Sometime ago we had written about BSNL and its 50 MB email storage for broadband customers. If we go by comments posted on the article that seemed to be the mailbox size for paying corporate customers as well! In that post we had voiced our opinion that there is no specific reason to choose BSNL as a primary email service provider.
TelecomTALK Effect?
All this poor experience is set to be a thing of the past in the near future with BSNL all set to migrate email services to a new platform. We learnt from our exclusive sources that this migration is in advanced testing and deployment stages! While we are yet to receive concrete information on what exactly will be seen in the new platform, we would like to publish our expectations in the form of a wishlist here.
- User Experience is the king: For subscribers to opt for BSNL as their primary email service provider and hence for BSNL to be successful, the new platform must offer great user experience. A rich intuitive user interface is a must.
- Security: BSNL and several Government websites have a bad reputation of being hacked. Users must be able to trust BSNL with private and confidential data. Therefore, security must be given utmost priority. Measures like two-factor authentication would help build user trust.
- Enterprise Segment: BSNL email service is preferred across small and mid-level enterprises. BSNL must offer easy service management and upgrade options to enterprise customers. Dedicated customer support teams are a must for enterprise.
- Custom Domain: Many new age customers own web domains of their own. Such customers also wish to use their own domain for personal branding. BSNL could allow people to use a custom domain in place of bsnl.in. This facility can be offered for free to few email accounts and can be made paid for enterprise customers.
- Better Integration with BSNL Products: Services like SMS alerts to BSNL Mobile customers for free and others at a price would be a crowd puller in Enterprise category.
- Mobile Application: Now when the whole world is going mobile, BSNL must offer the same seamless service through a mobile app.
- Open the Service to Wireless Segment and non-BSNL Customers: While it is great to offer better services to broadband customers, BSNL can easily expand the subscriber base by allowing general public (non-BSNL customers) to use the platform at a price. Any subscriber (particularly enterprise) loves great platforms. BSNL customers in the wireless segment, particularly 3G customers who pay a premium over wired broadband must be given access to the same platform for free.
Our wishlist may or may not be in sync with BSNL's current plans. All the above can't be implemented in a matter of days and would require proper planning. Let's hope BSNL takes note of this and considers providing even better features than what we have outlined above.
Questions to Readers
Are you using BSNL's email services? How is your experience with them - ease of access, downtimes etc.? What do you wish to see in the new platform? Let us know.
