March 05, 2009

For iPhone users/Globe subscribers

MY old friend Gerry Kaimo has been tearing his hair out over his Apple iPhone/Globe Telecom service because his phone bill had skyrocketed to P27,000 in just two months, all because of the default Internet settings.

I've checked the Philmug site and apparently this problem of overbilling by Globe has been happening since the phone was introduced last year. So if you're still thinking of buying such a unit, please be warned. Globe's customer relations system isn't exactly the most efficient in the industry, so you may want to ask a lot of questions about your unit first and Globe's charges before making that final purchase. It also helps to make friends w/ the techie guys. (The Philmug site does have suggested procedures to adjust your Internet setttings and thus protect yourself from getting overbilled. So check that out, too.)

Let's hear it from Gerry:

To all of you out there who may have bought the Mac iPhone. Please consult your nearest Globe Tech Support. There is no manual, so it's a guessing game mostly. I was at Globe Towers today and found out that I was not the only one who had a problem with this Mac iPhone.

My month's first bill came up to a whopping P15,000+. Second month seventeen I think. Basta the total was P27,000 FOR TWO MONTHS!! It was because of the settings. You all know that this iPhone lacks a manual. Mac does not give out manuals. You have to source a third party manual to learn about your Apple product. Thing is, Globe COULD HAVE given their buyers lessons, even if they had to charge them for it. Consider this: If you had a choice between paying a thousand peso seminar fee to save tens of thousands, that's still a good deal.

Thing is, they knowingly sold a phone with no manual and NOT ENOUGH techies to help the customers who paid almost forty thousand pesos for the iPhone. What happened to me also happened, according to a Globe employee who shall remain unknown because they could fire him for being honest to me. At any rate, I was told that my fifteen thousand and then seventeen thousand bills were NOTHING compared to the other customers who ran up bills of 37,000-forty thousand peso monthly bills. They should have warned us. They COULD at least have warned us. But no, it is apparently more important that Globe sell tons of iPhones before more people learn that if you are not INFORMED (caveat emptor, remember?) before people find out that they will be paying thousands more than their usual bills.

FOUL by GLOBE. A deed MOST FOUL. A warning that if you don't set the phone right, you can end up paying thousands monthly. I wonder what Globe will do to let me have it. I wonder if they will... After all, messengers are apt to get punished in this country, just ask Jun Lozada. But no matter. Do what you must. But hey, do the right thing and call your iPhone buyers. And please stop telling your tech support people to encourage your customers to switch their plans from per kilobyte to 5 PESOS FOR FIFTEEN MINUTES. because the fifteen minutes keeps going and going and going. FOUL PLAY by GLOBE, in my opinion, they should clarify. CLARIFY and inform your customers of what may may ahead of them.

That's all from me. Globe's turn. If you had the same problem, please pass this on. Help the others who may just now be getting the shaft. Thanks.

Last I heard from Gerry, he has written Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman of Globe Telecom, about this issue. I hope Gerry gets an answer soon.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

why is the telecom always the bad guy in stories like this one?

It's been an issue even with the original iphone, the settings by default are set to push, thus internet connection will be opened every now and then. The telecom always get the flak. It seems that apple is getting a pass in this one when it was them who built the phone, made the software and made the default settings.

Apple should be the one that made the warning to inform the buyers of this issue. It's an issue whether you use globe, singtel, at&t and whatever phone company sim is inserted in the phone.

Anonymous said...

I have my own horror story too. My bill is lower though at 6000 + for gprs charges. Thing is I was aware of the internet settings and for the past 5 months my gprs charges was less than 1th pesos. I am having it investigated and will blog about it if things don't work out.

Anonymous said...

The thing is, users in the US went crazy when this iPhone first came out, some even queueing for days to have the bragging rights of being the first owners. Then there were bugs and lots of problems associated with new technology. But they kept lapping it up.

When iPhone came here to the Philippines, I wanted to get one, but when they told me it didn't come with a manual, I knew I wasn't going to risk the 40k per unit cost, and I stuck with my old reliable Blackberry Pearl.

If Globe said they're charging a thousand for a user seminar in lieu of a manual (which should come for free with any electronics device purchased-ask DTI), I don't think many buyers would avail of it.

You know what the old folks say. We only get what we deserve. Masyadong atat kase e.

Stella Arnaldo said...

@ Noemi: Thank you for dropping by and opening up your world to me through your blog.

@ Anonymous 12:51: Amen! I stuck to my Palm Treo 680 :)

Anonymous said...

27k! ouch! IMO, globe should have a quick guide on how to turn on/off settings like 3G, Push/Fetch, WIFI, etc.. They should provide a guide that could be easy for the normal or should I say, the not-so-techy people.

I would categorize iPhone as complicated mobile phone for the common user. I have a 1st gen, and based on my experience, I've used the full capability and function of the phone, after searching for guides/info across the internet.

well, the internet is open and full of information, and Google (or other search engine) would be your best buddy at all times.

Peace! :)

Anonymous said...

ahmm. there is a manual inside the box that came with the iphone.

i sympathize but i do read the manual first before using any gadget. How else would one be able to use it? tsk tsk tsk.

Stella Arnaldo said...

Gerry's problem resolved! Click here

Anonymous said...

Mine too came with a manual, although I didn't purchase it from Globe.
And for those iPhone users, search the internet/google for useful third party programs that will be able to turn off/on edge or 3g.
The phone comes with a whooping 40k tag price, so i suppose you guys have a laptop or even a decent desktop with an internwt connection? aight?

D'wreck said...

My horror story goes on to date! Last Jan and Feb I was charged 9K+ and 14K+ for GPRS charges which until now is still being investigated. I have not used my iPhone for 3 moths now and my bills are piling up.

Stella Arnaldo said...

Cancel your subscription to Globe. Write a letter to the Consumer Welfare section of the DTI, copy furnished DTI Secretary Peter Favila.

Anonymous said...

Hitting the Home button after using the GPRS wont stop it. You have to erase the APN entry (under Cellular Data) then turn off and on your unit. In my first bill from Globe I got 360hrs of GPRS. That's 15 whole days! In fact, I only used the GPRS three times. My latest bill for GPRS is now only 75 minutes which is about right.

Anonymous said...

I also sympathize but in purchasing any device its a must to read the manual before you keep on using your device. And when you are browsing through the Iphone or when you leave it browsing, the icon at the top will keep on spinning. I think you should be able to notice that the spinning thing doesn't appear when you are using your phone for call and text functions so you will be alarmed that there is something going on.

Anyway, this should be a lesson and its not fair to blame the device for iPhone is a great device, I love playing Diner Dash on it.

And a piece of advice, make sure that you purchase an item because you like it and that you are aware of what you are buying not because you need something to brag around.

Anonymous said...

I just both an Iphone and I was shocked with my unbilled plan. In just 4 days my bill is 3K. I called globe customer service several times and they told that they would log a case and someone would call me within the day. No one called. I also requested them to deactivate my GPRS because according to my friend this is the reason why my bill reach a thousand. (Note: I received a text before that my GPRS is not actived when I try to send an MMS to friend. Now Globe is texting me to settle at least 50% of my unbilled charges to continue using their services. I also received delayed messages from my friends. Globe sucks.. I hope they fix this ASAP.

Anonymous said...

It's not just turning off the settings with the Globe iphone like in the other countries. The configuration is different ONLY in the Philippines after you have turned off location settings, PUSH, 3G. You still have to go to About than Cellular Data and mis-type the internet.globe.ph if you want to something like sync your iphone to your Macbook even if you are using Wifi the Globe configuration is whacked to charge you 3G. Have you ever heard of that in any other country? NO! Imagine all the people paying for 3G when they are on Wifi? I got this from Globe technical support telling me to change the APN. I said I have an iphone in the U.S. and there is no such action needed. YOU WILL NOT FIND THIS ON ANY HANDBOOK.