locations. Imagine jumping into an unknown taxi and saying, “take me to Robert Wilson’s house please” and they just take you there no questions asked. Without addresses the national phonebook, with three additional islands’ phone numbers in it, is but a small magazine. All of the land-line phone numbers on Pohnpei begin with 320-. When recalling a number you need only memorize the last four digits. Cell phones cannot call landlines and landlines cannot call cell phones. I have given up asking why this is as it does not seem to bother locals and telecom employees say, “that is just how it is” much like a mother ending a child’s string of questions with, “just because.”Getting service…
When we first moved here we met other professors at the college who had been waiting for up to four months for internet service and still didn’t have it. Telecom is the state run communications company and we would go there everyday to ask about internet service and everyday we were told “maybe tomorrow”. After three weeks we had made such a nuisance of our selves that we were given service. We moved a week later and so the ritual of visiting the telecom began again. We waited an additional three weeks for service. What they were not willing to admit to us was that there are not enough modem boxes on the island for all the people who want service. Instead of ordering more to accommodate new customers or replace broken boxes, the waiting list is to assume the boxes of the people who do not promptly pay for service. An employee told me that once someone is on the waiting list they must call or visit telecom at least once every two weeks to renew their request or be removed from the list.
Paying for service…
The cost of Telecom’s services was recently increased by 60% across the board. There are a few hypotheses for the reason behind this exorbitant adjustment. For example, FSM telecom has been exempt from taxes for the last 20 years. Soon they will start paying taxes and have not put aside money or gradually adjusted rates to prepare for their new taxes, hence the steep and sudden price increase.
Keeping service…
We first ordered the basic internet package which was as slower than a sloth race up a tree. I requested and upgrade and paid the upgrade fee to seal the deal. Only afterward was I told that if connectivity speed was not increased to my liking I would have to wait a full year before I could downgrade. What? It is literally the press of a button on their end to change the speed.
As I write this, our internet service has been down for the past three weeks. There is a short on the line and started to have sporadic problems whenever it would rain. It rains everyday, so this is a problem. When I go into Telecom the lovely women at the front smile at me and greet me by name. Each know my husbands name, landowner’s name, telephone number and our adsl number by heart and they know why I am there. They are friendly and do their best to coax the repair and tech departments into looking into our internet situation. I have, by Telecom’s preference, waited
at home for four full days waiting for line repairs that have not come. I am told it is not policy for technicians to call first, but I can make a request. Request made, but I won’t hold my breath for a call.
The scenery is breathtaking and the people are friendly here, but it is not a place to require or expect that things happen on a diligent schedule. I don’t want to scare people
who wish to visit or live on Pohnpei, many places do not have any trouble with their internet. I just seem to be in the process of learning lessons I must be in need of.
For example, the phrase “island time” has new meaning for me it is more about exercising patience than about kicking back and relaxing worry free. I have a new found appreciation for so many things I have previously taken for granted.
P.S. Thank goodness for small miracles. I will post this today, three days after writing it. I love you internet and will not soon forget it.
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