PTCL Broadband: It commits but never delivers

Frustrated by my existing DSL provider, I decided to switch to PTCL Broadband, DSL service launched by PTCL, as their rates were far better than any competition. On 23rd June I used their online order form to place an order and was really surprised to receive a call very next day. In next few days I received several calls from various departments of PTCL support, updating me of the progress.

It took 14 days for old connection to be terminated from exchange due to a glitch at previous providers’ end. On July 7th I received a call from PTCL support that my connection is activated. I have been given a number to contact Mr. Sohail (in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Exchange) who will deploy an installation team at my place. However every attempt to contact the guy was futile. In the next 4 days he never picked up his land line or cell phone neither responded to messages left at his workplace.

Disappointed, I contacted PTCL Toll Free support where a sweet voice took my complaint and on my query of whether PTCL is privatized or still a government department, I earned a sermon on few black sheep badmouthing everyone etc. My complaint was registered and I was told that it will be acted upon swiftly. However, 3 days passed and nothing happened.

During this time I used feedback form on PTCL web site to submit my complaint but nothing happened on that as well.

I was told by an insider that PTCL is concentrating on promotion only and they have no strategy in place for deployment and troubleshooting.

This experience highlighted the fact yet again that PTCL is really pathetic when it comes to customer support. While they are spending millions on promotion and Corporate Branding, they are not giving a damn for customer satisfaction. To conclude, PTCL Broadband commits but never delivers.

Posted

July 13, 2007

Current Affairs, Technology

Kashif Aziz

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Comments

58 responses to “PTCL Broadband: It commits but never delivers”

shahzad

September 4, 2007

username and password is ZXDSL with caps lock on

Reply
shahzad

September 4, 2007

PTCL has launched its service but they are facing many problems relating to line attenuation to CPE heating up.
First of the PTCL land line coper wires are old and cannot carry high speed data with the ZTE’s CPE, becz if distance is more then 4-5 kilometers then the issue of line attenuation comes. if one coups with this prblem then the problem of disconnection comes, this disconnection problem can be resolved (while using DSL downloading is countinuing but browsing stops) add DNS address in your lan card setting i.e

open your lan card properties.
double click on (internet protocol tcp/ip)
in general tab>in preferred DNS server
add this address
203.135.0.70
For alternate DNS server use
203.135.1.77.
ok & ok
restart your system.

if problem still persists then
write in ur browser
192.168.1.1 and enter
username: ZXSDL
Password:ZXDSL
Both with caps lock on
then click on system setting
under system setting click DHCP server
you will see a edit button please press it
under this page settings should be like this,

Maximum lease time:86400
Default lease time:43200
starting IP address:192.168.1.2
End IP address:192.168.1.22
Subnet Value:192.168.1.0
Subnet Mask:225.225.225.0
Primary DNS address:192.168.1.1
Secondary DNS address:0.0.0.0
Use local host address as DNS server: checked
Use local host as default gateway:checked
click apply
again apply
then click maintenance on extreme left side of page
click save under maintenance
again click save
restart your system and enjoy browsing.

If this disconnection problem or the alarm light blinks it means there is some distortion in the line or the line pairs are weak.

One more solution is to buy a dsl modem from market of any brand (DSL modem) i will send you your password becz you already have username which is your phone number. and then you can enjoy countinous browsing with out a hitch with a download speed of almost 27-29 Kb/s.
If you have problems do mail me

[email protected]

Reply
Adnan Siddiqi

August 23, 2007

Well if DSL’s problems are all due to Old cable infrastructure of cables then how come other DSL services would work at all? No other dsl provider provides a separate cable for DSL from exchange to your home:)

Reply
Kashif Aziz

August 22, 2007

PTCL DSL has its issues, mainly due to old and rusted infrastructure. In some areas it provides excellent service but most of Karachi has nothing good to say about it. I am not sure of the new service PTCL is launching and it may end up like other PTCL products (Asan Phone, VPTCL, DSL etc)

Wateen’s WiMax may be a good (though bit expensive) alternate to PTCL’s fiber. Let’s see when it rolls out.

Reply
zam

August 22, 2007

Yesterday I met with my area’s PTCL lineman and he told me that majority of people are not satisfied with their DSL connection. It works fine at first but very fastly things get screwed up. Even if the phone line is pyhsically shaken a little bit, the connection is disconnected and in some cases, to get it back you have to restart your pc. He told me the actual cause of PTCL not being upto people’s expectations that the main wiring system of PTCL, from exchange to homes, is not mature enough for DSL speeds. Only in some areas of lahore it is fine.
He further told me that just within the next 2-3 months, PTCL is launching its 3-in-1 cable service that will provide telephone (with 200 or so local calls free per month),DSL internet and cable television. The lineman advised me to wait for that because an entirely new wiring system is been laid out for that and that system is very much mature. However currently I have subscribed for wateen wimax which in my opinion is a much better service and doesn’t depend upon the poor quality of PTCL phone lines.

Reply
Abdul

August 19, 2007

Thank Allah now i have got my dsl installed.

Reply
sahel

August 19, 2007

M8..

I was a lucky guy to get my connection installed after the Zonal Incharge was in contact with me for 2 weeks.

On 15th of August he called and assigned me a new user/pass after which everything started working !

Connection was initially 256K, but then they upgraded me to my 1G in 2 days.

So far its running nice and i am happy after all!!

Reply
Faisal

August 19, 2007

So far my experience with PTCL has been good though its been of only 2 weeks. I placed my order on sunday [yeah i was surprised someone took order on a sunday] and the next day i got a call, and on tuesday i got my DSL installed. It was quite amazing for me.
The service so far has been very good, download speed between 25 to 30 K. There were a few glitches like good download speed but slow browsing but its been alright now. So I can say that i’m a satisfied PTCL customer 🙂
[May be they are good in Islamabad, but not in Lahore or Karachi. Some friends of me in lahore aren’t very happy about PTCL dsl in lahore]

Reply
ABs

August 11, 2007

i have ordered on 27 july but i havent recieved and now it on 11 aug and i am thinking to cancel it.

Reply
Abdul

August 11, 2007

there is no doubt about kind of service given by ptcl
and an insider told me that staff is same and it’s not even handed over to etisalat.when i bought ptcl v last year speed was minimum 8 kbps it was great but they charged for an hour even i had used for 5 minutes.it was acceptable but now the speed has dropped to 3 kbps in some cases 2 kbps and max is 12 kbps if you can get it by chance.when i ordered 256 on 27 july they told me within 5-15 days i will have dsl.i received confirmation on 3 aug but now it’s is 11 aug and still no connection.

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