I am facing this problem daily. I explain what I experienced in the last 1 month. There is also some help to those who want to get access to the net in case of problem.
1) www.mail.bsnl.in is a promotional page to promote an enterprise email solution developed, copy rigted by a private company. It is also an advertisement page, some say to get extra revenue from google adsence.
2)Redirecting URL request by an ISP is illegal. They have no right to interfere and block access to internet, unless there is some payment issue connected with providing internet service.
3) This is same as making unsolicited call on phine. It violates privacy.
4) There is also larger issue of violation of "net neutrality" a free and fair access to internet.
5) Many believe, the appearance of bsnl advert page ( nail.bsnl.in) it self is the problem. I would say, that is the lesser issue. Many time that page does not appear for many technical reasons, internet connection is blocked and people have no clue. Large number of subscriber are facing this problem. They do not find this bsnl page and think there is some kind of routine intent problem without realizing the mischief done by bsnl.
6) No body in the bsnl know or can do anything about this. Be it in the service center, exchange, cable etc. They treat it as regular problem and waste your time. The fault is at server level. It is programmed that way.
7) BSNL mostly use captive portal, that is a use log in or authentication page, for this purpose, before connecting the user to the internet. They do this randomly, some time once a day some time several times in a minute.
8) They redirect not only "get" URL page requests but also "post" requests such as form submission etc. The later one is most irritating and dangerous.
9) Some remedy : Out of my experience, I have found someway to get connected to the net, whenever I face problem ( as pointed out in point no.5). It is as follows:
On PC: Keep hitting any page say www.google.com till that page or this advertising bsnl page appears.
Another way is to remove and connect Ethernet cable from the router. This resets public IP, and chances of connecting to the net or getting the bsnl pages is more.
10) In mobile phone using wifi, the problem is still grave. None of the Apps function here since the bsnl page data is still not downloaded. Apps can not show web pages.
Remedy: The user should go to the browser, try to access any web page say google.com. till the redirected bsnl page appears. There onwards all Apps work. It is easier to get this done in PC. If you get connection in PC, then you get connection in mobile as well.
11) Sometime, Android notification may ask you to sign in to your wifi network. Click the notification, you are taken to the browser, and if the speed is good, you are connected to the bsnl page. There after your apps will work.
12) On my mobile I found a 204 request added to google IP. That suggest BSNL is authenticating before connecting to the net. Instead of actually authenticating, BSNL is using this method to publish www.mail.bsnl.in advertisement page. (for example 216.58.220.14/generate_204). This is handy work of BSNL the ISP itself and nobody else.
13) Somebody in BSNL tried to misguide me by saying some other wifi network in my area may be interfering with mine. So, I disconnect my wifi router. On my PC, I still faced same problem.
14) People have no clue about the problem. Since this is not permanent problem and in any case they will get connected to the net after sometime ( may be say in one hour) they treat as poor bsnl service. If at all if mail.bsnl.in page appears, they are happy as they think net becomes alright. Many think there is some issue with their wifi router or mobile phone itself and curse the manufacturer or fight with their service centre people.
15) All of us should give more publicity to this unethical practice by BSNL and compell them to remove this restraint imposed on their broadband subscriber. BSNL has made an issue out of no issue. They are spoiling otherwise whatever best service they are offering for extra buck or to please their private masters.
1) www.mail.bsnl.in is a promotional page to promote an enterprise email solution developed, copy rigted by a private company. It is also an advertisement page, some say to get extra revenue from google adsence.
2)Redirecting URL request by an ISP is illegal. They have no right to interfere and block access to internet, unless there is some payment issue connected with providing internet service.
3) This is same as making unsolicited call on phine. It violates privacy.
4) There is also larger issue of violation of "net neutrality" a free and fair access to internet.
5) Many believe, the appearance of bsnl advert page ( nail.bsnl.in) it self is the problem. I would say, that is the lesser issue. Many time that page does not appear for many technical reasons, internet connection is blocked and people have no clue. Large number of subscriber are facing this problem. They do not find this bsnl page and think there is some kind of routine intent problem without realizing the mischief done by bsnl.
6) No body in the bsnl know or can do anything about this. Be it in the service center, exchange, cable etc. They treat it as regular problem and waste your time. The fault is at server level. It is programmed that way.
7) BSNL mostly use captive portal, that is a use log in or authentication page, for this purpose, before connecting the user to the internet. They do this randomly, some time once a day some time several times in a minute.
8) They redirect not only "get" URL page requests but also "post" requests such as form submission etc. The later one is most irritating and dangerous.
9) Some remedy : Out of my experience, I have found someway to get connected to the net, whenever I face problem ( as pointed out in point no.5). It is as follows:
On PC: Keep hitting any page say www.google.com till that page or this advertising bsnl page appears.
Another way is to remove and connect Ethernet cable from the router. This resets public IP, and chances of connecting to the net or getting the bsnl pages is more.
10) In mobile phone using wifi, the problem is still grave. None of the Apps function here since the bsnl page data is still not downloaded. Apps can not show web pages.
Remedy: The user should go to the browser, try to access any web page say google.com. till the redirected bsnl page appears. There onwards all Apps work. It is easier to get this done in PC. If you get connection in PC, then you get connection in mobile as well.
11) Sometime, Android notification may ask you to sign in to your wifi network. Click the notification, you are taken to the browser, and if the speed is good, you are connected to the bsnl page. There after your apps will work.
12) On my mobile I found a 204 request added to google IP. That suggest BSNL is authenticating before connecting to the net. Instead of actually authenticating, BSNL is using this method to publish www.mail.bsnl.in advertisement page. (for example 216.58.220.14/generate_204). This is handy work of BSNL the ISP itself and nobody else.
13) Somebody in BSNL tried to misguide me by saying some other wifi network in my area may be interfering with mine. So, I disconnect my wifi router. On my PC, I still faced same problem.
14) People have no clue about the problem. Since this is not permanent problem and in any case they will get connected to the net after sometime ( may be say in one hour) they treat as poor bsnl service. If at all if mail.bsnl.in page appears, they are happy as they think net becomes alright. Many think there is some issue with their wifi router or mobile phone itself and curse the manufacturer or fight with their service centre people.
15) All of us should give more publicity to this unethical practice by BSNL and compell them to remove this restraint imposed on their broadband subscriber. BSNL has made an issue out of no issue. They are spoiling otherwise whatever best service they are offering for extra buck or to please their private masters.
