Thread: Need help regarding BSNL H250 Plan

Hello,

We have subscribed to the BSNL H250 plan in DEC/2005. According to the plan we get free browsing and 1GD download and upload. During jan/2007 the connection started to have problems. It used to get disconnected very often and our constant contacts to the help center didn't offer much help. Later the connection became completely useless with the web pages failing to load. I mean, it used to connect to the server but the web page used to be blank except the message "Page cannot be displayed" most of the times. Later when we tried to disconnect it wouldn't unless we pull out the modem connection. since browsing was free sometimes we used to wait for a long time in the hope that the page would load meanwhile doing other work. But we were shocked when in the month of april we got a bill of 7000Rs. We immediately reported the excessive billing to the concerned person but to no avail and the next month we received a bill of 10000 Rs. Is there any way to prove that I havent dowloaded or uploaded the amount of data they are stating. Since i am planning to go to the consumer forum is there any chance of me winning my case?

prathima

well this is really pathetic.have u spent all ur bills? i think u should go to the consumer forum. if ur so sure that u haven't used BB heavily. have u gave BSNL any application in the hard copy (written application) about the excess billing? i mean these kind of things are lot of useful later. well i am not sure, but u may be victim of the password theft. if ur BB is not port binded, then any person by using ur BSNL BB ID & Password can use ur Connection from other phone line & PC. but i think BSNL have habit of delivering excess bills to its consumers. i recommend u to launch the complaint on BSNL's national site Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.- India's No. 1 Telecommunications Company. here there is special facility for consumer grievance. also report this issue to the TRAI (telecom regulatory authority of india). ur case will take lot of time. but taking things to the end will definately gain u something.

If you could prove to them that you have not used up your plan at all during this period, you can actually win this situation, but are you sure that you have not downloaded anything during this period, anyone else from your home could have downloaded without your knowing, just confirm it and go ahead with your consumer forum!

a.now this may seem off topic but what antivirus softwre do u have (name and version)

b.wat do you mean by "free browsing"??? when you open a page (say Google ), you are uploadind and downloading. now something like google eats peanuts but hotmail is hot with so many pictures, flash ads so on and so forth. download does not mean downloading a song or somthin. it includes browsing (opening and closing websites).

c.now that u know about upload-download, may i know how many hrs a day u used to browse (if its not too personal).

d.tell us how much usage u had at the Rs.10,000 bill (i mean, you've been had)

p.s:is it an internal modem?? let us know the model no. of the modem please!!!

dsr

@lohik
what do u mean by "nahi lagega"???:-)

This appears to be a classic case of bandwidth theft.

Your case is not very strong, most unfortunately. You have no solid proof that you did not do the browsing during that period.

The only silver lining in the dark clouds is your previous usage pattern. You can show that you have been within limits for all this time till your huge bill.

BSNL will also have records of the sites visited during the high usage period. You are entitled to ask for that report.

whats bandwidth theft and how do we prevent it?????

Case 1:
Bandwitdh theft happens when someone else logs in using your username and password. This can happen only if the internet connection is not tied to your phone number (this is called as port-binding). If your real IP address is 117.x.x.x then you have no need to fear as your connection will work only from your phone (not even another phone line in the same house).

Solution: The only way to prevent this theft (if your connection is not port-binded) is change your BSNL password. Keep it changing every month.

Case 2:
Bandwidth theft can also occur in a wireless network. If you have installed a wireless router, your SSID is visible and you have no wireless security, then anyone within the radius can catch your signal and use your bandwidth.

Solution: Implement Wireless Security. Use WPA-TKIP or WPA2-TKIP+AES method only.

Case 3:
Spyware and Malware can steal your bandwidth.

Solution: Install strong AV and Anti-Spy software. Clean your PC.

First, i would like to thank all of you for your response.

@logik and xwhyz

yes we have given several written complaints to which they persistently replied that the logins and logouts are from the same portal. They have also sent us our login details with amount of upload and download done during each login. But as i have mentioned earlier i was facing problems with the connection at that time. Only after several attempts would i be able to connect to the server. I used to get the message "page cannot be displayed" when i tried to open any website. The few times when i was lucky enough the only sites i did open were gmail, yahoomail and sometimes google and orkut. And as i was the only one using the net i am 100% sure that i never have done anything that could cross the limit of 1GB or 2GB to the max.


@devvratsrathore

It was clearly stated in the H250 plan that they provide free browsing. But i am aware that during opening and closing the websites a certain amount of download happens. But just by opening and closing a website or by leaving a website open for a few hours would nearly 6,600MB of data be transfered?

I have used smartAX MT882(exernal modem) provided by dataone.

While i was using BSNL H250 my usage never exceeded an approximate of one hour a day give or take a few minutes which can also be proved by the login details sent by BSNL themselves.

Coming to the antivirus software, i used Norton Antivirus but it was not a latest version. Though i upgraded my system and software later.

and by "nahi lagega" logik means that it would not connect. which was true in my case.

@just4kix

I know my case is weak but yes i have my previous bills which clearly state that with only an exception of two months i was never charged more than 250Rs. And during the other two months because of a project work i have exceeded the usual limit. but even that did not cross 2GB .

If you have copies of previous complaints and documents regarding downloads, etc. then it makes you case much stronger. You should fight the case.

Yes i have indeed prepared my defense with highlighted login details that show constant disconnection along with my previous bills and complaints. I would be sending them a lawyer notice most probably today or tommorow. I am not going to give up.

That's right. My best wishes.

wont THEY BE ABEL TO FIND OUT THE IF ID N PASS IS STOLEN N USED THROUGH ANOTHER PHONE CONN.....................I AM SURE THEY CAN KNOW WHO USED HIS ID .............WONT THEY HAVE RECORD OF WHICH ID IS BEING USED FROM WHICH NO............:

i don't think that surfing is free in any plan except UL Plans.


Whenever u open any site data is downloaded/uploaded thus, surfing is never free and is counted in ur alloted quota of bandwidth.

yes don't excuse them..but i wud like to suggest some thign different........u probably meet the DGM or GM of the BSNL of ur district first....if any one kind enough, can resolve the issue at the internal level.......m perticiularly asking for the DGM & above level management coz contacting the lower ppl is always irratating & they just can't guide u proper way..........once in my BB Prob i contacted the DGM after fighting with the SDEs & clarks of the BSNL BB for about 25 days after the meeting the DGM, i got my issue resolved in the 30 min

all the best for the case

I agree with Logik this case should be taken at a higher level. Make sufficient ground before going to court and all.

There are two possibilities here
1) A password theft. This can be verified if you if taken the matter to appropriate person. (A complaint to account section may not yield any result)

2) Unseen background traffic created by virus. Whether the ADSL and LAN LEDs were flashing non stop while you left the web page opened for hours. (Double clicking LAN icon in system tray and opening the Local Area Connection Status to sees whether the packets increasing at faster rate is also method to find background traffic.)

I feel even for virus problem you are eligible for a rebate. Wsh you success.

totally agree wid logik. ask the enqury 4 the GM's no. and take an appointment. my conn. konked of for a month once and no one was doing any thing abt it. a call to the boss got the wheels turning.

ps:if they still act unsupportive, a mail to the local paper would probably help