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I normally check the correctness of my bills before making payment. This is usually a very simple process that takes just a few minutes. This is not the case with a Cable & Wireless Jamaica bill, especially one that include charges for Broadband services. The bill is so confusing that I am convinced that most customers are forced to pay the CWJ bills without the satisfaction of know whether it is correct or not. They have gotten away with this only because of their size/dominance of the Jamaican market.

My objections to the bills are as follows:

1. It is not sufficient to show the total GCT charged along with the note that it is charged at 16.5%/20%. Customers need to be able to check the calculation of the GCT in the same way that it is done for every other Tax Invoices that we receive generally. For this to be done, CWJ should be forced to show on the face of the bill, all the items that attract GCT at 16.5% and those on which GCT is charged at 20%.

2. I have no objection to CWJ charging Broadband Internet in the more stable US Dollars, however allowing them to convert the charges at their internal rate of exchange to arrive at the equivalent in Jamaican amount is outright robbery. In fact I cannot remember whether the rate of exchange at which the Broadband charges were converted were shown on the face of the bill. The effect of forcing us to pay the Broadband part of the bill in Jamaican dollars is that CWJ can manipulate the rate of exchange on a monthly basis to their advantage. If we are to have equity and fair play in the Broadband billing practices, CWJ should be forced to generate a separate Broadband bill in US dollars, they can then make their rate of exchange public thus customers to choose whether to pay the bill in Jamaican dollars at CWJ rates or use US dollars from other sources. Please note that the only way that CWJ can avoid the accusation of not charging per their advertisement is to give us the option to pay is US dollars.

I am curious to find out your thoughts on this subject.

Google has introduced another ‘web based’ application …. a spreadsheet. It is not currently being billed as a ‘threat’ to Microsoft Excel (probably because of its lack of comparable features), but some see it as a frontal attack on what could be regarded as ‘Holy’ ground for Microsoft. I personally think that Google is feeling the pinch from the threat that they may lose some market share in the net advertising arena to Microsoft who have decided that they want a bigger share of that market and is simply reacting too quickly. There is room for web based applications but the release of these semi- ready applications have only tipped their hands thus allowing Microsoft to plan how to combat that threat in the future.

I personally can see no major shift towards the use of web based applications offered by Google (particularly Word Processors and Spreadsheets) until the issues relating to security, privacy, cost to access the Internet and generally the features of these application have been addressed. What do you think?