The one we use and from talking to others PLDT (Philippine Long Distance Telephone) is up more and has had consistent service. One problem is if it is available in your location. There are areas where Landlines are not available. Especially if your in a remote area, far from a main road or in an area where there is not enough demand for landlines so they have not run main lines.

PLDT for me has had the best service of all, but best is a comparison description. Lately my connection has been very slow from late morning until very late at night. I have called once and they blamed my router. I connected my computer sirectly to the modem and it still is slow. I have seen more cannot connect errors than I have wanted to see in a lifetime. I do not know if they have an overloaded Hub or what it is, but I hope I can get them to fix this soon.

Here are some other options:

Smart Bro. This is a wireless connection where they install an antenna on your roof. This also has an availability problem. If there is buildings blocking the line of site to the antenna can be one or too far from an antenna that services that area, if there is one. They also have a 3G modem that plugs into your USB port. This can be expansive if your planning to be online for an extended time period. It is a prepay plan and can be loaded like you load your cell phone. The cost is 10 pesos per 1/2 hour.

Globe Communications has a wireless landline and Broadband service.  It is also wireless and can have the same problems as Smart. They also have a USB modem connection at the same price.

BayanTel is also a Broadband and wireless land line product. If you plan to use only one computer, they have a wireless telephone that has a port to plug into your computer. If you plan to use a router and have more than one phone, you will need a different system.

So in closing, the connection type avaliable differs from your location and needs.

Well on Saturday the 26th we were having lunch and I hear a “boom”. I looked out the window and our power and phone lines were lying down across our driveway. A Power company truck which was getting things ready for the next day drove down the street with the Cherry Picker basket raised and pulled down the lines and pulled the mounting bracket off the wall.

Well they quickly got on our roof, reattached the bracket and reinstalled the power cables. Then they called the phone company to come reinstall our phone lines.

We called the phone company too and were told we were on the emergency repair list. Emergency is not so since they did not show up until 10am Sunday morning.

Sunday at 6am I woke to the sound of my cell phone beep from the charger going off and that was not all, all the power was off.

What a morning, no lights, no fans, no TV, nothing. The day before I filled some zip lock bags with water and put in the freezer. I then moved all the foods together and put the ice around and over them.

Since I am working and Elena is still recovering from her operation, I was in a dilemma. We usually do our marketing on Sunday and with no power I did not want to buy food to watch it spoil. Saturday evening I was texting a friend and mentioned my problem. Also my car is in the dealership for some body work, but that is another story. My friend offered to come pick us up, take us to the markets and then we could put our perishables in his refrigerator and freezer.

At 10am, just as the phone company repairman showed up my friend arrived too. After the phone was fixed, off to the mall we went. We first had lunch and then did our shopping. After shopping we went to his house to wait out the day.

At 5pm we sent a text to a friend on our street to ask if the power was back on. The answer was no. The we sent a text at 6pm and same answer. By 6:45 Elena said we needed to come home since the girls needed to get their uniforms washed and ready for school the next day. (typical here, wait to the last minute)

My friend offered for us to leave our food in his refrigerator and he will deliver it to use the next morning.

Driving home was very eerie driving down our street. The only lights was headlights from vehicles and the lights to workmen were using to work. We got in the gate and one of the girls used the lighted cell phone to find the keyhole.

About 15 minutes later the power was restored. I lifted the phone handset to see if the phone still worked and only heard static. You could call it but then both ends heard static.

When I sent a text to my friend that the power was on he told me he would be at the house about 10:15 the next morning. To indulge more on his kindness I mentioned Elena had a doctors appointment about that time so could he give her a ride to the doctors. Again he said no problem.
Even with all the trouble and trials of the day my friend showed there are still some nice and helpful people in the world. My friend is one of the best.