Sorry, SLT You are Dialling the Wrong Number Again.

I do not think that I should spend more time to elaborate on the shoddy service provided by the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT).

Once it took me more than 90 minutes to upload a 200 MB ( less than 3 minutes) of video to YouTube and that will show how good their level of service.

Once when someone claiming to be from SLT came to us and informed that now they are able to provide us Fiber Optic line connection, not only I was elated but jumped into subscribing to the new product line too.

Nothing materialized and the shoddy service remains the same.

After so many moons, Today, I got a call again from someone claiming to be from SLT and was trying to sell me the product once more.

When I mentioned that I have already subscribed to it a long time ago only she drops the bomb on me.

She said, this product has an inherited defect and that the landline will be dead if ever we encounter a power outage in the area and to overcome the issue that they have some power back up system for another a few extra thousands have to be paid.

I declined the offer because simply knowing that they were trying to push another substandard service package to unsuspecting customers.

However, I said to the lady on the other end that I would have the service pronto if SLT is willing to provide me with the said power back up unit included in the onetime extra payment of Rupees 2000/= to get the Fiber Optic line.

Her excuse was that she is not authorized to take such a decision and then I suggested her to go to her boss (General Manager – Customer Services) and inform that I have requested so and let me know what his or her response was.

I do not think that I will ever hear again from that lady anytime soon unless someone else will pick up the tab and try to push another shoddy product to me.

Sorry, SLT you are dialling the Wrong number. 

Just as Easy as Dialing One Two One Two?

Has anyone tried to pay their Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) invoices online very recently?

To avoid people coming out from their own cocoons, the service provider sent a short message with a hyperlink asking to pay bills online.

From the moment it was received, I was trying to pay my bill with no success.

The warning comes back to say some Third-Party failure without elaborating much.

This is a typical way of blaming another for one’s own shortcomings.

The chat option available on the site is just there but nobody seems to be manning it.

The Helpline (011 243 4649) is not manned either.

And the ultimate helpline 1212 has no such option there either to be able a customer to connect with an agent and resolve the issue.

What a sad state of affairs?

I am sure that some may try to defend this shoddy service level by citing the epidemic condition in the country.

The tendency to settle for less is endemic and that is why what we are today.

Anytime DATA - Sri Lanka Telecom

Most Internet providers allocate Data for a connection, split into two segments.

A certain portion is for Day use and the remaining is for Night use.

Unfortunately, the Day portion is smaller compared to the Night allocation.

However, whether one uses the entire allocation or not within the given billing period, the service provider will be charging for both used and unused segments, unless if the user had not exceeded the allocation.

It is not a good business practice and especially when there is a lockdown in many parts of the world due to the epidemic situation.

The Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) is no different and time to change their stance when many well-known businesses around are opening their gates to be able to access their other portals otherwise only possible by subscription.

Neither the user nor the service provided will be harmed if they can switch to Anytime Data mode than still continuing with a very archaic business model.

Over to you, if anyone with the authority to do the change is listening.

Sri Lanka Telecom Shoddy Service

Has anyone recently tried the Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) Hotline 1212?

First, you will be forced to listen to one of their latest and insipid Ad before an agent come online.

The Ad says in (the nutshell) that “We are different than others and that is why they provide different types of internet packages”.

I agree with the first part of their statement that they are different.

Because, unlike any other service-oriented industry, they do not care for their customers’ complaints.

For the last four days, I had been battling to get my internet connection to a decent level without much success.

The agents have a different story to tell you each time for the reason of disruption.

Now I am confused which one to believe.

The Agents are happy to give their maintenance section number which had been ringing for the last four days but no one was there to pick up and give us the true picture.

How long more I have to wait I have no idea and I think it is the time to think of an alternative arrangement soon than rely on their shoddy service.