BEFORE the existence of the coronavirus, we already subscribed to the services of giant internet providers in the country. For a long time, we use our connections for simple access to information and for communications using social media.
There is no pressure before as the services provided are enough to fill the needs of ordinary individuals at that time when there is no extraordinary situation like at present. Despite so many complaints on the slow internet connection, we simply accepted what they provided to us in relation to the normal times.
However, the coronavirus made things difficult after we decided to at least continue with our lives despite the pandemic. Most of our activities were actually made online. From the delivery of classroom instructions in school and up to the payment of our monthly bills, all these require a faster and efficient internet service.
I observed that while we are hanging on fighting this coronavirus, the demand for an efficient internet service also increases. Yet, the truth behind what we experience at home or in office, seemed to agree that internet connectivity is not responsive to our time. The internet service providers (ISPs) do have their own rules in the language of profit.
We are seeing new offers in the market for upgrades of probably faster and efficient internet connection that big companies had seen as an opportunity for profit in this time of crisis. Thus, they may be out of touch on the dark side of the economic scenario with possible subscribers groping for help because resources are actually scarce. Families, particularly the parents, do not have options anymore for their students who have since returned to school through online learning. Instead of saving money for other needs, they might seek an upgraded connection or their student will be left behind.
It’s true that a crisis, whether war of nations or a pandemic like the coronavirus, caters to an opportunity where demand is created and those that meet this economic opportunity would take advantage.
It is just a simple thought of deciding whether to stick into our access on the information highway or we want to deviate from doing things without the aid of the internet. The problem is our lives would be miserable, and the government continues to restrict movements to stop transmission of the Covid-19. To protect ourselves, we need to do business at the comforts of our home with the help of the internet.
How I wish, internet providers could serve their subscribers efficiently without the need to seek an upgrade. A simple internet user like me, is asking only what connectivity I can get from an old subscription before this crisis came.
With what is happening, I hope the internet providers should understand that their opportunity to do business is not actually absolute. Their authority came from the people who authorized the government to allow them to do business.
That is the purpose why we have a government that should look at improving internet service without putting additional costs on people especially in these times of pandemic. As a social institution, the government should protect the people from any display of abuse just like the helpless subscribers of the internet.
Our only problem is when our government is not conscious enough to understand that protection of the people is their primary responsibility.