Woe is PLDT

W9XR wrote:

We've had our problems with PLDT in the past, now it is really bad.  Speeds as low as  .04 mbs if you can even connect. Some days no connection at all in Metro Manila. This problem will be two weeks tomorrow.

Numerous calls to them and they have endless excuses. First call to them, they said even their internet is down at the office and they don't know what the problem is.

They said they would send a technician out (after more phone calls). Several days later found a note on our door saying "nobody home", but we were home.

Called and complained. Several days later got a phone call from a technician saying he was over and nobody home. We were home, so we told the technician to call when he is coming over. . . . guess what no calls.

What really hurts is that I have Ooma Telo and can't make calls to the states using my stateside phone number. I can't check into my bank online to make payments or transfer money. Sometimes my charge card accounts are locked because of my Philippines IP number and I have to call to the states to unlock the account.

All is not lost my son has figured out a work around using a smart phone. My desktop computer is linked to the smart phone which is connected to the internet. My speeds are faster than any speed I've ever had with PLDT. A load for one week is 150 pesos.

Now about my smart phone. My wife has a Samsung Note, my son has an Apple, our maid has a Samsung and I had a dumb phone, used only to get login in numbers sent by text from BDO.

Well I saw videos on Youtube comparing real Note 9's to replica Note 9's. Reviewer could not find much difference with side by side comparisons. So I went with my Filipino step son to Greenhills Mall, Knock Off Heaven. Everyone  said there was a crackdown on Knock Off Phones, they could sell me a used Note 9 (for big bucks) but had no knock offs. The reviewer on Youtube paid less than $100 usd for the knockoff. I ended up buying a used Samsung A10S for 5,000 pesos. (I might have bought a knock off of a knock off, who knows, it's Greenhills).

But it works for my work around of PLDT.

Is PLDT the only Internet/call provider in the Philippines? This is what I do to to solve my problems in Brazil regarding my accounts in the USA:

1. All the US financial institutions engage in geo-targeting. If your IP address is overseas, they deny you access. Use a VPN that utilizes servers in any country you may want to access. I use Nord VPN and there are others like Express VPN. I can access Hulu, Netflix (US content) etc. But Bank of America has blacklisted my Nord VPN.

2. US banks want a US number to access their toll-free numbers. I bought a Skype number (US) to call them with no problem.

3. A lot of US institutions want a US cell phone no. to be able to text you a code for access. The Skype number does forward but institutions sometimes don´t allow forwarding. Calls YES, all the time - even from some institutions calling you for your code word.

So an item above might be useful and could apply to you...

robal wrote:

W9XR wrote:

We've had our problems with PLDT in the past, now it is really bad. 

But it works for my work around of PLDT.

Is PLDT the only Internet/call provider in the Philippines? This is what I do to to solve my problems in Brazil regarding my accounts in the USA:

1. All the US financial institutions engage in geo-targeting. If your IP address is overseas, they deny you access. Use a VPN that utilizes servers in any country you may want to access. I use Nord VPN and there are others like Express VPN. I can access Hulu, Netflix (US content) etc. But Bank of America has blacklisted my Nord VPN.

2. US banks want a US number to access their toll-free numbers. I bought a Skype number (US) to call them with no problem.

3. A lot of US institutions want a US cell phone no. to be able to text you a code for access. The Skype number does forward but institutions sometimes don´t allow forwarding. Calls YES, all the time - even from some institutions calling you for your code word.

So an item above might be useful and could apply to you...

PLDT is one of many suppliers, info from my stepson says most others stink too. I'm also told that the wait time is about a month for installation from other companies.

A free VPN with 150 mb per day is available from Panda Dome (virus scanner) which is also free. I can watch netflix on my smart TV when I have a connection through PLDT without a VPN. I have no trouble logging into Bank of America or CitiBank without a VPN. But some others I have to call and they will email me since my ooma telo will not received texts. Ooma gives you two telephone lines and you can even transfer your old number. Once you own the unit your monthly charges are only for the local tax where the number is registered.

Some time ago I had to call CitiBank, their system recognized my stateside number. I talked to the customer service rep and she was located in the Philippines about two miles away. So the connection went like this: My VOIP to the states, states forwarding the call to the Philippines.

Thanks for your input.

"They said they would send a technician out (after more phone calls)." Wow you managed to call them. I live in Cagayan De Oro, when I first got PLDT they did have national numbers you could call for billing, technical assistance ect but those numbers are all dead now, if my internet stops working I have to go to my local PLDT office and report it and then wait and wait and wait and.............

FindlayMacD wrote:

"They said they would send a technician out (after more phone calls)." Wow you managed to call them. I live in Cagayan De Oro, when I first got PLDT they did have national numbers you could call for billing, technical assistance ect but those numbers are all dead now, if my internet stops working I have to go to my local PLDT office and report it and then wait and wait and wait and.............

That bad? I´m an investor and depend a lot on markets on-line. Metro Manila looks like the same thing. Any better input among ex-pats?

I use Globe dsl and have had much better success than with PLDT.  My experience; PLDT is the first to go down and the last to come back up.  Also first to bill, lol.

I have also used Globe at Home Wireless and was pleased with that also.  I could even run my Globe Wireless off a powerbank I have during brownouts with great success.

One caveat with suppliers here in the Philippines, It all depends on your location as to what your options may be.  In places like Cebu City one of the providers may purchase the rights to supply internet to a highrise, and they then may be at max capacity.  They tend to install feeds to areas that are less than 100% buildout. 

In the city on Panay where I am at I have heard of several subdivisions where wired internet is not available because they are at 100% capacity already and the subdivisions are less than 50% built out.

Hobbit112 wrote:

I use Globe dsl and have had much better success than with PLDT.  My experience; PLDT is the first to go down and the last to come back up.  Also first to bill, lol.

I have also used Globe at Home Wireless and was pleased with that also.  I could even run my Globe Wireless off a powerbank I have during brownouts with great success.

One caveat with suppliers here in the Philippines, It all depends on your location as to what your options may be.  In places like Cebu City one of the providers may purchase the rights to supply internet to a highrise, and they then may be at max capacity.  They tend to install feeds to areas that are less than 100% buildout. 

In the city on Panay where I am at I have heard of several subdivisions where wired internet is not available because they are at 100% capacity already and the subdivisions are less than 50% built out.

Hi Hobbitt112,

I'm here in Pasig City (Manila Metro). I'm replying to you using my computer which is linked to my cell phone which is connected to the internet.

My cell phone is on the Globe network connected to the internet. At this moment Okla (speed test) says my download is 6.78 mbps & my upload is 1.81 mbps.

This far exceeds what PLDT was supplying me on it's best day. I'm going to buy a Comcast Dongle or similar, many on Lazada/Shopee to connect my Smart TV to the internet through my phone.

If it works I will cancel PLDT. Today is the 15th day with no customer promises kept.

Hobbit112 wrote:

I use Globe dsl and have had much better success than with PLDT.  My experience; PLDT is the first to go down and the last to come back up.  Also first to bill, lol.

I have also used Globe at Home Wireless and was pleased with that also.  I could even run my Globe Wireless off a powerbank I have during brownouts with great success.

One caveat with suppliers here in the Philippines, It all depends on your location as to what your options may be.  In places like Cebu City one of the providers may purchase the rights to supply internet to a highrise, and they then may be at max capacity.  They tend to install feeds to areas that are less than 100% buildout. 

In the city on Panay where I am at I have heard of several subdivisions where wired internet is not available because they are at 100% capacity already and the subdivisions are less than 50% built out.

Thanks for your input.

W9XR wrote:

Hi Hobbitt112,

I'm here in Pasig City (Manila Metro). I'm replying to you using my computer which is linked to my cell phone which is connected to the internet.

My cell phone is on the Globe network connected to the internet. At this moment Okla (speed test) says my download is 6.78 mbps & my upload is 1.81 mbps.

This far exceeds what PLDT was supplying me on it's best day. I'm going to buy a Comcast Dongle or similar, many on Lazada/Shopee to connect my Smart TV to the internet through my phone.

If it works I will cancel PLDT. Today is the 15th day with no customer promises kept.

Thanks.

I subscribed to Converge fiber (PhP1,500/ month) when it became available in our area. Unlimited data. Connection is fine for now. PLDT fiber was available way before Converge was, but we were hesitant to subscribe because of the bad reviews.

We used to have Globe broadband at our house, but it became ridiculously slow and laggy. (Globe fiber is not yet available in our area.) Also, data limit was just 10G, which made us go over the limit when the kids watch a bunch of videos on YouTube. Globe's unlimited data was too expensive.

I would like to add to this discussion that cable / satellite tv here sucks. Recently, Cignal stopped airing NBA tv. Anyways, my team, the Golden State Warriors, has thrown in the towel for this season, and is in young player development mode because their stars are injured and they're probably aiming for a high draft pick. So next year would be exciting..

Cignal said to wait as they're still negotiating with NBA. But we're not going to wait around for something that's not definite, maybe just get League Pass.

They re not gonna rook us. Take that for data.

FilAmericanMom wrote:

I would like to add to this discussion that cable / satellite tv here sucks. Recently, Cignal stopped airing NBA tv. Anyways, my team, the Golden State Warriors, has thrown in the towel for this season, and is in young player development mode because their stars are injured and they're probably aiming for a high draft pick. So next year would be exciting..

Cignal said to wait as they're still negotiating with NBA. But we're not going to wait around for something that's not definite, maybe just get League Pass.

They re not gonna rook us. Take that for data.

Yes, no NBA has been a Cignal Cable hardship for me here in Ilocos Sur.  They were still showing NFL games until this Southeast Asia games started from Metro Manila.  They have 6 channels, including the ESPN channel with SEA Games 24/7.  Instead of watching the Patriots lose on Monday morning I got underwater hockey.  Don't know what was on instead of the Bears killing the Cowboys, and the games don't end until 12/11, so I'm guessing no NFL this Monday or Tuesday.  I went into the Cignal office in Vigan on 10/25 and gave them 6,000 pesos for 6 months coverage, and they told me about the negotiations with the NBA and the channels should be running "next month"  Told the woman if it did not start in November I would be back to negotiate a refund per month passed on services paid for but not delivered.  Told her I hoped I would not see her until next year.  How was she privy to the negotiations with the NBA?  Of course it was just a line to get me out of the office.  Not looking forward to the next discussion.

I have Skycable and I am happy of it 👌

I had experienced subscribing to Sun, Gliobe and Smart broadband. For all three, the  postpaid subscription came with a free unit, and I was locked in for at least a year. The speed was good to acceptable at the beginning , but towards the end of the lock-in period, it became so unbearably slow .  It was hard to get a hold of technical staff, with the automated help desk getting disconnected after I've entered a very long account number. It was so frustrating..

I visited a branch / office. They told me that perhaps it was due to the unit. They could replace my old unit for free, but I would be locked in again. I felt like being scammed.

I have internet connection at home, but would like to have internet connection while I'm out of the house. I haven't tried a prepaid broadband plan. Maybe that would be better. How was your experience with a prepaid account?

FilAmericanMom wrote:

I had experienced subscribing to Sun, Gliobe and Smart broadband. For all three, the  postpaid subscription came with a free unit, and I was locked in for at least a year. The speed was good to acceptable at the beginning , but towards the end of the lock-in period, it became so unbearably slow .  It was hard to get a hold of technical staff, with the automated help desk getting disconnected after I've entered a very long account number. It was so frustrating..

I visited a branch / office. They told me that perhaps it was due to the unit. They could replace my old unit for free, but I would be locked in again. I felt like being scammed.

I have internet connection at home, but would like to have internet connection while I'm out of the house. I haven't tried a prepaid broadband plan. Maybe that would be better. How was your experience with a prepaid account?

I do have a Claro prepaid cellphone plan in Brazil. Their broadband is very fast, they call it 4 1/2G. Unlimited WhatsApp. I can´t complain on anything. I pay as I go...

I also have a Claro broadband at home, blazingly fast, separate account. I use it only for stock investing, games and to watch Netflix on my 21.5" iMac. This has a VPN and also on my prepaid cell phone acct.    I don´t use a SmartTV for sports or films.

robal

robal wrote:

I do have a Claro prepaid cellphone plan in Brazil. Their broadband is very fast, they call it 4 1/2G. Unlimited WhatsApp. I can´t complain on anything. I pay as I go...

I also have a Claro broadband at home, blazingly fast, separate account. I use it only for stock investing, games and to watch Netflix on my 21.5" iMac. This has a VPN and also on my prepaid cell phone acct.    I don´t use a SmartTV for sports or films.

robal

Not relevant robal as Claro isn't available in the Philippines and this is a Philippine forum.

Hobbit112 wrote:

robal wrote:

I do have a Claro prepaid cellphone plan in Brazil. Their broadband is very fast, they call it 4 1/2G. Unlimited WhatsApp. I can´t complain on anything. I pay as I go...

I also have a Claro broadband at home, blazingly fast, separate account. I use it only for stock investing, games and to watch Netflix on my 21.5" iMac. This has a VPN and also on my prepaid cell phone acct.    I don´t use a SmartTV for sports or films.

robal

Not relevant robal as Claro isn't available in the Philippines and this is a Philippine forum.

It´s only an example of the prepaid being a relevant recourse. I´m sure you do have prepaid in the Philippines with even a fiber optic technology attached to it. It could be any company...

robal

We have Globe at home, see other posts. No complaints with their wireless server until we get a storm then it lags or drops out, can't have an auto direct debit from our bank accounts (Technological lags?) so have to go in store to pay or 7/11 for credit scratch cards, same with our cable TV, ah the wonders of the modern world.

Cheers, Steve.

Don't worry any slow internet speeds are more then made up by the quickness of the tsismis.

Lat61 wrote:

Don't worry any slow internet speeds are more then made up by the quickness of the tsismis.

Faster than the radio or a speeding bullet...

We have PLDT in our Cebu condo with no real problems. We get the slowdowns on weekends sometimes and the router has needed a firmware update but no other issues really. We generally get 5-10MB download speeds.  We tried Globe for awhile and it was a nightmare. Nothing but problems, and horrible customer service. Literally every month the internet would get cut off, supposedly for an unpaid bill which would require us to then have to waste time to go in and try to resolve the problem in person.. sometimes with an hour wait. I finally came to speculate the reps were somehow skimming the money, leaving the account short.  Finally had enough and went back to PLDT and fine with it.

Here in the PI,

It is ALL politics.  The big 3, PLDT, Globe, Smart, now to have a 4th spend all their time and effort arguing about who can rape the public the most.  We have some of the worst internet in Asia, and rather poor standing in the relative to rest of the world ( we do better than some of Africa).  Katipunan, 50 thousand people, two cell towers, one appears abandoned, one cell tower working  and only provider, Globe.  Guess how excellent (not!) our service is.

Hi P.A.M.

I use a Smartbro. Having abandoned our Globe Tattoo system as hopeless.
It is fast enough for what I want. e-mails, Banking, etc. I can load it at home over "My Smart". Take it anywhere with me. (Some places it doesn't work of course)
The only problem is my Wife can't watch countless, pointless, Videos on Facebook. As the load disappears quickly.

You are correct, i forgot, Globe customer service motto "make em wait and keep em in the dark!"