Technobiography

Smart WiFi Installation - trouble finds me

February 1st, 2006 | by ka edong |

I got my Smart WiFi on a sunny Sunday morning. The installers were done by half past 12 noon. Before they left, they showed me my internet connection was working perfectly.

Then, trouble!

When I got back to my computer, I whipped out my brand new Netgear router, connected it exactly as the manual instructed (yes, friends, I read the manual, thank you).

No internet connection there.

After attempts at troubleshooting the router, I went back to my rule of thumb: isolate the problem. I disconnected the server and connected the Smart Wi Fi LAN cable directly to my laptop – just the way it was connected when the installers were here.

No internet connection there.

Restart laptop. Troubleshoot. Reboot antenna. Troubleshoot. Check configurations. Troubleshoot.

No internet connection there.

I called Smart WiFi technical support.

Smart WiFi technical support:
(02) 6727288 / 7576280
Or *1888 using a Smart cellphone (free unlimited call to tech support)

A gentleman named “Mandrake” answered my call. He asked for my subscriber account number but all I could give him was my name. He took my name and put me on hold. Two minutes later, he was back on the line and this was the essence of his message:

After checking your account, we have found that the cellsite that you are linked to is undergoing system enhancements.

What the fart?! I was connected just an hour ago! I explained that I was displeased (tame term, ain’t it?) with what was happening, but explained to him that I was keeping my expectations low.

I asked for my subscriber account number, just so I have a number to give next time I call. Mandrake says:

Sir, Edwin Soriano Perez… Your account number is …

Wait wait wait! What the fart?! Last time I checked, my name was still Edwin S. Soriano!

Mandrake retreats: “Sir, may I put you on hold?”

Mabuti pa para maka-hinga ako ng malalim, before I kick your arse.

Mandrake comes back, tries to check my network and browser configurations. I put up with it for around 5 minutes. Then he concludes he couldn’t find the solution. He tells me that he will make a report of my concern and that I should expect a call from technical support within 24 hours. Note: This was Sunday afternoon.

Second call for technical support: I called my installers. They agreed to come back to my residence to troubleshoot.

In the meantime, I used the Windows XP restore point which I set right before we connected to Smart WiFi a few hours earlier.

And viola! I got my Smart Wi-Fi connection back. No thanks to Smart WiFi’s technical support.

And guess what, I got a call from Smart WiFi’s technical support on Tuesday afternoon. That’s well beyond 48-hours after the committed 24-hour response time.

Ah, it’s good to keep my expectations low of Smart WiFi.

After that initial mild headache on my first day with Smart WiFi, things are going well. We’re on our fourth day with Smart WiFi and so far so good.

So far ….

Tomorrow: I’ll share with you some Smart WiFi figures and some interesting info I picked up from some reliable bubwits. Should be interesting. But keep your expectations low, okay?

ka edong
keeping expectations below the underwater