If you live a life where most of your time is spent in your job, you could be like my sister, who does't want anymore hustle in life. Globe's promo could save a lot of headaches in having to get a PC yourself. My sister never care much about 3Ghz processor speed stuff. So she took the deal. A deal from hell. At least to my point of view since she's dealing not just the devil but also the little devils that made up a hell company known as Globe.
After paying the initial installation fees and all, the phone line was installed and so was the internet. But the bundle PC didn't arrive until a week later. There, that was the first problem, she lost a week of Internet use already. But I guess a week delay wasn't much of a problem as her exitement of having an internet connection was still in face, so she let it slide and being positive about it.
Then horrayyy! The PC was delivered. Cool. It was brand new. So shiny! Even the box was brandnew. Oh so cool. I helped her put it out of the box and assemebled it onto her new computer table which we bought a week earlier.
Then we noticed the second problem: Globe's internet was slow. It can hardly open a webpage. Globe advertised it as a 300kbps, but the connection my sister was getting was only around 56kbps. That's just a dial up modem speed, not cable modem. I installed Colasoft Ping Tool, a good freeware to view how much data is coming in and out of the connecton. And it was indicating 80% packet lost. So it's not the speed, it's the problem of lost packets. For me, it could be worst, data wasn't coming in.
She notify Globe about it by calling their service support. I even talk to the call center agent who got to (pretend) to solve the problem to explain further how slow their connection was. Well, the call center agent did his routine of telling me to delete all cookies and internet files in the browser. Duh, that computer is new, like a day old. It only opened Yahoo, how many cookies can it had in just a day of use. So of course the result was as slow as ever. So after what could be an hour of useless troubleshooting, the call center guy told me the best plan ever to solve packet lost problem: "wait and just watch the connection in the coming days if there is improvement". Huh? Well, there's no sense in beating this guy even more because I know I know better about computers than he was and there wasn't anything he can do more. So then I had to explain to my sister the reality was, that this was it, Globe's internet service, that it was this slow. You should see the disappointment in her face, it was sad.
Oh well, aside from her annoying complaints to me of the speed being slow, she learned to hide the disappointment smiling a lot as a whole week went okay.
Then the 3rd problem came. A week after that, in an early evening after coming from work, the monitor won't turned on anymore. I checked it myself and yes, the monitor was dead. I asked her if she unplug the wires when she's not using it, she said she always did. I guess it's one of those "Opps" moment where you bought something and it just died on you.
She called the repair service number that Globe "cable guy" gave when he installed the phone line 2 weeks ago, but Globe replied that this was not their problem anymore, it's Redfox. Uhm, that would be the 4th problem of our list. Globe denying resposibility.
That's when I realized it, Globe was affilating with Redfox to provide the computers in their promo, ahhhh!!!! And it made sense, Globe was in no business producing computers, they need a 3rd party company. There isn't much detective shows on cable anymore, so my instinct has gone soft in that particular area. So I researched this Redfox company that Globe was talking about since I never heard of them aside from seing once their infomercials in cable months before. There, I found their website, so professionally done looking site with beautiful red and black contrast that pleased my eye for a moment.
There, I wrote to inquiry@redfoxtechnologies.com about my sister's problem. I scanned and attached all the papers and reciept for them to believe my sister was legit. Then our 5th problem came, my email comes back with a failure notice. Now that just explain what kind of company we were dealing with. No company would ever do that. She tried calling and texing Redfox Sun Cellular number, it was out of coverage. It's like Redfox company don't exist at all.
So going back calling Globe's support again, there again explaining what happened. That's the problem with Globe's call center agents, for them to know what the problem is, you have to explain everything each time you call them. Ahh, another time wasted. I had problems with my SmartBro, but they just give me a ticket number I can give to an agent so if I ever have to call them again with the same problem, I'll just give them that number and I would never have to explain myself again. Globe didnt have that feature, 6th problem.
Globe this time directed us to the local Firefox, uhm, I mean local Redfox Service Center. A local, that's great because we are in Cebu City proper, dealing computer problems as far as in Manila would surely create problems because of the distance. So a local one is very well welcomed.
I packed the monitor, with it's stand, along with monitor's plug cable back to its brand new box. Rode a taxi and to Tekzone Trading, Cebu's Redfox Service Center, so they say. There the lady said that they ran out of Redfox 17'inch monitor already and have to wait for new arrivals from Manila. Ahhh, our 7th problem: They said and listed it as Service Center, so I expect them to fix the monitor, but they're talking about running out of stocks. So I assumed that they are replacing the bad monitor with a Brand new one. Secondly, the place was not a service center, it was a computer store/dealer. Hmmm, something is really fishy about this Redfox thingie.
Then went to my sister's home with just a hope that we'll get the monitor back after a week as two weeks came, then 3, then 4, then two months came, nothing. Oh yes, she called Tekzone everyweek about it.
8th problem. Everytime my sister inquire about the monitor in Globe's local service center in SM, they won't accept it as their problem. Globe insist it's Redfox's problem even if she told Globe there was no way of contacting Redfox in Manila, and that their local service center is not fixing stuff but only computer dealer. They won't hear none of it. They're playing hardball.
So I told my sister to never pay Globe. Even if they had her signed a contract to pay a certain amount for number of months, they can't hold her for a deal which Globe themselves didn't deliver. They're wont take the responsibilty and blamed it on Redfox instead, she didn't sign a deal with Redfox, ya know? Globe won't cut off her internet service either even if it's not being used (the pc was now sitting along with no monitor in getting messy computer table), they insist of refunding it later saying all my sister have to do was to bring the returned reciept she got from Tekzone. Basically, they want her to still pay 1,500 monthly. Though Globe's landline phone didn't have problems, that was not the reason why she get that promo. She still have her PLDT line, and only wanted the free PC promo with internet. In other words, she has no use of Globe's land line at all.
3 months passed, she didnt pay Globe's bill. Next month, it'll be disconnected. She didn't care. She would even love it if Globe would just come and take the PC and the land line out of her small apartment.
Then Tekzone called, monitors from Manila arrived. How exciting it was. She gave me the return reciept and gave me the task to get it myself because she can't get out work before Tekzone closes for the day. I was only two blocks from my place, so I just agreed to get it.
I went there, showed them the reciept to the same lady who took the monitor 3 months ago. She then commanded one of her boys to get a 17in monitor. Hmmm, so easy, right? Too easy for me.
Then I saw the guy taking out pilings of computer boxes and opened like the ugliest box I've ever seen in the city of Cebu. What ever happened to that brand new box? So I figured it out, they didn't replaced it with a brand new one, they just fixed the damage one. Oh crap, that's our Problem #10 now (was it 10 already?) Anyway, the guy took out the black monitor and tested it. I was standing 10 feet away looking at it (that "service center" was really crowded with people, boxes, display glass tables and chairs that no two people can cross each other without one having to sit so the other can pass). The monitor was working. So just I nod and they wrap it back in that ugly box. I just thought that it was only the box. Later I was wrong about it.
It was nearing 5pm and as you know, getting a Taxi in that time is hard. So I just hand carry it myself for 2 blocks to my sister's place. I just left it on the floor in her living room (yes, she gave me an extra key of her place) .
9pm she arrived home from work and called me to help her place the monitor. I did it, that's when we notice it. The #11 problem: The monitor I took earlier that day was not the same monitor. This one looks old. I mean really old, like 3 years old, complete with scratches and with the color in the corners starting to peel revealing the white undercoat. OMG, why haven't I notice this before I took it home. Feeling guilty, I continued to attach the monitor stand. It didn't even fit. Ouch, now I'm really pissed and embarrassed. So just placed the "old" monitor in her computer table without the the stand. That was really a degrading sight. This was supposed to be brand new, which she'll be paying could be for the next 2 years, and now it looked 3 years old already (I've been using computers since 1998, and had 2 Pc's myself, I know how computers age).
Here comes the #12th problem, I left her alone with it and after using it for 30 minutes, it just turned black. Yup, dead again. After all those months waiting, 100's of calling and explaining, carrying it for 2 blocks, were all for nothing. It wasn't surprising that a "3 year old" monitor died, it was old and they just repaired it and released it. Something like I can get for 600 bucks in one of those 2nd hand computer stores. What a dirty trick, Redfox. I'll never forget that.
My sister called Tekzone the next day. The lady said the rest of the stocks were already owned. Sure, all the stocks arrived were replacements only to those who came to return the brand new defective ones alsothey got months ago. The lady didn't have to say it, but she clearly meant we have to wait until next shipment arrives, in 3 months.
Well, my sister thought of not bothering to return it anymore. I insist of returning it and just do our part. If Globe will do an investigation, they'll know we did our part also. I said it, but I don't believe Globe will even do that, not for 1 second. Like I said, we will do our part.
She'll return the pc, she had her company driver to deliver it. Thank God it wasn't me again or else I'll be screaming on that Tekzone lady's face for an hour to let her know how I felt being tricked.
I'm guessing my sister will continue not paying Globe's monthly payment as there's no reason for it. Her Globe landline will be cut off next month. Sorry, Globe, you could have done better by taking control instead of letting a bunch of ComTech scammers called Redfox do their dirty tricks at the expense of your subscribers.
