"Maybe it’s time to try another telecom company. But what could I expect from the other one?"
For the longest time, the country’s telecommunication industry was under the sole control of the Philippine Long Distance Company. People were literally at its mercy as applicant-subscribers waited for years before being blessed with the much-sought-after line.
It was only in the mid-90s when PLDT’s monopoly in telecommunications was finally busted as the administration of then-President Fidel V. Ramos ordered the deregulation of the industry. Several players cropped up, including Ayala’s Globe Telecom, and Smart Communication. Other small players also ventured into the field but later on were absorbed by the bigger players, while Smart Communication eventually ended up in the hands of PLDT.
But aside from having another player in our midst, nothing virtually changed. Whereas before we have to submit to the whims of a monopoly, now we have at least a choice between the two power players in the telecommunication duopoly.
We still have no choice but to heed whatever they impose on us.
Last week, I called up Globe Telecom to renew my postpaid plan. As a Globe subscriber for more than 10 years, I, of course, expected my application for renewal to be approved—which they did.
However, the next day, I received a call from Globe informing me that I have to pay for an overdue balance of a little more than P14,000 which I incurred about eight years ago, which I have been contesting ever since.
My unpaid balance arose from an offer Globe extended to me sometime in October 2011, for a 3-mbps DSL bundle which came cheaper and much faster than the other network service provider, PLDT which then could only come up with a 1-mbps internet connection.
And aside from being cheaper and faster, the Globe agent told me that everything, including the installation, the line, and the modem would come free of charge and that there would be no advance payment for the subscription.
Who would be a fool to turn down that offer?
Of course, I have to quickly jump in on their offer. And after only three days, Oct. 24 to be exact, Globe installed my new landline and DSL. Boy, they were really fast when it came to installation—but not as fast when it comes to the internet speed they promised me. Based on the speed test I conducted then, their internet speed was only 1.2 mbps.
However, a few weeks later, I got my first billing for my Globe landline and DSL bundle of which I was expecting to contain my billing for my first month of usage. However, I was shocked to see that my billing stated that it was for the Oct. 24-Oct. 26, as Oct. 26 was the cut-off date for their regular billing!
I immediately called up the Globe hotline informing them I cannot pay for a whole month’s bill for only two days of use. But the Globe agent insisted there was nothing wrong with my billing although he could not give me a satisfactory explanation as to why I was being billed for one whole month for just two days of use.
Hence, I was forced to ask them to disconnect my line, which they did after two weeks. But their billing kept coming in until it reached a little more than P14,000. And even as they kept on reminding me to pay the overdue balance, I was firm on telling them I would not pay a single cent until they charged me correctly.
And it was the same story every time I renewed my postpaid plan for my mobile phone every two years from thereon. The issue of my supposed overdue balance always cropped up and every time, the Globe agent I was talking to told me they would just put the supposed overdue balanced on hold and proceed with my renewal.
Until my renewal came in 2017. Finally, the Globe agent I talked to that time told me he had referred my case to the proper authorities (or department) in Globe and that my supposed overdue balance was being waived for good.
I expected smooth sailing for my subsequent renewals.
Until that call last week. The Globe agent told me that the order to waive my supposed overdue bill was invalid and this time, I had to settle it first before they could proceed with my plan renewal.
Fine. I’ve had enough. P14,000 might be a small amount compared to the cost of the unit I am supposed to get for my plan renewal but I cannot stomach being milked and being asked to pay for something I did not even benefit from.
Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to Globe. Maybe it’s time to try another telecom company. But what could I expect from the other one? Complaints against both telcos being posted on social media is not a rarity. In fact, it would be rather odd if you won’t see one even for a day.
And that is precisely the reason why we need another telco—to liberate ourselves from the unreasonable impositions of the existing telcos.
It’s a good thing this administration has been working to break the duopoly in the country’s telecommunication industry.
From what I have read in the news, Dito Telecommunity, formerly Mislatel, had already been given the go-signal to operate. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2020 before they accept applications for a subscription.
But at least, we have something to wait for—better service for its subscribers.