<TABLE border=0 cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%"><TBODY><TR>SingTel needs to be flexible on its contract terms
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->DURING the recent Comex show, many people flocked to sign deals with major telephone companies as well as Internet service providers (ISPs). I was among those who decided to switch to another ISP as my contract for SingTel's mio plan was about to expire.
The mio plan was bundled with a digital voice home line (mio voice), mobile line and fixed broadband. Since I had signed up for a new fixed broadband and mobile line with another service provider, I decided not to keep the mio voice as the subscription for this service is much higher than that for a typical analog fixed landline.
I called SingTel and asked for my mio voice to be converted back to what it was previously - an analog phone line. To my surprise, I was told I had to pay a fee of $50 so SingTel could arrange for its contractor to visit my home to make the changes. I was told the charge could not be waived.
I then decided to transfer my fixed landline to another service provider, while retaining my original number. However, I was told I would still have to pay the $50 so the digital line could be converted back to a normal analog line before the other service provider could take over the number from SingTel.
When I signed up for the mio plan two years ago, I was not told about the charges I would have to bear if I decided to switch back from a digital line to an analog one. I was told only about the benefits of using this digital voice service and that the installation for this service would be free.
Under the terms and conditions for removal or relocation, it was merely stated that under clause 7.2, 'SingTel shall not be obliged to remove and reinstall the line and modem to any other premises unless it has agreed to do so and the customer has agreed to pay such charges as may be imposed by SingTel'.
First, the amount of charges was not specified, and since 'charges may be imposed by SingTel', why can it not waive the charge for someone who is still using its analog home fixed line?
Second, should I decide to continue using this digital voice service until I sell my home, does the new home owner have to bear the cost of converting the line back to an analog line? Is that fair to the new owner?
Ng Fong Ling (Ms)
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<!-- START OF : div id="storytext"--><!-- more than 4 paragraphs -->DURING the recent Comex show, many people flocked to sign deals with major telephone companies as well as Internet service providers (ISPs). I was among those who decided to switch to another ISP as my contract for SingTel's mio plan was about to expire.
The mio plan was bundled with a digital voice home line (mio voice), mobile line and fixed broadband. Since I had signed up for a new fixed broadband and mobile line with another service provider, I decided not to keep the mio voice as the subscription for this service is much higher than that for a typical analog fixed landline.
I called SingTel and asked for my mio voice to be converted back to what it was previously - an analog phone line. To my surprise, I was told I had to pay a fee of $50 so SingTel could arrange for its contractor to visit my home to make the changes. I was told the charge could not be waived.
I then decided to transfer my fixed landline to another service provider, while retaining my original number. However, I was told I would still have to pay the $50 so the digital line could be converted back to a normal analog line before the other service provider could take over the number from SingTel.
When I signed up for the mio plan two years ago, I was not told about the charges I would have to bear if I decided to switch back from a digital line to an analog one. I was told only about the benefits of using this digital voice service and that the installation for this service would be free.
Under the terms and conditions for removal or relocation, it was merely stated that under clause 7.2, 'SingTel shall not be obliged to remove and reinstall the line and modem to any other premises unless it has agreed to do so and the customer has agreed to pay such charges as may be imposed by SingTel'.
First, the amount of charges was not specified, and since 'charges may be imposed by SingTel', why can it not waive the charge for someone who is still using its analog home fixed line?
Second, should I decide to continue using this digital voice service until I sell my home, does the new home owner have to bear the cost of converting the line back to an analog line? Is that fair to the new owner?
Ng Fong Ling (Ms)
