[Ilugc] bsnl dataone billing snafus
- From: rs2003@xxxxxxxxx (R.Subramanian (RS))
- Date: Fri May 12 11:06:35 2006
On 5/12/06, Raja Subramanian <rajasuperman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
On 5/11/06, Kenneth Gonsalves <lawgon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
this may be of interest:
http://kingsly.net/kingsly/BSNL/dataone/adsl/metering
BSNL is not alone here... I've been hit by Airtel
IMO there are no reliable ISP billing solutions available till recently (or
even now) .
Few years ago, I was called to visit a isp (asia net) to device a reliable
billing system for them.
They had a billing solution ( some 24 online) purchased at a huge
price ( many lacs).
And like this , on billing disputes, every day many customers were shouting
at the counter , at the head office and some even went to court.
I spent a few days in their office in thiruvendrum.
The 24 online billing software was a real crap and full of mess.
After studying for a few days i teamed up with a friend of mine and offered
to device a billing system in Linux.
They were very sceptical to accept the offer.
Reason :Our cost was just Rs. 25,000.
The asianet management might have thought that , even after buying a
software for 5 lacs , there are so much trouble. If it is replaced with a
25,000 one , the troubles will only multiply.
For some reason , they rejected our offer.
But my friend just retained the idea and went on to develop the billing
software.
He completed it and started selling it. ( for 500 $ )
In the past 3+ years he has sold more than 100 copies now.
It can account usage time , up/down traffic and apply different rates
for different schemes ( prepaid/postpaid etc) and generate a bill.
Though now it is used for billing mostly by large scale browsing centers all
over the world, it is actually designed for isps.
a few isps are using it for years(but no major isps from India except a few
category C isps.) Hardly any billing disputes
I visited many isps including bsnl to try promoting this solution.
Some how they did not want to try it even for free.
It was not surprised. Since the fate of Linux itself is the same.
It costs less.( or even no cost). It is very reliable.
People have something unreliable bought at heavy price and going thro pain.
(like m$). But 90 % of them don't want to change.
Why......?
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