Can it get lower?

[x9200]

My wife has a singnet business plan based on ADSL network. There is a fibre coming to the building and she received a letter stating that the current "copper based" services will be discontinued by that and that date. Now singtel "helping you to take your business to new heights" offers also a replacement plan based on the fibre. Generally nothing special but one point, a component of the offer, I like very much. It is "Waver of SingNet ADSL Premature Termination Charges."

Do they really have no shame offering such waver if this is them who are going to cease the services? Unbelievable.

[JR8]

Isn't this strategy called up-selling or similar?

[ScoobyDoes]

There has to be a way to sue ST for cancelling the contract early but unfortunately their terms and conditions are all one sided.

[x9200]

I thought Singtel was more-less a reputable company so I am still surprised seeing this kind of tricks. Even if the agreement allows them to charge their customers for something what is the provider’s fault, this still does not make it look good.

In general I am overwhelmed by the level of BS served by different companies to their customers in this country. The rest of the world is not free from it but here even the biggest, well established ones do it. Their mistakes or strategies that serve mostly the company are always showed as a success and for the good care of the customers.

[JR8]

If they're not state owned, then in many cases they're a monopoly provider, so they can behave more or less how they want.

But I'm curious, I thought ADSL is via a standard telephone line. How do they terminate that to a whole building?

[zzm9980]

If they're not state owned, then in many cases they're a monopoly provider, so they can behave more or less how they want.

But I'm curious, I thought ADSL is via a standard telephone line. How do they terminate that to a whole building?

ADSL is only standard telephone line from the provider's switch to your house. The 'provider's switch' can be a box with equipment in your building. The closer you are to this box, the better connection (and speeds) you get. This is why in the late 90s/early 00s you'd often see websites where you could enter your address and it would tell you how far the closest switch was. (At least you could do this in the US).

[zzm9980]

Generally nothing special but one point, a component of the offer, I like very much. It is "Waver of SingNet ADSL Premature Termination Charges."

Do they really have no shame offering such waver if this is them who are going to cease the services? Unbelievable.

I think they have to put that there, or the average who has long since been conditioned to take it in the @ss from these guys would immediately assume they're going to have to pay a termination fee.

[x9200]

Generally nothing special but one point, a component of the offer, I like very much. It is "Waver of SingNet ADSL Premature Termination Charges."

Do they really have no shame offering such waver if this is them who are going to cease the services? Unbelievable.

I think they have to put that there, or the average who has long since been conditioned to take it in the @ss from these guys would immediately assume they're going to have to pay a termination fee.

I think the same. Still IMHO it should be and could be done a different way. It would be enough to include some short FAQ to the letter. Making an offer point from something what is a result of their de facto failure to delive is at best not elegant.

[ecureilx]

I thought Singtel was more-less a reputable company so I am still surprised seeing this kind of tricks. Even if the agreement allows them to charge their customers for something what is the provider’s fault, this still does not make it look good. ..

Years ago, my then employer struck an exclusive deal with Singtel, for Singtel to resell our Taiwan CPE for ISDN .... and he was mighty happy about the dollars that were gonna flow in and we all were gonna be rich .. rich and rich .. etc. etc. ..

I knew .. his English was a bit out of standard..

I took a copy of the agreement he signed with Singtel and I sat down and showed to him clearly that the exclusivity clause meant US (the Dealer) can only Sell to Singtel, whereas Singtel can also sell other CPE for ISDN .. he didn't want to believe me, and paid a lawyer 2000 $ and the lawyer confirmed Singtel's tems ..

And the terms are Singtel can sell other CPE, but if we sell to other service providers, we will be punished, penalised etc. etc.. and exit clause was even worse .. penalty running into nearly a million $ .. unless Singtel terminates the agreement whereby they get away with nothing ...

The small company boss got blinded by the thrill of doing business with Singtel .. and Singtel totally screwed him ..

Now .. reputed company ? yes, Singtel is .. but when it comes to terms - he bully anybody small enough ..

[aster]

In general I am overwhelmed by the level of BS served by different companies to their customers in this country. The rest of the world is not free from it but here even the biggest, well established ones do it. Their mistakes or strategies that serve mostly the company are always showed as a success and for the good care of the customers.

The telecoms sector in particular is not an open, competitive market.

You cannot strive for highest customer satisfaction, for the best possible quality of your services, overall to get ahead of the competition... is there is no "competition" so to speak. Oh and prices seem remarkable similar across the board... hint, hint.

If this market opened up and a few new int'l players showed up then local telcos would be squealing at how quickly they'd have to up their game to even look remotely competitive. On top of that their products and services as well as general attitude would have to change literally overnight.

[ecureilx]

If this market opened up and a few new int'l players showed up then local telcos would be squealing at how quickly they'd have to up their game to even look remotely competitive. On top of that their products and services as well as general attitude would have to change literally overnight.

Matter of fact, years ago, when M1 was on CDMA, and Starhub was starting .. everybody was thrilled, and the thrill died pretty fast ..

After all, in Singapore, it is about SELL, SELL, SELL .. and then Sell some more with some promo offer and so far, in almost all promos, the nett price always turns up more than unbundled .. though the telcos insist otherwise, and as a proof, show the thousands who repeatedly re-contracting

And it helps, when the natives have the mentality that f 'large companies don't do bad stuff, and they only want to help the poor folks .. ' thinking ..

Like a handicapped guy who has problem with his hands sold a touch screen phone, bundled with data .. by Singtel - no, not one of their resellers .. - under a special bundle ..

or the lady who didn't know how to use a computer, sold a bundle with ADSL, large screen monitor, printer all bundled ..

On a side note, last week, my other half was asked by M1 to upgrade her handset .. and when i repeatedly asked if there if anything they are not telling, they admitted, if she upgrades, her data bundle will drop from the current 12GB to 3 GB .. oh, you are gaining a lot with a new handset .. a new handset that may suck more data ?? Thanks, but no thanks !!!!

[zzm9980]

if she upgrades, her data bundle will drop from the current 12GB to 3 GB .. oh, you are gaining a lot with a new handset .. a new handset that may suck more data ?? Thanks, but no thanks !!!!

They do that for 3G to 4G plans. But honestly, in Singapore the 3G networks are so f-cking bad that you couldn't use 12GB in a month on 3G if you tried non stop. The connection isn't stable enough. I personally rather have 3GB of 4G that sort-of works. And btw, Singtel business 4G plans are still 12GB.

[aster]

There is also the lack of advertising standards. I remember seeing those posters for prepaid cards with slogans like "free incoming calls," only to discover in the small print online that they're only free if you pay for them... to be free. Lol.

Then there's stuff like charging people for... caller ID. Seems like the rest of the world stopped doing that at least a decade ago...

[the lynx]

There is also the lack of advertising standards. I remember seeing those posters for prepaid cards with slogans like "free incoming calls," only to discover in the small print online that they're only free if you pay for them... to be free. Lol.

...and the rest of the world has also stopped charging for incoming calls as long as I can remember. Even third world countries don't do that any more. What's the rational behind charging for incoming calls anyway?!

[JR8]

...and the rest of the world has also stopped charging for incoming calls as long as I can remember. Even third world countries don't do that any more. What's the rational behind charging for incoming calls anyway?!

In SG aw incoming come from abroad right, tiny island in a big sea, so muss chadge, or how the gahmenr make plofit then ah?