GOING WIRELESS (Part 1)
Readers' Feedback

Hi,

We were graciously chosen by Jaring to test their wireless service from November to the end of December. Our office is in the centre of KL. Like you, there was very little help in setting up the service, but our intrepid executive managed to get it up and running on her own with a couple of calls to the technical desk. We were also given a VOIP telephone and told to make as many calls as we liked, for free!

The broadband service was extremely good. However, at the early stage, we had to lug the SOMAport from computer to computer to access the broadband. Later, we tested a wireless router, attached it to the SOMAport and both office computers worked fine with wireless cards. The VOIP service also worked well. I made as many local, mobile and overseas calls as I could. About two weeks before the end of the trial period, the phone service packed up - I reckon they finally rumbled that I was calling everybody and his dog around the world.

James

Hi Smith,

Sigh, how I envy you folks in the Klang Valley. I would not even mind suffering the "nice" lady at Jaring if I could have broadband (any broadband) service in my very remote neck of the woods in faraway Johor Bahru.

I am one of the early adopters to apply for Streamyx when they were first launched more than 3 years ago. Happily I was told by the TMnet helpline that I called that my line was suitable for Streamyx service. But, till today I have yet to receive the service. I was told by TMnet and the Kedai Telekom subsequently that my house line exceeds the 5km limit for good Streamyx connection even though if I stand on the roof of my house I could see the exchange where the line distance was purportedly measured from. The other mystery to me was newly built houses located further away from the same exchange can be conected. When the Kedai Telekom counter staff cannot explain this strange phenomenon to me, they recommend that I write to the newspapers. There are several different conclusions one can derive from such an answer. Needless to say, my retort cannot be put in print.

I await that faraway day when I might have the opportunity to duel with perhaps a clone of that Jaring lady in JB?

Mah Chee Wah

Hi Smith,

Your article on wireless services from Jaring is tragically hilarious. Thank you for putting into words all the frustrations of the thousands of Malaysians who are constantly pissed off by the billboards and advertisements on TV showing the wonders of broadband that are 'available' to Malaysians on their journey towards 2020.

I made a trip to a Kedai Telekom more than a year and a half ago to be told that Streamyx was not available in my area and that I should register on the waiting list. A year later I got an email informing me that the service was not available in my area and that my request had been received and that I was on the waiting list. Now jaring has promised to come to my home to 'check' if their wireless service can extend to my condo which is in the fringe area. I'm waiting though not with bated breath.

Did I tell you that when you call up to report a breakdown on JARING dial-up, the announcement tells you to logon to their website!!!???

Some things are so Malaysian that they NEVER change.

Cheers,

Patrick Teoh

p/s: did you also read the statement by Lim Keng Yaik that RTM TV1 was on the air and on the ground during the blackout last week to keep the people informed of the situation. Has anybody invented a TV that operates during electrical black outs?

It was kind of you to share the lessons you learned when signing up to be connected to the wireless world.

Somehow, Lesson #1 seems to apply even when I tried to register my son for primary school.

I had wanted to be fully prepared for any dispute that might arise on the status of my residence. So, I brought along my IC and a copy of the S&P as evidence that I lived in a house that I had acquired by legal means. But no, the registration clerk insisted that a utility bill would provide indisputable evidence of my residence. Quite naturally, I was reluctant to enroll in a school where Einstein was reincarnated without the ISO certificate.

On Lesson #3, I suggest that in future you state "100 meters" in the space provided for you to enter the race.

Kassim

Link to this feedback: http://www.tvsmith.net.my/duasen/180105_wireless_feedback.html

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