Dear Editor,
I refer to two letters published in the Stabroek News dated June, 8 and June, 12, 2012 respectively, and I would like to highlight my own dilemma with regards to my DSL internet connection provided by GT&T. I must state that I am paying for the standard 256 kb/s connection which is referred to as ‘DSL Lite.’ However, my current download speed is just around 26 kb/s, not to mention the very slow pace at which I am able to browse the internet.
Editor to make matters worse, I have started to experience much worse than the snail’s pace of this DSL service. Some time around early March of this year, I noticed that sometimes whilst browsing the internet, my download speed would suddenly be reduced to ‘0 kb/s’ and when this happens, no web page loads. I will get an error message telling me that “the requested URL cannot be retrieved.“ After a while (about 45 seconds to 1 minute), the service will resume. This happens continuously during most of my browsing sessions. I have made several complaints/ reports by telephone to GT&T about this problem. On two separate occasions, the GT&T technician came to my home to check on the problem. On both these occasions, he tested my phone line, as well as another technician at the phone company to check to see if my line is clear. From what he told me, everything seems to be working fine and there is no problem with my phone line or my modem. He was further told by the other technician to tell me that if I am using a wireless router that I must disconnect same because the problem seems to be with my router.
Editor, I disconnected and removed my router from the modem and I used the LAN cable via a straight connection from the DSL modem to my computer. Was my problem solved? No. It’s still the same as of this moment when I am writing this letter. My relative who lives in the neighbouring village and who is paying for a 1 Mb/s connection also experiences this same problem. I am sick and frustrated at this sloppy DSL service that GT&T provides to us customers. We are paying for something that we are not receiving. In my own opinion, I strongly believe that the telephone company is trying to roll out too many connections without properly upgrading its DSL platform. Why must we pay for 256 kb/s when we are only getting approx. 26 kb/s? This is indeed a rip-off of customers. I think that GT&T is failing to acknowledge that its DSL service is sloppy. This is totally unacceptable from GT&T. For far too long customers are being ripped off from all corners in this country. GT&T has always been the ‘most reputable’ of all the utility companies in this country, but now I cannot say it is still so.
Editor, I will be making a formal complaint/report to the Guyana National Bureau of Standards about my sloppy DSL internet service because I don’t think that GT&T is in any position to help me with my problem. It is no wonder that we in Guyana can never be on par with the more developed countries where internet services are concerned. I know GT&T can do much better.
I look forward to the day when I can pay for 256 kb/s and get 256 kb/s download speed. Come on GT&T, it’s time to wake up to the real world. No wonder also that our relatives abroad laugh at us when they hear about our ‘snail’s pace’ DSL services.
Yours faithfully,
Jagatram Tekchand
