No Claro internet for me :^(

Ask if they will take a deposit, such as a CD.



"R"

That is the way it is here with Claro. It took me 6 months to finally get Internet service and I can see they have not relaxed the restrictions in over 10 years.

windeguy said:

That is the way it is here with Claro. It took me 6 months to finally get Internet service and I can see they have not relaxed the restrictions in over 10 years.

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Right! A while back I recently decided to change my "plan" and add some services. I had to attend the customer service office 3 times to fill in the forms and a fourth time when they called me and asked me to go in to "validate my application" !?!. In all, 3-and-a-half hours at the counter plus waiting and getting there and back, and more forms than you could shake your pencil at, for something that elsewhere you can do in less than 10 minutes with a phone and a credit card.

Despite my being a Verizon/Codetel/Claro client for more than 7 years here, living and working here with my salary paid into a local bank account out of which my monthly bill is paid to Claro, it took them nearly 2 months "to verify my credit status" before they would hook me up. After three weeks I called to find out what was taking them so long.....what was the problem...I was told that I hadn't made a claim for tardy provision of services. The inference being that if I registered a claim they would be committed under their customer relations obligations to provide the service within 6 working days. When I asked what would happen if I didn't register a claim I was asked "Why wouldn't you want to do that?"

I didn't register a claim out of curiosity....I was in no hurry to get connected so they could charge me more for a service they wouldn't provide anyway, and like I said it took them 2 whole months.....go figure. Not surprised anymore, not even upset...that's just how it works.

hmm. my wife who has never worked went down and signed up for satellite, internet, and the works with nothing but a cedula. Took all of five minutes and installed the next day. We never to the customer service center. Try one of the little re-sellers you see around town. Cheers!

Edit: I got a blackberry with a monthly plan with nothing more than my US passport. No deposit, no credit card.

I guess I was lucky or unlucky as I remember it took me 4 months for them to come over to my house and two more weeks for them to set it up right. I do remember sending people every week and have them ask about my multi plan and me being called for every week like master calling his puppy. I hope I don't have to go through that ever again but I eventually have to move someday. Cell phone was complete joy to setup as I only had to spend two complete afternoons in their store.

"If you don't like it go home!"

LOL

Love it when the apologists say that. What you describe is ridiculous and all too common. I think the people in question get off on saying "no" to a person they perceive as "superior" to them. It makes no sense.

I requested internet through their online store last Thursday. Got a call 30 minutes later reconfirming my address and the plan. Yesterday they dropped off the contract for my signature and 30 minutes later the tecnico was calling me to reconfirm the exact location. Up to now, mightily impressed with the service...

Have you considered opening a bank account?

KateP said:

I requested internet through their online store last Thursday. Got a call 30 minutes later reconfirming my address and the plan. Yesterday they dropped off the contract for my signature and 30 minutes later the tecnico was calling me to reconfirm the exact location. Up to now, mightily impressed with the service...

Have you considered opening a bank account?

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I assume you live in capital?
Mocarean and Santiagurus we still likes stand on line for everything. I was going to go to the bank in the La Sirena for emergency dollar change. But I gave up looking at the lines. I went to Claro to just buy another cheap cell phone for my wife but it took me whole 1 hour just to stand on line tell them I want to buy just a phone and pay at the cash register.

InsanelyOne said:

So I went to Claro two weeks ago to get an Internet package. I have my DR residency but I do not keep a DR bank account. I opened a Banco Popular account about 3 years ago but never used it and they took it upon themselves to close it since I wasn't using it. (It had about US$25 in it).

Claro tells me that even though I have my residency/cedula, I must have a DR bank account or work in the DR. I tell them I work remotely for a US company and use a US bank. I've lived in the DR for 4 years. They tell me to bring 3 months worth of paystubs and a job verification letter. I go back today with said papers and they say nope, no Internet service. I have to have a local bank account or work in the DR.

So far paying all that money to get my residency has provided me zero benefit.

Must everything be a hassle?

Forgot to mention. Each time I had to wait over an hour and a half in line. Those customer service people are so ****ing slow it's insane.

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I came up with two solutions for myself to those Claro problems you mentioned because I had the same. First, for faster hassle-free service use someone Dominican (ie friend/girlfriend ect) to register the account in their name. And second for the lines at the Mother Claro stores (at least in POP) it's based on first come/first serve once your name is registered with the attendant so you don't have to wait in line you can sit. Or do what I do and register your name/issue then leave grab a snack or run a quick errand or whatever then come back in a half hour or so depending on how many people are on line. Now if we were in a country where customer service was the top priority you might end up losing your spot if you stepped away like that but not at Claro as long you come back in a reasonable time. I've seen reps spend over a hour with just one person.

KateP said:

Have you considered opening a bank account?

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This would definitely help. Almost any contract with this kind of companies will require you to have at least some positive grade by the credit bureau. Not having a bank account or any other service under contract makes you appear as having a very low grade and therefore unreliable, and their internal systems won't allow the sales people to extend a contract to you. Usually credit check is the first step to decide if you can get a contract. Just open a bank account. Get a credit card if you wish, wait 30 or 60 days and you will suddenly become a desired customer for all carriers.

InsanelyOne said:

If you don't mind me asking, where are you located?

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Residencial Bavaro Punta Cana

InsanelyOne said:

I went to the small Claro office at Palma Real but they couldn't help me because my cedula didn't show up in her system. She said I had to go to the main office in Veron. Doesn't make any sense to me but that's par for the course.

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If you are a resident she would have to look in the resident's area of the JCE site for your Cedula. Amazing isn't it?

InsanelyOne said:

She acted as though this was a normal occurrence for a recently issued cedula. Seems ridiculous nonetheless.

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It is normal occurrence. But it is not Claro's fault. It seems JCE takes a little time to update recently issued cedulas to their online system, which is what companies and automated systems have access to.

InsanelyOne said:

So I went to Claro two weeks ago to get an Internet package. I have my DR residency but I do not keep a DR bank account. I opened a Banco Popular account about 3 years ago but never used it and they took it upon themselves to close it since I wasn't using it. (It had about US$25 in it).

Claro tells me that even though I have my residency/cedula, I must have a DR bank account or work in the DR. I tell them I work remotely for a US company and use a US bank. I've lived in the DR for 4 years. They tell me to bring 3 months worth of paystubs and a job verification letter. I go back today with said papers and they say nope, no Internet service. I have to have a local bank account or work in the DR.

So far paying all that money to get my residency has provided me zero benefit.

Must everything be a hassle?

Forgot to mention. Each time I had to wait over an hour and a half in line. Those customer service people are so ****ing slow it's insane.

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Weird, I have the same situation: working for a US company, getting paid on a US bank account, Im not even an employee so I cant show an employers letter, but I can get any Claro service I want. My cellphone I contracted even before I had my cedula. What makes it a hassle is that the rules change depending on to who you talk, where and when.