Dear Editor,

ABOUT three weeks ago, I discovered my phone had a problem: I was receiving calls, but was unable to make a call whenever I dialled my phone; it had a constant noisy sound and the receiver’s phone was not receiving my call.

I called GTT and took a long time to get through, because they are always on voice mail. I am wondering in this day and age on an emergency why they are on voice mail, that’s a long tedious process. I spoke to a representative and she told me they will come to check on my phone in seven to 10 working days. I asked her why so long and she said that’s their procedure and hung up.
I came from church about 1 PM the Sunday afternoon, seven days after I reported the issue; my daughter told me a man was calling at the gate. It was a GTT technician. He came and checked my phone and told me my phone had a problem and he has to change it. I noted with interest that he gave me a bill for the phone which cost $4,600 with a six-month warranty and told me it will be on my bill when I go to pay. I told him I don’t think it’s a phone problem, but a line problem. I discovered I had the same problem after he left.

They used to give a replaceable phone for free, I now ask the question, ‘why this charge of $4,600 and how many poor people like pensioners can afford that cost?’ Why they couldn’t charge just a $1000 to replace a phone?

A few days later, I encountered another problem. I noticed my Internet that is DSL had a problem. It comes on and works for five to 10 minutes and it cuts off. I called the 0488 number and that was another voice mail again. I eventually got on to a representative and she told me to unplug my modem for 30 minutes while she will look at my account. I followed her instructions and it worked.

It lasted for a week and I noticed I had the same problem with the Internet again — it comes on and cuts off. I called the 0488 number again and they took me again on the same merry-go-round. For five days now is the same problem. I spoke to a woman and told her that I had applied for the Blaze since February this year but never got it. She said that is too long and I supposed to get it after 40-60 working days, but I had applied over five months and I would get it soon. The Internet worked after she walked me through some steps. Sad to say, I encountered the same on-and-off Internet problem up to around 4:00 PM , a problem they cannot fixed for five days.

My wife is doing a research paper and my children doing SBAs and this is a real problem because of deadlines. I explained all that to the lady. I made a next call about 4:15 PM, I spoke to a next representative and she told me she can see my report and she can see from my account that I am definitely having Internet issues, but she cannot fix it and now the most ridiculous thing she said that a technician will come to fix my problem in seven to 10 working days. I asked her why so long? And she hung up. These people are unprofessional and I now wish to ask Mr. Justin Nedd, GTT CEO these questions?
Will I be compensated for failed Internet service I paid for in July 2018?
Why they always on voice mail?

Do I have to send GTT a lawyer’s letter to compensate for all my lost time and lost days for Internet service I have paid for?

Why is GTT taking 7-10 working days and months to fix basic problems?
Why I cannot get Blaze I have applied for since February 17, 2018?

Why all these long delays and lame excuses to fix an Internet and phone problem and I live just a five-minute drive away from the Beterverwagting GTT office?

In my opinion, the government must break this GTT monopoly. In this day and age of technology, we have the slowest Internet service in the entire Caribbean. I am calling on the GTT CEO to address these issues I have raised here. How do I pay for Internet service for 31 days and can barely get for 10 days in a month? May God help us.

Regards,
Rev. Gideon Cecil