cloud cloud cloud cloud cloud

Is Your ISP Giving You a Raw Deal?

November 8, 2024 0 Comments

As of 2023, TRAI has highlighted quality of service (QoS) issues as a persistent concern among Indian consumers, with complaints regarding network disruptions, inconsistent speeds, and hidden fees. TRAI receives thousands of complaints monthly, which indicates widespread dissatisfaction with service quality and transparency in ISP billing practices.

A reliable internet connection is as essential as electricity in today’s digital age. Complaints about poor service quality, hidden charges, and inconsistent speeds are widespread. Understanding if you’re getting your money’s worth from your ISP is crucial. Let’s dive into the ways to determine if your ISP is delivering on its promises.

Challenges in Internet Services

  • Internet Speeds vs. Pricing: India has a competitive internet pricing structure with some of the lowest rates globally; however, speed discrepancies remain an issue. For example, average broadband speeds are often lower than advertised, which impacts user experience significantly. The QoS standards require ISPs to maintain a minimum 80% of the subscribed speed, but several providers fall short of this metric, leading to consumer dissatisfaction.
  • Hidden Charges: According to a survey conducted by LocalCircles, approximately 60% of internet users in India felt that their ISP charged fees not clearly communicated at sign-up, including installation fees, rental fees for routers, and excessive fees for late payments. 
  • Data Caps: While some plans advertise “unlimited” data, they come with Fair Usage Policy (FUP) limits that throttle speeds after a certain usage threshold is reached.
  • Customer Service: Poor customer service and support can exacerbate frustrations, making it difficult for users to resolve issues or get accurate information about their plans.

How to Find Out if Your ISP is Giving You a Raw Deal

  1. Check Your Internet Speed: Use online tools like Speedtest.net to measure your actual download and upload speeds. Compare these results with the speeds promised in your plan.
  2. Review Your Bill: Look for hidden charges and fees. Ensure that you are not being billed for services you did not request.
  3. Examine Your Usage: Monitor your data usage to see if it aligns with what your ISP is charging you for. Some ISPs might throttle your speeds if you exceed a certain data limit without informing you.
  4. Customer Reviews and Complaints: Read reviews and complaints about your ISP online. Websites like MouthShut.com and TRAI’s Consumer Grievance Redressal Mechanism can provide insights.

Measures to Take if You Feel Shortchanged

  1. Contact Customer Support: Raise your concerns with your ISP’s customer service. Keep records of all communications for future reference.
  2. Negotiate Your Plan: Compare your current plan with other ISPs and use this information to negotiate a better deal. Ask for discounts or promotions that may not be advertised.
  3. Switch Providers: If you’re not satisfied with your current ISP, consider switching to a different provider. Look for ISPs that offer better speeds, customer service, and overall value.

Broadband Penetration and Accessibility

India’s internet landscape shows a stark contrast in accessibility between urban and rural areas. While urban consumers enjoy more ISP options and higher speeds, rural areas still struggle with connectivity. The rural broadband penetration rate is significantly lower than urban, as per TRAI reports, making it challenging for rural consumers to switch to better providers or find competitive prices. This disparity limits consumer choices and leads to dissatisfaction among rural users, who feel locked into subpar services due to a lack of alternatives.

As India’s internet needs grow, consumers deserve ISPs that provide transparent pricing, reliable speeds, and better access across the country. 

Jaze ISP Manager helps ISPs streamline operations with feature-rich and configurable modules including lead management, helpdesk, customer portals and mobile applications in order to help serve customers better. These features ensure reliable service delivery and support to provide a great customer experience. Click here to know more.

Continue reading

Choosing Between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi: Which is Right for You?

October 25, 2024 0 Comments

When setting up a Wi-Fi network, you may have noticed two frequency options: 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. Both frequencies serve the purpose of providing wireless internet, but they operate differently, impacting speed, range, and interference. Let’s break down what each frequency offers to help you choose the best option for your needs.

What Are 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi Frequencies?

The numbers 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz refer to radio frequency bands used to transmit data wirelessly. These bands enable devices like smartphones, computers, and smart home devices to communicate with a router, creating a Wi-Fi network. Each frequency has unique characteristics that can influence your connection’s strength and reliability.

2.4 GHz Wi-Fi

The 2.4 GHz band has been around for a while and is often considered the default frequency for most Wi-Fi devices.

Range: One of the main advantages of the 2.4 GHz band is its ability to cover longer distances. The lower frequency waves can penetrate walls and other obstacles more effectively, making it ideal for larger homes or office spaces.

Speed: While the 2.4 GHz band offers decent speeds, it generally maxes out at around 150 Mbps under ideal conditions. This might not be sufficient for data-heavy tasks like streaming HD videos or online gaming.

Interference: This band is more prone to interference because it shares the frequency with many other household devices, such as microwaves, cordless phones, and baby monitors. This can lead to slower speeds and dropped connections, especially in densely populated areas.

Compatibility: Most Wi-Fi devices support 2.4 GHz, making it a widely compatible choice.

5 GHz Wi-Fi

The 5 GHz band is newer and offers several benefits, particularly in terms of speed and congestion:

Speed: One of the most significant advantages of the 5 GHz band is its ability to support higher data transfer rates. Speeds can reach up to 1,300 Mbps, making it perfect for activities that require a lot of bandwidth, such as streaming HD or 4K videos, online gaming, and large file downloads.

Interference: The 5 GHz band is less crowded compared to the 2.4 GHz band, resulting in less interference from other devices. This can lead to a more stable and faster connection, especially in environments with many Wi-Fi networks.

Range: The higher frequency of the 5 GHz band means it doesn’t cover as much distance as 2.4 GHz and struggles more with obstacles like walls and floors. This can limit its effectiveness in larger spaces or multi-story buildings.

Channels: The 5 GHz band offers more channels, which helps reduce congestion and improve performance in busy environments.

When to Use Each Band

Choosing the right frequency band depends on your specific needs and environment:

2.4 GHz: Ideal for larger homes or offices where coverage over longer distances is crucial. It’s also better for penetrating walls and other obstacles. Use this band if you have older devices that only support 2.4 GHz.

5 GHz: Best for smaller areas or spaces with minimal obstacles where speed is a priority. It’s perfect for high-bandwidth activities like streaming and gaming. Use this band to reduce interference and improve connection stability.

Dual-Band Routers

Most modern routers are dual-band, meaning they can broadcast both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz signals simultaneously. This allows you to choose the best band for your needs or even connect different devices to different bands. For example, you could connect your smartphone and smart home devices to the 2.4 GHz band for better range, while using the 5 GHz band for your laptop and gaming console to ensure faster speeds and less interference.

Selecting between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi frequencies can significantly impact network performance, with each band offering unique benefits in range and speed. ISPs will need to choose between single band routers and dual band routers based on the customer’s bandwidth plan and home layout. These will play a crucial role to ensure optimal end user experience. Apart from this ISPs will also need to ensure that these devices are configured as needed and get visibility on devices connected to the Wi-Fi network.

Jaze ISP Manager has built-in ACS with support for TR069 to automatically provision the CPE device along with managing Wi-Fi settings. ISPs can also remotely troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues by gaining insights on connected Wi-Fi devices and signal strength directly from Jaze ISP Manager’s dashboard. Click here for more information. Click here to learn more.

Continue reading

Streaming Surge: Broadband Paves the Way for Increased Video Consumption in India

April 10, 2024 0 Comments

The landscape of entertainment and media consumption in India is poised for a significant transformation, with online video consumption expected to soar in the coming years. According to a recent report by Bain & Company, the nation is on the brink of a digital revolution, with a surge in broadband penetration driving the proliferation of online video content.

Image Credits : Forbes

The report attributes this growth to several factors, including:
Broadband Expansion: The rapid growth of broadband infrastructure in urban and rural areas is a key driver.

  • Internet service providers are investing in network expansion and advancements, making high-speed internet more widespread.
  • This enables seamless video streaming with minimal buffering and interruptions.

Affordability Boost: The increasing affordability of smartphones and smart devices is democratising access to online video content.

Content Explosion: A wide variety of video streaming platforms offer diverse content libraries.

  • Movies and TV shows
  • Short-form videos
  • Live streams

Two broad categories of online video consumption are:

  1. Short-Form Video Consumption
  2. Long-Form Video Consumption

The top 5 players in the SFV market—Moj (ShareChat), MX TakaTak (TimeGroup), Josh (Dailyhunt), Roposo (Glance), and Zili (Xiaomi)—account for 85% of monthly active users amongst SFV platforms. Meanwhile, the creator base for SFV is scaling in India.

The report’s findings are positive news for the Indian media and entertainment industries. Online video is a growing source of revenue for media companies, and the expected surge in consumption is likely to lead to increased investment in online video content. This, in turn, will benefit both viewers and content creators alike.

To accommodate the rising demand for bandwidth caused by the surge in video consumption, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) require larger routers and Broadband Network Gateways (BNGs). Jaze ISP Manager addresses this need by seamlessly integrating leading hardware and software BNG providers. This integration facilitates the delivery of broadband services featuring flexible plans bundled with Over-The-Top (OTT) services, all offered at competitive pricing.

Click here https://www.jazenetworks.com/jaze-isp-manager/ to learn more about automating your business processes and streamlining operations with Jaze ISP Manager.

Continue reading

Comprehensive ISP management software solution to automate & manage your entire ISP business without any hassle.

Email:[email protected]
Helpline:+91-99620 60333
Address:66 Raju Nagar Main Road, Thuraipakkam, Tamil Nadu 600097

Latest News

© COPYRIGHT 2024. JAZE NETWORKS PVT LTD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.