Annoying Text Messages from Suncellular 205

SMS or text messaging has got to be one of the best innovations offered to the public. With us Filipinos being so kuripot with our expenses, the P1 charge per text message is actually heaven sent.

Then came SunCellular! With their unlimited texts and talk time, cellphone users have become more and more "talkative!" I bless SunCellular for being so generous with their offers and I challenge other cellphone companies to do the same. SunCellular is a classic example of competition in action! Not like the Big 3 oil companies... (well, this is another topic). I have actually discontinued my Globe and Smart subscriptions because they just add to my unnecessary expenses. I now have two SunCell postpaid lines.

But, unfortunately, with great offers come great nuances. Especially spam text messages from the same company that I have grown to love.


Have you ever received this message?: "We wish to inform you that your account is due for payment on or before (due date). To avoid any inconvenience and service interruption, you may wish to settle your account at the nearest payment center. Please disregard if payment has been made. For inquiries, you may text BILLS to 205 or call 200. Thank you." (Yes, the message is beyond 160 characters so it's actually two messages)

They send this "reminder" BEFORE your due date. In my case, they sent it three days before. This is totally annoying!!! This is totally SPAM!!! A spam disguised as customer service. I can understand giving us a reminder after the due date. But sending it BEFOREHAND is really annoying. There are even instances when these messages were sent beyond 5PM.

I have already called their hotline, which, by the way is not really hot because I waited 15 mins before I could talk to a live person!!! 15 freakin' minutes! It's always like that. They advised me that this is a system generated message and they cannot do anything about it. But they did make a note of the complaint. And guess what? As if on cue, after I called their customer service hotline, another text message from 205 came reminding me that my due date is approaching!!! Can you believe that?! It's as if they are taunting me! All in all, I received 4 spam texts from SunCell!

If you are a SunCell subscriber, you will know how annoying these text messages are. I wish the SunCell guys read this because I really love your service. But please send the reminders after the customer has failed to pay his/her balance. Not before....