Smart Wi Max IT Connections!

Like a lot of things lately, I too, was not quite sure if this should have gone in the Funny Stuff.

About 30 mins ago, Smart rang to say that they could not cable us for 3 mbs service due to the nearest link pole being over the Prescribed distance for connection, whatever that may mean. Now the Funny Stuff. our Application was successful for the Upgrade Service at a lower cost as our account was good, but and don't you just hate the but's Because, they can't provide the service, they will put up a new receiver that will give the 3 Mbs? at No extra charge ? Hmmmmmmmmmm well wonders they say, will never cease. I wont Hold my Breath on this. I have been complaining now for over 2 years, we are on our 5th or is it 6 th reciever (I loose track.) I can normally tell the time by my connection down time. They came last week and did some meter readings and low and Behold all I have been telling them is true.

2 Engineers (for want of a Better Word) 1 on the Roof, one at my Keyboard monitoring the connections at 3 different Times of day. Their Supervisor came at 4.15 and I said now watch this, at more or less exactly 4.30 off went my Signal as I said it would. he went down the Road to a little oasis of an IT cafe and Found they had just started up for the day and was drawing just about all the Signals for some area around. now they are Admitting that in this Area the Signal is just not Strong enough to Cope with 2 IT cafes Running between 7 and 20 CPU's on private connections. Up to them what they do about Running a business on a 999p per month Wi max when the cost should be 4999 on a 5 Mbs Antenna/Receiver. I just want the connection I pay for and don't want to see anyone's little Business ruined but not at My Expense. Hence my Upgrade at no extra cost

We wait and see.

JP

 

Globe could not even get a Signal here in Junob unless I paid out for a pole booster which was about 6.000 p I said but Whoa, that means anyone on a Wi Max can get access to the 10 Mbs it could produce, Well yes was the answer, FO was my reply, money Grabbing gets Me pay for the booster and all Wi max accounts for 1+ km get the benefit No way JOSE!

JP

 

Quite right Davy so, While I am here, it also came out that the majority of the problems I am experiencing with DI and other things emails etc are brought about by this continued low Mbs
I have never had so many blue screens as this last few months. Seems all the Os Systems will blue screen out when the connection is low and constant.
I told Smart that should my equipment be ruined and I can prove it is the connection to blame I will send them the repair bill and /or the OR for new Equipment.
We should not have to make stands like this but I have found by closely monitoring and logging all the issues then producing this at account paying times can, (if you get a manager down at PLDT with an ounce of Common) sometimes yeald some decent reaction.
Luckily I found an old Spanish Telefonica Agreement that quite clearly showed the reductions and reimbursements for Poor Service based on the given Contract provided.
OK so we know this is the Philippines but they want to be up there with the rest of the World, it did not hurt to show them how the rest of the world Operate.

Little rant over, We will wait and see.

JP

 

Just going by what the Smart supervisor tells me, I know how it works, not why but whatever, they took the threat with some ears pricked up.

Sure sounds as if even they know as little as me which gives me a smile, as I tuck into some Ice Cream. Military BBB ( Bullshit Baffles Brains ) especially when carrying a Clip board ( or in my case a Folder full of Bad Connection Data Logging. When these people see paperwork, which THEY all love, Some S...t hits the Fan.

JP

 

I'm pretty sure I have posted this before, but here goes.

The best connection I have had here by far is my Globe mobile 3G connection. It's rock solid and I rarely have coverage issues. I can take it wherever I go.

The connection is only supposed to be up to 1 MBPS I believe, but in real world usage I don't notice a difference between switching connections from my 3G to the wifi of a local restaurant which may have 3 - 5 MBPS. LTE is here in certain places and I imagine it will be rolling out through the city soon.

I don't have to bother with contracts. I don't have to stand in line to pay bills. I pay as I go.

The only issue is that mobile data is capped. Depending on your usage, it may not be a good option. I don't download torrents and I don't watch video though. I do like to listen to music but some of the promo's come with extra data for Spotify. There are other promo's which give you the same for things like Youtube.

By the way, these Wimax modems have decent antenna's built in. When I had my connection installed in Junob, they extended my external antenna because I wasn't getting a good signal. Months down the road I actually ended up improving my signal by unplugging my antenna.

 

here we Go 3 pm larger IT cafe has just Opened, that's me bin trying 15 mins to get this out. reading down to 0.75 mbs now and then at 4.30 down to 0.45/0.50 when the other one opens. I will ring Smart and complain and they will say. OH! just Monitor for the next 36 hours What sort of life is this to contend with 24/7
Every day is the same, so off I go for a beer or two and hope things are better at 5 pm who knows maybe they turn the volume up.

JP

 

So to conclude, PLDT rang to say that my new connection will be tomorrow 29 th March BUT!
at 10.30 this morning they decide to turn up, they said they rang but no reply, what they meant was that Globe service was so bad I did not get a call. Why they did not ring on my Smart Number I don't know.?
However Bye 11.45 ( had to stop because of the rain we had in Junob) I now have the promised Equipment installed. New roof Receiver, New WiFi/ Desktop Modem Combination.

Pulling 3.8 Mbs as I write this but has never dropped below 2.8 so far.
This was in response to over 100 complaint calls in a little over 18 months.
No additional charges are made and I am still on the 999 peso tariff.
It just goes to show that if you are a big enough PITA you can get a result.
IT can be done, they do have the technology, it just takes some real moaning and Continual justified complaints to get there.
Anyone wanting to get on this System should ask for the ULTRA-PLAN. Normally 1999 per month but if you are insistent enough and have suffered really poor service ( and I know most will have) they will install for you. They promise? 3 Mbs and the modem is up to 5 Mbs
I will monitor this for a week or so and update.

For now, I am a happy Chappy and Hope that Smart have seen the error in some of their ways of Operating. Gosh it is so good to something on my PC when I want to do it and not when Smart allows through bad service

Mind you, Bringing/Highlighting the fact of 2 businesses operating a commercial business on Private connections to their attention had I would think a lot to do with it But...........

JP