Our Codetel monthly Internet bill $332,000RD???

hombrecaribe

New member
Aug 27, 2009
18
0
0
I have basically tolerated Codetel's terrible services for many years now but this one is the topper!!!

We have banda ancha 3g wireless internet, and signed up for in April 08.
When we did sign up, I told Nelson (the only decent customer service personal this company has ever had, and apparently is no longer with them) that we wanted the fastest unlimited use wireless internet they have and he provided us with this.

Over this period of time we rarely would have the speed we were told we would have (1.5mb), then came the iphones and forget it, lucky to have 300kb. We tried to resolve this many times by way of many many phone calls that result in nothing, as you simply get transfered from one clueless/powerless idiota to the next. Additionally we have made many trips to the POP office where you line up for even an hour sometimes only to be given the same basic treatment you get phoning by more clueless/powerless codetel representatives. So I basically gave up and excepted that I pay for 1.5mb of speed and this = 300kb in dominican speed.

Last month I go and line up to pay my monthly bill (always the same $1900rd and change). I get to the front of the line after about 10 minutes in line and some of you will be aware of this cool thing that happens frequently there. There is only one person working in the caha's, and of course someone comes from the service area to pay and they need not line up, they simply bud in front. This happens 3 times in a row and I'm running short on time now (was there during my lunch hour). So I finally get to pay, and the cashier tells me my bill is $332,000rd. I lol and tell her good one and such a str8 face and all. She says no joke and that I will now need to go to the service dept. and get a reclamacion. I'm like this is obviously incorrect, please take my $2000rd so I can pay my bill and get back to work. She tells me no way and that I must go there.

So I do this, do the line up there for 20 minutes or more, and get the reclamacion thingy, go back to the caha and pay $2000rd.

This month it is still there and now my bill is $334,000.
Cashier says same thing, go to service where we were lined up for over 1 hour. Service rep says we have to pay this bill, as I have a 10gig limit??? I'm like what are you talking about, I have unlimited use, she tells me no I don't that right there in her system it says I have 10gig.

So since April 08 we have always paid the same amount every month for lousy wireless internet and now one month out of the blue BoooooooM!!!!

This is getting long now and I'm sure you all get the picture, what I would like to know if any of you have had similar situation happen, and/or any suggestion on what to do now??
 

CFA123

Silver
May 29, 2004
3,512
413
83
negotiate the bill down to a more reasonable RD$250,000? ;)

good luck, keep at it, someone somewhere at codetel will recognize it's an obvious error & have the power to back the charge out of their system
 

TOOBER_SDQ

Bronze
Nov 19, 2008
708
212
0
Your Codetel story is lends to the truth that the company is full of ZOMBIES.

I have found that the only way to get somebody with a brain to review your situation is to create a "scene" at their office.

Case in point.... During a recent power outage my DSL modem burned out (Thursday). On Friday, I went to the Codetel office (buy/exchange) for a new one. I was told that the "system" is down, and no sales can be made. I figured, okay, these things happen, I will return tomorrow. When I returned, I was told the same thing thing; "the system is down, and no sales/exchanges are possible". I plead for new modem and ask that the transaction be entered in the "system" when it is restored. I am told that that is not possible either and that I will need to wait for the system to come back online. I also tried different branches through out Santo Domingo.

I am sure this doesn't surprise most of us, but this continued everyday until the following Wednesday. I returned to Codetel's office on Wednesday and the "system" was still down, and the Zombie behind the counter refused to let me purchase a new modem. My Dominican friend that was with me went ballistic, loudly recanting my story of being without internet for 1 week and not being able to see to my business, etc. all because Codetel has a computer problem, and that all the zombies in Codetel could say is "come back tomorrow" Before I knew it the whole place was feeling very sympathetic.

The commotion got the attention of a manager with a brain who heard my story and sold me a new modem. I was on my merry way.

Although this is behavior I typically despise, sometimes in DR you need to kick and scream a little to get things done.
 

SANT0

New member
Aug 31, 2009
9
0
0
ooitzsanto.com
Your Codetel story is lends to the truth that the company is full of ZOMBIES.

I have found that the only way to get somebody with a brain to review your situation is to create a "scene" at their office.

Case in point.... During a recent power outage my DSL modem burned out (Thursday). On Friday, I went to the Codetel office (buy/exchange) for a new one. I was told that the "system" is down, and no sales can be made. I figured, okay, these things happen, I will return tomorrow. When I returned, I was told the same thing thing; "the system is down, and no sales/exchanges are possible". I plead for new modem and ask that the transaction be entered in the "system" when it is restored. I am told that that is not possible either and that I will need to wait for the system to come back online. I also tried different branches through out Santo Domingo.

I am sure this doesn't surprise most of us, but this continued everyday until the following Wednesday. I returned to Codetel's office on Wednesday and the "system" was still down, and the Zombie behind the counter refused to let me purchase a new modem. My Dominican friend that was with me went ballistic, loudly recanting my story of being without internet for 1 week and not being able to see to my business, etc. all because Codetel has a computer problem, and that all the zombies in Codetel could say is "come back tomorrow" Before I knew it the whole place was feeling very sympathetic.

The commotion got the attention of a manager with a brain who heard my story and sold me a new modem. I was on my merry way.

Although this is behavior I typically despise, sometimes in DR you need to kick and scream a little to get things done.
Unfortunately you're 100% right.
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
2,306
57
0
Your Codetel story is lends to the truth that the company is full of ZOMBIES.

I have found that the only way to get somebody with a brain to review your situation is to create a "scene" at their office.

Case in point.... During a recent power outage my DSL modem burned out (Thursday). On Friday, I went to the Codetel office (buy/exchange) for a new one. I was told that the "system" is down, and no sales can be made. I figured, okay, these things happen, I will return tomorrow. When I returned, I was told the same thing thing; "the system is down, and no sales/exchanges are possible". I plead for new modem and ask that the transaction be entered in the "system" when it is restored. I am told that that is not possible either and that I will need to wait for the system to come back online. I also tried different branches through out Santo Domingo.

I am sure this doesn't surprise most of us, but this continued everyday until the following Wednesday. I returned to Codetel's office on Wednesday and the "system" was still down, and the Zombie behind the counter refused to let me purchase a new modem. My Dominican friend that was with me went ballistic, loudly recanting my story of being without internet for 1 week and not being able to see to my business, etc. all because Codetel has a computer problem, and that all the zombies in Codetel could say is "come back tomorrow" Before I knew it the whole place was feeling very sympathetic.

The commotion got the attention of a manager with a brain who heard my story and sold me a new modem. I was on my merry way.

Although this is behavior I typically despise, sometimes in DR you need to kick and scream a little to get things done.

So you are telling me, us the readers that a company as BIG as CODETEL had system issues and because of that you couldn't get a new modem for almost a week which caused you to not tend to your business for that amount of time?

I have heard some horror stories like the OP but this one has got to be the worst. HOLLY CRAPOLA!!!!!!!!! What did you think throughout this whole ordeal? You must have felt so useless I bet (I would too). I am typing this and I still can't believe this shyte! (not you, but this company having the nerves to pull something like this)

HAY DIOS MIOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

I read this and I think to myself...do I really want to live there someday?:ermm:
 

TOOBER_SDQ

Bronze
Nov 19, 2008
708
212
0
Tigre.

My friend was embellishing when it came to the comment about me "tending to my business". He was trying to stir things up. I do not run a business in DR from my computer. Usually, when I am at home in Santo Domingo I use my internet connection to dick around on DR1. ;)

But the rant did get the results I needed.

I have plenty of other stories like the one above. This type of treatment towards the customer is no isolated event. DR has become an economy driven by ?services? (or so I have read), but what frustrates me is that the businesses in DR are not service oriented toward the customer. I mean, take a look at the original post again, and how long the OP is expected to wait in line to pay his internet bill, during his lunch break. And believe me, the employees that process your payment couldn?t move slower.

I usually do not like ?name calling?, but these type of employees have earned the endearing term of ?Zombie? by me.
 

Massielg

New member
Apr 30, 2008
148
6
0
43
www.casasdevacacionesrd.blogspot.com
Indotel

I think you should contact Indotel (Instituto Dominicano de Telecomunicaciones), they could help you because they have a department called "Centro de Asistencia al Usuario"

Check what they say:

El Instituto Dominicano de las Telecomunicaciones (INDOTEL), dispone del Centro de Asistencia al Usuario (CAU), Unidad creada con la finalidad de servir de canal de recepci?n de las quejas de los ciudadanos respecto de los servicios de telecomunicaciones. El CAU orienta a los usuarios sobre sus deberes y derechos frente a la compa??a que le suministra el servicio, as? como respecto al procedimiento de reclamo y los plazos que disponen para la formalizaci?n de quejas ante el INDOTEL en caso de controversia o inconformidad con sus servicios de telecomunicaciones.

El CAU se encuentra disponible de lunes a viernes en el horario de 8:30 a.m. a 7:00 p.m.
Tel?fono: 829-547-1000
Fax: 829-732-3030
Desde el interior sin cargos: 1-829-200-5353
Fax desde el interior sin cargos: 1-829-200-3536


I hope this could help you.
 

Robert

Stay Frosty!
Jan 2, 1999
20,574
341
83
dr1.com
I agree with Massielg, forget Codetel and go direct to Indotel.

They will help you out and Codetel hates when they start knocking on their door :)
 

bienamor

Kansas redneck an proud of it
Apr 23, 2004
5,050
458
83
for the DR

I agree with Massielg, forget Codetel and go direct to Indotel.

They will help you out and Codetel hates when they start knocking on their door :)

Not sure what they have in Europe, but INDOTEL is the equivalent to both the FCC (federal), and the States PUC in the USA. When it comes to regulatory matters in the telephone communications here. CODETEL will listen, as these are the people that require changes in services such as number portability or ok changes in rates.
 

hombrecaribe

New member
Aug 27, 2009
18
0
0
It's clearly an error, I mean who pays a monthly inet bill of such an enormous amount.

My wife is kinda freaking out over this ordeal as the account is in her name. She says Codetel is mafioso and they will try to screw us if they can.

I have spoken with managers about problems past and present, and on telephone with customer service only left to feel like they are all like tits on a bull.

I know we will only waste more of our time trying to find someone at Codetel to help. At this point I'm done with them and don't care if they want to lose us as a client. This weekend I barely had 100kb per second, I might as well have dial up, hola Senor Codetel it's not 1996 anymore?

I mean internet has been around for a while and it isn't rocket science anymore but this company is truly from a different planet.

Thanks you Massielg and Robert, we will give Indotel a try to help solve this bill issue.

Anyone have suggestions for other internet providers, and Viva is not an option (had it before and changed cuz was too slow).
 

waytogo

Moderator - North Coast Forum
Apr 3, 2009
6,407
580
113
Santiago DR
unfortunately codetel is generally the best option.

Inadequate customer service, never return calls, uncaring, don?t give you what you pay for, endless lines, full of excuses, never a correct answer, multiple trips to their office to fix a single problem, and it still doesn?t get fixed. And last but not least, whatever time you get there, 1 person at the counter while 3 others are staring at the walls looking like they partied until 4 in the morning.

And this is the best option......amazing
 

hombrecaribe

New member
Aug 27, 2009
18
0
0
I'm very relieved to report that this has been corrected with the help of a friend of mine.
Apparently, these were indeed accurate charges based on over-usage.
Beware to all that have older plans (April 08 or earlier), these are not unlimited use plans even though you may have been told they were.
I was advise to change to a new unlimited plan which I did yesterday.
I will happily pay 100 pesos more a month for this new unlimited plan.

Shout out to my buddy for making this happen, thanks bro!
 

El Tigre

El Tigre de DR1 - Moderator
Jan 23, 2003
2,306
57
0
In that case how did you rack up that much? Are you on 24/7?
 
Last edited:

hombrecaribe

New member
Aug 27, 2009
18
0
0
Great question to which I have no logically answer.

The only thing if indeed it is true, is perhaps someone hacked into our inet somehow and proceeded to do a download festival (seems highly unlikely).

Additionally, I'm not a techy hombre but that amount of consumption seems unlikely due to the speed we have always had (1.5mb claro speed = 300kb in real speed).

I'm not sure how we could've proved that we didn't consume what they said we did, guilty til proven innocent?? I dunno, all I can say we paid the same amount every month for 15 months and then boooooom! without any change in our inet activity. Claro kept saying we went over the limit that month, but at the end of it all they have washed it away.
However, I wanted to let you all know what is possible if you don't have this new plan.

Also interesting yesterday, after doing the line up for over a hour...
I brought my laptop and 3g card to change it for a newer one in hopes to increase the speed.
I did this cuz a guy that works for me has the new unlimited plan and has a usb 3g card, and he gets 4x the speed I get lol.
Anyways, she said they were out of 3g cards (go figure, such good management), and that with the new plan I would likely have better speed, LOOOOOOOOOOL, obv not, oh well I feel good anyways and my wife off my back.
 

hombrecaribe

New member
Aug 27, 2009
18
0
0
Yes they washed it away, well we had to pay like $5k peso's or so, but I gladly did that without a question.
Thank you my brotha in high places!