Last week, I purchased Celcom’s D98 broadband wireless plan from a Celcom agent here in Kuching. The agent swore that this was the best available broadband system (USB Dongle modem costing RM450 with an ‘attractive unlimited usage’ monthly payment plan of RM98; first month free) in the country.
Seeing that this was the general view held by many of my Internet-addicted and business friends, I decided to purchase the Celcom broadband.
I paid the Celcom agent cash RM478 (after getting a discount) and he told me that the system would be activated within an hour and that I could surf away to my heart’s content.
Imagine my irritation when about 12 hours later, on my attempts to install the Celcom Broadband system and use the Internet, I discovered that the Celcom system did not work. I called the agent who only expressed surprise that the system had not been activated.
He then turned off his mobile phone and refused to answer any of my subsequent calls. On Wednesday, fully 24 hours after purchasing the Celcom system, I called Celcom’s 1-300-111-000 help line. Only then was my system activated by the Customer Help Line Assistant.
On Thursday, to my deep consternation, when I had some urgent work commitments to deliver on, I discovered that Celcom’s Broadband is not really broad despite Celcom’s claims. Instead, I discover that I am unable to even attach a simple Word File to my e-mail since according to the Celcom Help Line Assistant, ‘the Celcom system is busy and experiencing heavy traffic’.
The solution suggested by the Customer Help Line Assistant? ‘Log out and try logging in later’! Pray tell, what’s the use of having broadband if Celcom does not install sufficiently large bandwidth to cater for heavy traffic?
Instead, what is now touted as Celcom Broadband in fact is a slick Celcom sales gimmick, whereby Celcom sells a ‘broadband service’ at an expensive prices but neglects to provide sufficient bandwidth connectivity.
Thus, another Malaysia Boleh rip off, right?
And where is the relevant regulatory body in Malaysia in all this? What are they doing to discipline Celcom to ensure that the provide world-class service? Or are they just playing along with Celcom pretending that this on-going rip off is not happening?
I bought this Celcom broadband system since I need a fast and reliable Internet connection to undertake important work while on the move. My inability to even upload a simple Word File due to ‘heavy traffic’ has since cost me dearly in terms of my credibility in delivering my work commitments.
Don’t even talk about lost income. But hey, does Celcom bother? After all, they already took my money, right?
In Korea, which has the best (free) broadband connectivity in the world, this kind of nonsense does not occur. But we are not in Korea. I keep forgetting this. Silly me.
Instead, we are in Malaysia and in Malaysia as a standard rule, kita cakap tak serupa bikin . Just like ‘con men’. I was just a plain stupid consumer to buy into Celcom’s sales pitch, right? Malaysia Boleh. Saya Bodoh.
