Showing posts with label Smart Bro. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smart Bro. Show all posts

Bad Broadband Installers

Regular readers of this blog know that I, for a long time, had been trying hard to have an internet connection for my home. I did an extensive research and considered broadband, line connection, and even satellite internet. I applied to major internet service providers like Smart and Globe for their broadband services. Both of those two telecommunication companies responded to my broadband applications and sent their technicians to try installing their broadband receivers for my home computer.

My internet application adventures allowed me to meet some bad eggs.

The Enterprising Technician

I first applied with Smart Telecom for their Plan 999 in their Smart Bro. The application process was fast and after a week’s time installers came to our place.

The problem with our place is that the line of sight with the tower of Smart is blocked by the mountain. The technicians tried in finding a place with good broadband signal for hours, but in vain. They even used a 20 feet pipe to prop up the broadband receiver, but the signal is hard to come by.

One of the installers told me that he could add another 10 feet pipe to increase my chances of getting a signal. He claimed that Smart charges 3,000 pesos for 30 feet high pipe that is used to prop up the receiver. He added that he could issue a receipt for the additional pipe but I could avail a discount if I will not ask for a receipt. He even claimed that Smart prohibits receivers being propped up to 30 feet.

The offer left me thinking. 3,000 pesos is too much for a 30 feet pipe unless their pipe is made of gold. Another thing that I thought is how he can issue a receipt if Smart prohibits a 30 feet high installation. The installer contradicted himself.

When the technician felt that I am adamant to his offer, he called up on his buddy on the rooftop and told him pack their things up. I am glad that they left quickly; I almost accepted the offer of the technician.

An Installer with an Attitude

 Because of Smart Bro’s lack of signal, I tried applying to Globe Broadband for an internet connection.

The technicians of Globe lack coordination. One of them went to our home without informing me. My mom did not let them in because she was surprised. Thievery are rampart in our town so as a precaution, my mom did not allow them to go into our house. The next, two installers came and I received them. They are nice and tried all possible things to get a good signal but to no avail. I have no problem with them.

The night on that day, the group of technicians, the ones that my mom barred, came. One of the technicians, maybe because he is tired for the day, told me in a loud voice, “Ano ikakabit na natin?!” (What? Shall we install now?!). I almost said, “Oo ikabit na natin sa puwet mo.” (Yeah, let’s install it in your ass) but said, “May pumunta nang technician kaninang tanghali eh. Natingnan na nila kung may signal.” (Other technicians already visited us this afternoon. They already checked if there is a signal). After that, they just left without any word.

How very rude of that technician. Even if he is tired, he should not have shouted at his client. That is never a good way to treat customers.

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Shopping for an Internet Service Provider

My weeks of wait, my efforts of contacting the customer service, and the anxiety and hope all came to naught last Sunday as the technicians confirmed that my home is indeed beyond the reach of Smart Broadband’s signal. The mountains are blocking Smart’s tower and so signal can’t be obtained even if they raise the Canopy to thirty feet above the roof of my house.

Too bad for me since I am back to zero in my goal to install an internet connection in my home. I am back at looking for an alternative to Smart Bro. PLDT MyDSL is out of the choices since my area is banned by PLDT because many evildoers are stealing telephone wires (there is one time that our street experienced a blackout for a whole day because the thief stole the electric wires). So here I am again, researching and planning my next move.

So far, here are my other options:

Globe Broadband


This is the internet broadband counterpart of Globe Telecommunication. My problem with it is the high probability that our home is also beyond the reach of Globe’s signal. Last year, I used Globe in my cellphone but I am forced to shift to Smart because Globe’s signal is very weak if I am inside the house. The weak signal always forces me to go out of the house just to call or to receive a text message.

The good news is that the broadband’s signal is different from the signal used by 3G phones so it is also possible that we have a Globe Broadband signal in our area.

Sun Broadband


Sun Broadband offers more affordable plans than Smart and Globe. However, I am thinking that Sun Cellular has limited coverage in our town. I bought a Sun Cellular Sim months ago to avail their Sun to Sun unlimited call, but the signal is choppy and I am forced to walk a block away from our house just to get a clear signal. With this, I believe that my area is also beyond the reach of Sun Cellular’s broadband internet.

 

Smart Plan 799


This is another offering of Smart Telecom, which uses a USB dongle as a modem. The dongle has a SIM inside. Plan 799 allows the subscriber to surf the World Wide Web for a maximum of 80 hours per month. My brother already has this dongle and it works well inside the house. The Smart Bro technician mentioned that the dongle uses the signal used by 3G phones to connect to the internet.

I plan to experiment on this dongle and have it installed outside of the house and connected to the computer by a long wire. If all goes well, then I am thinking of applying for Smart’s plan 799.

Satellite Internet


This is my last option and I will only choose this if I am desperate enough. This option is the most expensive of the four. I am yet to research on this, but I already saw that Dream TV is offering this kind of internet connection. My brother also mentioned of Green Cell, which costs about 3,500 pesos a month with a really reliable internet connection. However, many people in an online forum insist against satellite internet because it is not ideal in the Philippines. Satellite signals are affected by weather disturbances like typhoons and heavy rains. The Philippines are frequented by typhoons, thus the monthly cost will not reciprocate with the benefits that I will receive.

I am sad that Smart Bro did not work in my area, especially now that I really want to have an internet connection in my own house. Renting PC in an internet café is costly for a blogger like me. The set-up also restricts activities in the net and is risky because of the viruses that are present in most internet café. I do hope that one of my options here give me the internet connection that I need. As for now, I will pester Smart’s customer service representatives and ask for a refund of my payment for their botched up Plan 999.
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