Broadband Counter Strike By PTCL
In line with government’s plan and PTA’s Broadband policy to increase penetration of Internet in general and broadband in specific, PTCL has rolled out a new promotion “Broadband Pakistan”. PTCL has also slashed rates for Internet Service Providers (ISP’s). Besides PTCL’s much discussed brand reputation for different products, service issues, past experiences from Paknet and aggressive resistance from ISP’s in this regard, the overall launch of this new service by PTCL has been much aggressive and comprehensive.
From packages to marketing communication, PTCL has done much better this time in comparison to roll out of its previous products. Broadband packages are being offered for as low as Rs1199/month for port speed of 256kbps, especially 1Mbps @ Rs4999/month has grabbed them serious attention from potential prospects including SMEs, Call centers, Cable operators besides individual/residential users. Huge billboards displaying “Get Thrilled, Go DSL” and huge banners hanging at all PTCL exchanges have helped marketing of initial roll out.
The response from customers in this phase is mixed. Questions have been raised with respect to shared bandwidth, technical support, service quality and putting caps on port speeds, however, so far customers have good remarks to share i.e. getting over 110kbps on average at 1Mbps circuit is almost dedicated bandwidth. Furthermore, keeping in view that PTCL has just revamped and stepped into this segment, problems at initial stage are no exception. On the other hand one knows that if PTCL keeps things moving in the right direction, they have the biggest network, infrastructure, resources and financial strength to serve customers smoothly nationwide. Moreover, the scenario for service quality, bandwidth and technical support will get clearer after six months or a year when PTCL will have ample traffic to manage. Right now, for broadband segment, things are going in favor of PTCL.
The case for other Internet Service Providers (ISP’s) in competition with PTCL is also valid. ISP’s have been unable to slash down the prices to meet aggressive move by PTCL as they are purchasing bandwidth at very high price. On the other hand, all major ISP’s have been serving the market since long and definitely have developed strong subscriber base and competence on service standards.
Now PTCL has announced bandwidth tariff reduction on Saturday 7th July, 2007, providing fair battleground to ISP’s up to some extent. 37% tariff reduction has been announced for Karachi based companies and 25% for other telecom regions. This will help ISP’s to make their tariff’s competitive, but is this going to be a healthy practice? Will it help ISP’s to sustain their operations in long run? ISP’s have already been in cut-throat competition over individual, SMEs and Corporate customers and pricing has been the core differentiating factor. Now, reducing prices means reducing revenues and to check revenue companies will require aggressive marketing efforts to increase volume, but customers will keep on switching ISP’s. Co-location costs, stream charges, network maintenance, equipment depreciation, OPEX & CAPEX will keep on adding obstacles in long term stability for ISP’s. Telecommunication industry is evolving to a phase where there will be a battle over networks for competitive advantage. Companies must understand that PTCL is not a Government enterprise anymore; they are just another competitor with its own strengths and weaknesses.
Their competitors will eventually have to find out ways to move to their own infrastructure, remove the major dependency if not 100% to get rid of the enormous costs being paid to PTCL and from dependency on its network to react strategically, otherwise anytime PTCL reduces the price, babies will keep crying. Two companies Multinet Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd (A Telecom Malaysia Company) and Wateen Telecom have already taken lead and are laying Optical Fiber Backbones (Long Haul) over 5000kms from Karachi to Peshawar. Multinet has also laid OFC redundant rings (Metronet) in LHR and KHI and is doing so in ISB. Wateen is ambitious and aggressive about its WiMAX. However, the importance of the fact here is that companies with their own networks will not remain dependant upon PTCL and will have various revenue sources. They will provide broadband, WiMAX, Managed services, Bulk bandwidth, IPLC, DPLC, VOIP, Video Over IP etc to all from individual users to commercial giants and only such companies will be able to compete with PTCL in long run.
I have not good expeirence with PTCL broadband. as soon as I get time, I will share in my technical blog.
PTCL evokes strong reactions from the public. For one thing PTCL is not known for customer service or smooth installation. See these:
http://pakng.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/ptcl-launches-own-dsl-operations/
http://pakng.wordpress.com/2007/05/15/ptcl-seeking-gms-misses-change-artists/
online order .. order confirmation in 24 hours .. installation in 48 hours at 10pm (that was the only time I was available, so they bend over backwards to service me).
on 256kbps package, speed is consistently over 200kbps
this is for Karachi .. Garden Exchange
I am pretty much pissed and want to getrid of ptcl broadband. I emailed to SVps and directors but morons didn’t even update the email addresses and all my mails returned back.
Do you know anyone in PTCL?
ASA,
I’m from the U.K but will visit Karachi for 3-4 months.
I’m not familiar with the internet providers or broadband speeds. Can anyone give me a website with providers, cost and speeds? Thanx
Hi Rizwan - see this site: http://www.broadbandpakistan.com/
[...] reduction in force and restructuring at PTCL, which has 65000 employees. We have provided various views and news about PTCL at this blog before. Going through the time lines since last year, one can see [...]
Hi!
I think PTCL has the worst customer services you can ever think of. I am waiting for the last 25 - 30 days for my DSL services to be started. I suggest to everyone never ever tried to use PTCL DSL services.
salam
well ive heard a lot about PTCL customer service problemos and i thought why not try to study it for a project of mine i didnt get da chance to dat but i met a PTCL employee who thought that a lot was actually being done in dat department and satisfying everyone is virtually impossible
i called ptcl’s 17 phone directory service and i was in for a surprise the service is amazing now polite operators with efficient speed and correct numbers!
and i didnt have to repeat da info all over agin either!
im looking forward for agood change in da telecom giant of ours
lets keep our fingers crossed!
Considering the way PTCL treats its telephone subscribers, once can be certain anything which PTCL introduces would be third rate. Several years back the former head of multinational company who took charge of PTCL introduced multi-metering - before he taken over PTCL never had multi-metering, people could talk for as long as one please without any extra cost One call was just that
iThere s no way to know what PTCL is charging is the correct amount. If anyone has seen the telephone exchanges - the equipment is antiquated - one can only wonder if it actually works. So regarding its own broadband service its bound to be third rate.
My Internet connections keeps getting disconnected. Talked to the people there but they say that its because of splitter problem. Pretty confused… i asked some of my friends.. some have good experiences… others like mine.
PTCL have very very bad department in there exchange specially in Guldasht-Town Lahore exchange there they have bad connecting devices. wiring is too bad.
even the current flow in telephone current is bad.
this is era is of internet but even after 1 year PTCL is failed to launch DSL in Tajpura Housing Scheme Lahore connected with guldasht town exchange.
Exchange Need To Be Upgrade in very few days as soon as possible.
They should have to launch DSL in Tajpura Housing Scheme Lahore Cantt.
It has been only a month that i got PTCL DSL connection 256 kbps. I face a hell of problems with it. It is not so, as they advertise “ALWAYS ON”. It gets disconnected every 10 to 15 minutes later. I don’t know wat the hell wrong!!! And the download speed never increases 35 kbps, although technically it must be about 100 kbps. I guess my home is little far away from PTCL exchange, that’s why i face problems with it.
In short, i’m not really satisfied with PTCL broadband. Anyone who wants to hav a DSL connection, must think twice before ordering….
Asalam-u-alaikum,
to all the muslim to all , in my view that ptcl had done a good job at lasst
Well, today I have ordered PTCL’s 512k connection, I fear about the connectivity and download rate of this connection but this was the only choice for me because I can not pay more than 840Rs per month as this would go from my pocket money…. let’s see what would happen….
ptcl 17 confirmed that phone no 042-5941123 has been assigned to (Murtaza Ali : Centric Marquee Arts) but Online telephone directory of http://www.ptcl.com.pk has shown old record , can anybody tel me to whom i can contact
My new broadband DSL connection from PTCL was configured on March 04, 2008. However I am continuously facing some problems regarding speed and downloading.
I am complaining since March 05, 2008 to their customer support number 1236.
1. Customer relation officers note the complaint and said, “we will pass your complaint to our technical team and they will contact you” but no one has contacted us till to date
2. Call transferred to technical department and they always suggest changing proffered and alternate DNS server addresses, and when they know that, by changing DNS server addresses the problem is still there they said, “Our team will visit your premises and solve the problem” but no one has visited till to date and the problem is still there.
My connection is 2MB (2048 kbps) but the speed which I am receiving is between 300 – 500 kbps. Also I am unable to download any thing from the internet even though most of the time I am unable to receive my emails with attachments.
I am also unable to complain on 18, by pressing automatic method it says that the number is incorrect and by pressing operator there was a long hold and after 20 or 30 minutes line dropped.
I think they will never resolve my issues.
hey but it does sound better then wateen….wateen….man stupid installers …dumb sales people…that dumb moron wanted me to uninstall my vista for his stupid modem
Rightly said naveed - I think wateen does not deserve launching WIMAX
Dumb idiots dont even know the technical problems of wimax loose signals alsmost everywhere.
i m the user of wateen for the last 4 months …….but i m not satisfy …….due to thier poor speed ……. week signals……….. shared channal………..some time work some time not…….
and also it not working in cloudy weather……………
i m going to refund this stupid CPE……….
Well its the 9th of July, My I MB DSL connection has been playing up for the last 8 days. 5 days ago when I called the ptcl help line they were having problems with the outside link which should be resolved in a day or so.
Anyone else having problems!!!!!! btw what is wrong with the DNS servers. Everytime I call the helpline I am told to put new values for the DNS servers.
Comment (an insightful one ) please!!!
HI there everyone.
This is Mubashir Ali with some Tweeks for the PTCL ADSL broadband connection.
1 . never use DHCP server inside the Router to provide the IP address to you always use static ip address by configuring your LAN setting.
example
IP. 192.168.1.2
MASK 255.255.255.0
GATEWAY 192.168.1.1
DNS Servers 203.99.163.240
203.99.163.243
2. well i found that HAWAI MT 880 Models having setting of using T3 insteed of using the XDSL mode or ADSL mode works fine so choose that .
3. PTCL ADSL usually have problems working with Wireless if you want to use your custom wireless Router .. i say better to use the NETGEAR ADSL MODEM with built in Router inside works just like a CHARM . and has more Range then any other wireless modem available in the market.
4. well the number 4 is an offer to you if you want to use the Multiple modems to be marged in a single pipe line then just 1 Question raises does it effect on the downloading i will say it will require you to LOAD balance first, Load balancing Routers are usually expensive cuz they have many features like Ristricting the Downloading by Fail safe or continous mode OR by percentage or you can select gropus on which you can assign the bandwidth tooo.
what will effect on the network after you load balance?
it will give you multiple browsings with Multiple Downloading.
Exmaple : you ran yourself a network a private Local Area network by using the PTCL ADSL then !!!!!!!
you will need to Load balance at least two Routers in the start depending upon the users inside the network the best way is to Load balance 1 MB connection insteed of using a single 2 MB connection just for if you are a little Far from exchange then it will be better to LOAD BALANCE 1 X 1 MB connection using the Two Routers.
then 1 MB suppose gives 60 KBPS
and other gives 60 KBPS
then if you download 2 Files it will surely gives you the 60 KBPS per file. and same with the UPLOADING tooo..
its a Cheap way of almost cheating the ISPS who are giving the CRI connection worth more then 19000 for just 1 MB dedicated connection.
if any one like to know about LOAD BALANCING do email me up ill be ASSISTING PRIVATELY also.
Email : aliishaqf@hotmail.com
Phone : 0314-2263378
Regards
please any one can help me i will be very very thankful to u guys
i have a PTCL DSL 512KBPS i want to on my CS server as i create it but the problem is it always have a ip 192.168.1.2 but http://www.whatismyip.com shows different ip and when i tell my fellows both ips they cudnt connect to the server dont know wht is the problem cud any one please help me thanks my email adress is munawer121@msn.com or munawer121@hotmail.com please reply to my problem i will be very thankful to u moreover when i on my server on worldcall as one of my freind have that internet conection my freinds can easily come to my Cs server so this shows there is no problem with my CS server or its files there is a problem with my PTCL connection or his setting i have a shiro modem white colour please sort me out God Bless you thanks