BTEL's Sins

BTEL or Bakrie Telecommunication (http://www.bakrietelecom.com/) is a new company that has three main products: esia, wifone and wimode. All are using CDMA system instead of GSM. When they started their business some years ago, they boast for cheap telecommunication. It was and it is still cheap with a big “BUT”.

I used wifone, a fixed wireless phone from BTEL(http://www.wifone.co.id/). I have used it for approximately 2 years. Before using Wifone, I used Telkom Flexi. Flexi has weak signal in my place but according to others who use it, the signal is much stronger now than 2 years ago. I stick to Wifone because the phone looks nice, internet access with the phone is fast (although, see below) and it is wireless (c’mon).

The internet does not work with Windows XP. I have to use my other computer that has W2K installed to access the internet. The old computer, a Vaio P3 900Mhz with only 128 MB memory, is just too slow now. Although the internet connection is fast but the computer is the bottleneck. I tried to reinstall wifone driver too many times without any single success in WinXP machine. Finally, I gave up. I filed a complaint to Wifone but there is no real solution for the problem except that I have to bring the phone to Kuningan where Wifore HQ situated. It’s just too much for me to come down there without any positive prospect. If customer service has known the issue long time, they should provide an update in their webpage. They do not do it.

Now there is this accessibility problem. I can hardly able to call outside number or call the wifone number most of the time in a day. The signal bars shows full signal, but still I cannot make outgoing call. Incoming call is also not possible. This is dangerous because that Wifone is the only way I can contact my son at home. Calling to other wifone is also not possible in that condition.

I think BTEL suffers typical short-term profit making syndrome. They can only sell sell and sell. They cannot give the promised services. I think they purposely kill my connection at most of the time so that they can give more bandwidth to the active lines. This is very bad because all customers have the same right. They do not want to increase the quantity of the infrastructure because it is cost. They just do not care for customers.

In many online media, there are many complaints about BTEL performance and also BTEL’s bad after sales service. For example this http://suarapembaca.detik.com/index.php/detik.read/tahun/2008/bulan/04/tgl/02/time/125320/idnews/917129/idkanal/283.
For those that are planning to get a new telephone connection, please reconsider when you find BTEL’s product interesting. Their service is just below standard. Success rate of call is very bad in one day. For your information, BTEL’s owner is also the one that owns Lapindo Brantas. As you might already know, Lapindo Brantas created the mud catastrophe in East Java. They did not do proper drilling techniques and created the problems and make thousands of people suffers. BTEL’s owner is just an example of greedy type of people. They only want profit without any will to repay the one who suffered because of them.

So, please think carefully before you buy CDMA phone. Choose wisely support good company.

more complaints (in bahasa)
http://www.mediakonsumen.com/Artikel1768.html