Thursday, August 1, 2013

Internet Blues

A reader from the freeport sent this in and asked us to get the word out.

Welcome to Subic Bay Freeport, where you only have to pay double for your Internet from PLDT as you would pay outside the Freeport from PLDT!

Since Subictel has been a monopoly in the Freeport since the creation of the Freeport in 1991. They've gotten quite spoiled being the only game in town, just ask anyone who has the (dis)pleasure of dealing with their (sic) customer service. They've also fought hard to keep themselves a monopoly by suing Globe Telecom in court for daring to offer freeport locators a choice.

But here's the part that really gets my goat. While PLDT outside the freeport just doubled the speeds they give their residential clients, inside they continue to give the bare minimum to their clients.

 

The packages I'm describing here, are both separate from the required PLDT phone line which is required to get DSL service. Both inside and outside you pay P600 for the landline, which is frustrating for people who don't use it, but their reliable DSL speeds more than make up for this when you compare it to the alternatives available in Olongapo and Subic

Inside the Freeport:

http://www.pldtsubictel.com/data.php
Xperience 999 1Mbps/down
Xcel 3000 3Mbps/down

Outside the Freeport:

http://pldthome.com/surf/mydsl/about
Plan 999 3Mbps/down
Plan 3000 8Mbps/down

For a comparison the Cable TV company outside the freeport says they offer 2Mbps:

http://clickbroadband.com.ph/bundle.html
http://clickbroadband.com.ph/solo.html

Unfortunately the truth is they don't even deliver 25% of that with speeds usually below 512Kbps, just ask someone on Click to go to:

http://www.speedtest.net/ and see what results they get.

Do you think it's fair that PLDT Subictel charges 200% more than outside the freeport than PLDT outisde? Let them know how you feel...

252-2000 Main line

252-2375 DSL Sales

4 comments:

  1. many customers in Angeles complaining about crap service/spotty internet access from Globe ...I have Converse/ComClark and believe me, its slow....welcome to the Philippines...

    ReplyDelete
  2. I would rather have 1mbps for 999 on the base, where it actually works, than sit in the dark with a broken 3 mbps connection in Olongapo. Things work better on the base and things cost more on the base. You haven't figured that out yet?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree, I moved on base about two months ago after living out in town for the last seven years. None of the providers: CATV, Smartbro, and Globe DSL (they were the closest), provided what you were paying for, right now I am getting a pretty steady 3mbs for 1999p/m. I don't know what you are complaining about, I think it is great, I am getting what I am paying for. Try living out in town.

      Delete
  3. PLDT is very reliable off base and half the price. My connection 3mbps for P999 month (+P600 phone line) and is rock solid.
    Here's a speedtest result:
    http://www.speedtest.net/result/2954883818.png

    ReplyDelete

All comments are posted anonymously. We don't care who you are, we just care about what you have to say. But let's keep it civil. No slander. Talk about issues, not individuals. No racism. Cool it on the profanity. Like Sinatra said, "You don't need to work blue. You'll never play the big houses with that crap."