PLDT MyDSL fails… again

PLDT MyDSL has failed me in the past, but nothing as long a time as the last one which started a day or two before New Year’s Eve.

Webpages would fail to load, or stop while trying to reach googleapis.com. Publishing blog posts through Windows Live Writer was next to impossible; not even through the Blogger-droid app on my Android phone.

After a few days of that, I found a way around to somehow get to the websites I was trying to visit. Once the status bar of my browser takes at least 5 seconds saying it’s connecting to googleapis.com, google fonts, or anything that says google, I would press the escape key or click the stop icon. The page would then skip that google thing and continue loading the website.

I initially thought it was my router because one night (after several days of turmoil), I decided to do a stand-alone connection. I disconnected the modem from the router and connected it directly to my netbook. The connection went smoothly so I immediately scouted for a new router, blaming my current one.

I almost bought one, but the night before my planned trip to my suki sales rep in SM Bicutan, I decided to do a stand-alone connection again. Lo and behold, I had the same slow connection as when I was using the router!

Good thing there are forums, though. And I learned that I wasn’t the only one experiencing the same troubles. And if the problem is on PLDT’s end, there’s no use wasting my time waiting for a customer service representative to answer my 172 call.

My connection, however, is already stable for two days now. But it’s just so irritating that PLDT has never learned to give advisories to their customers about their network troubles. Haven’t it occurred to them that giving out advisories would lessen the callers complaining on their hotlines?

Anyway, yes, I’m still on the old modem. I’m even using a very old Xyzel modem when almost all of the PLDT MyDSL subscribers in my area already have the modem+wifi router unit.

Been a subscriber for 11 years now. And I’m even willing to keep on using the old modem if PLDT would transfer my connection to their new platform. I’m still on their very first platform (Legacy) that’s why my speed cap is still 2.5mbps despite paying P4k (Small Biz Lite) for the DSL service alone.

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PLDT MyDSL's Anna Banana TVC

Chanced upon the new PLDT MyDSL television commercial for the first time today. It made me teary-eyed.

Imagine your mother secretly watching your YouTube video over and over again to make the hits counter show a good number of views. All that trouble because she knows it will make you happy to find out that "people" watch your video.

Mothers will really do anything just to make their kids happy. I'm a strong believer of that.

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PLDT MyDSL Restored After Three Days

Without warning, I lost my internet connection last Thursday afternoon, around 2 PM. I thought it was just a minor trouble like what always happens with PLDT MyDSL. But just the same, I called their technical hotline (172) to report the trouble. I was told by the tech support representative that he would forward it to their technical team immediately.

Around 4 PM, I still didn't have internet connection. I called the hotline again only to be told that the trouble was traced from a "network trouble" in Pasig and majority of the south area accounts were affected.

I asked around the neighborhood but it seemed that I was the only one without internet connection. I know for a fact, though, that in my area, my PLDT MyDSL connection is the only one in the Legacy platform since I subscribed for the service way back 2004 pa. I actually started being on IP-DSLAM then was moved to the Legacy platform when I requested. They eventually created another platform, NGN, where new accounts are accommodated.

So that's why all my neighbors are on the NGN platform and they had internet connection while I was suffering and constantly calling 172 for follow-ups.

The following day (Friday), I searched the net for postpaid plans of Wi-Tribe and Smart Broadband using my Globe Tattoo prepaid (how ironic). I actually sent an application form online to the two said net providers and a pop-up promised that an agent will call me within 24 hours (unfortunately, none among the two has contacted me yet).

While waiting for the call, my itchy feet brought me to SM Bicutan, and my curiosity brought me inside The Sunshop. Since they require nothing but an ID and a payment, I immediately subscribed to their 799 unlimited broadband internet plan, shelling out an initial payment of PHP1,687.00 for the modem and bond of a month's fee.

It was funny, though, that before I paid for it, the customer rep told me it has an activation period of 24 hours. Then after I paid and while the rep was installing the software on my netbook, he changed that statement to 24-48 hours.

It was okay, though, since I was positive that my PLDT connection would be restored that night or Saturday morning.

But of course, knowing PLDT and their "network troubles," I woke up the following day still with no internet. So I inserted Sun's dongle (or modem as they call it) in my laptop but actually not hoping that it's already activated. And, of course, it still wasn't.

Purchased the package 6:05 PM Friday. Come 6:10 PM Saturday, I was already talking to a CSR on their hotline. According to the CSR, I already have a profile in their system but activation request was still not sent by the Bicutan branch. So she made an e-mail to the branch while all I had to do was (helplessly) wait. And I was feeling really helpless and kawawa because I still had no PLDT connection by that time.

Sunday, I had to go to the cemetery and stuff, afterwhich, I headed to SM Bicutan to notify The Sunshop that my subscription was still not activated. I dropped by Prestige first to have a watch battery replaced, and while waiting, I turned on my netbook and inserted the Sun dongle. Lo and behold! It's already activated! So I didn't go to The Sunshop anymore.

I arrived home hoping PLDT was already restored. But it still wasn't.

I normally attend the 8-9 PM mass but since I wasn't busy, I decided to attend the 5-6 PM mass, actually hoping that the Lord only wanted me to go to church first before restoring my PLDT connection.

It was actually a very enlightening mass cuz the priest's voice was clear and malumanay and his homily was heartfelt (I just knew). Then after the mass I did what I had been planning to do for the longest time. I went to the choir side and asked if they're still open for members.

A young man with longish hair gave me the number of a certain Ate Shirley who wasn't around at that time. Imma call her soon.

And then I really felt so blessed when I arrived home and turned on the PLDT modem. Internet connection was restored! See? The Lord just wanted me to seek Him first.

So now I have two internet subscriptions, make that three if you'll count the Globe Tattoo prepaid in. I just wish they wouldn't fail me all at once. My prayer is that they get into a "network trouble" alternately.

And Yet Again…

After the Nokia I lost at the Pulp Summer Slam last April, and the Cherry Mobile I lost at Mt. Romelo last August…

This post is a tribute to my Nokia 2220, bought April 18, 2010, lost last Sunday either at Mini Stop or at the taxi on our way home from the vet.

Thing was, the SIM card inserted was the PLDT LandLine +. So for the 2nd time around, I lost the PLDT SIM (here’s the first time). I had to report it immediately cuz I might be charged with calls I didn’t make.

I noticed the phone gone when I needed to call someone for my allergies. So instead of getting help for my allergies, I called the Landline + hotline to report the lost SIM.

Monday, after sleeping four hours (since we got home from the hospital around 3 in the morning), Angel and I left the house at 8 AM. It’s my third rabies vaccine and Angel’s second pre-exposure rabies vaccine at RITM. But before heading to RITM, we first went to my sister’s house to get the authorization letter and affidavit of loss she prepared before leaving (her eldest had a track competition) which I had to get notarized. Our PLDT line is in her name so the affidavit of loss should be in her name as well.

As recommended by my sister, we first went to a law office near their subdivision. She’s a regular client and they know her there. She was right. They immediately recognized her name. But unluckily for me, they said they need my sister’s presence to have her affidavit notarized. I didn’t argue. I knew it’s the right way to do it.

My sister texted us another address near the Las Piñas City Hall. It’s a small office, mainly for notarization. The secretary (quite fondly) remembered my sister, got the three copies of affidavit from us, gave it to the lawyer, asked for 50 pesos, and it’s done.

Falling in line at the PLDT South Mall office was another sad experience. The line was so long we spent almost 2 hours to have the SIM replaced. My hands were already cold from hunger and my back and chest itchy from the previous night’s allergy.

We had time to catch a quick lunch before heading to our vaccines at RITM. After the vaccine, though, the replacement SIM issued to us still wouldn’t work. That was like 3 hours after it was issued. During the first time, the SIM was already working the minute it was issued. And for that, we had to go back to SM South Mall to have it checked. Another waiting in line.

Finally, around 6 PM, I was told they’re having an error in their system, and my SIM would be activated as soon as possible. It got activated only this afternoon.

Now I don’t know if I could live without a phone. But I guess I can try.

Connect Me, Please

It’s such a headache when PLDT’s MyDSL service is down.

 

First, I can’t blog. Blogging has been one of my favorite past times as of late (read: the past three years). It’s through this that I can express myself in such ways that I can’t in other medium.

 

Second, I can’t access my feeds and alerts. I can’t stay up-to-date on current events and on topics that interest me most.

 

Third, I can’t connect with my Facebook friends; can’t even tell them that I don’t have internet connection because I don’t have internet connection (redundundant?).

 

Fourth, and most importantly, I have lesser income. My gaming shop can’t have that much clients if I have no internet connection.

 

Wish I could afford to have a spare connection.

 

Word of the day: connection

 

As I write this, I am already 27 minutes on the phone, waiting for a 172 operator to take my call. I’m typing this in an offline blog editor and will publish as soon as the internet connection gets back.

 

“Your call is important to us. Our representatives are assisting other calls at the moment. Please stay on the line until a representative becomes available to take your call.”

 

P.S.

Operator Allan answered my call after a little more waiting. He says PLDT is having a nationwide network problem.

 

So I’m not alone. Hurray! I hate it more when I’m the only one who doesn’t have internet connection.