Paying phone bills is the toughest part

bangalore: the good news first. as a result of new technology faulty phone line complaints have been reduced in bangalore. after the launch of the voice response system where complaints are digitally recorded, residents are prohibited from entering a telephone exchange. but the database at the exchange effectively combats their line problems. although phone complaints are registered here, there are 18 customer service centres for paying phone bills or collecting applications for shift of telephone. here, the situation has not changed much, and long queues are a familiar sight. speak to people who wait in them, and you will get the true picture. according to a recent all india survey conducted by the indian market research bureau (imrb), bangalore is rated as the second best city in india in telephone services. among the telephone exchanges here, hsr layout is deemed the worst, and malleswaram the best. but residents at hsr layout don't seem to have many line complaints. "we use the voice response system. the complaint is attended to quite quickly," says a bharadwaj (name changed) a resident. "there is no problem here. our phone lines don't really give us much problem," says hemavathi sudheendra, another resident. at malleswaram too, residents do not have too many phone complaints. "linemen here are not demanding and do the job effectively," says s sachindra, a student from malleswaram. but customer service centres evoke maximum complaints of inefficiency because of time consuming queues. "queues in those lines are painful. what's even more irritating is the behaviour of the attendant," says b raghavendra of koramangala. but according to k s sridharan, chief pro, bangalore telecom district, "it is only on the last day of payment that everyone storms to the centre. many times people get rs 800 in rs 10 notes. this obviously results in queues. while cash is accepted from 9.30am to 2pm, cheques are taken upto 4.30pm everyday." citizens have many complaints of rude replies and brash behaviour by the customer service centre attendants. long delays to pay bills or collect applications are sometimes due to the attendant wasting time chatting with a friend or a colleague. residents have to come to the centre three days in a row to finally get their work done sometimes. the greater karnataka telephone subscribers association, based at subashnagar, handles subscriber problems like excess billing and shifting of phones. "the main problem is that people are not aware of rules. a government order says that shift of phone within one area must happen within seven days. if the shift is between two areas, the time is 15 days. but the phone department takes years to do the job," says association president rs kumar. "besides, they also charge rent for the transfer period," he adds. in one case a subscriber was charged a monthly bill of rs 3 lakh for isd calls he never made. "the main reason is the linemen who interchange cables. the isd call is billed to the wrongsubscriber," says kumar. although free isd facility in the phone has been barred since 1998, the problem continues illegally. the bangalore telecom district has launched telephone adalats made of a three-member committee. complainants with grave problems with telephone lines or services present their cases to this adalat. residents have got monetary relief through this service. monthly open house sessions promote public interactions with area managers.