During the current lockdown due to Corona pandemic, connectivity is the
most important service for people to connect with their loved ones and work from home. Vodafone Idea’s engineers have been working tirelessly over the past weeks to support customers in Bihar and Jharkhand stay safe at home by ensuring Vodafone Idea’s 4G+ network availability.
Some on ground examples on Network continuity efforts in Bihar & Jharkhand:
1. Despite lockdown conditions and police restrictions, field engineers have been travelled long distances to attend to faults and restore connectivity. e.g, travelling 130 kms from
Jamshedpur to Chakrdharpur, 95 kms from Bhagalpur to Khagaria, 45 kms from Muzaffarpur to Deoria. One engineer had to travel 55 kms from Chakia to Patahi and stay overnight to upgrade the router and get necessary amendments done.
2. A VIL field team had to visit Pundag town which was impacted due to fiber. Local residents body had barricaded entry, The VIL team had to request and convince them to permit them to address an essential service that would keep them connected with their near and dear ones.
3. Network issue faced by a distributor of Pupri town. VIL field engineer travelled to the site 35 kms from Sitamarhi to resolve the problem on a timely basis.
4. There was network congestion in Siwan main town due to high usage in lockdown conditions.
The field engineer go the necessary replacement and amendments done within a couple of
hours to get connectivity speeds up.
Vodafone Idea has organized temporary stay arrangement at data center locations, made food
and groceries available at critical locations and been providing vehicle on duty to facilitate movement of technical staff to sites.
With retail outlets being inoperational during the lockdown, Vodafone Idea is helping its 2G customers using feature phones, to access Quick Recharge through SMS and Missed call.
Customers can also make use of their nearest Bank ATM to undertake recharge.
Vodafone Idea customer service teams are also creating awareness among customers on
accessing and taking the benefit of digital platforms through video links, GIFs, dockets that explain the process for undertaking recharge and effecting bill payments. Recharge process details are also being communicated via my Vodafone app, my Idea app and enabled via digital wallets.
Vodafone Idea is also requesting digital savvy customers to help their friends, relatives and neighbours who are not familiar with digital platforms.
C1 – Vodafone Idea External
VIL Network engineers are working in the field with utmost care by following the social distancing protocols.
Processes:
- Daily briefings on Safety, Social distancing to all field and non-field staff
- Drive test teams, FRT, Patrollers provided with masks, gloves and sanitizers
- Daily stock taking of well-being of people
- NW team connected 24×7 over phone/mails/whatsapps/VCs
- Vehicles are tagged with “Emergency Telecom Services” stickers
- Each field engineer carries 3 documents – DOT letter, Personal ID and Employee ID