Software yet to be mastered by staff
The switch by BSNL Chennai Telephones from a meter-based billing method to an integrated Call Detail Record (CDR) billing system last month is facing teething troubles.
Online bill payments and virtually all transactions pertaining to new landline-broadband connections, telephone shifts or closure requests have hit a roadblock as the mechanics of the new CDR software is yet to be mastered by the staff.
The CDR features such a level of sophistication that there is little scope for manual intervention and because of this, personnel are finding it difficult to issue advise notes for executing work orders, sources said. In the BSNL's chain of command, work orders have to be generated for the specific tasks to be allotted to JTOs concerned.
“We have intensified re-training of personnel and expect the workflow to be smoothened out in two to three weeks,” an official said.
Meanwhile, users registered online with the portal of BSNL Chennai Telephones have also complained about inability to pay their latest monthly bill.
Though users were sent e-mails detailing the login/password details at the new portal (http://portal.bsnl.in), they have not been able to complete the registration steps as they are yet to be provided the unique handle (a ten-digit account number) that will replace the consumer number in the old billing system.
Browser support
Several BSNL users also said that the new portal to which BSNL migrated the database of its online users does not support browsers other than Internet Explorer.
Officials said steps would be launched to ensure that the portal supports alternative browsers shortly.
Once the teething issues are sorted out, the benefits of the CDR billing system will become more obvious to the customers, officials said. For one, from a user standpoint, the new system provides higher billing transparency and usage monitoring than meter-based billing.
For the telecom operator, CDR-based billing integrates the spectrum of customer engagement process, from order management and line provisioning to payments and accounting.
The convergent billing in the CDR system, which is on the lines of credit cards and mobile phones, can also absorb next generation services such as Voice over Internet Protocol, Video On Demand or IPTV on a single billing platform, officials said.
Keywords: Call Detail Record, Call Detail Record billing system, BSNL
This highlights serious issues within BSNL technical administration that oversees the adoption, migration and release of a new software to the general public. How come it wasn't even tested to figure out how a common user will experience such a change? Some pressing questions here. They could have even outsourced it to a major Indian IT services organization. These folks would have handled several such migrations for major companies residing overseas.
The apathy of BSNL administration will result in the downfall of otherwise what could be a profitable Organization. From personal experience BSNL does not realize how important a website is and how compatible it should be with DOM compliant browsers.
Even worse, when they have world class technology like WiMAX...not a single soul at Chennai (visited RK mutt and Adyar office) was able to give info about it. Finally, got some useful info from Trichy BSNL when I got it installed in a rural area where my parents work. Lack of words to type.
I wonder why the existing system was scrapped and all this benefit they talk about - to whom? The old website allowed us to see our bills and then pay. Now I cannot see the bill. The self-care portal does not allow log in and I am stuck as I am now dependant on the post or BSNL emailing my bill to me - which is also irregular. If you call 1500, they are rude, impatient and have no idea what a customer's problems are. Or, they direct you to another phone number that no one ever bothers to pick up. Come on BSNL - do you want to prove how pathetic you all are? Shame and disgrace on the national service provider. I guess we cannot expect more from them!
One of the worst portal that was developed. They say that it is a new portal developed but I am very shocked to see how come it was made to be available, without even running the basic tests.Bill amount showing twice on two rows, not able to edit the correct amount and pay. When asked to the BSNL customer care, they say: pay the full amount, in next month it will be reduced.Even they removed from ICICI presentment biller temporarily. And reg the coder, they would have hired someone to write the code. But seriously instead of blaming the coder, blame the official, who officially released this worst site. Privatization is the only solution to such kind of problems in India!!!
Most pathetic implementation ever. What the heck to they know about
software.. Bill generation are all wrong and when I called in to
complaint, the JTO thinks the system can't be ever wrong. They have no
idea what sort of a jackass wrote the code .. my bill has been getting
doubled on each individual billing cycles. It sucks big time. BSNL
should immediately take stock of the situation before it goes out of
hand
selfcare.wdc.bsnl.co.in not updating the broadband usage in regular intervals...Not able to change the tariff plans on the portal..not able to make online payment.
The payment status and dues are not reflecting properly in new portal. Also they are allowing to register afresh plus giving a new userid in addition to allowing user to access old site. Several organisations do this quickly and correctly. It is only the govt organisations who do such things and against whom you cannot complain. Who knows this broadband ID?? Why at all the previous info was not updated properly in the new one?? One gets no answers.
This move makes the customer annoyed, no proper support and no intimation. Bill comes with old billed amount included. If I have paid it why it should come. When we say this they are unable to revert back they are saying you pay the amount and get adjusted in next billing. No proper support then why they are moving to such a kind of system.
I wasn't intimated by BSNL for this change. Now, registration is done but ID comes with prefix "bsnlcn", it is confusing sometimes to remember the user ID. Paid bill is also showing not paid, and though my bill has been generated, it is not showing in the protal, later i'll be charged for late payment surely. For me it is not at all a professional move, they should have been more careful while changing platform.
I am not able to know the amount for my telephone for the month of Feb.2012 so far, though earlier I was able to get this information through the Chennai Telephones (BSNL)"Swagatham" portal even by 10th of every month. Even the helpline 1500 only gives the outdated information and not the current bill details. The new changed system should be subscriber- friendly. Filing of on-line complaiants too has become a herculean task now. The "Swagatham" portal does not entertain the complaints nowadays. The authorities have to look into the various complaiants voiced by the subscribers and set right the system.
It is so called very pathetic organisation.I had applied for shfiting my landline phone in side the south chennai circle from one place to another before one month. Till date, not implemented. When call BSNL customer care, every time, they respond like, we are implementing the new CDR system, There are fews issue in new software, will take 2 two days to implement the shift operation.Already one month gone. Till same reply i am getting it.The CDR system is not thoroughly tested before implementation. BSNL should have gone for parallel run ( both old & new system) initially. The available data should have been incorporated into the new system without affecting the subscribers. I got very worst experience from BSNL. I never suggest anyone avail new bsnl landline connection.
I had no problems with the new website - portal.bsnl.in. I got an email with my latest userid and one-time password and it worked like a charm. I was lucky enough to pay my bill within time!!
Sir, it is not only the browser-related problem to access the new BSNL portal, but also an operating system problem. One cannot access the new BSNL portal from a Linux machine. What is strange is that BSNL has had ample time to get its act together for the southern zone as it has introduced the new CDR in the other three telecom zones earlier. But there also there are problems, and that is another story.
Registration at selfcare can be done easily by following some norms
1. user id : It should contain one special character like @.. and some numeric digit like 12..
2. Customer id : it is same as available in old billing system.
3.broadband id : it is the same user id which you used to connect broad-band in dial up process..if you have.
4.password: it should some strong type havinf character, special character and numeric digit.5. it will take some time or 1 or 2 days to verify your details..by following some rules you can enjoy huge benefits of CDR billing.
6. to register at portal.bsnl.in you require account no. which you can get by registering on selfcare.edc.bsnl.co.in..
Also, the instructions to sign up for the new BSNL self-serve customer service portal mentions a broadband userid for broadband users, but none of the "ID"s given to me work. So, I took the option for signing up without indicating broadband subscription, and BSNL personnel are supposed to call me to verify the sign-up. It hasnt happened in more than 15 days now.
The system is not thoroughly tested before implementation. BSNL should have gone for parallel run initially. The available data should have been incorporated into the new system without burdening the subscribers. The first thing the subscribers are asked to fill a number called BB id strangely this is known only to BSNL! While going through the process there are many drop down list boxes which are empty (!)In one box the subscriber asked to fill either or; but both the terms are acronyms known only the BSNL. And to the top of it at the last stage of updating the customer profile there is a internal error that the system is not able to call in some stored procedure which it has to and the whole process is immediately aborted. The combination of the first few letters in the name of the subscriber combined with telephone number (incl. area code) as user_id could have made it simpler. In short the implementation is in a pathetic mess (as Team India!).
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