In Puerto Vallarta, you actually have several choices for internet access. I chose Telecable for they have a T.V. / Internet package. TelMex is supposed to have a more reliable internet service, but you have to put in a land line and I did not want or need another phone. TelMex is also owned by Carlos Slims (reputed to be the richest man in the world) who controls most of the communications in Mexico. I did not want to make him richer. Also Telecable has the most stations in English (if you can find them). They do not publish any kind of T.V. guide in English or Spanish, so you have to just channel surf to find your favorite programs. It is the most expensive utility that I have. The bill runs about forty some dollars, which is almost as much as all my other utility bills combined.
I was already used to Telecable when I rented this apartment. In retrospect, I should have done the six month to one year prepaid plan. But I had just prepaid my rent and decided to go on a month to month, but I gave them one of my credit cards so they could debit my account each month. The Telecable office is a 20 to 30 minute bus ride and the bus does not go by it, so you have to know where to get off and walk several blocks.
About two months later, I had no internet access. At first I thought it was just one of the many Mexican problems with internet. After a few days, I was getting desperate. A friend of mine told me he had the number of a Telecable service employee who was quite reliable and spoke some English. He was here within an hour of when I called. He played with the computer for a while, made a few calls, and then told me that the problem was that I had not paid the bill. I told him that I had given them my credit card to debit. He said the charge was rejected by my bank. THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE, I said. (Well, not in Mexico). I was able to reach my bank in the U.S. and found that they had submitted the charge with the wrong expiration date.
I had the guy call Telecable back and tell them the correct date. He did, and the charge went through. Silly me, I thought the problem was solved. NO! Next month it went out again. I called the same guy and sure enough, it was the same problem. Once more I gave them the correct date and told them to make the necessary changes. NO! Same thing next month. I called the guy again and asked if I should go to the office. When he called the head office, they said that the problem was not with them, but with Guadalajara for they made the monthly charges. Was there no way to fix this? Apparently not.
The following month without bothering the poor guy when the internet went out again, I took the bus to the office and demanded that they do something so I did not have to go through this every month. The lady sort of shrugged as if to say, "You are dealing with Mexico here, the problem is hopeless". She suggested that I come every month with cash. I told her that first, I did not want to take the bus there every month and since they send no bill. I don't know when it is due, or how much is due. She told me that I have to check their web site and put in my contract number and my account will appear. "Why can't I pay it one line then?" She said I could. WHAT! WAIT! I have been fighting this for six months and no one told me I could pay it on the net (assuming it is working).
Without waiting a month, I went to check it out. Not easily done. It took me sometime to find the correct site for bill paying. Of course everything is in Spanish. When I tried to enter my account number I found that I must register with them. There were about a dozen questions. I answered what I could figure out, but that was not good enough. My application was rejected. There was however what appeared to be a comment box. Knowing it would do no good I typed (in English) my frustration with trying to pay on line. The most amazing thing happened! A few days later I call a call from Telecable from a woman who spoke very good English (with a heavy accent, however). She walked me through the entire process. Will wonders never cease here in Mexico!
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