SHAMPA SAHA, deputy general manager (broadband), Calcutta Telephones, met readers of The Telegraph to answer their queries. Participants included Diptimoy Ghosh, Ranjan Das, S.M. Chakravarty, Sandip Banerjee, Supriya Das, Lalit Singh Nahar, Subhadyuti Datta, Sandip Sil, Monidipa Karmakar, P.K. Chakraborty, P.K. Datta, Biplab Das, R.N. Yadav, Samit Deb, P.K. Mukherjee and Habibur Rahman

Ranjan Das: I am a Home 500 DataOne broadband user. The system of tabulating the night-time unlimited usage data (between 2 am and 8 am) is faulty. If I start to surf after 2 am, the data is calculated properly. But if I am surfing from before 2 am, then the usage during the free usage period is not tabulated accurately.

There may have been some technical problems initially. The software has been upgraded to iron out the glitches. If the problem persists, please submit an application to our central broadband unit. Your grievance will be redressed.

Subhadyuti Datta: I am under the 2411 exchange in Ranikuthi and have been using a Home 500 DataOne broadband connection for the past few months. I have been facing a lot of problems since the installation, but the biggest is not being able to reach anyone at BSNL for help. The helpline numbers given along with the installation CD are useless as no one picks up the telephone or whoever picks up is clueless.

To register a normal telephone fault complaint, dial 198 or contact your local exchange. For broadband related problems, dial 1600-424-1600. The helpline works round the clock and the set up has been bolstered to provide extra support. If you still face problems please inform me.

P.K. Datta: I am a DataOne subscriber since September 2005. From the day of the installation I have been facing problems in connecting to the Internet. My friends too are facing similar problems. Calls to the local exchange and the broadband helpline are useless. No one has followed up on a complaint I registered at least four months back.

The helpline has been upgraded to deliver customer service round the clock. I hope you will appreciate the improvement that we have brought about over the past four months. To fix your problem you can dial 1600-424-1600 or contact the divisional engineer (external) of your exchange. If your problem still isn?t redressed, get in touch with me.

Biplab Das: The modem that I bought from BSNL for accessing broadband becomes very hot within minutes of being switched on. Will BSNL repair the modem if it stops working?

The modems are not supposed to become very hot since they have an in-built ventilation mechanism. You can call up the broadband helpline or contact the divisional engineer (external) of your exchange to get your modem replaced.

Monidipa Karmakar: Most PCO operators charge Rs 2 for local calls, while some charge Rs 1.50. What is the actual rate?

The actual rate is Rs 1.33. A PCO operator cannot charge Rs 2 for a local call.

Ranjan Das: A PCO operator on Darga Road, near Don Bosco School, has been charging customers even if the connection isn?t established. A number of people are getting cheated this way. Can?t you take a step in this regard?

His machine might be configured in such a way that it shows a call even if the connection isn?t established. You can lodge a complaint against the operator with the vigilance wing of Calcutta Telephones.

Subhadyuti Datta: After getting an excessive bill I started locking my telephone, but without any result. Isn?t your locking device foolproof?

You probably lock your telephone by dialling 124 XXXX1, where XXXX is your four-digit secret code. For better results, lock it by dialling 124XXXX2. This will block the STD, ISD, trunk booking and mobile phone calling facilities.

Concluded