MAY 29 — It’s been a nice couple of months with my new broadband provider but I have yet to fully sever ties with my old one.
Not that I don’t want to, mind you, but like an abusive ex, leaving isn’t quite as easy.
Apparently, you need to set up an appointment with this provider, hauling along your modem, to fully say goodbye.
Only after a month can you go to one of the service centres, which are limited in number and are only open on weekdays during office hours.
Now, I don’t work the regular 9-5 but if I did, boy would I be angry.
This entire situation is ridiculous. One reason is this notice period does not exist in contracts signed prior to 2019.
Adding this clause after your customer’s signed up is, pardon my language, a truly shitty thing to do.
What also bothers me is that despite minister Gobind Singh Deo’s proclamations, certain telcos are still not falling in line with this cheaper, faster broadband initiative he keeps talking about.
I suppose Malaysia must be a libertarian dream as broadband providers can choose to give lip service to the government, while not actually making any effort to, oh, improve?
This is probably listed somewhere under “this is why monopolies are bad, kids.”
So far, I’m happy with my new provider but no, I do not want them to be the only provider in Malaysia. There lies the road to apathy, terrible customer service and feigning deafness when Gobind opens his mouth.
It’s nice being able to call a technician at 2am (don’t ask) to sort out a login issue and not be read a rehearsed script. Great too, to be paying RM50 less for the same speeds my previous provider was charging me.
We’ve managed to simplify shopping, taxpaying and banking by doing that all online — it’s time we make service terminations as easy and straightforward.
When customers are unhappy, dear broadband providers, it’s you. It’s definitely you so maybe make the break-up process less painful for everyone involved.
In the meantime, I will just hope that this new broadband relationship will be a lot less toxic and if it does end, it won’t inspire a weepy break-up column.
*This is the personal opinion of the columnist.
