Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my deep frustration about the quality of telecommunications services being provided to consumers in Guyana by One Communications and to ask whether the rights guaranteed under our consumer protection laws are being adequately upheld.
As a customer of One Communications for almost two decades, I am disheartened by the terrible service I’m literally being forced to subscribe to. I upgraded to a Business Postpaid plan with the expectation of receiving improved service.
Instead, I have experienced more frequent internet outages, unreliable mobile connectivity, and numerous occasions where people attempting to call me have been unable to reach me. As a business owner, I have missed important business calls and opportunities locally, regionally, and internationally because of these persistent service failures.
The problems do not end there. My home internet service has also been unreliable, and the Push-to-Talk devices I use for business operations have performed poorly. I stopped paying that bill but am still being charged for it. I have reported these issues to One Communications on numerous occasions, yet the problems continue. Despite this, I am expected to pay my monthly bills in full for a service that repeatedly falls below a reasonable standard.
The Consumer Affairs Act 2011 was enacted to protect consumers and promote fair treatment in the provision of goods and services. Consumers have a right to expect that the services they pay for are delivered with reasonable quality and reliability. When those expectations are not met, companies should be held accountable and should work promptly to resolve legitimate complaints.
I therefore call on One Communications to take these complaints seriously and improve the quality and reliability of its services. I also urge the Competition and Consumer Affairs Commission and the Public Utilities Commission to investigate recurring complaints about telecommunications services.
Telecommunications are no longer a luxury; they are essential for businesses, education, healthcare, emergency communication, and everyday life. Consumers deserve dependable service, transparency, and accountability.
It is time for customers’ voices to be heard and for meaningful action to be taken. In saying that, I believe I will have no other option than to take One Communications to court because I’m fed up with complaining to them and still receiving the same distasteful service.