This is but the latest in my tales of my living in the only place on Earth that was affected by the Y2K Bug.
Last year I wrote about getting a new broadband WIFI dongle from Globe. It functioned well and I was surfing the World Wide Web with glee. Someone in Globe’s corporate higherarcy decided that it was going too smoothly. Six months after I purchased my dongle they went with a different brand, and for the next 4 months things went relatively well for both the new and older dongle owners. Then they realized that they had sold less of the older model (Yes the one I have) and a lot more of the newer model, the type my neighbor Mr. Don Bullock has. Don lives a 30 seconds walk from my house.
Don is on line, I’m on line and one day on 20 August Globe reconfigured their signal to accommodate the newer model. A good thing you might think, unless you own the older model. In the last two months while the engineers were making small tweaks to the signal, my dongle is on a steady downward spiral, working with a 2G signal for the last two months. Then on that day, I notice I can’t even log on. I’m thinking my Puter is doing bad things and is plum angry with me. Then I think to myself, let me check with Don. So I make that 30 second zip to his house and asked how his newer style dongle is working. He told me all was well, and he had a strong 3g signal with many bars listed.
My, I think, that’s odd. So Don being the good neighbor let me borrow his dongle and I return home and plug it in. Wow, great signal, easy connection and it was working just the way mine used to. But alas it belongs to Don, and side by side mine still lacks any signal.
I’m off to the Globe office in Olongapo City, and a service rep. named Belle is attempting to solve my problem. She hooked my dongle to their computer and 3G pops up and she deems my dongle cured. Ah Belle that is wonderful, with one small problem. The problem is I don’t live here at the SM Mall where your office is!
Belle was speechless, and I saw her hand moving toward her head for a prolonged scratch, then I knew I had hit an impasse.
Belle. I said, our Globe contract requires that every month I pay your company P 1,000. And you provide 3G internet. But it seems that your folks at Globe have decided to void our contract. So I’m no longer going to pay Globe and will switch to Smart or Sun and see how they do. I am being kind and polite through this entire encounter as in no way could my problem be Belle’s fault. My goal was to talk with her boss, who seemed to be unavailable at that time. Then I noticed a well dressed young man slide into the terminal beside Belle and he seemed to be listening and not doing anything else.
I believe I have just met “THE BOSS”! No, not Bruce Springsteen, but Johan the Globe guy! All of a sudden he steps in and is ready to argue with me. I called him to a halt and pointed out that I’ve been polite, never raising my voice, and just requesting a solution to my internet troubles. Belle is nodding her head in agreement, and I’m now asking what he can do to help me. He had no idea! So I pointed out that if I had the new type of dongle to replace the one that was not functioning than this problem would go away by itself. Sir that is impossible as your contract is for the dongle you have, and no other. Then it dawned on me it’s a money thing, they did not want to incur the cost of a new dongle. I do live in the Philippines, don’t I!
Johan my friend, I am more than willing to front the cost of the newer type dongle out of my pocket, keep our contract active and just go home and log on line and receive a 3G signal. Johan had that light bulb moment, he could see the logic in my request and a beautiful friendship was budding. The Kano was not an unreasonable man! Belle’s pretty head was moving up and down in the affinitive and a smile came to her lips. Mayang was smiling and the world was becoming a kinder and more genteel place.
It took some time but all seemed ready to move toward solving my problem, but then I did mention where I lived didn’t I? Johan states it will take awhile to order the new dongle! I’m thinking that if I was a first time customer would I be told the same thing. But in the interest of friendship and goodwill we shook hands and I thanked Johan for his help.
It is now the second week, my dongle id still not pumping out that 3G signal, the new one has not arrived, and no text from Johan the Globe guy. Mayang has stopped by their office three times with no satisfaction. I think I’ve been kissed off. So while this is posted this week, I’m off in search of a better way to go online. I’ll sure be glad when my area of Bataan enters the new millennium.
Paul, it sounds like one of them Danged Dongle Dilemas! 😆
Randy;
I just love that word Dongle, then you hook it up with the word dilemma, well the fun just won’t stop, will it?
The angle of the dongle is equal to the heat of the meat. Only in the Philippines.
Aldel;
I see you also derive pleasue from the dongle word also. In an hour I’m off to visit Johan and Belle once more. I’m thick headed sometimes!
Sounds like they may have a barry sotela type man running Globe dongle.
Hi Loren;
Today is put up or shut up day. I’ve hit my Popeye Factor and I won’t stands no more! Well maybe!
Good luck.
Loren;
I came, I saw, I failed! Next week Sir!
Remember the old saying before computers – “When you raise a boy, you only worry about one dongle in the neighborhood. But when you raise a girl, you must worry about all the dongles in the neighborhood!” 😆
Randy;
And with the advent of computers, this sage wisdom has changed how?
Technology took the name ‘Dongle’ away. Now it’s just called something else. 😉
Randy;
Something like “The Unit”?
I believe it’s referred to as “junk”. 😉
Considered carrier pigeons? Oh wait, no USB port………never mind.
Tony;
No USB port? Are you sure about that???
Could you purchase the dongle from a third party? Sulit or somewhere else?
Randy;
A third party dongle? I think not.
Wow, sounds like you have a real dongle issue. I agree with you completely. They didn’t fulfill their end of the agreement, so the contract is voided on their part. I’ve done that here with phone companies. Been with Verizon for about 10-12 years now. They’re the bext in my opinion. Of course, my opinions will have to chancge soon enough, because the providers will be different. OH, Verizon does offer service in the Philippines, but I could buy two mansions, five house keepers, two drivers, and four jeepneys for the cost each year. I’m NOT really looking forward to finding a new one. of course, the interchangeable Sim cards will be nice.
Internet, that is going to kill me there. I’ve got a business idea, and I’m going to need some serious bandwidth for it to work. (That means fast connection)
Scott, the bandwidth that you need, how much would work. The connection you get will be based on where you live. I live in Bacoor, Cavite and I have Globe hard line with a 5 Mbps and pay 3k a month. I could get 10 Mbps for 4.5k but I don’t need that speed. If you are in an area that has Sky broadband cable you can get up to 20 Mbps but the cost is, I think 8k. The thing with Sky, I hear that the srevice is off and on and not as good as the claim. The Sky Broadband is only the the Metro Manila and areas on the edge, that I know of.
Bill,
I’ll be coming to Kawit, Cavite in October for a couple of weeks. My G/F’s getting ready to have a house built in either Bacoor or Imus. She’s waiting on my input. Have a nice day.
Scott;
Wow, am I the wrong guy for this subject, this sounds like you need advice from Fearless Leader Mindanao Bob. He’s the “PUTER” guy. I’m the guy with the BAD DONGLE!
Is it possible for you to just go to a store and buy the new style Dongle ? If Globe is changing their signal specifications I wonder if the Globe Tattoo I bought there a couple of years ago will still work. If it doesn’t, at least I will know why. Good luck Paul.
Bob;
Planned obsolescence seems to be the way of the Globe business plan. There is always something newer or better just over that next hill. It rarely is the truth.
hi Paul. Sorry to hear of your useless dangle. Oops. I swear that spell check put that in there not me. I had a pretty good one for nearly 6 years until it died last January. It died because the battery got pregnant. It (the att Sierra wireless 875u air card ) quit when it got all bloated. I opened it up and there was a pregnant battery inside. I elected.not to get a new one as the data now has a 5gb cap on it and the contract expires in September. Instead I put the poor thing on vacation until the contract ran out. A few days ago on Sept 3. I bought a new Samsung Galaxy. Note I. It has a 5 inch screen and can be connected to an HD tv (using yet another gender of dongle) and I can use a wireless keyboard with it. That should improve my typing. And I’ll save $70. per month. by eliminating my old worn out and now dead dongle. And there is unlimited data on the renewed plan.
Whew. Jade
PS i know galaxy II will become available later this year but I can’t wait any longer.
I hate a cap on data use.
Jade;
Do you know who I am in the land of computers?
Here is what I got out of that techno speak. The battery was knocked up by a kid in your neighborhood. He failed to pay child support, as he’s on welfare. His father is an Empty Chair who has never held a job. And the connected guy down the street put a contract out on him. But good luck with your new Samsung, they make a great TV.
Aw sucks Paul. Your weekly humorous story just got me going. A man has got to do what a man has got to do. And I did it… Well sort of. Good luck with your upgrade.
Ha ha. Jade
Dang spell check. I typed shucks….
Jade;
You typed shucks…or did you? (lol)
Jade;
I’ll accept that it’s my fault I sent you off on a techno rant. I know I do that to folks. (LOL)
And then BobNY steps in and says you can purchase a new styled dongle at the store (like an enhancement?) and Globe can offer you a tattoo’d dongle. Paul, do you see what you started here?
Randy;
My shipmate had a fly tattooed on the end of his.
Globe customer service sucks. I had to create a scene at their office just to get back my advance deposit for a promised within 1 week internet connection yet a month has passed and nothing or no advise whatever despite several calls and personal visit i made to them.
I understand your pain Rey, I have had bad service at the Globe offices and I was just trying to get service connected like you. They kept telling me that there was on connections in my subdivision, this went on for 2 + months. I found a Globe agent (the ones that go door to door) and talked to him, I had service in two days. As for customer service on the phone after getting the service I have good luck as well. We lost the internet about 3 weeks after getting it and they sent someone out the next day. The problem that I have had is in the different offices’.
Hope this helps you out and might be a way for you to go. The connection has been great and I don’t see a drop in bandwith during the day. I can download and 400 meg torrent file in about 30 mins with a 300 kps download rate.
Rey;
So far I’d say your right about the Globe Customer Service; I saw no less than four people blow up during my visit there yesterday all Pinoy. I the Kano was the only one that maintained my cool. But I informed Johan, that during my next visit if I get that “Please Wait” bullcrap once more, he’d better have the fire dept. standing by.
Paul,
Make sure you drink a few cold SMB’s before you make your next visit. It will put you in a better mood to handle the bullcrap if it comes your way lol. That dongle has me cracking up.
Papa Duck;
I was in a great mood, well until I was done there, a few beers and I’d have gone all postal on their butts. The American Legion Hall is a few doors down; I should have gone there and told the old guys about my problem, just to see the confusion in their eyes.
Hi Paul: It’s sad when your old Dongle fails to work and a new Dongle could easily solve the problem. I wonder how many guys have pondered this problem and failed to ‘come up’ with a solution. Anyway this problem of yours has to be fixed soon otherwise we will not have the pleasure of reading your posts. I have found Globe to be reasonable when problems have occurred and not paying the bill due to non or poor service seems to work provided you put it in writing and mention trading standards as well as your legal representative should an amicable solution not be found.
All the best.
Jim.
Jim;
Globe is reasonable as long as they are collecting your money, but if you require more than that I find them lacking. I’m going to give them a small window to solve this simple problem, and then I’ll slide over to their arch-enemy “SMART” and see what they can do to help.
Hi Paul – If you’re having problems with your Globe dongle, I don’t think using Smart could be any better. Like you I had encountered similar signal problems, although I was using Smart Bro prepaid. And I live in Meycauayan just right next to Metro Manila. The unit did not live-up to its promised of up to 5mbps speed. I’ve complained repeatedly in their Smart branch in Megamall where I purchased the unit, but they’d just give all excuses as to why it’s not functioning well as anticipated. After about 3 follow-ups I lose hope of getting good signal using that unit. The Glove Tattoo I have did not prove any different. I’m thinking of using line connection instead for they say it gives more stable signal. You can still try the Smart though just to make sure.
Louie;
There is this 997 Square Meter internet dead zone here in Roosevelt Bataan (my land); whatever causes it also affects cell phone reception, and common sense. I’m thinking of installing a thousand foot tower and gluing my dongle on the top to see if I can find a signal. Globe can’t figure it out, why would I think Sun or Smart could? I’m doomed!
The ‘Dang Delicate Case of the Dingle Dangled Dongle”. This may explain what’s wrong with my wife’s Tatoo (notice I didn’t say wifes dongle, lol) . If AT&T or some other U.S. company pulled that crap I’d be all over their butt. The fact that Globe has done it doesn’t surprise me at all. Neither does the fact that you encountered bad customer service. We had issues from the get go with the Tatoo and it’s lousy connection, some of which can be blamed on the distance to the nearest cell tower. Several visits to the local Globe office and one in MOA did nothing to impress me with their expertise or customer service training. I finally installed a Wilson antenna on the roof which improved things until the tatoo stopped working recently. I think now I know why.
Mark;
The distance to the nearest cell tower is in what way your fault?
If they know that will be a problem then don’t sell the tattoo to us knowing it will never work properly. DUH!
If I stand on my roof patio and look up the mountain I see the massive antenna array sitting there providing internet and cell service to all but me. The horse they use to carry equipment up to the towers grazes on the land next to mine. I take pictures of all this to their globe office and they just scratch their head and glance wistfully into space dreaming of the upcoming lunch break.
As always, you are a funny man Mr. Paul T.
Toti;
I only wish the Nuns in school had agreed with you, then maybe one of my ears would have been shorted because they used to drag me through the hall by my right ear to Mother Superior’s Office.