Sunday 21 March 2010

BSNL EVDO Data card availability only on paper!

If you had noticed the ads by BSNL in newspapers, featuring ever smiling Deepika Padukone and Abhinav Bindra, about the EVDO Data Cards they are offering now for discounted prices, you tend to believe that the EVDO Data cards are readily available. As per the ad, for customers activating the EVDO postpaid unlimited data plan till 31st March 2010, fixed monthly rental will be Rs.750 instead of Rs.999. Though there are intial charges like Activation Charges(Rs.500), price of Data Card(Rs.3500)/monthly rental for the card(Rs.200) and refundable security deposit(Rs.1000), it seemed like a good bet. But when you do a reality check by contacting the BSNL Customer Service Center, the story is entirely different.Deepika Padukone and Abhinav Bindra in BSNL EVDO Card AdWhen I contacted the Executive at BSNL Customer Service Center at Vijayanagar, Bangalore, he said there are no EVDO Data cards available as of now. Though the ads are in place, they say they have not been supplied enough EVDO Data Cards. Instead he offers me a NIC(Network Interface card), with max speed upto 144 kbps. Well, why do I go for that, when my BSNL Broadband connection(Dataone) offers much more than that speed(256 kbps). He adds that though the max speed is 144 kbps, NIC average speed may be upto 100 kbps. Then, when I tell the area where I reside, he reduces average speed further. BSNL NIC Card uses CDMA 1x technology, predecessor of CDMA 1x EVDO, offers speed upto 144 kbps whereas BSNL EVDO Card offers upto 3.1 Mbps. BSNL Customer Service executive also informed that the average speed offered by EVDO Card can be upto 1 Mbps. Voila, who would not want such a speed on a wireless internet card!

Well, my main intention was to get EVDO Data Card which offers higher speed than the BSNL broadband. More importantly, I am fed up with the frequent connection lost scenarios with BSNL Broadband. Also, pricewise current discount matches with the unlimited usage offer by BSNL Broadband Dataone connection, I am currently having for Rs.750. Hoping for the things to improve at BSNL.

For FAQs on NIC and EVDO Cards by BSNL, you can visit this BSNL link and for the tariff plans, click here.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Data card is easy to carry and simplify their regular tasks wether business or personal. Data card eliminates your dependency on someone's internet connection. With data card technology and data card plans, indian people are experiencing better life.

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