A local office for MCV

I am struggling with this letter, partly due to the offensive treatment of the people of the Commonwealth by the owners of MCV (Docomo, I am told) and the lack of interest in solving complaints from subscribers of MCV. Perhaps there lies the problem. With an estimated population of the CNMI at a conservative 40,000, it is perhaps safe to say that at least 50 percent subscribes to MCV. It is the only provider of television services to the islands. Why then don’t we have an office in the CNMI to answer queries about the services provided to us? We have to call a CNMI number and Guam answers the phone.

I’ve called two days ago to ask why the program schedule for “Wicked Tuna” is not being played on the time and channel specified in channel 60 (TV Guide to the programs). The call took me to several robots answering the phone until I can finally just punched a key to talk about television. They don’t even have a complaint menu on the machine robot that answers the phone. Finally, I got to talk to a real person and the lady wanted to verify our home phone number (which I gave her) and requested for our password. When I told her that we were not given any password, she wanted the last four digit of our Social Security number. I mentioned that it is my understanding that federal laws prohibit asking for anyone’s Social Security numbers. That seems to be the end of my inquiry.

This is so simple and does not require any telephone numbers, passwords or Social Security numbers. Guam controls the programs with their most recent technologies at their disposals. Check the channel, is it playing the right program? End of story. It doesn’t matter whose telephone, password or Social Security number it belongs to.

This is so insulting that Saipan, Tinian and Rota cannot call a local telephone number to register any concern regarding the public utility service that we are entitled to have. I call on the Legislature to amend the law governing public utility and make a requirement for any business operating in the Commonwealth to have a local office to service our people.

Finally, I want to say that I am not blaming the lady who answers the phone in Guam, or the staff and management of the Saipan office for the lack of sensitivity on all MCV customers (including Docomo’s Internet and wireless services). It is my guess that the owners of Docomo simply do not trust its proven, competent Saipan staff to be empowered to run the office locally. If Guam customers can call in and have their inquiry resolved over the telephone, then CNMI’s customers should not be treated any differently. No CNMI customers should be required to physically drive to Docomo’s office when a simple phone call can resolve the issues.

Pete P. Reyes
Via email