# Unlimited Downloads for a decent price...is this possible ?



## royal (Mar 22, 2006)

Everyone,

Is there any alternative to BSNL DataOne net connection in Kolkata?

It should offer
1>at least 256 kbps (I'm really confused about kilobits and kilobytes   )
2>unlimited download whenever I choose (and not just at night   )
3>monthly bills which should not give me a heart attack   
(1000- 1500 bucks)

BTW, I am happy with my BSNL connection but it just does not match upto my expectation   

I fear this is toooooo good to be true....


----------



## QwertyManiac (Mar 23, 2006)

I think airtel has a 900-rs 256 Unlimited plan, but I dont understand whats the voice pulse rate charge in it...


----------



## ilugd (Mar 23, 2006)

Kbps is kilobits persecond, that is 1024 binary digits per second. KBps is kilobytes per second and that is 1024*8 binary digits per second. 

Kbps and Mbps is  is used when referring to network speed.


----------



## Apollo (Mar 23, 2006)

My monthly internet plan is -

> 128 kbps
> Unlimited bandwidth
> 500 bucks monthly

It's a service run by our local cable_wallah_.  I believe the ISP is of Bharti Telecoms.


----------



## kalpik (Mar 23, 2006)

ilugd said:
			
		

> Kbps is kilobits persecond, that is 1024 binary digits per second. KBps is kilobytes per second and that is 1024*8 binary digits per second.
> 
> Kbps and Mbps is  is used when referring to network speed.



Kbps=Kilo Bits per second=*1000* bits per second..
KBps=Kilo Bytes per second=*1024* bytes per second..
Also, 8 bits=1 byte..

Airtel:
128 Kbps Unltd=699 Rs (excluding tax)
256 Kbps Unltd=999 Rs (excluding tax)


----------



## QwertyManiac (Mar 23, 2006)

Thats including modem charge is it kalpik? and one more doubt tho, why 1000 and 1024 bits a sec?


----------



## kalpik (Mar 23, 2006)

Yeah its actually rs 600 + 99 (modem rent) + taxes.. likewise for the 256 kbps plan.. And Kbps is always taken as 1000 *Bits* and KBps as 1024 *Bytes*.. Dont remember the exact reason why!


----------



## ilugd (Mar 23, 2006)

right kalpik, seems i need to get some sleep. My brain is getting all muddled up. (could you suggest a defragmenter  )


----------



## kalpik (Mar 23, 2006)

Hehe.. Anyway, more on this topic from Wikipedia:



> The first thing to check is the size of the file. The throughput of communications links is measured in bits per second (bit/s), kilobits per second (kbit/s), megabits per second (Mbit/s) and Gigabits per second (Gbit/s). In this application, kilo, mega and giga are the standard S.I. prefixes indicating multiplication by 1,000 (kilo), 1,000,000 (mega), and 1,000,000,000 (giga). File sizes are typically measured in bytes â€” kilobytes, megabytes, and gigabytes being usual. In this application, a byte is eight bits. However, confusingly, a kilobyte is not 1,000 bytes, as one would expect. In the computer industry, the kilo prefix multiplies by 1,024 (2 raised to the power 10) instead of 1,000. Similarly, mega multiplies by 1,024 Ã— 1,024, and Giga multiplies by 1,024 Ã— 1,024 Ã— 1,024. The result of all this is that a 64 kilobyte file contains 64 Ã— 1024 bytes, or 64 Ã— 1024 Ã— 8 bits.
> 
> One exception to this usage is in the marketing of hard-disk drives, where some manufacturers use the power of ten numeration terms, so a 60 Gigabyte drive is actually 60,000,000,000 bytes rather than 64,424,509,440 bytes.



Source

Now why the hell Hard disk manufacturers dont follow the 1024 logic?? Hehe..


----------



## ilugd (Mar 23, 2006)

i don't know why they don't do that. 

Actually i am into network programming for the past week and have been fully involved in char * buffer=(char *)malloc(sizeof(char)*1024); stuff

That got me messed up. It is a good thing anyway. From now on, when i post anywhere, i will carefully recheck what i post.

Hey thank you kalpik. If you had not replied promptly someone would have learnt something wrong. (Sigh) I will just try to be more careful


----------



## kalpik (Mar 23, 2006)

No problem dude!  Hehe.. Enough of offtopic posts!


----------



## royal (Mar 23, 2006)

Hey kalpik,

I need some more info for Airtel 256 unlimited plan


----------



## kalpik (Mar 23, 2006)

Lol! U guys treating me like im some customer care guy from airtel! Hehe..

Anyway, the plan is like this:

Cost: Rs 900 (plan charges) + 99 (Modem rent, N/A if u buy a modem or already have one.. The BSNL modem will work on Airtel) + taxes..

You get a landline free with it.. With pulse rate @ Rs 1.10

90 sec pulse for mobiles and 3 min pulse for landlines..
The STD pulse is 1 min i guess (not sure..)

Plus the have this 1000/100/10 offer..

ie, for the first 3 months, you get 10 mins of ISD, 100 mins of STD, and 1000 mins of local calls free on one number (respectively) chosen by you..

Plus... They give free intercom facility.. ie, free unlimited calls to neighbouring colonies.. (about 7-8 adjacent colonies in my area)..

All these are the details for delhi and NCR.. May be different in Kolkata

Oh and yes, forgot to mention!! Airtel gives double badwidth from 11 pm in the night to 6 am in the morning for free... ie, u'll be getting 512 kbps in the nights!  8)


----------



## royal (Mar 25, 2006)

kalpik,

ur a lifesaver   

think I'll switch over to Airtel  

However what is this "tax" thing buddy?   

and could anyone using Airtel share his/her experience about the connection?


----------



## kalpik (Mar 25, 2006)

Taxes are around 10.2% of your total bill.. So you'l be paying around 1100 for your 256 kbps connection. Im using the 128 kbps connection, and im quite satifsied with it. Customer care is excellent! Best of luck with whatever u choose! Also check out *www.airtel.in


----------



## royal (Mar 25, 2006)

thx man ...    I really needed this info


----------



## Kniwor (Mar 25, 2006)

what are the installation charges.... i know they vary... but say what were u charged....


----------



## gary4gar (Mar 25, 2006)

what y don't want DATAone


----------



## QwertyManiac (Mar 25, 2006)

does 'dataone' have no-limits? NO does dataone support good u/ls? - NO then y dataone  its cheep - yea kinda...


----------



## kalpik (Mar 25, 2006)

Installation is free.. You just pay Rs 500 as modem downpament.. Thats it.. Right noe they are even offering some scheme under which u get Rs 10,000 worth gifts free  Dunno the details bout this scheme though..


----------



## royal (Mar 26, 2006)

kalpik,

just another question ... 

u said the BSNL modem (which I already have) works with Airtel, so I don't have to pay Rs. 500 for modem ,right ?   

and Airtel will be providing me with a landline , which I'm not going to use to make calls anyway (I already have a BSNL landline for that). So do I have to pay anything apart from the monthly rent for internet ,even if I dont make a single call from the Airtel line?


----------



## kalpik (Mar 26, 2006)

No, you wont pay anything if u dont make calls.. Just rs 999 + taxes (-99 if u use the bsnl modem). Even if u make one call, you'l just pay 1.10 rs more! There is no rent for the landline.. As for the initial Rs 500, ask the airtel customer care ppl, they will provide more info.


----------



## QwertyManiac (Mar 26, 2006)

hey are there no limits at all for a day or so on.. i mean is it *totally* unlimited?


----------



## kalpik (Mar 26, 2006)

No limits.. *TOTALLY* unlimited!

Oh and yes, *DO NOT* take my word for any of the things i said!! Do confirm everything with the customer care people before going ahead!


----------



## royal (Mar 26, 2006)

thx kalpik ... u have been most helpful


----------



## QwertyManiac (Mar 26, 2006)

Yea thnx a lot.. april is for airtel  atleast for me here with an overlimited BSNL acc.


----------



## kalpik (Mar 26, 2006)

No problem guys! 

And by the way, it takes around a week for the connection to be installed, from the date of registration. So Qwerty, plan accordingly, if you dont wanna be without internet! Hehe..


----------



## QwertyManiac (Mar 26, 2006)

Ok thnx for that too.. eek! callin rite away


----------



## kalpik (Mar 26, 2006)

Hehe


----------



## cyberzook (Mar 27, 2006)

In Kolkata u can go for Tata Indicom postpaid connection..
Rs. 500 for 64k
Rs. 900 for 128k
Rs. 1600 for 256k
All unlimited plans.. 12% taxes extra
1000 installation charge.. gives router
1000 security deposit


----------



## royal (Mar 27, 2006)

hey kalpik

I read that Airtel speed sucks and that they "throttle" the speeds of heavy downloaders ... is that true ?  :roll: 

what's ur experience man ?


----------



## kalpik (Mar 27, 2006)

Speed is a lil low since about two months now.. I get around 110 kbps on the 128 kbps connection. Earlier i used to get around 133 kbps.. But as of now, there is NO throttling done..


----------



## MysticHalo (Mar 27, 2006)

Is there ne connection in which speed xceeds the defined speed...eg for a 128 kbps conn., the speed > 128 kbps sometimes??

BTW, whats the download speed kalpik, of ur 128 kbps Airtel?


----------



## Choto Cheeta (Mar 27, 2006)

though it is written that AirTel is providing service in Kolkata... actually even Kolkata 700002 dont have their covarage.. (corroct me if i am wrong) whats the point?? unless they come to ur locality u can only look at their plan and wounder those people running that plan is very lucky... :roll:


one thing that i have written here many times...that is the Wiring network of BSNL... if BSNL says they r in kolkata... so they mean it... From Kolkata 700001 to the end of the pin is in their network...


even Saltlake laks network of AirTel broadband only the sector V has their network... :roll: (I am yet to confirm this... from my frnd.. so dont rely on this... )


----------



## royal (Mar 27, 2006)

kalpik

probably the drop in speed has got something to do with the increasing no. of customers (maybe due to the free installation offer  :roll: ) ... more than what their present infrastucture can sustain   

and saurav_cheeta ...
u just shattered my hopes for unlimited downloads   
I just pray to god that Airtel service is available in Saltlake outside SecV


----------



## Kniwor (Mar 27, 2006)

@saurav_cheeta
that makes me sad.... 
i was planning on taking airtel... now I'll have to look at other things....


----------



## kalpik (Mar 27, 2006)

Yeah.. the speed drop is due to the increase in the no of customers.. Also, they are having some problem with their backbone.. (by the way only 2 companies in india, Bharti (Airtel), and VSNL have an international backbone..).. You can get more about airtel here: *broadbandforum.in/Airtel_Broadband_Forum-f23.html

@MysticHalo: i get around 12-15 KBps in the days and 24-27 KBps in the nights.. Pretty decent considering zero downtime, friendly customer care and UNLIMITED transfer, without throttling! Hehe.. Not to mention a decent price too!


----------



## grinning_devil (Mar 27, 2006)

very ritely pointed kalpik,
me too been using airtel 256kbps unlimited for the last 1 year or so,with NOT even 1 min of downtime.
Get easily 25kBps download speed all day with speeds between 45-53kBps at night.
i purchased my USB modem in the startng intself for 1500bucks,so i pay 900 + 99 as tax 
as far as downloads are concerned i have downloaded GB's of stuff ....!!


----------



## Choto Cheeta (Mar 27, 2006)

@kalpik



			
				kalpik said:
			
		

> Yeah.. the speed drop is due to the increase in the no of customers.. Also, they are having some problem with their backbone.. (by the way only 2 companies in india, Bharti (Airtel), and VSNL have an international backbone..).. You can get more about airtel here: *broadbandforum.in/Airtel_Broadband_Forum-f23.html



sorry to say... but what about NIB... National Information Backbone??? this is own by BSNL... right now what i know it is the largest backbone (data network) of india?? may be i am wrong..

*www.bsnl.co.in/service/dataone.htm



			
				BSNL said:
			
		

> BSNL is in the process of commissioning of a world class, multi-gigabit, multi-protocol, convergent IP infrastructure through National Internet Backbone�II (NIB-II), that will provide convergent services through the same backbone and broadband access network. The Broadband service will be available on DSL technology (on the same copper cable that is used for connecting telephone), on a countrywide basis spanning 198 cities.



@royal

hay... dont give up hope yaar... they say Total saltlake will be covered soon  (dont know how soon :roll


----------



## kalpik (Mar 28, 2006)

Hmm.. I thought BSNL and VSNL are both govt firms.. So backbone of VSNL=backbone of BSNL. Meaning BSNL takes bandwidth from VSNL.. I may be wrong!


----------

