So, what do you do when you need a fast, uninterrupted connection that doesn't get you bankrupt? You get broadband.

'Broadband' or 'fixed line' services in the form of cable Internet and DSL are available from ISPs, cable TV operators and telecom firms; and the number of users in cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Hyderabad is slowly growing. Though there's no fix on the exact number of broadband users in India, Anirban Choudhary of Hathway Cable, a broadband service provider says they have a total user base of around 40,000 in six cities, with about 3,500 subscribers in Mumbai's suburbs alone.

Gavin Pereira who lives in one of these suburbs got his fibre optic connection through a franchisee of BSES when the service was in its infancy and hasn't regretted it since. Nor has Dr Bijlani, also from Mumbai, who has been using DSL from Dishnet - something that's passed off for broadband in India for a long time.

What exactly is 'broadband' in India?

With all the buzz about 'broadband' going around, what kind of a connection do users actually end up with?

Currently, cable Internet and DSL are available in Indian cities. And players like Bharti Broadband are all set to unleash Skymantra. The most common broadband service is cable Internet, offered by WinCable, Hathway, BSES Telecom, Bharti Broadband, etc. Most fibre optic cables used by cable TV operators have a lot of surplus capacity and can be used for Internet as well as TV.

The type of cable Internet service also differs. There's Net access through cable modem which involves installation of the modem and dialing through for access. In this case, you need to pay installation charges and a monthly rent, which can set you back by as much as 5,000 -10,000 rupees depending on the number of users.

The other way is a LAN connection for which you would need to install a NIC or LAN card in your computer and configure the DNS gateway. You don't need to install a cable modem and it's much cheaper as a LAN card costs Rs 400 to 700 (depending on the card) and monthly access charges are about Rs 500 to 1,000 depending on the area. DSL is offered only by Dishnet DSL. It's a direct DSL connection to a location.

Accessibility

Broadband is now easily accessible in most Indian cities (see table below) and users in the metros have a choice between two or three service providers depending on their area. For cable Internet, the best place to start would be to find out if local cable TV operators offer it. Few offer citywide services and mostly service a few pockets of a city. For instance, Hathway provides cable Internet services through its existing cable networks and currently operates only in certain parts of Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Pune and Bangalore. BSES operates though local franchises.

The time gap between payment and installation varies depending on the service provider, city, area and even the apartment you live in. Personal experiences range from smooth to harrowing. It took Suraj about three and a half months to get his Powersurfer Net connection. He says, "It does take a bit of time as the operator has to lay cables to the building, install a hub and get wiring done in individual homes." In some cases, there could be a minimum requirement of at least two or three users per building for a cable Internet operator to offer the service.

Dr Bijlani, on the other hand, got his connection quite promptly. But that was because "there was no restriction on number of users per building as it is a DSL connection".

Cost

If you're online for over two hours daily, an 'always on' connection is a feasible option. Costs range from a few hundred rupees a month to yearly plans that offer unlimited access. There's a wide range of flexible tariff plans to suit everyone's budget and usage. However the early birds were the lucky ones. Suraj got his BSES connection at Rs 15,000 for three years, as did Gavin's neighbour. Gavin adds: "The price was hiked to Rs 20,000 and later Rs 25,000 for the same service."

Says Dr Bijlani: "For most home users, a direct DSL connection is a little expensive as I had a choice of paying Rs 29,000 at one go or Rs 34,000 to be paid as a Rs 10,000 down payment with Rs 1,000 per month over two years." (for costs of other operators, look below)

He adds: "Though expensive, the connectivity is good and I get my promised 64 kbps speed and a transfer of 1GB pm with a monthly rental of Rs 1,000."

Most of the plans have a data transfer limit set by the service provider. Dishnet DSL has a 1GB limit whereas other service providers offer 300-400 MB. You could pay extra for additional capacity.

A lot of catching up to do…

Broadband speeds also vary and depend on the number of users online. On an average you can expect 64 kbps to a minimum of 10 kbps when there are a lot of users connected. Initially a lot of BSES users got really fast speeds, but it seems to have slowed down to 50-100 kbps now.

'Teething problems' of ISPs are far from over and bad weather, problems with the wiring and the cables also affect Net connection. It isn't uncommon to experience a downtime of a couple of hours a week, with speeds sometimes as slow as 10 kbps.

Again user experiences range from 'quite okay' to pathetic. A look through consumer review site Mouthshut will give you an indication of the 'best or the bekar'.

Overall, many broadband users feel services in India leave a lot to be desired as far as speed, reliability and technical/ customer support are concerned.

Suraj feels the connection could definitely be faster but says that it's still worth the money as he used to pay heavy phone bills for speeds not exceeding three kbps: "Now I have a 24-hour connection with no phone bills and don't feel guilty spending long hours online. And I get speeds ranging from six to ten kbps."

Ironically, for him the only clear benefit of having a broadband connection wasn't speed but cost: "Though 64 kbps is only marginally faster than the 56kbps dial up access speed, for a user like me with over four to five hours of daily use, dialup access was too costly and my monthly access charges along with my phone bill would add up to around Rs 3,000."

Gavin says: "Speed notwithstanding, the only thing that stands out is cost. For four hours of surfing, I'd be spending at least Rs 3,000 to 4,000 on my telephone bills. This has decreased considerably."

Before you get broadband, make sure you:

• Find out if you really need it. Monitor your usage and telephone bills. Compare them with the tariff plans offered by service providers.
  
  
• Talk to people who have broadband in your neighbourhood. Find out about their experiences with speeds, technical and customer support.
  
  
• Choose your service provider carefully after reviewing tariff plans and 'testing' a few things like customer support. Supportive operators can make things a lot easier.
  
  
• Read your contract carefully to see if there are limits on data transfer.
  
  
• Choose the plan that best fits your usage pattern