Another Friendly Warning From My Internet Service Provider: We Block The Service But We Will Still Be Charging

Note written on 08-Oct-2010, Friday: These are angry words. Words spoken (or typed) with flaming anger in the heart rarely convey the right message. I know there must be mistakes throughout the post. I was thinking of deleting it. Or should I mention correction when I find out any misunderstanding or mistakes in here?

"This is not the way it was before," I demanded for explanation.

"I used to use for two months without paying the bill on time. The internet service was barred and so, I didn't get charged for the following month. Just because my credit limit is RM150, the bill didn't get increased just to meet the limit. I didn't pay for about half a year." Instead of waiting for his explanation, I offered him some more proves and details.

"But you should know, this is the way it works. Even though the service is barred, you will still get charged," he blindly justified the company's system.

In simple words, he was telling me that I still need to pay for something I didn't use.

When asked how should I be knowing all these burdening system so that I can fully understand things and exercise precautions, the operator once again obliviously rationalize themselves by merely telling me that he had done that by orally explaining things to me. Incredibly easy!

If I need to read something, I should be asking for it from the middleman (whom I register my broadband with). It was not Celcom's responsibility to hand out the paper to their customers.

Ironically, they know how to make sure the bill reaches us.

I wish, one day, people will realize that well-informed consumers and willing-to-complaint customers will make sure companies and traders take necessary precautions and feel afraid to take advantage on them.

I have been expecting this to happen. I knew these kind of answers would come from them. I have, somehow, been mentally-prepared for this. Once I decided to subscribe to the postpaid broadband service on my own, I knew I would be facing these kind of issues. People has been complaining about these service provider companies for ages.

I took the risk because of several reasons. Besides teachers and friends, books and other reading materials which I can vastly find outside, the internet has increasingly becomes the most powerful source of knowledge and communication for current digital age. It has, somehow, turn into a big determining factor of how much and what do a person knows.

Many times, internet access were the factor some of my colleagues got ahead of others, in many ways.

Lack of time and physical energy to move around and do things is another issue for me; my health condition is to be accounted for. This reason can actually be the real reason why I need internet so much.

These internet service providers (I'm addressing this matter to Celcom in particular as I'm presently their customer) have ignorantly been practicing an usually burdening policies on their customers.

They bar my internet service but they continue to charge me. Interestingly cruel, they are applying this principle on their customers which includes student customers who do not have any monthly salary. This company has been promoting a student package in conjunction with government's financial policies which prioritize education and thus, privileging the students.

Instead of trying to support the government's good policy on education, it sounds more like taking advantage to me. They know already the low probability for these students to pay monthly bill on time. Unlikely to happen. Thus, they know in advance the probability for them to charge us for the unused service is a lot higher compared to those people who has been working and earning monthly income.


This somehow makes me think of along* problem in Malaysia. The similarity between these two situations is that, they are taking advantage on people who cannot afford. The difference? Spellings.
*Along is a term used to refer to a small group of people in Malaysia who illegally and easily let people desperately in need to borrow money from them. Later on, these creditors will charge high rate of interest and apply life threatening approach to force these debtors pay back the money. Government is taking steps to eliminate this illegal businesses.

How can you charge money for something your customers do not use? If we don't pay you on time, does it decrease your brain functions? Have we make you worried too much about it to the extend that you are not functioning normally? Are we actually paying for these permanent disabilities? If that so, I won't be feeling much disappointed anymore. At least, I know I've been inflicting permanent damage to someone's brain for not paying my bill on time.

Poor Celcom people! I'm so sorry.