Dear Editor,

For many Jamaicans, Internet access is no longer a luxury, it is an utility that supports education, business, communication, banking, health care, and remote work.

Yet, months after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, numerous customers remain without Internet service while continuing to receive monthly bills reminding them to make payments promptly to avoid disconnection. This situation is not only frustrating, but fundamentally unacceptable.

Since October, affected customers have endured repeated disruptions with little clarity, limited updates, and seemingly no urgency in restoring services. We are now in May. That is approximately seven months of instability, inconvenience, and in some cases, complete absence of Internet connectivity. The question many customers are now asking is simple: How long are people expected to wait for a service they continue to pay for?

What makes the situation even more disappointing is the repetitive and impersonal nature of the responses customers receive. Every query appears to be met with the same automated message: “There are interruptions in your area,” or “There is a suspected outage in your area.” While such responses may have been understandable immediately after the hurricane, they have now become symbols of poor customer care and inadequate communication. Customers deserve more than generic statements, they deserve transparency, timelines, accountability, and action.

The reality is that many people depend heavily on Internet access to survive economically. Students require stable connections to complete assignments, attend virtual classes, and conduct research. Professionals working remotely depend on Internet access to perform their jobs effectively. Small business owners rely on online platforms for sales, customer communication, and financial transactions. Families use Internet services to stay connected with relatives overseas. Prolonged disruptions affect productivity, income, education, and quality of life.

What adds insult to injury is the continued expectation that customers should pay full monthly charges despite not receiving consistent or functional service. Monthly bills continue to arrive with reminders about payment deadlines and warnings about disconnection, even while many customers remain disconnected. This creates the impression that revenue collection is being prioritised above customer satisfaction and service restoration.

Consumers are not unreasonable. Most people understand that hurricanes can damage infrastructure and create operational challenges. Jamaicans have always demonstrated resilience and patience during times of national difficulty; however, patience should not be mistaken for silence or acceptance. Seven months is more than enough time for customers to expect meaningful progress, proper communication, and some form of compensation or rebate for extended service interruptions.

Telecommunication companies must recognise that customer trust is built not only through advertisements and promotions but through responsiveness during crises. This moment calls for leadership, transparency, and empathy. Customers should be informed about the nature of the challenges, the expected restoration timelines, and the specific efforts being made to resolve the problems. More importantly, affected customers should receive fair billing adjustments or credits when services have not been delivered.

Regulatory authorities must also pay attention to the concerns being raised by consumers. If customers continue paying for services they are not receiving over extended periods, serious questions about consumer protection and corporate accountability emerge. There must be standards regarding acceptable restoration timelines and compensation mechanisms during prolonged outages.

At its core, this issue is about fairness. Customers cannot continue financing services that remain unavailable month after month while receiving little more than automated responses in return. The people affected are not merely account numbers; they are students, workers, parents, entrepreneurs, and citizens trying to function in an increasingly digital society.

The time has come for decisive action. Customers deserve restoration, communication, accountability, and respect. Anything less undermines public confidence and places unnecessary strain on people who are already navigating enough daily challenges.

Leroy Fearon Jr

Lecturer

leroyfearon85@gmail.com