Has the issues surrounding the automatic throttling down of our Internet connection by the telcos have been resolved already?
With an alibi of trying to moderate abusive usage of Internet services, the Fair Usage Policy of telcos was implemented by force thus affecting all Internet users especially those that use a great deal of online access and file transfers. We are reduced to a 2G connection once we reached a certain monthly limit thus bringing us down to turtle-pace connection.
However, it seems the government has yet to enforce a stop to this.
The open letter was posted year 2014 but it still a very controversial topic that has not been addressed yet.
We are reposting it in full since the author, as an IT Specialist, really knows what he is saying.
So who is the real rotten banana out there? The 3% subscribers who have been called as "abusers"by these telcos, or the telcos themselves who has been deceiving us with their "Unlimited" and "Fair Usage Policies"breaching the contract between subscribers and ISP.
You be the judge.
Dear P-Noy, Kababayans, NTC and Globe,
I am an IT specialist. Internet is the lifeblood of my work and in this advanced technological age, perhaps many others also are. I have been a loyal subscriber of Globe for more than a decade now for which I currently have multiple postpaid accounts, because I believed in them all through those years. Yet, recently I think that they have lost their way.
N...TC have been flooded with complaints against Globe, I being one of them, since they have suddenly implemented data capping even on existing postpaid UNLIMITED internet plans. My complaint was just forwarded to @talk2globe, for whose hotline I already have called where expectedly I haven’t got any positive action but alibis, and so I resorted in writing this. Globe in their statements said, that their network usage increased by 300%. To ensure that the 97% of their subscribers who do not “abuse” their network continue to enjoy their “fast and reliable” mobile internet and broadband services, while Philippines being the 3rd slowest in the region and one of the costliest, they have to implement their “Fair Use Policy”. They also said that “only” the remaining 3% will be affected by this policy, those “abusers” or “rotten bananas, as @talk2globe referred the 3% as” who are responsible for the heavy traffic because of using file-sharing or peer-to-peer (P2P) applications, downloading large-format files such as music, videos and movies. Please, excuse us! Globe should be careful in labelling us by such negative connotation. I must have belonged to the 3% because I have exceeded the cap, as the annoying SMS have said or really have I, but I am certainly not an “abuser” and much more not a “rotten banana”, as many others also are not. As TXTPower have said in a statement, "Telcos such as Globe Telecoms should be careful in referring to any of its subscribers as “abusers” especially in this age of the internet and social media. Those same abusers may actually be small and medium-scale businesses, home-based online entrepreneurs, OFW families keeping constant touch or netizens in the cutting-edge of surging social media in the Philippines."
Though use of P2P applications is undeniable, it doesn’t follow that such use are all illegal. P2P is being used in many other legal ways other than copyright infringement like project collaboration, publication distribution, etc. But it still does not monopolize the network in the field of large data transfer. As a web-developer and content manager, I use File Transfer Protocol (FTP) applications to transfer files to develop and update websites. Software updates of paid applications and even operating systems of computers and smart devices also oftentimes involve large file transfers. These updates as we all know are vital in keeping systems less vulnerable from security threats. Yet, even how big those files are doesn’t matter. A basic knowledge of networking, specifically TCP/IP is enough to know, that files are not sent in chunks over the network. They are broken down into small packets in the transmitting end, sent to the network piece by piece and then re-assembled in the receiving end. It is therefore not the file size that clogs the network. It is the simultaneous number of users accessing the network that do. Therefore, if you want to increase the users of a network, the right way to address the issue is to increase its capacity, not to limit the productivity of your people, like limit them to just do Facebook all day, to lessen the load.
Last quarter of 2013, Globe launched their Free Facebook promo which of course, Philippines being the capital of social media, attracted many new subscribers. This increase of subscribers, plus the Free FB, is most probably the cause of the 300% increase in their network activity. So therefore, what kind of injustice it is to use the “chunk of files clogging the network” misconception, to blame and consequently limit the access of their regularly paying postpaid subscribers, on their so-called network congestion? How much more is it unfair, to get more subscribers and let them, through their Free FB, freely use their so-called already congested network? Of course, we are not thinking that the Free FB promo was purposely done to deliberately clog the network to justify the FUP and get more subscribers at a lower cost. Globe as a prestigious and respectable company knows that they have to invest more on their facilities to keep abreast with the rapid advancement of technology and the demands it creates. They of course said that they already had, and we are trusting them as we always had, that the network capacity was included and not just their new and beautiful building at the corner of 32nd and 7th Streets at The Fort.
It is with that same trust that we believed in their “Unlimited Internet” plans which turned out, through their FUP, to be “Limited” and covered by the overused excuse “can be changed without prior notice” clause. Whatever dictionary I consult, “unlimited” turns-out to mean; limitless, infinite, unrestricted, unrestrained, boundless, unconstrained, indefinite or bottomless. I suppose we Filipinos are good in English, as we are always praised for that. So if a 3G or an LTE “Unlimited Internet” advertisement says, “Break Your Speed Limit”, “Defy Expectations” and “Live Without Limits”, we would understand and believe, that they are offering a “fast and unlimited internet access” service. It is true, as they have also mentioned, that data capping is an industry standard that is being implemented by all Telco players in the country, even globally in the most advanced economies. But the main difference is, they are transparent in its implementation and they explain it to their clients before they sign them in. They do not deceive their clients with the “Unlimited” bait if it is not. If their plan is for 3gig per month, then they would describe their plan like “Plan 3gig per month”. So, if you promised “Unlimited” then it should be without limits, else it is “false advertising”, just a dishonourable marketing gimmick for mere financial gain without any respect for consumer rights, who are all "Denied of Expectations". As the meaning of the word “unlimited” can never be “limited”, treachery and deceit can never be fair nor just.
In this age of e-commerce, globalization and high-definition media, Internet definitely plays a vital role for us Filipinos to stay competitive. It is now a basic component of progress and is even considered a human right by the UN Human Rights Council on its 17th session. They have underscored, that the “unique and transformative" nature of the Internet allows individuals to exercise a range of human rights and promote the progress of society in general. So what progress then do we expect if our internet is limited to just accessing social media, rather than can be used in more productive and creative ways? How can we compete if majority of time, we are restrained by the dial-up speed of 2G connection to which we are connected when throttled down, which cannot open content-rich websites or on-line applications of today? It might be their alibi that there is no “breach of contract” because they did not disconnect us from their network, just throttled down. So they should have marketed unlimited 2G, not the “fast, unlimited internet” they are boasting in their advertisements. But will anybody grab such offer? Of course none, because that old wireless technology is not fitted for the needs of the present. 1G became 2G, then 3G, then 4G, then LTE, because the technology progressed with the needs of time. For us to progress, we should keep-up and not be deceived or denied of the technology of today. Why equip us with a stone axe, while others are using cutting-edge technology? Stagnancy will lead us helpless, to the mercy of those stronger than us.
All of us, born or juridical, have social responsibilities to fulfil for this, our beloved country. We all have the duty to keep truth and honour in our dealing with others, for the future generations to emulate. As consumers, I believe that it is our right to demand for what is due to us. As Filipinos, I believe it is our duty to demand for what is right. FUP is anti-progress and if you lied, it is anti-commandment.
Florandino Jose C. Rairata
IT-Specialist, Family Man, Firstly a Filipino
I am an IT specialist. Internet is the lifeblood of my work and in this advanced technological age, perhaps many others also are. I have been a loyal subscriber of Globe for more than a decade now for which I currently have multiple postpaid accounts, because I believed in them all through those years. Yet, recently I think that they have lost their way.
N...TC have been flooded with complaints against Globe, I being one of them, since they have suddenly implemented data capping even on existing postpaid UNLIMITED internet plans. My complaint was just forwarded to @talk2globe, for whose hotline I already have called where expectedly I haven’t got any positive action but alibis, and so I resorted in writing this. Globe in their statements said, that their network usage increased by 300%. To ensure that the 97% of their subscribers who do not “abuse” their network continue to enjoy their “fast and reliable” mobile internet and broadband services, while Philippines being the 3rd slowest in the region and one of the costliest, they have to implement their “Fair Use Policy”. They also said that “only” the remaining 3% will be affected by this policy, those “abusers” or “rotten bananas, as @talk2globe referred the 3% as” who are responsible for the heavy traffic because of using file-sharing or peer-to-peer (P2P) applications, downloading large-format files such as music, videos and movies. Please, excuse us! Globe should be careful in labelling us by such negative connotation. I must have belonged to the 3% because I have exceeded the cap, as the annoying SMS have said or really have I, but I am certainly not an “abuser” and much more not a “rotten banana”, as many others also are not. As TXTPower have said in a statement, "Telcos such as Globe Telecoms should be careful in referring to any of its subscribers as “abusers” especially in this age of the internet and social media. Those same abusers may actually be small and medium-scale businesses, home-based online entrepreneurs, OFW families keeping constant touch or netizens in the cutting-edge of surging social media in the Philippines."
Though use of P2P applications is undeniable, it doesn’t follow that such use are all illegal. P2P is being used in many other legal ways other than copyright infringement like project collaboration, publication distribution, etc. But it still does not monopolize the network in the field of large data transfer. As a web-developer and content manager, I use File Transfer Protocol (FTP) applications to transfer files to develop and update websites. Software updates of paid applications and even operating systems of computers and smart devices also oftentimes involve large file transfers. These updates as we all know are vital in keeping systems less vulnerable from security threats. Yet, even how big those files are doesn’t matter. A basic knowledge of networking, specifically TCP/IP is enough to know, that files are not sent in chunks over the network. They are broken down into small packets in the transmitting end, sent to the network piece by piece and then re-assembled in the receiving end. It is therefore not the file size that clogs the network. It is the simultaneous number of users accessing the network that do. Therefore, if you want to increase the users of a network, the right way to address the issue is to increase its capacity, not to limit the productivity of your people, like limit them to just do Facebook all day, to lessen the load.
Last quarter of 2013, Globe launched their Free Facebook promo which of course, Philippines being the capital of social media, attracted many new subscribers. This increase of subscribers, plus the Free FB, is most probably the cause of the 300% increase in their network activity. So therefore, what kind of injustice it is to use the “chunk of files clogging the network” misconception, to blame and consequently limit the access of their regularly paying postpaid subscribers, on their so-called network congestion? How much more is it unfair, to get more subscribers and let them, through their Free FB, freely use their so-called already congested network? Of course, we are not thinking that the Free FB promo was purposely done to deliberately clog the network to justify the FUP and get more subscribers at a lower cost. Globe as a prestigious and respectable company knows that they have to invest more on their facilities to keep abreast with the rapid advancement of technology and the demands it creates. They of course said that they already had, and we are trusting them as we always had, that the network capacity was included and not just their new and beautiful building at the corner of 32nd and 7th Streets at The Fort.
It is with that same trust that we believed in their “Unlimited Internet” plans which turned out, through their FUP, to be “Limited” and covered by the overused excuse “can be changed without prior notice” clause. Whatever dictionary I consult, “unlimited” turns-out to mean; limitless, infinite, unrestricted, unrestrained, boundless, unconstrained, indefinite or bottomless. I suppose we Filipinos are good in English, as we are always praised for that. So if a 3G or an LTE “Unlimited Internet” advertisement says, “Break Your Speed Limit”, “Defy Expectations” and “Live Without Limits”, we would understand and believe, that they are offering a “fast and unlimited internet access” service. It is true, as they have also mentioned, that data capping is an industry standard that is being implemented by all Telco players in the country, even globally in the most advanced economies. But the main difference is, they are transparent in its implementation and they explain it to their clients before they sign them in. They do not deceive their clients with the “Unlimited” bait if it is not. If their plan is for 3gig per month, then they would describe their plan like “Plan 3gig per month”. So, if you promised “Unlimited” then it should be without limits, else it is “false advertising”, just a dishonourable marketing gimmick for mere financial gain without any respect for consumer rights, who are all "Denied of Expectations". As the meaning of the word “unlimited” can never be “limited”, treachery and deceit can never be fair nor just.
In this age of e-commerce, globalization and high-definition media, Internet definitely plays a vital role for us Filipinos to stay competitive. It is now a basic component of progress and is even considered a human right by the UN Human Rights Council on its 17th session. They have underscored, that the “unique and transformative" nature of the Internet allows individuals to exercise a range of human rights and promote the progress of society in general. So what progress then do we expect if our internet is limited to just accessing social media, rather than can be used in more productive and creative ways? How can we compete if majority of time, we are restrained by the dial-up speed of 2G connection to which we are connected when throttled down, which cannot open content-rich websites or on-line applications of today? It might be their alibi that there is no “breach of contract” because they did not disconnect us from their network, just throttled down. So they should have marketed unlimited 2G, not the “fast, unlimited internet” they are boasting in their advertisements. But will anybody grab such offer? Of course none, because that old wireless technology is not fitted for the needs of the present. 1G became 2G, then 3G, then 4G, then LTE, because the technology progressed with the needs of time. For us to progress, we should keep-up and not be deceived or denied of the technology of today. Why equip us with a stone axe, while others are using cutting-edge technology? Stagnancy will lead us helpless, to the mercy of those stronger than us.
All of us, born or juridical, have social responsibilities to fulfil for this, our beloved country. We all have the duty to keep truth and honour in our dealing with others, for the future generations to emulate. As consumers, I believe that it is our right to demand for what is due to us. As Filipinos, I believe it is our duty to demand for what is right. FUP is anti-progress and if you lied, it is anti-commandment.
Florandino Jose C. Rairata
IT-Specialist, Family Man, Firstly a Filipino
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