PLDT's Amazing DSL! What The Hell Are They Doing?
A few months ago, my brother and friends had conviced me to switch to broadband internet. Faster downloads, online games, setup a Wi-Fi network so I can go online with my DS and play games with them. Well, I was convinced. So I tried searching for a good broadband service. After a little research, PLDT's plan 999 was the one that got my attention. They promised a connection speed of up to 384 kbps with this plan. Affordable and fast. It sounded good.
Wow! Such an enticing offer don't you think?
It took them close to 2 weeks to install it with all the confirmation and line check to see if it was available within the area. I then finally had DSL! But my 1st week with DSL was not without problems.
The 1st problem, the log in system. Usually to use the internet, we dial-up a connection before we can actually surf right? With broadband, it's also similar. If you have a WiFi router with a net connection feature, you can use the internet without turning on your PC. Turn on the router and it will connect to the internet for you. But it would seem that PLDT has implemented a new way to connect. I think they call it IPDSLAM. With this system, you would connect to the internet via a web portal. So that means in order to surf, you would have to turn on your PC, open a web browser, the browser will take you the portal site where you login. After logging in, you can now surf the web. What I hate about this is that you have to keep that browser window open the whole time to keep the connection on. Galing no?
This is the screen where you login!
This is the screen you see after you login.
Plus you have to keep this open so you can stay connected to the net!
The 2nd problem being that it was picky with the sites that I go to. Some sites seemed offline but when I asked someone else to check the same URL, they say that the site is fine, that it loads. But what do I see? I see "Connection Timed Out!". What the hell right? Being the resourceful person that I am, I tried researching to find the source of this problem. I had found a forum site that catered to people with DSL problems like my own. Apparently, PLDT's server has a DNS problem which prevents certain sites from loading properly or from loading at all. I tried all solutions and suggestions mentioned but none worked. It was very frustrating!
The 3rd and most annoying problem, my DS could not go online! I was about ready to forgive the selective site sickness but NOOOOOO! It also wouldn't allow my DS to connect online! My brother gave me a copy of Tetris DS so we could enjoy battling each other via WiFi. But did I have that pleasure? NOOOOO!!! The frickin pu*@n^1&$%~ connection also prevented me from having fun! Gaddamit! I had no choice but to stick with it because of a 1 year lockdown period. As for connection speed by the way, I'm not even on half the speed they promised.
This is probably the fastest connection speed I ever got!
Then sometime on April, the connection seemed to have improved. It wasn't picky with sites anymore and I could finally enjoy online play with my DS. That was until the connection just suddenly died. For nearly more than a week, I had no internet connection. To think, this is what I paid for. Amazing huh?
Their customer service help line, is useless. It's obvious that the people you talk to read from scripted answers based on your question. No help at all. All the solutions they told me to try didn't work at all. Not once. They should get people who actually know what the problem is so they can be of actual help to anyone.
As of late, the only problems I have now are the slow speeds (see above bandwith test image) and the loss of connection. When I say loss of connection, no internet connection for more than an hour. I'm actually surprised that no one is suing them for false advertising.
If anyone from PLDT is reading this, PLEASE! I beg of you to deliver on your promise of good service and fast connection speeds because right now, I am sure that many of your subscribers, old and new, are totally pissed off with what you are currently offering them. We don't pay you good money for horrid services you know!
Wow! Such an enticing offer don't you think?
It took them close to 2 weeks to install it with all the confirmation and line check to see if it was available within the area. I then finally had DSL! But my 1st week with DSL was not without problems.
The 1st problem, the log in system. Usually to use the internet, we dial-up a connection before we can actually surf right? With broadband, it's also similar. If you have a WiFi router with a net connection feature, you can use the internet without turning on your PC. Turn on the router and it will connect to the internet for you. But it would seem that PLDT has implemented a new way to connect. I think they call it IPDSLAM. With this system, you would connect to the internet via a web portal. So that means in order to surf, you would have to turn on your PC, open a web browser, the browser will take you the portal site where you login. After logging in, you can now surf the web. What I hate about this is that you have to keep that browser window open the whole time to keep the connection on. Galing no?
This is the screen where you login!
This is the screen you see after you login.
Plus you have to keep this open so you can stay connected to the net!
The 2nd problem being that it was picky with the sites that I go to. Some sites seemed offline but when I asked someone else to check the same URL, they say that the site is fine, that it loads. But what do I see? I see "Connection Timed Out!". What the hell right? Being the resourceful person that I am, I tried researching to find the source of this problem. I had found a forum site that catered to people with DSL problems like my own. Apparently, PLDT's server has a DNS problem which prevents certain sites from loading properly or from loading at all. I tried all solutions and suggestions mentioned but none worked. It was very frustrating!
The 3rd and most annoying problem, my DS could not go online! I was about ready to forgive the selective site sickness but NOOOOOO! It also wouldn't allow my DS to connect online! My brother gave me a copy of Tetris DS so we could enjoy battling each other via WiFi. But did I have that pleasure? NOOOOO!!! The frickin pu*@n^1&$%~ connection also prevented me from having fun! Gaddamit! I had no choice but to stick with it because of a 1 year lockdown period. As for connection speed by the way, I'm not even on half the speed they promised.
This is probably the fastest connection speed I ever got!
Then sometime on April, the connection seemed to have improved. It wasn't picky with sites anymore and I could finally enjoy online play with my DS. That was until the connection just suddenly died. For nearly more than a week, I had no internet connection. To think, this is what I paid for. Amazing huh?
Their customer service help line, is useless. It's obvious that the people you talk to read from scripted answers based on your question. No help at all. All the solutions they told me to try didn't work at all. Not once. They should get people who actually know what the problem is so they can be of actual help to anyone.
As of late, the only problems I have now are the slow speeds (see above bandwith test image) and the loss of connection. When I say loss of connection, no internet connection for more than an hour. I'm actually surprised that no one is suing them for false advertising.
If anyone from PLDT is reading this, PLEASE! I beg of you to deliver on your promise of good service and fast connection speeds because right now, I am sure that many of your subscribers, old and new, are totally pissed off with what you are currently offering them. We don't pay you good money for horrid services you know!
posted by Gremlin @ 12:00 AM
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