Sify Broadband Review: The Second Edition
I did the first review after around 5 months of using it. Therefore, thought why not update it considering it is almost 5 months to that review itself. I had some good times using Sify Broadband but in the later days, it has all gone wrong. This post talks about most of these things. The good thing is that the Blog has a decent readership now and most of the people reading this Blog have had similar experiences. Some had even worse issues with Sify Broadband with one lady not even getting the connection after paying the full payment in advance because the CTO she paid the money left the dealership of Sify Broadband!
The Connectivity
The mode of connectivity has remained the same. We still have hanging wires and switches with power supplies that keep on burning and frying. It rains, and the entire network goes down. Recovery period ranges from a few hours to two full days.
About my personal network. It so happened that most of my initial problems were due to a faulty power wiring that the CTO had done initially. It led to overheating of power supplies, which led to frequent failure of connectivity. It took them 6 months to realize this. Moreover, they disconnected me for a whole week just to get that fixed. Some days later, they found that their own power supply was not reaching at optimum capacity at the switch powering my home. I had to give away power from my house to compensate for that. I am not sure how many more switches I am powering from my house… as they take away a power cable from my house to a pole 100 meters from my house. Let us hope, it does not power someone’s AC or something!
Installation is still very expensive. Something that would be coming down in the coming months with competition getting hotter. Just milking the helpless customers while they can.
Local CTO Support
None comes to mind. They fired the only guy I had in my area that comes to my help. I still do not have a CTO in my sector. The nearest concerned office is like 5KM from my house. None of the owners picks up the phone. There is no central number. Only one guy responds and mostly he has either expletives for the Sify people or excuses. Most of the time I have to call the guys in Chandigarh office to get the responses from the CTO himself. Other times someone from Chandigarh office has to come to Panchkula to get my net fixed.
Local Sify Support
Weekends are again nothing. No one is in office on weekends or after 8PM. So, if you have a problem in these times, you are helpless. Other times, they are polite and responsive. However, with little coordination with the CTO, it takes a hell lot of time to get problems solved.
Sify Broadband Call Center
From an earlier average of 60% success rate to just get through to them, it has now reached around 20%. Therefore, I get through to some kind soul in 1 out of 5 tries. Most of the time it happens to be some dumb girl. One or two times, I got hold of some rather helpful guy. However, sitting in the call center, he is as helpless as I am at my house. The best he can do is forward the complaint to the next concerned person. As a result, problems can take 6-10 hrs to be heard. Solution even more so.
Sify Broadband Customer Care
Earlier, it was good. I used to get responses. Just that actually. Nothing actually helped me most of the times. Just false promises and claims. Now, it has gone worse. Many times mails just bounces due to overfilling of their mailboxes. Rest of the times there are no responses. I am myself waiting for replies to mails I sent 2 weeks back.
Sify Broadband Packages
Bad packages. None that suits me at least. They are targeted either at uncle and aunties wanting to call their NRI kids occasionally, or at users who are upgrading from dialup considering they feel low prices a blessing. Also, for people who surf at night and night only. Considering most of the packages are hours or data transfer bonded. The packages with unlimited limits are labeled shared and are only available in speeds of 32 and 48 kbps totally bastardizing the term Broadband in the process. Moreover, considering it is labeled shared, you can get speeds that are much lower than labeled speeds. Also, if we consider TRAI’s recommendation Sify Broadband has only one package that provides actual broadband speeds. On these packages, they charge around Rs. 2.50 per megabyte. So, what they are doing is milking the customers while they can, considering there is no real broadband competition they have in most of the markets. I happen to live in one of them.
Speeds
People on the night package of 128kbps seem to be very happy. But I am stuck with the shared plan of 48kbps+. It manages to touch that speeds during the nighttime. But at daytime, it ranges from 16-24kbps. I complain, they say since it is a shared package I would be getting speeds like these. But the fact is that the package shows 48kbps+ on their website with no indication on what Shared means. What I heard from the Sify Customer Care is that no minimum speed is guaranteed. So you are practically being screwed.
Technical Facts
Their new broadband client is a mess. Uses 7-8megs RAM. Logs off randomly. Does not let me login automatically on boot. Takes 2 clicks to logout and 3 to login. Does not use Windows own components.
No port is apparently blocked. I have used Kazaa and Torrent clients without any problem. But pings to external sites are blocked. So are trace routes. So, if you are a network administrator you would hate it.
Network reliability is crappy. 3 days and my local network have issues with dropping data packets and they still think it is not a big deal. If you ask for better reliability, you are told by the CTOs and Sify Representative to go for BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY which bypasses the CTO and cost INR 50,000. I find that really funny and unfortunate.
Conclusion
The only reason to go for Sify Broadband is if you desperately need a net connection (notice I did not mention broadband connection) and do not have any other alternative.
[...] he new client is pathetic. Takes precious RAM takes too much effort to login and logout. Where is broadband? I do not see it anywhere on their product plan. The o [...]
[...] till confused when we will see real broadband in India for common users. I have criticized Sify for their atrocious packages for ages now. Other companies seem to h [...]
[...] decided to post an independent article for it… Totally unedited and syndicated from here: Hi all, I am Prasad, yet another unfortunate soul to [...]
I also asked them and got the 50000 affer. Anyone in their sense would not use it for home connectivity !!!
I got a rude answer from a guy in customer care and made a big ruckus till he personally apologized. I am tired of being stuck with a six month package and I dont want to be insulted in addition too !!!
Prasanna
Hi all,
I am Prasad, yet another unfortunate soul to have been cheated by Sify. It is very unfortunate that so many of us have been CHEATED so badly by Sify. Sify Broadband SUCKS BIG TIME. I would say that even if some of you out there are spending a lot on ur existing dial-up connection, persists with it. U are fortunate that atleast on the nth try u are connected. There are some poor souls like us who have ended up paying hundreds of Rupees to these Sify A*#@$!##s and still dont have a connection for days together.
The Errors and problems with Sify are innumerable ranging from IP conflicts in the network to the gateway being down..or any other damn reason.. They (Sify) provide one SHITTY customer care which again like their Internet connection doesnt work. If u are fortunate and get connected to the customer care all u end up doing is shouting your lungs out about the bad service u are getting..and all u get are dozens of reference numbers for the problem…and usually no solution.
To add to the customers woes..they have come up with yet another unique way to torture us. Their NEW Sify broadband Client (which has a new version released with bug fixes almost every other day). These people are providing some latest antivirus (McAfee Secure Synergy) free to all their customers..thats good u would say…but guess what..this antivirus gets downloaded along with the client (compulsarily). which starts installation as soon as it is downloaded. If one does not want that free antivirus s/w (most of us already have some latest antivirus software with all the updates with which we are happy) he/she has to call up sify customer care and tell them your IP and userid after which they will bypass the antivirus download for ur IP.? Why the HELL to make things so complicated???…every time there is an IP conflict and the local CTO changes my local ip…do i need to waste time calling up the customer care again and again..?
Why cant they simply provide two links for the client (with and w/o the antivirus)?
Apart from all these..the packages are SHITTY! none of the packages (limited or unlimited) give the promised speeds..unlimited packages already have sick speed limits..some package states as Unltd 32Kbps+.all u get normally in this package is about 10 (Max) Kbps..pages like google take ages to load.. U call up the customer care and they say that they need proof that U are getting such low speeds.. send them screenshots about the sick speeds u are getting and they reply that since it is a shared connection speeds can vary and the bandwidth is not dedicated. WHAT is BROADBAND?? a speed of 4-10 Kbps?…i would get better speeds on my phone line.
The Bottom line is NEVER EVER IN YOUR WILDEST DREAMS THINK ABOUT GETTING A SIFY CONNECTION…U’LL END UP BEING CHEATED…(THESE PEOPLE AT SIFY ARE EXPERT CHEATERS)
SOME OF THE 1001 REASONS WHY TO SAY NO TO SIFY
==============================================
1.THEY WILL GET ALL UR MONEY AND U WONT GET INTERNET CONNECTION.
2.THEIR BROADBAND CLIENT WILL SCREW UP YOUR PC BIG TIME.
3. YOU WILL GET SO FRUSTRATED THAT U’LL NEVER THINK ABOUT GETTING A BROADBAND CONNECTION EVER AGAIN
4. INSTEAD OF BEING BUSY DOING WORK U’LL ONLY BE BUSY CALLING
UP THE SIFY CUSTOMER CARE FOR SOLVING SOME PROBLEM
5. NONE OF THE PACKAGES OFFERED BY SIFY ARE GOOD.
(ALL OF THEM SUCK)
6. TRAVELLING TO YOUR NEAREST CYBERCAFE OR SURFING THE NET
ON A DIAL-UP (PHONE) CONNECTION WOULD CAUSE U LESS PAIN, MONEY AND SUFFERING
AND MANY MORE..
IF ANY BODY FINDS SOME REASON GOOD ENOUGH TO GET A
SIFY BROADBAND CONNECTION U ARE FREE TO CONTACT ME
@ prasad_go@rediffmail.com
Support Ankur Raheja in his fight for justice…These sify B##!#!#!! deserved to get sued.
( P.S. SIFY HAS GOT ISO:9001 CERTIFICATION FOR BUGGING THEIR
EXISTING CUSTOMERS WITH INCREASINGLY SUBSTANDARD SERVICE
AND SUCCESSFULLY MANAGING TO FOOL NEWER CUSTOMERS)
hi guys
I have worked for the sify BB technical team……..and most of time what i found is 90% problems are related with cust and his machine…..where as there are hardly few issues from sify side….
u guys visit all porn sites and get installed all spyware and adwares and virus on ur machine,…..and then shout on sify for low speed and not able to connection………its not Sify who is putting virus in ur comp its u who doesnt know how to use internet safly……
I DO Agree that there are Few connectivity issues….which are due to poor maintenance by Cable TV operators….and SIFY doesnt have access to there network since its there Cable tv operators property…..instead of shouting in SIFY cust care…u can shout on ur CTO and ask him to improve his network……..
Also SIFY is only ISP who is having there better cust care call center and Technical team support for back end…..
And what u want when u r taking NON Commercial PACKs and asking or demanding for COMMERCIAL service how is that possible….
If u really want to see how good is sify in cust service then grab more than 15 users in ur building or locality and take direct connection from SIFY Onnly if ur cto is not giving u proper servioce………..
ITs not that i m sify employee …..i have worked for Hathway and my close friend has worked for exatt also……and after that i came to conclusion that SIFY much better than others…….
anyways bye for now….
YOG
hi guys
I have worked for the sify BB technical team��..and most of time what i found is 90% problems are related with cust and his machine�..where as there are hardly few issues from sify side�.
u guys visit all porn sites and get installed all spyware and adwares and virus on ur machine,�..and then shout on sify for low speed and not able to connection���its not Sify who is putting virus in ur comp its u who doesnt know how to use internet safly��
I have been working on computers since 1997. I know my computer quite well. Airtel is working fine here with the same computer which had TONS of problems with Sify Broadband. So, well forgive me when I say… Sify Sucks.
I DO Agree that there are Few connectivity issues�.which are due to poor maintenance by Cable TV operators�.and SIFY doesnt have access to there network since its there Cable tv operators property�..instead of shouting in SIFY cust care�u can shout on ur CTO and ask him to improve his network��..
Who chooses the cable operators? Me? No. it is Sify who has to chose decent service providers.
Also SIFY is only ISP who is having there better cust care call center and Technical team support for back end�..
Airtel Broadband has much better support on their call centers. I have used both and I know the truth. Thanks for nothing.
And what u want when u r taking NON Commercial PACKs and asking or demanding for COMMERCIAL service how is that possible�.
Downloading Linux on a home connection is commercial? I do not think so.
If u really want to see how good is sify in cust service then grab more than 15 users in ur building or locality and take direct connection from SIFY Onnly if ur cto is not giving u proper servioce���..
Its not my duty to provide service. That is why I am not a CTO. If you cannot do your duty well. Leave the business to people who can.
ITs not that i m sify employee �..i have worked for Hathway and my close friend has worked for exatt also��and after that i came to conclusion that SIFY much better than others��.
anyways bye for now�.
YOG
Thank you for nothing. I wasted quite sometime to answer your stupid claims.
I have paid 1720/- to sify, but they are not able to setup my laptop.
First their dialer uses alternate mac’s to send info and thus i am not able to login second time.
Secondly the dialer is not getting installed.
They are not ready to refund my money. My Sargam cable/Sify are not much cooperating.
What do do
hi guys
I have worked for the sify BB technical team��..and most of time what i found is 90% problems are related with cust and his machine�..where as there are hardly few issues from sify side�.
u guys visit all porn sites and get installed all spyware and adwares and virus on ur machine,�..and then shout on sify for low speed and not able to connection���its not Sify who is putting virus in ur comp its u who doesnt know how to use internet safly.
Is this what you tell to people who have taken up your connection and every second day are unable to reach the your CTO’s gateway?????
And if i would have to gather 15 people to get the connection I would have directly applied for being a CTO. I would never have tried to be Sify’s customer.
I have the D256 package, and I don’t pay a paisa to any CTO. I renew my subscription directly through SifyMall. Recently my CTO decided to act smart and disconnected me. Predictably, Sify sided with the CTO. I lodged an FIR against the CTO in the local police station and sent a pre-litigation notice to Sify by email. My connection was restored faster than you can imagine, and I suspect that now I get much service than you guys do.
Guys you got to get organized and stand up for your rights. You should be willing to spend some time on this and money, not only for your own sake, but for the sake of improving the general state-of-affairs we are forced to live with. Things are so bad for all of us only because we tolerate anything and everything. Don’t crib, stand up for your rights, and fight back collectively.
Found out new thing about Sify!!!!
On 128kbps unlimited connectivity (Rs 999/- PM), if your any day total data transfer goes more than 150MB, then 1 day is deducted out of the month. Here I need to pay around the monthy charge in advance. And after 30 (or 31) days I need to pay again. So if my data goes beyound 150Megs one day then I’ll be paying again after 29 days only.
Hey all im going to write a story… can you select me a following titles?
SIFY THE SLOW SLOWER SLOWEST.
SIFY THE ONLINE FRAUD.
SIFY AND THEIR PATHETIC TECHNICIANS.
SIFY GET PAID FOR ANNOYANCE.