Dear Editor,I have been a corporate customer of Digicel from 2011 until October 2020. My every need was met.

As with many Jamaicans, 2020 happened. My company shuttered its doors due to the COVID-19 crisis and I was faced with no longer having the benefit of a designated corporate account manager and no assistant to touch base with Digicel if I needed my credit limit increased.

Here, my real Digicel experience was about to begin.

I switched my account from a corporate account to a personal postpaid account and paid the required deposit at a Digicel store to have this done. During this period I was advised that my previous employer had a balance on the account, I promptly contacted the company and within two days the sum was paid to have the account settled. This amount was paid on October 22, 2020. It took Digicel up to November 4, 2020 to apply that payment to my account after several calls and e-mail. During that period my phone was disconnected, even though the payment receipts had been e-mailed to their collections team as I was instructed to do.

I had cause to travel overseas. I activated a roaming plan. I tried with a three-day plan at first through the Mydigicel app. When I landed at the airport and turned on my phone, no connection. Three days elapsed and I was not able to connect to a network. I went ahead and activated another plan. This time I contacted Digicel to check what was happening with the account. I was told I am in arrears, hence my account had been blocked. I again forwarded all payments to Digicel. They apologised and I was connected. Another three days elapsed, so this time I activated a 30-day roaming plan. Again I was not connected as I was said to be over my limit due to non-payment. Out of an abundance of caution I went ahead and paid $15,000 to the account. I contacted customer service again through the app and I was connected. Every other day since then I have been disconnected, even though my account is reflecting a $12,800 overpayment.

I have so far dealt with 12 agents regarding my account and several days on Twitter with Digicel to have my roaming regularised. Due to the many issues I got a rebate for all the interruptions; however, they continue.

I truly now understand how it feels to be a regular Digicel customer; it’s a headache!

The last two days I have been without roaming service; hence, I could not leave my home as I could not risk not getting some important calls on my phone. To add insult to injury, in my last interaction with the Twitter account on November 28 I asked to be contacted by a manager regarding my many, many issues, none of which were my fault. I was told I needed to be patient. However, Digicel will never be patient if I ever owe on my account.

The service received as a regular postpaid customer is absolutely disastrous! I worry now more about being connected, than I do about contracting COVID-19. Shame on you, Digicel!

Javid Brown

javidbrown@gmail.com