Irate Smart Bro subscribers vent angst in cyberspace

Dissatisfied customers of Smart Communications' repackaged broadband service Smart Bro have banded together to take their complaints on the Internet, GMANews.TV learned Tuesday. The complaints of frustrated subscribers tied to long contracts are now found on The Smart WiFi Chronicles website. Subscribers have complained to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) of poor service from Smart, but this is the first time they are taking their fight to the Internet. Smart Bro, formerly called Smart WiFi, is a fixed wireless broadband Internet service. It was launched late last April, and is heavily advertised on print and broadcast media. "Smart BROke their promise!!! ... When it rains I get disconnected!!! When it is 8 p.m. I get disconnected!!! When I download games I get disconnected too!!! Where is the promise that Smart BRO assured us!!! It has been Smart BROken!!!" said a subscriber who used the name "vinson." He added that his friend used a rival DSL Internet service and paid P2,500 – about two and a half times more than the P999 rate offered by Smart – but never got disconnected. Another subscriber, "penggoy," decried the continued advertisements hyping the service's "7x faster than dialup," yet Smart Bro could not allegedly even provide a decent connection. "Kung alam ko lang na ganito ang gingawa ng Smart Bro, nung nagpakabit pa kami. Gustong gusto ko ng magpa-cancel ng subscription ng Smart Bro. Sayang kasi yung binabayad namin eh. Please tulungan nyo naman ako kung pano ipapa-cancel ang subscription sa Smart Bro!" the subscriber said. Sought for comment, Ramon Isberto, head of Smart public affairs, told GMANews.TV that they were unaware of the complaints posted on the internet. "We will look into it," said Isberto, concurrently spokesperson of Smart's parent company, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT). Interviewed by GMA 7's DZBB, Isberto said Tuesday the internet problems were caused by the upgrading of their cellphone and internet networks. (please read related story) Last May 24, consumer group TXTPower asked the NTC to look into complaints from subscribers of Smart BRO. It also asked the NTC to order Smart Communications to stop accepting new subscriptions to SmartWi-Fi/ SmartBro while the probe is ongoing. "Since the start of commercial operations of SmartWi-Fi and even after its subsequent repackaging as Smart BRO, this service has generally been perceived by its customers as substandard, unreliable and untruthful in its marketing pitches," TXTPower said. Complaints lodged by TXTPower since April included intermittent or dead connection, lack of automatic refunds for such occurrences, inadequate number and lack of knowhow of Smart customer service personnel assigned to the service, and the refusal of Smart business centers to accept complaints and service queries, entertaining only new applications. "Due to the bad and unreliable service, many SmartWiFi/ SmartBro subscribers have naturally entertained suggestions of shifting to other broadband internet providers. However, they are prevented from doing so by contracts binding them to SmartWifi/SmartBro for one year," the consumer group said. TXTPower likewise sought an investigation of similar complaints from subscribers of SkyDSL, BayantelDSL, PLDT myDSL, Globelines Broadband and other broadband internet services.-GMANews.TV