Melita - No more lies

^^ Click Play.

Here I am once again asking myself why no service provider in Malta is prepared to treat it's long standing customers with some form of respect. 

As some of you might know, Melita have recently launched their Fibre powered service in Malta, which means that higher speeds can now be had in Maltese households. Prices were released and the general feedback I got from those that subscribed to their services was generally good. 

So I did what any self respecting geek would do - I drooled my way to their webpage after due celebration and looked up tthe speeds on offer. I would like to go for the 100Mbps service but I know that it would really be a waste of money. The 50Mbps service is simply not worth it as it's the most expensive per Mbit of the 3 offers. The third offer is the 25mbit/s service which is the one that got on my nerves. 

As you can see from the following screenshot, Melita are offering the service at 18 euros per month for the first 9 months of service, after which they will revert back to 30 euros per month as is currently the price of the 20mbit/s service. This doesn't cost me any worries, after all it would be cheaper than what I'm paying now for 9 months and then only reaching the same price I have now. 

See anything amiss ?

So I called, smiling about the new service I'm about to purchase only to find my hopes sorely dashed. Little did I know that I would be once again bitch slapped in the face by the greediness of Melita. Apparently, the service will only be given at the cheaper price of 18 euros per month to new customers of Melita. Current customers will get charged the full price immediately with no "welcome to the new service." 

Delving deeper into the T&C of the 25mbit/s service, I find this jewel:

2. This Offer is valid to new Melita Internet subscribers who subscribe to a new Melita Internet connection and existing Melita customers subscribed to 5/5+2Mbps (“the Customers”) who wish to upgrade to 25Mbps for a minimum initial term of 24 months

So, new customers that are currently not paying anything to Melita and customers which were using the cheapest possible service from Melita get to save more money for 9 months, while I have been paying 30 euros a month for the past 3 years and instead get squat. It's not like I'm getting a cheaper installation or anything - I still get the privilege of paying Melita 40 euros for installation of the service.

In summary, Melita: Learn to respect your long standing customers that have been paying their bills every month and help to keep your company running. Remember that without your customers, you're nothing.

People interested in getting the new fibre service: Research well what you're buying into...remember you're signing a contract that has very stringent clauses about how and when you get to leave (the only reason I recall, for which you can leave the contract involves changes to the T&C of said contract and even then you only have 30 days to leave).

Info taken from Melita.com on 13/7/2011