Poor infrastructure, services leave BSNL consumers frustrated

Tribune News Service

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Jammu, December 17

Post abrogation of Article 370, the BSNL, only broadband Internet provider in Jammu, is allegedly harassing its customers, who are unable to lodge complaints as the staff has fails to respond to repeated phone calls.

The BSNL had been considered as a sinking ship in Jammu and Kashmir after the launch of Jio and 4G data launched by other operators, The mobile Internet ban has given a boost to the government-operated company, as none of the private operator has broadband service in Jammu and Kashmir. Jio fiber is available in a few localities of Jammu city only.

After the mobile Internet ban in J&K from August 5, people have been thronging the BSNL offices, as it is the only option left with them to use Internet, but the poor infrastructure of the BSNL has failed to provide quality service to the people.

“I am decades-old customer of the BSNL broadband, but I was hardly using it before August 5. But now, it is the only mean of Internet available. But the poor service of the BSNL is irritating. My Internet remained disrupted for about seven times till August and it has miserable speed,” said Ankush Sharma, a resident of Roop Nagar.

“I lodged my complaint to the customer care on Thursday, but it is yet to be addressed. Sometimes they close the complaint without rectifying the fault,” he added.

People also complain that the officials never pick their calls to address the issues and whenever they visit the office, they get nothing except assurances.

“None of the official take the calls and their linemen hardly visit the spot. There is mesh of wires on the pole and lot of disturbance in the line. They neither have the proper junction box, nor the dedicated linemen,” said Avinash Dogra, another broadband user.

“Most of the BSNL linemen are rehired by the department. Most of them are above 60-years, who cannot climb the pole and rectify the fault,” he added.

Despite repeated attempts, none of the BSNL official was available for comment.