 8:00 AM.
ChinmaY said,
April 29, 2006 @ 5:07 pm
All these broadband service providers in India are pathetic. I am having a tata indicom broadband connection. For last whole week my connection was down and I was used to call up the customer service twice a day and 1 email a day. Finally, after 8 days the connection was up but I paid few bucks extra for the 2 calls per day of 8-10 minutes each(this includes wait time when calling customer service).
» Another Broadband Internet scam - Burstable Speeds - Harshad Oak’s take on the world @ large said,
May 9, 2006 @ 8:21 am
[...] A few days back, I wrote about how vendors are tricking customers with the “unlimited broadband” packages. Unfortunately there’s another broadband scam happening. Have you noticed? [...]
FPB_Paris said,
May 16, 2006 @ 6:18 am
Broadband in India is a misnomer. The providers are just fooling the indian public into thinking they’re getting broadband! And the prices they charge for this privilege are just plain ridiculous.
I have an 8 MB connection at home, only 8 MB since I live in a tiny village, it would be 20 MB in towns. And for this I only pay Euros 30, the equivalent of Rs 1,752 per month, completely unlimited, inclusive of free local telephone calls and free cable television!! While paying nearly Rs. 2000 a month for an internet connection may sound a lot on the face of it, when you consider the speeds you are getting and the extra benefits, and more importantly, that 30 euros is peanuts - probably buy me only 3 McDonalds meals, you realise just how cheap that is.
We are moving to India at some point and have been checking out the ISP rates, and the closest I have seen is over Rs 4000 a month for a mere 2MB connection which isn’t even unlimited!!
India has a lot of catching up to do if they want their IT sector to continue to grow, and without affordable internet bandwidth speeds they will keep playing catch up. This is sad when we have some of the best IT people in the world.
Srinivasa said,
June 27, 2006 @ 5:04 pm
Why don’t we, the customers of sify take sify to court for gross misrepresentation of facts and their intention to defraud and cheat the public. I am sure that if someone files a complaint in a consumer court, sify will get its act together and set things right.
sujatha said,
August 8, 2006 @ 6:25 am
I’m using SIFY broadband which is of no use.In our area the cable fellow is the person who takes care of sify he is such a stupid that he took 20 days to give the connection.for renewal you have to call that fellow 100 times then only he will do.
there is no use with sify customer care they will again ask you to reach this stupid fellow who never reaches you.with my pathetic experience i adivce people not to go for sify connection
manohar said,
September 1, 2006 @ 11:24 am
I’m using SIFY broadband which is of no use.In our area the cable fellow is the person who takes care of sify he is such a stupid that he took 20 days to give the connection.for renewal you have to call that fellow 100 times then only he will do.
there is no use with sify customer care they will again ask you to reach this stupid fellow who never reaches you.with my pathetic experience i adivce people not to go for sify connection
Sify broadband sucks said,
September 7, 2006 @ 11:26 am
Sify broadband has got nothing which is unlimited.Sify broadband service is a joke of its own kind. Sify broadband says 150meg is your limit if you use more then that you are using is commercially now who gave them this defination?
I hate sify from the bottom of my heart.
Sameer said,
November 16, 2006 @ 2:46 am
Check out the consumer court decision against SIFY as regards such condition at: http://www.broadbandforum.in/Sify-Broadband-Lawsuit-t8436.html
& http://www.ankurraheja.com/weblog
kavita vasant said,
December 2, 2006 @ 9:52 am
hey guys - can anyone tell me what cud be a good internet service provider in Pune, basically in the Sangvi area
Mohit B said,
December 7, 2006 @ 7:34 am
I won’t recoomend BSNL. Just a land line connection took me 12 days!!! That is after visiting their office 7 times. I heard that their broadband service is not good either. Specially if it is broken, they won’t attend to it immediately. Big risk.
Tata Indicom provides broadband through Cable Modem. So does Hathway. If you are using VOIP or wireless router, it is a hassle to set it up. Otherwise, their services are very good.
Has anyone tried using AirtelBroadband? There are plenty of plans to confuse everyone. Not sure about the quality of service either. Please provide input if anyone is using Airtel.
Prathibha said,
December 20, 2006 @ 5:36 pm
Any idea how long it takes to get a broadband or DSL connection in Pune Aundh or Baner area?
thanks for any help !!
Sify broadband is a looser said,
January 17, 2007 @ 5:52 pm
Go for anything but sify broadband which isint really broadband
Go the internet services privided by the local golgappe wala or the sabzi wala but dont even look at sify..
Sify broadband just plain sucks and is the worst isp in the whole world…
Any doubts? come and check my connectivity error logs
ramu said,
February 5, 2007 @ 8:00 am
can anyone tell me what cud be a good internet service provider in Pune, basically in the patwardhanbag, null stop area.
Soumyadeb Ghosh said,
April 13, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
I am a customoer from Kolkata. Sify is good enough. But the problem arrise from the local internet provider. I face almsot 6 to 7 hours down every week. My package is unlimited of 256 kbps. But sometime it behaves likes maximum of 64 kbps. The maximum fault comes from the lcoal service provider.
sudheer said,
April 25, 2007 @ 6:27 am
i am using YOU tele com ltd broadband internet service, i have taken connect for 3 months - 1GB for 2mbps. but MB utlisation is very hugh. as per my usage (4 min - 1MB), i am not downlaoding anything, just browing and opening the websites.
-sudheer
Raj said,
May 22, 2007 @ 2:53 pm
Hehe you guys are talking about SIFY… I called them the other day to inquire about a new connection and I have received 4 calls promising to come and see me. If this is whats happening with new enquiries, I can only imagine whats happening with existing customers. And with the stories above, I think I will give them a miss. BTW I have a You telecom connection and they are just as worse. They have gone on record to state that that they are no obliged to guarantee any service…. Nice going for the idiots and YOU….
OH!! I see TRAI is sleeping……………. ssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh dont want to wake them up, they might actually do something….
Raj said,
May 22, 2007 @ 3:07 pm
HAH
I just sent an email to TRAI to the address published on their website and it bounced back!! http://www.trai.gov.in/contactus.asp
I dont think there is any hope at all.. correction to the earlier post. TRAI is DEAD
jagan mohan said,
June 13, 2007 @ 4:19 am
Hey..Guys…
Despite all the misgivings and dubious nature of the services promised and provided by SIFY and BSNL..it must be noted that there is hardly any alternative left to users in India. Airtel broadband in my experience is a good alternative but it is not available every where.
jagan mohan said,
June 13, 2007 @ 4:22 am
Can any one tell me what does Sify mean by usage of 150 MB between 8 am to 10 PM?
Rajarajan said,
June 16, 2007 @ 10:08 am
I agree Sify is looting money in the broadband. I have been using
ZeeNext ISP for which I was paying them Rs1121/- for 5 GB data limit.
My balance was carried forward to next month if I had recharged within
my expiry date. Now I’m using Sify and I’m paying Rs1222/- for unlimited
256 Kbps bandwith and it’s really worst, my download speed is just 10kb per sec where as I used to get 29 kbps using my ZeeNext.
I have no choice to get Airtel or BSNL.
Mrs. Anjalil B Balani said,
July 8, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
Hi friends, I would like to share my experience with you, how these sify people cheated me by taking six months subscription fee in advance and have not provided the services to me. I have lodged the complain with the chief of customer care sify broadband as follows.
Respected Sir,
I was your regular customer and your local agents’ attitude towards services was not proper. So I thought why to not take approach directly to the company to pay my subscription fee for six month, which I paid through e-card in the month of January 2007. Suddenly to my surprise company stopped giving me services with ought my knowledge. I thought that there is network problem. I went on complaining continuously with the local customer care on 261 77460 for registering my complain. But they failed to reply why my connection was not working. When I got angry on one of them on phone. One of them confessed that local cable network person Sonu wants his share, which according to him I had not paid to him, had switch off the network connection. Sir, here I want to submit that if any how if the local area agent is so powerful to decide whether the connection is to be continued or not. If any how he is authorised by you to act like that. It means you have appointed GUNDAS (Unfortunately he is my neighbour every day he visits my place ten times a day, but never said that he is the culprit and wants money for his share)at local level to extort their share of money from your customers. If I had to pay the money to that your GUNDA for subscription then company is accepting such subscription by e-card. I think your dual policies are responsible for such complications in providing services to the customer. Why don’t to clarify on net that If You will pay by e-card you will be required to pay separately to your LOCAL GUNDAS for availing services. When I continuously argued at your customer care centre at Mumbai regarding this matter, I will told by your person, that we have taken our money, now it is local GUNDS’s turn to extract money from you. If you want you connection to be reconnected you have to approach that GUNDA (Sonu) will decide now to reconnect my connection or not. Here I want to say you that I haven’t paid money to that GUNDA (SONU, the local operator. I have paid money to you. You are responsible to provide me services for the charges I have paid to you. It is none of my business to approach to your local GUNDAS for paying them ransom to reconnect my connection. Why you not disclosed this fact on the net that If customers will pay directly to the company subscription for net services they will have to pay again to local GUNDAS again under different headings. Sir, If you want to run this company, you need to look very seriously in such matters and solve customer grievances by abolishing dual policies made by your company.
At last, I want to alarm, warn to you that If you will ignore this complain as your subordinates have done in past, you will invite more problems in this case. I have undergone and have studied the cases against your company. and also have downloaded judgments of the cases you lost in the court of law. I am studying cyber-laws and crimes. Very soon you will come to know that I have filed case against you in the consumer court. Further, as other customers who have successfully won cases against you in the court of laws, as they have written blogs against your company’s services. I will also join with such customers and launch campaign against such customer unfriendly policies. It was very terrific to know that local person want his share of money and has disconnected the connection. It was very shocking to know from your customer care.
Kindly do something in this matter, other wise face in the consumer court.
Hopet that you will do the needful and resume my net services.
Mrs.Anjali Balani
Karthi said,
August 30, 2007 @ 8:40 am
Hi…
I just want to share my horrible experience with this Tata Indicom broadband services…..
Don’t even think of getting a tata indicom postpaid plan….
They are very interested in making a sale rather than providing support or correct billing…
Even i am not aware of the billing date due….
The worst billing department is operated by this tata indicom broadband people only…
vinodh said,
September 8, 2007 @ 7:14 pm
hello all,
I am a customer of bsnl broadband .i am in bangalore 560029 area.
i have unlimited home plan .rs 1000 .tax inclusive .
it is not high speed .but 99.9% reliability .
speed is 30 kbps .but they advertise it as 256 kps .
misleading .but connection is much better than private providers.
even if i download for 24 hours it doesnt disconnect .
i use 5gb per month average.
they process new connection application slowly .takes 1 month .
atleast they dont cheat .airtel broadband is ok.
sify is worst .reliance is very slow .
tata indicom cheated me .they charged 5000 .but delivered nothing .
dont take them .
regards
vinodh
leostar said,
September 27, 2007 @ 4:26 am
i took 128kbps unlimited plan 750plan ..airtel broadband connection 1 mth back…just frustrated with it..speed sucks…only 8-10kbps downloading speed..that is almost equal to the earlier dialup satyam connection i had … these all service providers r cheating the indian public…we should take help of media to bring justice…plz all of u try writing to news channels for help…this is not done…
i think these service providers think the indian public is stupid…they always have some hidden rule in each plan …
so common guys lets stand together n kick their a**
StoneCold said,
October 6, 2007 @ 6:23 pm
in india we are forced to take one of this isps im feeling really sorry for india other countrys hav high speed net like T1 T2 etc speeds go upto 40mbps damn here we not even getting 2mbps unlimited at a decent price we have to do some thing people May God Hepls india to grow net speeds and crash down prices thats atleast every1 can pray
Shailender Sharma said,
October 30, 2007 @ 1:18 pm
I just want to say that don’t just post blogs. Please for God’s (& Self) Sake do something. Let be unite in one place (Delhi or somewhere else) and take some legal action against these ISPs. If not then keep on blogging but remember it won’t do anything helpful. SO PLEASE WAKE UP & MAKE A REVOLUTION FOR INDIAN’S BETTER IT FUTURE & SERVICES.
Will YOU?
pnrkumar said,
November 27, 2007 @ 11:06 am
Hi,
recently I’ve renewed my net account of sify. The third day it said that my account has been expired. I wonder how is it possible and reffered my session details, it says that I’ve downloaded around 903MB of data from morning 8:00AM to 3:45PM. (In this time I was in office) and nobody was there in my home. I disconnected the connection.)
With their Unlimited scam, it seems there is some frauds also there in sify. Doing all these mischives.
Psysum said,
March 17, 2008 @ 10:04 am
Sify,
Is the most pathetic service provider with a bunch of dump people who are on calls.complain taken several times resolution made zero times.with 30 days of validity one would be able to access connection only for 25 days with a speed like a local net provider who is charging just Rs-10.the connection which i have taken charges goes like this:
Installation - Rs - 1500/-
Monthly Chrg - Rs - 1120/-
Calling Customer Care for Complaining -Rs - 300/-
guys prefer anyother service provider rather than being cheted by sify slowband.
Kobita said,
April 4, 2008 @ 6:27 am
I use 900 BSNL plan with a monthly dowload limit of 2.5GB which isn’t much really. Which is the best plan out there for unlimited dowload access?
I don’t mind paying Rs.2000 atleast! I am in Bangalore
lightgreen said,
April 5, 2008 @ 7:36 pm
guys i recently changed from bsnl 256 home to 900 unlimited
and the speed chage from 1.05 mb to 256kb
i downloaded 5 gb in first 3 days more to come
although speed is very less now around 20 kB for normal and 30 kBps for torrents but its ok as i download around 7 hr ansd 12 hr on weekends
anubhav said,
June 7, 2008 @ 3:21 pm
Can anyone tell me the speed of the 750 plan of the bsnl that is unlimited download.
It sucks please tell me it is just the fault at the servers a movie download takes almost 20 hrs and before like when i was using the 500 plan i could have downloaded that movie in 3 hrs
Please just tell me how’s that Possible
and where to complain
can i go to the Consumer Court
rahul said,
June 11, 2008 @ 10:13 am
Gosh!all these slowband connections are pathetic in india.all i can say is pray & plz go 2 consumer court & file as many fraud cases as u can against all these fraud ISP`s.plz dont leave them once u get bck ur connection remember how much pain & stress it took 4 u guys 2 get bck ur connection.if possible file police case against their false allegations & ofcourse hidden charges ,false publicity all other things that completly MISLEAD indian public.
Husain said,
October 24, 2008 @ 5:21 am
It seems that the TRAI is regulated by these broadband providers