Dear Editor,
On August 20 I made a decision to join the DSL e-magine broadbrand faster internet connection offered by GT&T. I went to the BV GT&T office, paid my money for the modem and internet connection that was given to me in three days by GT&T’s technicians. I was fascinated by the service offered by GT&T because of the speed and faster downloads compared to the dial up connection. I was also impressed because I can still answer all my phone calls.
My disappointment came suddenly on Septem-ber 17 when I picked up my phone to make a call and it was dead. I also observed that my internet connection was not working since a live phone line connection is required for my computer to access their internet service. I went to the GT&T office at BV around 9.30 am the same morning to inquire why my phone was not working. I was given a phone lying on a desk by a guard to make my complaint to someone on the receiving end. When I picked it up however I heard: “All our staff are busy at this time would you please hang up and dial again.” I continued to hear the same weird voicemail again and again and again, until after about 20 minutes hanging on the phone like a dying rat, a woman answered me. She said that in two working days a technician would visit my home to fix my line.
After three days no one came from GT&T. My wife than visited the office and was told that they would come because the DSL line is a high priority line. To my amazement, however, the whole week passed and no one came after making four reports at the BV office.
I called their fault reporting lines 097, 0907, 0801, 225-1315 and the DSL number I got from their brochure 0488, but only heard their voicemail again. My wife went back to their office on September 27 to lodge another complaint. They came to fix the line on the post about 2 pm which took them less than 5 minutes. That is 10 days later, after more than 5 personal reports at their office which is only five minutes drive from my home in Triumph Village.
In this day and age of advanced technology why is it that when a customer reports a fault at GT&T they are greeted by voicemail? Are they short of live staff? Or do they have too many idlers in their offices? Why is it that a simple problem that took the technician 5 minutes to fix cannot be promptly attended to the same day, since I have use for the internet service offered to me which I already paid for?
Since I was off the internet for 9 days because of GT&T’S incompetence will I be given back these days of extended internet service since I already paid for them? They are very prompt in cutting off phones and internet services if bills are not paid on the due date. Why is it they are not so prompt in fixing the bad lines and phones?
It is my firm belief that the new CEO should stop all these voicemails answering customers. He should also make sure he has workers who will be able to offer customers a more efficient and reliable service. It cost us gas to drive up and down to their office, and it’s time consuming to watch for their vehicle for 10 days like a cat hunting for a rat hidden in a hole.
GT&T’S slogan reads: ‘GT&T getting better all the time.’ Can they live up to this slogan? Or is it getting from bad to worse? I also believe that they should offer a separate phone line to every DSL customer. I noticed when the technician fixed my line he joined a GT&T wire that was damaged on a GPL post by a GPL worker while he was climbing the post ten days ago. Why can’t GT&T run their lines on their own posts? If GT&T”S technology was very efficient as in other countries I have been to, then the very first day my phone line and DSL internet service were down their staff would have known that from their computer screen or at their communications centre and would have instantly sent their staff to fix the problem. It’s because we don’t have much competition with other phone companies that these events are happening every day.
Our President announced to the nation that he will offer 90,000 internet ready computers to poor families in Guyana, which is a good vision for Guyana. That means if the computers are internet ready then GT&T will have to offer 90,000 more phone lines for these internet ready computer owners’ homes. Or I wonder if GT&T has what it takes to bring in lots of hot internet spots into our country for these 90,000 computers to have access to the internet.
It is not my desire to condemn the new e-magine broadband service, but to let those at GT&T know that I am very much disappointed at the service offered to me. After lots of running up and down I know there are lots of customers like myself suffering. We have not progressed very far as a nation. Just a few days ago GPL gave my community about 10 blackouts in one day. It takes more than a great e-magination to live in Guyana.
Yours faithfully,
Rev Gideon Cecil
