Bsnl service in pune gets on you big time.

Firstly they outsource the modem installation to a private firm. Customers who don't better opt for the 'help' offered.
It's ok you would say.
But what do you make of this ?

It's been over 10 days since our connectivity is down. I figured it was a problem from the service as the 'link' LED would blink for some time before going down. This cycle would repeat without it getting steady.
So it's a connection problem I deduced. The log messages in my laptop (a fedora core 7 installation) confirmed the same.

How does one lodge a complaint?

Well the official number is 1500 which is offered for namesake and you can be sure that nobody will be there to either register or follow-up your complaint.

Ok, no problem you may say. Let's go to the office. The office is located opposite the Enfield showroom, adjoining the post-office (for our area).
One thing that strikes you is that there is no process for registering and handling complaints at the customer care centre itself. Still, an official gives us his word that he would send over a line technician to check our connection.

Well, let's see what happens now.
The line technician comes to our home, presumably checks the telephone line and deduces that the line is ok and that it is a modem related problem. He didn't even need to switch on the modem or do anything with the PC (SO HOW ON EARTH DID HE DEDUCE THAT IT IS A MODEM PROBLEM??). This was done in my absence and my mom didn't know how she could any better.
The line-technician gives my mom a reference to the firm that handled the modem installation.

Well, Well... things are not going good
I take my laptop and modem to our good neighbour's home whose bsnl dataone connection is fortunately up. I hook up and presto, the link line is functioning normally. I check the log messages and I see that the link is up alright.
A call to the modem installation firm at 020-64006700 has me talking with a guy who claims that he can sort out my problem despite me explaining my best that it is NOT A MODEM RELATED PROBLEM.
He say's that notwithstanding the nature of the problem he can fix it but his service is a paid service for a nominal amount of Rs 150/-

Why make a fuss for 150 Rs/- ? Why make a fuss at all if your connection goes down periodically (every 6 months, almost precisely).
Why make a fuss if almost every other consumer of this service encounters this kind of a problem and is having to shell out his money for a problem that's not his creation?

I think the only reason is that the broadband service is good. Just that the customer service ensures that the consumer gets a NIGHTMARE OF A SERVICE.