------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660 Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------- Dialling '95' at local call cost? Think again ------------------------------------------------------------- Do you believe that the '95' telephone number to Mumbai is at the cost of a local call? You are wrong if you do.The '95' call you make to relatives and friends in Mumbai in fact costs four times as much as a local call does.The lack of adequate awareness on this and a dozen other facilities offered by BSNL were animately discussed at an 'open house session' held in the city on Thursday.
A significant suggested which was conceded by the BSNL officials was one that sought the provision of a 'complaint book' at all exchanges. This book will have a provision for an 'action taken report', to make the system more consumer-friendly.
The session organised for BSNL's customers from Tiswadi taluka was attended by civic and consumer Forums of Socorro, Nerul, Merces, Divar and Chorao. Noted consumer activist, Roland Martins of the Goa Civic and Consumer Action Network (GoaCAN) among others, also attended.
Participants pointed out that the lack of information about the facilities available had repercussions such as consumers being of the impression that the '95 call' to Mumbai was a local call, resulting in high billing. "Lack of awareness and adequate publicity about the facilities such as 95 call facility to Mumbai has resulted in consumers considering the call as a local one, when actually the rate is four times higher," was the concern voiced by Martins."The pulse rate difference for every 50 kilometres is also not known to many consumers," Martins pointed out.
The session also brought out that information given to the public on redressal mechanisms such as the 198 complaint recording system and the call centre number 1500 was inadequate. As a result, a number of women and senior citizens were avoiding using this facility.
Another suggestion put forth was that pamphlets be made available at all the exchanges explaining the use of these facilities.The authorities present, including Area Manager (Central) B Praveen Kumar agreed to the recommendation that a complaint book be maintained at the respective exchange to record complaints under various categories. This, it was opined, would do away with the need for consumers to complain to the linesmen and the exchange.
The book would have a separate column for the Action Taken Report and comments of the junior telecom officer concerned, it was agreed.The authorities also agreed to the suggestion that officials such as the junior telecom officer and sub-divisional engineer meet the affected consumers at their respective exchanges on fixed days and timings.
They also agreed to the suggestion made by the Nerul Civic and Consumer Forum that senior officers like the Area Manager, Accounts Officer and the Divisional Engineer visit the village and interact with the consumers so that local issues can get resolved.
Both the Socorro and the Merces forums brought up the issue of high rentals, even though they were rural villages. To this, the Area Manager replied that the rentals would be looked into. Kumar also said that in the next year BSNL would be replacing the Divar exchange, which is already 10 years old. BSNL has already started phasing it out, he added. He made the remarks in response to a grievance voiced by a resident of Divar who claimed that the islanders were troubled with their calls getting disconnected.
Many complaints were made about telephone bills being excessively large, despite the calls they make being few. To this, the BSNL authorities advised that the dynamic lock facility be made use of to prevent any unauthorised use of calls.It was also suggested that linesmen be transferred from time to time, as they could know who has got the ISD connection, and make use of it.
A consumer from Porvorim suggested that the number of outlets where bills can be paid such as banks be increased, and that drop-boxes be introduced at post offices. Promoting awareness about these outlets through the efficient use of the media, was also suggested."Punctuality and efficiency of the staff has to be improved, if BSNL's rapport with consumers has to improve. If you go to any office, the staff is not there on time, or they send you to some one else, and the situation is not improving", claimed the Porvorim consumer.
Other problems such as non maintenance of telephone wires pulled from the street poles to residences, many poles not having telephone wires connected to a D P box, and low Internet speed were also brought up at the session.In response to a query, Mr Kumar informed the representatives of five villages present that BSNL would take at least a year to make new telephone directories available.
All the forums present felt that a one day notice calling the BSNL customers for an open house session was insufficient. They also said that these sessions should be held regularly so that BSNL can get a constant feedback from the consumer.
Martins also stressed that BSNL create awareness about the various facilities available: where telephone bills can be paid, advantages, disadvantages and technical problems of facilities like 198 complaint recording system."The technological shift has to happen at the lower level as well. Linesmen have to be educated; they don't know what is Internet", he added. ----------------------------------- HERALD 26/3/04 page 1 -----------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOA CIVIC AND CONSUMER ACTION NETWORK --------------------------------------------------------------------------- an initiative of GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE to promote civic and consumer rights in Goa --------------------------------------------------------------------------- GOACAN Post Box 78 Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goacan.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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