National Telecom Backbone Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has decided to re-launch a Special Relief Scheme ‘SAMADHAAN’ for settlement of disputes in respect of Broadband usage bills for the benefit of existing and ex-customers of Broadband Services across India.
SAMADHAAN scheme was initially launched in 2010 and then re-launched the same in 2015. The main reason for excess usage bill complaint is the lack of awareness about the appropriate BSNL Broadband Plans by customers. Customers may select the right plan as per their usage / requirement from a wide variety of plans offered by BSNL.
To win back such customers, BSNL has decided to re-launch the one-time Special Relief Scheme ‘SAMADHAAN with the different options as given below. This scheme is applicable to all BSNL telecom circles in India up to 31st March 2017.
Option – I (Applicable to all BSNL customers of Home & Business)
A limited usage Broadband plan customer against whom one or more such alleged excessive bill/s is/are outstanding may under this option settle his bill/s to the extent of maximum three bills of three consecutive billing cycles as follows:
- Pay Rs. 750/- for excess usage (beyond the admissible limit as per plan) for first 5 GB per Bill and the remaining excess usage (if any) beyond 5 GB @ Rs. 100/- per GB or part thereof per bill. This settlement shall be applicable individually against each disputed bill.
- The relief mentioned at (i) above under this option can be availed of up to a maximum of three consecutive bills only i.e., the latest disputed bills and two immediately preceding bills, in case these two preceding bills too are disputed and unpaid.
- Head of the SSA may, however, on the merits of each case allow settlement of such disputed bills for six consecutive billing cycles i.e., the latest disputed bill and preceding five bills, if disputed and unpaid.
- The above mentioned relief shall be allowed to the customer, if the customer (Home & Business) simultaneously chooses a Broadband Plan at least BBG 375 or any other higher Plan (in terms of FMC). Such customers have to commit to remain in the Broadband Plan so chosen for a period of twelve months after the aforesaid settlement, by payment of Eleven months FMC as Annual Payment in advance.
Option – II (Applicable to all BSNL customers of Home & Business)
Under this option the customer can settle his disputed bill/s as follows:
- The customers may choose any limited usage Broadband Plan of higher FMC. The customer’s disputed bills under the earlier plan may be settled as per the chosen BSNL New Limited Usage Plan. In case the free usage in the chosen plan is less than the total usage in each of the disputed bills, the remaining usage against each such bill may be settled as per the existing usage charges per MB prescribed in the chosen plan. The remaining usage charges so calculated may be collected in 12 equal monthly installments, if customer desires.
- The above Special Relief Scheme shall be applicable to customer only if the customer commits to remain in the chosen limited Plan for twelve months after the aforesaid settlement, by payment of eleven months FMC as annual Payment in advance.
- The relief mentioned at (1) above under this option shall be applicable uniformly up to three consecutive bills only i.e., the latest disputed bills and two immediately preceding bills, in case these two preceding bills too are disputed and unpaid.
- Head of the SSA may, however, on the merits of each case allow settlement of such disputed bills for six consecutive billing cycles i.e., the latest disputed bill and preceding five bills, if disputed and unpaid.
Option – III(Applicable to all BSNL customers of Home & Business)
(a) Customer can select any of the following Unlimited BSNL Broadband Plans to get corresponding rebate on the excess usage of his/her disputed bill/s.
| Plan Name | Speed | Rebate (in GB) | Extra usage charges (per GB or part thereof) beyond the rebate in each disputed bills |
| BBG UL 545 | 512 Kbps Flat | 5 GB | Rs 125 /- |
| BBG Combo UL 675 | 512 Kbps Flat | 5 GB | Rs 125 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 845 | 1 Mbps up to 6 GB, 512 Kbps beyond 6 GB | 8 GB | Rs 100 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 999 | 4 Mbps up to 8 GB, 512 Kbps beyond 8 GB | 10 GB | Rs 100 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 1445 | 2 Mbps upto 20 GB, 1 Mbps beyond 20 GB | 16 GB | Rs 75 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 1800 | 2 Mbps upto 40 GB, 512 Kbps beyond 40 GB | 22 GB | Rs 75 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 2250 | 1 Mbps upto 100 GB, 512 Kbps beyond 100 GB | 30 GB | Rs 65 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 2799 | 4 Mbps upto 30 GB, 2 Mbps beyond 30 GB | 40 GB | Rs 65 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 3500 | 2 Mbps upto 150 GB, 512 Kbps beyond 150 GB | 60 GB | Rs 65 /- |
| BBG Combo ULD 6300 | 4 Mbps upto 200 GB, 1 Mbps beyond 200 GB | 120 GB | Rs 65 /- |
- The plan selected by the customer under this option should be of same/higher FMC than the plan availed by the customer in exiting disputed bill.
- The relief mentioned at (a) above under this option shall be applicable uniformly up to three consecutive bills only i.e., the latest disputed bills and two immediately preceding bills, in case these two preceding bills too are disputed and unpaid.
- Head of the SSA may, however, on the merits of each case allow settlement of such disputed bills for six consecutive billing cycles i.e., the latest disputed bill and preceding five bills, if disputed and unpaid.
- The above relief shall be applicable to customer only if the customer commits to remain in the chosen plan for a period of twelve months after the aforesaid settlement, by payment of eleven months FMC as Annual payment in advance.
Option-IV (Applicable to all BSNL customers of Home & Business)
1. In case where the customer does not want to give any commitment for the future, he may be given the option to settle his disputed bills by allowing him to pay excess usage as follows:
a) Payment for FMC as per earlier plan
b) Payment of excess usage beyond free limit shall be @
- Rs.1000/- up to first 5 GB
- Rs.200/- per GB for every additional GB or part thereof beyond 5 GB up to 10 GB
- Rs.100/- per GB for every additional GB or part thereof beyond 10 GB
2. The customer can avail any plan thereafter.
3. The relief mentioned at (1) above under this option shall be applicable uniformly up to three consecutive bills only i.e., the latest disputed bills and two immediately preceding bills, in case these two preceding bills too are disputed and unpaid.
Other Terms and Conditions
- The scheme is valid up to 31st March 2017, only for those limited usage Broadband plan customers who have disputed unpaid Broadband bills till 31st March 2015.
- A customer can avail any of the options in the above mentioned scheme only once in lifetime on a particular connection.
- Plan chosen under relief scheme shall be applicable only for all the disputed bills and the future committed period. No past undisputed bill shall be settled through this scheme.
- Amount of relief/rebate granted under this scheme shall be for basic usage amount only and not in respect of service tax thereon, already paid to concerned authorities on billed amount.
- Any hitherto regretted case & disconnected for non-payment, which could have been settled on the basis of options of this concession scheme may also be considered for settlement under the scheme, if the customer makes an appeal.
- In case a customer is already disconnected and wants to avail any of the options of the above scheme, he shall not be charged any reconnection/installation fee and Fixed monthly charges for the intervening period i.e., from the date of disconnection of Broadband connection up to the date of reconnection.
- Disconnected Broadband connections under the scheme shall be reconnected on customer’s request after receipt of payment through different settlement options indicated above through Special Relief SAMADHAAN Scheme and clearance of outstanding bills against related landline connection.
- The bills relating to BSNL landline connection, outstanding if any shall be paid by the customer as required under existing instructions for restoration of disconnected b-fone connections.
- The customer should be asked to give his Mobile number (if not provided already) on which usage alerts can be sent in future. He may also be advised to keep a check on his usage by checking the selfcare portal showing the customer log details and should keep watch on the pop-up alerts on the screen.
The above instructions shall be effective with immediate effect for a period upto 31st March 2017, only for those limited usage Broadband plan customers who have disputed unpaid Broadband bills till 31st March 2015 in all the circles.
This Special Relief Scheme ‘SAMADHAAN’ will help the existing and ex-customers of Broadband services of BSNL for settlement of disputes in Broadband usage bills.
Dear readers, please share your views and opinions about this special relief scheme by BSNL via comments with us.
