Like Tree17Likes

Any tips for dealing with Smartone assholes?

Closed Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
  1. #1

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,259

    Any tips for dealing with Smartone assholes?

    I live on a boat. As such the only phone/internet/TV etc access I have is via mobile internet.

    I currently have Birdie (on my phone); China Mobile 5G and CSL "Home Broadband".

    The first two work much of the time but are data limited; the Home Broadband was sold as an unlimited package meant for a home (village house was the example) but the speed on this is currently absolutely dire and much of the time zero. As in, could not even open a geoexpat webpage zero let alone try doing a zoom.

    So, one of the boats next to me tried Smartone 5G and said it was pretty good. They also had a "home broadband" package so I applied for it. They wanted proof of ID and address - which I supplied.

    Then they email me and say my address is "invalid" and to provide a residential address. I ring them up and explain that I live on a boat at that this IS my residential address and explain i have many other telecom products at this exact same address. They say "a residential address must be on land" and refuse to discuss the matter. I point out my neighbour has got this so they do supply it to boats and they say "he must have used his residential address on land"... I point out he has no more address than I do but they just won't listen. It was like talking to a robot "cannot la". I escalated up to a manager who did zero managing and just spouted more policy.

    So - question - suggestions for next steps? At the moment I am really struggling as I work from home and do a lot of Zoom; I really need a decent internet connection and 5G is the only one which shows any promise!

    Is there any ombudsman which actually works?

    (PS - yes I do know that living on a boat is technically illegal, no need to point that out. Been doing it for nearly 15 years including using it as my address with my HKID card to get PR, with tax office, with transport dept to get my driving licence etc etc).


  2. #2

    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    15,707

    Why exactly are Smartone being assholes?

    Mcdavid likes this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Aug 2012
    Location
    Location Location
    Posts
    1,187

    It could be that SmartOne's computer system doesn't accept non-residential addresses.

    So the customer service reps would not be able to input the boat address even if they wanted to.

    spode likes this.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    2,327

    But what is the address for? To ensure you have a residential address on land for billing? Or that will be the exact address they "wire" up your internet?

    Maybe check with your neighbour in case he just used a friends address to pass this address check? Or if the neighbour can recommend the agent he used perhaps they can help?

    MABinPengChau, Mrs. Jones and shri like this.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Posts
    339
    Quote Originally Posted by UK/HKboy:
    But what is the address for? To ensure you have a residential address on land for billing? Or that will be the exact address they "wire" up your internet?

    Maybe check with your neighbour in case he just used a friends address to pass this address check? Or if the neighbour can recommend the agent he used perhaps they can help?
    Of course it is not logical. Likely it is simply programming, and unless they pay to have someone reprogram their data entry screen, your address will be invalid. Not sure what would happen in terms of service if you were to enter the land address of a business or service near you or perhaps which owns your boat slip (like a yacht club) - might be worth a try.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Nov 2019
    Posts
    2,715

    If your address doesn't appear here, you can't get a connection

    https://www.smartone.com/en/Home5GBroadband/#/a/a1/

    What address did the boat next to you use? Can you use that address?

    or try and borrow a friend's address and arrange for a bank statement or utility bill in your name to their address temporarily...

    Last edited by ArrynField; 20-05-2021 at 07:04 PM.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Location
    香港特别行政区
    Posts
    3,383
    Quote Originally Posted by spode:
    Of course it is not logical. Likely it is simply programming, and unless they pay to have someone reprogram their data entry screen, your address will be invalid. Not sure what would happen in terms of service if you were to enter the land address of a business or service near you or perhaps which owns your boat slip (like a yacht club) - might be worth a try.
    Living on a boat is technically illegal so it makes sense that they didn't consider this scenario

  8. #8

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,259
    Quote Originally Posted by pin:
    Why exactly are Smartone being assholes?
    Because they are refusing to sell a residential product to a residential customer for no apparent reason... And in particular a product which is actually designed and best suited for residential customers without access to cable!

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,259
    Quote Originally Posted by greenmark:
    It could be that SmartOne's computer system doesn't accept non-residential addresses.

    So the customer service reps would not be able to input the boat address even if they wanted to.

    The China Mobile site didn't accept it either, so they told me to write it down as Flat 0, block 0 ...xxx where XXX was the real address. But they didn't ask for an address proof. (Or if they did they accepted the HSBC one I sent). Perhaps they actually want customers.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Hong Kong
    Posts
    12,259
    Quote Originally Posted by ArrynField:
    If your address doesn't appear here, you can't get a connection

    https://www.smartone.com/en/Home5GBroadband/#/a/a1/

    What address did the boat next to you use? Can you use that address?

    or try and borrow a friend's address and arrange for a bank statement or utility bill in your name to their address temporarily...
    They seemed quite happy when I said they were driving me to lying to buy the product. But I'm not prepared to do that. Too hard to get an address proof from a friend.

Closed Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast