Paying for Internet That Doesn’t Exist (A Two-Address PLDT Story)
There are two types of PLDT customers:
- Those waiting for their internet to be restored.
- Those waiting for their account to be terminated.
Apparently, I am both.
And somehow, both situations end the same way — with billing.
Address #1: Bacolod – The Blinking Red Era
For the past week, our PLDT router in Bacolod has been blinking red.
Not slow blinking. Not hopeful blinking.
Just steady, confident, “you’re not getting internet today” blinking.
When I reach out to customer support, the answer is always:
“There is a network outage in your area.”
No timeline.
No restoration estimate.
No proactive update.
Just… an outage.
Now, I understand outages happen. Infrastructure fails. Weather interferes. Repairs take time.
But when an outage lasts a week with no clear timeline, it stops feeling like an unavoidable technical issue and starts feeling like low prioritization.
Especially when:
- You rely on internet for work.
- You run online operations.
- You manage digital platforms.
- You literally need Wi-Fi to function.
The red light has now become part of the décor.
Address #2: Hinigaran – The Termination That Won’t Terminate
Now let’s move to Hinigaran.
This account hasn’t been used for nearly a year. The router isn’t even turned on.
We submitted:
- A termination request (January 27)
- A Letter of Undertaking
- Valid ID
Acknowledgment received?
None.
Instead, a new bill arrived.
So to summarize:
In Bacolod, we are paying for internet that doesn’t work.
In Hinigaran, we are paying for internet we’re trying to stop.
Efficiency. Consistency. Brand alignment.
It’s Not the Outage. It’s the Pattern.
The issue isn’t just this week’s outage.
After the last typhoon, PLDT also took significantly longer than expected to restore our connection.
Same story:
- No clear timeline
- Minimal communication
- Customers left waiting
One incident is unfortunate.
Two incidents start to form a pattern.
And patterns are what make customers lose trust.
What Would Make This Better?
Simple things:
- Clear restoration timeframes
- Automatic billing credits for extended outages
- Confirmation emails for termination submissions
- Transparent processing timelines
These aren’t impossible standards. They’re basic service accountability.
Final Thought
This isn’t a rant. It’s documentation.
Because when you’re juggling work, family, business, and life — reliable internet shouldn’t be a luxury.
If your router is blinking red and customer support keeps repeating “network outage,” I see you.
If you’re still being billed for an account you already tried to cancel, I see you too.
And if PLDT ever restores our connection, I will celebrate like it’s a national holiday.
Until then, I’ll just sit here.
Watching the red light blink.
