Call drops and super-slow Internet connectivity are steadily eroding BSNL's subscriber base in Jamshedpur and the Kolhan region.
According to an insider, landline connections have declined to around 42,000 from 70,000 in 2012 while more and more people are giving up their mobile subscriptions every day. Broadband customers are running away too.
"Jamshedpur SSA (secondary switching area) comprises all the three districts of Kolhan. There are more than 12,000 postpaid subscribers and over 500,000 prepaid ones. On an average, we receive 15 applications for surrender every day," said a BSNL employee, adding that they had also stopped getting a fair number of applications for new postpaid connections.
Ambika Prasad, a businessman in Sakchi, said in addition to call drops, repeated complaints to the BSNL grievance cell went unheard. "I had been a BSNL customer for 15 years. But two days ago, I took the big decision. I stopped recharging my prepaid SIM and switched over to a private service provider," he added.
Ajay Kumar, a software professional who has to depend on broadband service, is exasperated. "The service in Kadma, where I stay, is so slow that you lose your nerves sometimes. My complaints to BSNL have been ignored. I am mulling change, but am sceptical about private service providers," he said.
So, why is BSNL suffering this bizarre network problem in Jamshedpur SSA while subscribers in other cities are not complaining?
A company insider maintained that telephone exchanges were not being maintained properly and snags in optical fibre cables or OFCs were being largely neglected, resulting in poor service.
Under the Jamshedpur SSA, which comprises the twin districts of Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan, there are 216 base transceiver stations or BTS and 86 telephone exchanges. All these are interconnected through a network of OFCs.
Insiders said the BSNL had proper infrastructure, both indoors and outdoors. The outdoor set-up includes distribution lines from telephone exchanges to end users while the indoor set-up comprises switch rooms, main distribution frame or MDF, battery room and media, which has satellite links and also links with the OFC network.
Only BSNL possesses satellite leased lines provided by the department of telecommunication. Private operators take their satellite links from BSNL, they pointed out.
"Since telephone exchanges for landlines and BTS for cellular service are not properly maintained, connectivity problems crop up," said another BSNL employee. "Subscribers of private mobile service providers too suffer because these companies take limited leased lines from BSNL. With the growing number of subscribers, it creates congestion in the network," he added.
A section of insiders also claimed that BSNL services went from bad to worse after B.N. Singh joined Jamshedpur SSA as general manager in 2012.
But Singh, who is now senior general manager, saw no extensive connectivity issue when this correspondent sought his comments. "We had a stray problem in mobile services because of optical cables being damaged during widening work on NH-33. That has been taken care of. There are no network issues anymore," he said.
