Garth Rattray | Jamaica’s 20th century telecommunications

We are being inexorably forced into ‘logging on’ to gain access to information, work, education, communication, for entertainment, for banking, to do business, to pay our taxes, numerous bills, and to see to our health.

Even people with extremely poor digital literacy must access the Internet in one way or the other. One of my elderly patients, a very educated gentleman who was second-in-charge of a statutory body, became so distressed at his inability to cope with the new world of computers and mandatory online interaction that he became extremely depressed, and it led to his premature demise.

If you operate or participate in any business whatsoever, you must use the internet to do business transactions. In medical practices it is common to use the health insurance swipe cards and the credit or debit cards for the copayment. You also must communicate electronically with labs, imaging centres, other healthcare professionals, pharmacies, patients, and sometimes their close relatives or friends.

Many people communicate using WhatsApp, emails or texting. I recall that, several years ago, the mother of a close friend became very ill. I was able to communicate with her children, arrange investigations, refer to the relevant specialists and finalise her surgery, all by my phone and using the internet.

HEAVILY DEPENDENT

This world has made us heavily, and in certain instances, totally dependent on telecommunication. However, we in Jamaica are severely challenged by unacceptable instances of slow or undependable telecommunication service. Notwithstanding the occasional instances of vandalism and/or theft of cables, customers are frequently plagued with substandard service from both providers.

The one and only thing that I must (in all fairness) credit our phone and Internet providers with is their amazing efficiency when it comes to billing and acting on delinquent subscribers. Their persistent reminders and torrent of information regarding payment methods is truly remarkable. And, if per chance someone fails to pay on time, the repercussions are swift. They are so efficient at making certain that their company gets paid that, on more than one occasions, they failed to credit our accounts with payments that are already made on time. It took protest and proof of payment for them to correct their error.

On the other hand, the complaints, assistance, and repair divisions are abysmal. It is a pity that they can’t switch around the staff that deals with billing and collections with the staff that deals with reports of problems and getting them solved.

It is not too uncommon to try to make a cellular phone call only to get an automated message informing us that the number that you are trying to reach is unassigned! I used to [foolishly], recheck the number in my phone and dial it manually, thinking that I made an error. Nowadays I simply press redial and, suddenly, magically, the number is assigned and it rings!

Also common to both providers is the problem of frequent poor cellular phone connections and/or dropped calls. You could be speaking with someone right next door and suddenly realise that you are talking to yourself. This is inevitably followed by you repeating saying, “Hello! Hello? Hello?” Then you hang up or try again and hope for the best. Heaven help you if it was an important call.

APPALLING AND INFURIATING

The lack of fast and dependable Internet service is appalling, and infuriating. Despite the advertised speeds, when you inquire about the snail’s pace of cyberinformation, you are told that the speed depends on the number of people accessing the service at the same time that you are doing so. But no one tells you that in their fancy and inviting ads.

Obviously, far more frustrating are the periods when the internet totally disappears, sometimes for many hours. This happens anywhere and everywhere, even in New Kingston, which was suggested as a ‘smart’ location where internet service is easy to access and everywhere. That area is so prone to internet problems that sometimes, businesses must resort to using the hotspot feature on the cellular phone devices to gain use of their computers. In New Kingston, even the data signal is lousy.

Online teachers and lecturers are sometimes thwarted by the poor or absent Internet service. Businesses lose customers and clients when their number is out of order through no fault of their own. And, sadly, no one has any recourse.

TEST OF PATIENCE

The real test of your patience and mettle comes when you attempt to report a problem or seek assistance to solve one. If you simply want to know if the internet service disruption is going on within your entire area, you must first recite your account number. Sometimes, the agent resorts to checking if you are a paid-up client before giving you any information on the status of Internet service within your area.

But, more often than not, you can’t get any information, unless it concerns signing up to a plan or topping up. Usually, you must hang on, while being assaulted by loud and silly ‘music’, sometimes for [literally] hours! As for using WhatsApp to seek assistance with your issue(s); that usually takes up to 24 hours for a response, then they say that you did not respond, and they terminate the chat!

Despite their constant ads for more customers/subscribers, their platforms are unable to handle the current number of subscribers. We are living in a 21st century world, but Jamaicans have a twentieth century telecommunications service. We are being taken advantage of, and no one is helping us.

Garth Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice, and author of ‘The Long and Short of Thick and Thin’. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and garthrattray@gmail.com