I was praising Sun Cellular for its latest SunDroid offering in one of my previous posts here. I was saying “Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 & Galaxy Grand– A SunDroid Rush Ultimate Offer“. Indeed, it was a good and bite-nailing offer on its surface. However, as the saying goes–Nobody is perfect and nothing is perfect.
Here in my blog, i am not fond of looking things at its negative side but rather looking positively that a little less perfect can be done perfectly. In short, i want solution to things that weren’t done correctly. Let me start by saying that the SunDroid offer that i availed of as my third postpaid plan from Sun is NOT WORKING PERFECTLY.
It’s not about the gadgets that come with the plan hence both for now–are working nicely. Thanks to Samsung. Rather, it’s the service from Sun that i am complaining.
When i claimed my gadgets and after paying the one-month equivalent of the MRF and the amortization, i was told at the last minute by the Customer Relations Officer of Sun that the SIM card for my new phone is 2G only.
Since i am very much familiar with technology and mobile phones, i asked why? The replied was: “Ganito talaga nilalagay namin sa mga offer na ganito.” I didn’t bother to ask further. I was then instructed to encode the setting of the phone once a signal shall be registered on the phone within 24 hours. I had followed the instruction and finally set the unit to “UMTS ONLY” as its assigned Radio Access Technology.
As far as i know, UMTS is a 3G radio technology designed for better data connectivity. I am also aware that Sun is operating both the 2G and the 3G technology. So, setting my phone to “UMTS only” will only connect my phone to Sun when there is a 3G signal.
However, my problem is there are several areas in Makati (the place i stayed after work) and Mandaluyong (where my work is located) that don’t have 3G signal from Sun. So, i ended up not receiving or not able to send/receive calls and SMS most of the time.
My run around is to set my phone to receive “2G only” but the negative side when doing this is my data connection is only receiving EDGE signal.
I also experimented the other RAT setting by selecting the “Dual Mode” with UMTS” as its preferred band. This means that my phone can receive both 2G and 3G signals with UMTS as its preferred signal.
Though, my phone can now receive enough cellular signal but all the times it has been stuck to the 2G signal. Thus, my data connection is subsequently in EDGE all the time.
As a result, i can hardly open a web page and has a hard time opening a picture on Facebook.
As the title of this post is saying–i am shortchanged by Sun Cellular. And it’s not only me–all of us who have been hooked to the SunDroid Rush. I had already sent an email to Sun Cellular seeking for clarification. But i can’t wait for their reply before i made this post.
Anyway, i don’t have plans pushing the resolution of my complaint. I don’t trust the NTC to give justice to me. It’s enough that i share this experience to all of you hoping you will have second thoughts and won’t be rushing in getting a SunDroid Rush plan. HaaayTek!
