As Malay Mail wrote it, it was the day Celcom service stood still.
No calls, no SMS, no MMS, there was totally no reception indicator throughout the almost 24-hour agony.
There was no immediate notification from them. None. If they say SMS, MMS services were uninterrupted, why is it that they failed to notify users of the breakdown via the same method? Are they so narrowed as their broadband service, to not even thought of this method? Who actually prepares the statement for the CEO? Some papermills graduates? Sack him.
Seriously, they panicked. Should a GLC panicked until a simple notification via SMS can't be done and had to turned to traditional media to notify the users?
Wait. This is not their first Aidilfitri? What kind of surge are they talking about? Kenapa tak check prior to this? Kalau betul apa yang ditulis blogger Obefiend that Celcom has limited resources to be running around to sites, then someone has to be responsible. And sack him too for failing to arrange adequate manpower during high traffic.
Takkan bagi semua orang cuti? Aku rasa, Ops Sikap kena dipanjangkan to Celcom as well, but in different twist. Ops Sikap for Celcom staff. Cool kan?
For us working in the media, we are very much dependable on cellphone as we are on the move all the time. And our sources will be transmitting newsworthy items to our phone at all time. NO wonder they were no sign of updates on
ondscene.
We were very much affected by this national shame. We missed many of our assignments.
This episode reflects the status of Celcom.
Log on to their website, and you are greeted with:
GREAT SPEED | GREAT COVERAGE | GREAT TECHNOLOGY.
What is their definition of speed, coverage and technology?
Mind me again, they are Government Linked Company (GLC) and let me quote its CEO when hopping in Celcom bandwagon in 2005:
“To me, taking on the position in Celcom is like doing national service as it is a government-linked company.”
Thus, what had happened is a definite
national shame. When you failed, you failed the nation.
Life of many had been disrupted due to their failure. The extend of damage has yet to be determined, but I reckoned this tragedy had brought many of us to reconsider Celcom to be our sole telco provider in future.
Someone must take responsibility of the failure. It was not an hour stand still. That many hours had resulted to sufferings and losses to many. And difficulties too.
It is time the government review the management of Celcom and its service.
Their customer service scores below others. Being below average customer service and support does not entitle Celcom to be the leader in the industry.
When your service sucks, how do you justify your position? How do you claim to be the number one while your service at the lowest of the low?
Their service never been satisfactory despite their big hu-ha via below and above the line advertising.
According to reports, they are 9 millions Celcom users in Malaysia alone.
Some are government staff. Some are police officers. They are ‘obliged’ to use Celcom service. National Service I supposed? Well, good luck to them.
There are packages for government staff as well, for broadband which is NOT too broad after all. Ohh unless you speak on national television nagging about their service, someone will be sent to your home immediately to fix a repeater. Sweet? Yes sweet.
It is crapshit. Seriously crapshit.
We must use our consumer power and force them to compensate us.
And the following is the excerpts taken from
Celcom’s terms and conditions.
18. Disclaimer
The Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis and we disclaim any express or implied representation or warranties of any kind in relation to the Services including but not limited to availability, accessibility, timeliness and uninterrupted use of the Services; or sequence, accuracy, completeness, timeliness or the security of any Content or information transmitted using the Services or provided to you as part of the Services.
19. Limitation of Liability
We shall not be liable for any costs, loss or damage (whether direct or indirect), or for loss of revenue, loss of profits or any consequential loss whatsoever as a result of your using the Services or for whatever reason under this Agreement. Despite the above, our entire liability in contract, tort (including negligence or breach of statutory duty) or otherwise to you (except for death or personal injury caused by our negligence) shall be limited to the lower of either RM500 or the total of your charges in the 3 months preceding the relevant event or series of events.
I will not paste item no 20 of this agreement as it clearly states that as user we do not hold the privilege to claim any single sen due to the failure.
On the other hand, lets take item no 19 into consideration shall we.
Anyway, there is this Communications & Multimedia Consumer Forum of Malaysia. Tapi inilah pertama kali aku jumpa forum seperti ini. The forum members consist of players in the industry and NGOs. But believe me, forum Low Yatt lebih banyak complaint dari forum ni.
Tak pernah lagi dengar any of these people says anything about consumer rights on telecomunication and/or multimedia service in Malaysia. Perhaps sebab chairman adalah orang Telekom Malaysia? Check it out
here. They are dormant.
Even the
consumer rights section is still under construction.
They do have a section for online complaint but you must be registered. Aint sure sama ada effective atau tidak, tapi cubalah, but dont hope too much ok.
Try downloading this
pdf file. You might find something interesting.
For those of you yang selalu complaint pada Celcom tapi macam cakap kat tiang lampu TNB, this file should give you some ideas how to complaint effectively (read: if SKMM pun tak macam tiang lampu TNB).
Kalau tak malas, kindly turn to page:
1. Page 29.
2. Page 34
3. Page 35
Seriously, the government should review this company. It is enough that we Malaysians had to be complacent with bad customer service from GLC such as TNB, and now, we must face another moron.
Like others, I shall wait for Celcom to announce a rebate, but even that, will a rebate compensate what we have lost and suffered? The time, the agony?
Perhaps Makhal Sakthi will pursue this matter?
Note: For more in-depth of this agony of ours,
click here - a review by my brother blogger - bystander eye.