VTR Is Just Alright With Me
The comment has been made that VTR coming to my new place yesterday, three working days before they said they'd be here and installed wi-fi and broadband internet with a smile on their face, just might have something to do with the affluence of the neighborhood. It's a wooded paradise, the Andes are my backyard, neighbors, identifiable by the race of their dogs, are into yoga and skiing; this isn't Chile, but it's a part of Chile, probably way overly represented but here I am. Representing it. So far so good VTR, I love you with unironic love.
Earlier I bitched that VTR was messing around with me, charging a higher installation fee for a debt on the house (not my house, not something I should have to deal with) and I'm right, but at the same time I have to say that VTR called immediately to notify me, and everybody was totally helpful all along. Based on my experience with Telefónica which took a month to install, I expected the worst. VTR is the only choice here so why wouldn't they take their sweet-ass time.
But they didn't really; they came early. Well actually to say 'early' is kinda like Orwellian doublethink because VTR advertises 48-72 hours but they told me 10 days, and then they came 100 hours after the contract which is late according to the original promise but early according to the 'new' promise. Still, it works for me because I was expecting Tuesday and its Saturday and I'm sitting on my bed, online, what could be better than this? Nothing!
So far, VTR is showing itself to be much better internet service than Telefónica Chile. They also charge less, and currently are offering free wi-fi with their internet broadband service. (I'm totally non-technical and didn't want to spend the time figuring it out myself, so I'm happy to be a dumb consumer and go ape shit over a promotion they offer that doesn't really cost them extra). It wouldn't cost Telefónica extra either, but the would charge. The scoundrels.
Still one commenter on this blog has mentioned that VTR doesn't update DNS standards or something like that, which imperiled a colleague's chances at getting a grant in France or something, and then they told the customer 'you shoulda called if it was important to you'. So I'll remember to call then!
Lastly, it also looks as though there are parts of town, in like Las Condes or something, where residents can CHOOSE between VTR and Telefónica Chile. Incredible. A duopoly for local residents, still, better than a monopoly I guess. By international standards, both companies suck and are up to 2000% more expensive than Europe (according to a La Tercera report last year, as I recall, a cable/phone/internet package that costs USD $10 in France and $50 in the US costs $200 in Chile). Still, it's like local politics choosing the Concertación over Pinochet's UDI party, VTR over Telefónica, choose the one that has engaged in less psychological torture.
But remember that in Santiago it can't be an afterthought. You have to consider your ISP a factor of a new place's desireability before moving in. Move where VTR is, unless of course you're doing an anthropological study of Deep Chile and need to live near your subject matter. Then you'll likely be stuck with Telefónica, if that.
No matter where you end up, if you gotta have internet you gotta have it. Here's VTR's page and, as much as I'd hate to refer anyone to them, Telefónica. Good luck!
Earlier I bitched that VTR was messing around with me, charging a higher installation fee for a debt on the house (not my house, not something I should have to deal with) and I'm right, but at the same time I have to say that VTR called immediately to notify me, and everybody was totally helpful all along. Based on my experience with Telefónica which took a month to install, I expected the worst. VTR is the only choice here so why wouldn't they take their sweet-ass time.
But they didn't really; they came early. Well actually to say 'early' is kinda like Orwellian doublethink because VTR advertises 48-72 hours but they told me 10 days, and then they came 100 hours after the contract which is late according to the original promise but early according to the 'new' promise. Still, it works for me because I was expecting Tuesday and its Saturday and I'm sitting on my bed, online, what could be better than this? Nothing!
So far, VTR is showing itself to be much better internet service than Telefónica Chile. They also charge less, and currently are offering free wi-fi with their internet broadband service. (I'm totally non-technical and didn't want to spend the time figuring it out myself, so I'm happy to be a dumb consumer and go ape shit over a promotion they offer that doesn't really cost them extra). It wouldn't cost Telefónica extra either, but the would charge. The scoundrels.
Still one commenter on this blog has mentioned that VTR doesn't update DNS standards or something like that, which imperiled a colleague's chances at getting a grant in France or something, and then they told the customer 'you shoulda called if it was important to you'. So I'll remember to call then!
Lastly, it also looks as though there are parts of town, in like Las Condes or something, where residents can CHOOSE between VTR and Telefónica Chile. Incredible. A duopoly for local residents, still, better than a monopoly I guess. By international standards, both companies suck and are up to 2000% more expensive than Europe (according to a La Tercera report last year, as I recall, a cable/phone/internet package that costs USD $10 in France and $50 in the US costs $200 in Chile). Still, it's like local politics choosing the Concertación over Pinochet's UDI party, VTR over Telefónica, choose the one that has engaged in less psychological torture.
But remember that in Santiago it can't be an afterthought. You have to consider your ISP a factor of a new place's desireability before moving in. Move where VTR is, unless of course you're doing an anthropological study of Deep Chile and need to live near your subject matter. Then you'll likely be stuck with Telefónica, if that.
No matter where you end up, if you gotta have internet you gotta have it. Here's VTR's page and, as much as I'd hate to refer anyone to them, Telefónica. Good luck!
posted by Chileno @ 2:13 PM
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1 Comments:
Are you turning "softie" my dear friend? (((Grins))) With time other companies would want their product in Chile. More competion better service and price! Telefonica is one greedie . . . .
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