An Open Letter to the Management of Smart Communications, Inc. on SMART BRO

Dear Sir/Madam:

We are some of the subscribers of your SMART BRO Wireless Broadband Internet Service.

We all experience similar and recurring problems with your SMART BRO. Everyday, we experience intermittent signals and we cannot get continued internet service. Although there were some days that the service is disrupted only about 20% of the time, the disruption is often more than 50% of the time. There are days even that we cannot receive any service at all.

Many of us are planning to discontinue our subscription but we are still hoping that you will improve your service. We are sure you know that we cling to this hope mainly because we are subject to a hefty pre-termination fee once we discontinue our subscription!

Meanwhile, when we contact your customer service numbers to complain, we were answered by your customer service staffs who seem not aware of the problems that we encounter. Please understand when we feel disrespected by your staffs who try to sound as if our bad experience is unique and isolated when we are sure it isn't so.

You may please note that our experience is the exact opposite of your ongoing advertisements which promises among others “Anytime, Always on, unlimited Internet Access”. Our experience is better described as “Sometimes on, Sometimes off, Intermittent Internet Access”. Your wireless broadband service is "Disgusting" rather than "Amazing". Therefore, it is not only our satisfaction that is at stake here but your corporate integrity as well.

We therefore hope you will find a way to inform us of what you are doing to correct the situation and how soon improvements will be realized. In the meantime, if you still have not done so, we suggest you reimburse our payments for days when your internet service is disrupted. Also, kindly wave your pre-termination fee for those subscriber who opt to discontinue their subscription.

Finally, we also suggest that you taper down your advertisements to avoid further insulting the unsatisfied subscribers that we are.

Sincerely,

SMART BRO Subscribers

Can we do anything about flash floods?

So far, the problems discussed here in this blogsite entails solutions that are to be acted upon by the government (and not by individual Pinoys). Big solutions are needed to solve big problems, not just small solutions that everyone can do.

How can we, for example, stop Buses or Jeepneys from loading/unloading anywhere they like? Only the MMDA, or the LTFRB, or the Police, or the Mayor have the solutions for this. How can we stop corruption when you wouldn't know who is not involved in it? The only participation ordinary Pinoys can make is not to vote for the people directly responsible or the people who appoint people who are directly responsible to solve the problems. But do we actually have a choice?

Now that rainy days are here with us and still ahead, we see floods happening again and again. There are places that have floods even when there is no rain. What are the solutions to stop flood water rising? Hmmm, how about proper garbage disposal and management.

Here is one where every individual can help. Do not throw trash not just anywhere! I guess that is all we can do. Yes, sad to say, that's it. The question is if we are not to throw not just anywhere, where can we throw our garbage if the same are not properly collected?

I think government should agree with themselves and come up with one good big policy on how to manage our garbage. Should we do more of recycling and how? Shall we separate which garbage from what and how can classifying garbage be encouraged or forced. City/Town governments should have good garbage collection policies. They should provide big trash bins around and everywhere and which all should be properly and regularly collected. They should regularly clean the esteros and other waterways. Anti-littering rules should strictly be implemented.

It is as if I said there is nothing we can do about it.