16 December 2005

Бог ни даде... ќерка :)

И се вика Андријана.

Бидејќи нема поголемо чудо од раѓањето на човек (баш синоќа со жена ми расправавме како се склопува черепот при породувањето, како се затвораат залисците на срцето за да почне да кружи крвта низ телото, како проработуваат белите дробови, црниот дроб и целото чудо на преобразбата на бебето кога излегува од утробата на мајката) - не можам а да не ја поделам радоста тука.

Да ви даде Господ на сите да ја почувствувате радоста на татковството и мајчинството.

16 November 2005

Da Siege

(English version a little lower)

Епа, беше жестоко еден месец, и МТ-њет се затвори во бункер. Сакаш гледаш фудбалски, сакаш гледаш стратешки - кога правиш опсада, тоа трае. Ај, ќе спомнам и класична литература - Што се се случувало под ѕидините на Троја - 10 години дремеле таму.

Како се бориш кога опсадуваш? Влечеш катапулти (топови), дигаш кули (на кои качуваш катапулти/топови) и тепаш. И тоа е монотоно.

Арно ама, некогаш доаѓа помош и од неочекувани места. Само вчера А1 и Вест објавија три вести за Телеком: не пуштиле Словенци да им ја користат мрежата, а тие ги тужеле кај ЕвроКомисијата во исто време кога ние ги праќавме масовните мејлови - што значи дека пола од нас работат за Словенците, така ли е, Телекомци? :), и уште Телеком сака да ја лапне оптичката мрежа на МЕПСО (ЕСМ, де) и како капак - препорака Владата да се повлече од Управата на Мактел затоа што телекомот има многу лош имиџ во јавноста (е, ама кој да се откаже од 50 милиони евра исцицани од народот годишно :)

Во четврток ќе се соберат ди еН-Џи-Оу гајз и ќе се отвори нов фронт. Форумот веќе го дава костурот на сајтот - сепак сме интернетџии и револуционери што не функционираат без парно греење и монитор :) Некој ќе каже - кучињата лаат, карванот си врви - ама треба да има кучиња што лаат, иначе кој ќе го мрдне задникот да види што карван врви?

Well, it was fierce for a month, and MT-"nyet" decided to play bunker. Whether you look at it from a soccer or a militaristic strategy point of view - when conducting a siege, it is bound to last long by default. Just one example from the classics - What hapenned beneath the walls of Troy? - The beseigers hang there for 10 years.

How does one fight during a siege? One calls for catapults/cannons, builds siege towers (and on top of them, one lifts catapults/cannons) and they fire rocks/cannon balls. That can be quite monotonous.

However, sometimes one gets help from unexpected sides. Only yesterday (November 14th), A1 TV and the Vest daily published three news about the Telecom: They didn't let some Slovenians to use their infrastructure, and the Slovenians filed a complaint to the European Commission approximatly simultanously with our mass mails - which means that half of the r-Evolutionaries work for the Slovenians, right, Telecom guys? :); another news - MakTel wants to get a hold of the optical cable network of MEPSO (the new electrical distribution company); and on top of that, the EC recommends that the Government should step back from the Telecom Board because MakTel has a very bad image in the public (but who wants to give up 50 mil. euros a year sucked out from people's pockets? :)

On Thursday, November 17th, the NGO guys will have a meeting, and a new front will open. The rEvolution forum (revolucija.forumer.com) has already outlined the upcoming web-site sceleton - we're Internet addicts, what can we do except conduct revolutions cozily warmed up in front of our monitors :) Someone will say - the dogs bark while the caravan is passing by - but there should be watchdogs barking, otherwise who will move their ass to at least see what caravan is passing by?

11 November 2005

The Macedonian October Revolution - A Recap of the First Month

December 2004-September 2005 - Maktel succeeds in attracting 8000 subscribers for its ADSL service (dubbed fast or broadband Internet access – www.adsl.com.mk) through 2-year contracts - luring people with slogans like “surf and download the complete Internet if you like”. Web ads mention 4GB limit for the cheapest package (40 euros a month – in contrast to 200 euros average wage in R. Macedonia), but Maktel employees spread the word that the limit will never be actually activated.

Friday, September 30, 2005 – A half a page b/w ad in one of the ten local daily newspapers announces that Maktel will start charging extra 3,33 euros for every 512MB of traffic started after the package limit is exceeded. Word spreads through the web slowly (since internet users usually don't read papers, and if they do - the electronic editions don't have ads). But it spreads.

Monday, October 3 - The most popular Macedonian web-portal – www.on.net.mk – announces a warning to the ADSL users. Some of the users have already organised through a blog - http://revolucija.blogspot.com – which becomes the center and the forum for organising actions for alerting the public and pressuring the Telecom to cancel the illegal change of terms and conditions.

Tuesday, October 4 – A protest is organised in front of one of the Maktel offices in the center of Skopje. Users start cancelling their contracts. A template for a complaint is published on the blog for those who are not ready to pay heavy penalties for the cancellations.

Thursday, October 6 – The Internet access in the whole of Macedonia has been hacked – the dDoS attack lasted from 11 am to 5 pm, and international assistance was needed for its avertion. The hackers allegedly called the Maktel support and said that the attack was only a warning.

Monday, October 10 - A massive submital of complaints in all offices of Maktel throughout Macedonia, organised through the blog. An ADSL Internet petition is being signed (programmed to filter on ADSL users). The Complaint lists 9 pages of breaches of contract contrary to three Macedonian Laws. The bloggers contact the Macedonian Consumers Association, which promises help with the situation. All the media have been e-mailed about the situation, with a quote of the petition. Some dailies start following the situation.

Wednesday, October 12 – First public appearance of a “discontent ADSL users” on the local TV news.

Thursday, October 13 – Following a provocation by a Maktel employee on the blog, the users start mass-mailing the Management of Deutche and Magyar Telecom – Cc-ed to the Management of the local Telecom. The action is dubbed “Going International”.

Friday, October 14 – another b/w ad appears in the same daily, announcing that Maktel, "listening carefully and providing for their customers' needs" (read - spying on the blog), “broadens its offer” with new packages. New packages include either an extra charge for the traffic above the limit, or reducing of speed to a "dial-up level". Another discontent user appears on a TV magazine that night. Also, German media are mass-mailed.

October 15-16 – the bloggers are not satisfied with the announcement and announce new legal actions if Maktel does not completely revise its illegal contracts (and list another 6 pages of clauses contrary to the existing Laws). The blog itself, in its comments section, is the main place where users express their concerns, and employees from Maktel try to lower the morale of the "revolution". A "Public Announcement" is sent to the Macedonian media on Sunday night, and it gets published in its entirety in one of them. The others are too sponsored by Maktel to go through with the story.

Monday, October 17 – Another mass-mailing – this time to all the relevant politicians and legal institutions in Macedonia. Maktel mass-mails the ADSL users about its new packages.

Tuesday, October 18 – Two representatives of the discontent users, together with two lawyers of the Macedonian Customers Association, attend a meeting organised by the Ministry of Economy with the Maktel representatives. The Telecom representatives refuse all suggestions, proposals, and demands by the users, saying that they will “reduce the speed to 0 bps, if needed”. Macedonian Customers Association is fully behind the discontent users, and files a Complaint to the State Market Inspectorate (highest authority on consumer protection). Users that have submitted complaints have been phoned by Maktel employees insisting that they choose a new package. The blog advises them not to choose anything until recieving an official written reply to the Complaint. Mass-mail is sent to the Hungarian Management of Maktel, addressing the Big Boss himself, Mr. Attila Szendrei.

Thursday, October 20 – A seminar about “e-society” is held in Skopje, the capital of Macedonia, where international representatives openly say that Internet access in Macedonia is the most expensive in Europe. A local TV stations informs that the National Bank investigates allegations of tax evasion because of a “loan” of 20 million euros from Maktel to Deutche Telecom. The blog publishes a link to a statement of the Magyar Telecom CEO (Elek Straub, chief executive of Matáv) that the Macedonian investment resulted in a 50-55% margin for the Telecom ("The gross margin has consistently been in the 50–55 percent range." see http://www.dteurope.com/szeptember/english/investments.html)

Friday, October 21 – A Maktel employee threatens the bloggers with a “debt collection” agency for those who dare to cancell their contracts and not pay the penalties.

Saturday, October 22 – Another mass-mailing action. This time, all Macedonian media, German media, Telecom managements, local politicians and institutions, and the EU - are informed about the illegal Maktel actions.

Monday, October 24 – International coverage of the case by the African web ADSL magazine myADSL at http://mybroadband.co.za/nephp/?m=show&id=1007 – seems like Macedonian users were more successful than their South African "brothers in arms".

Tuesday, October 25 – Internet access is slowed down – support claims the fault is “somewhere abroad”. The blog announces legal action - a class suit against the Telecom. “Anonymous” comments suggest bloggers work for the REAL bosses - since the Telecom is faced with competition in the fixed telephony field, and some real competition in providing Internet access (since it didn't allow for its ADSL infrastructure to be used by the other ISPs in Macedonia, they looked for alternatives, and it seems they found them - Internet access through power wires). The server for the ADSL petition is DoS-ed by unknown perpetrators.

Wednesday, October 26 – Another hack attack on the Maktel services. This time it started around 8 pm, and lasted throughout the night.

Thursday, October 27 – The legally prescribed period for reply to the Complaints has passed. Maktel support again phones users individually and insists on them accepting new packages.

Friday, October 28 – A new Complaint for submittal at the Maktel offices has been composed and announced on the revolucija.blogspot.com blog.

Saturday, October 29 – Another victory - a written reply to a user that filed the first Complaint is published on bagra.org, under the title “Macedonia – Maktel – 2:0”, resolving them of any penalties if they decide to cancell the contract, but other replies are also reported, claiming that the user "accepted the new packages in a telephone conversation with a Maktel employee". Another mass submittal of Complaints (on the second change of terms and conditions from 14th and 17th October), although the time was short. Maktel offices in Skopje accept them, but there are reports that offices around the country refuse to accept them under lame excuses.

Monday, October 31 – Skopje and Bitola awake with necrologue posters for the “deceased fast Internet access... forever in our Binary Hearts” all around the cities. Users that failed filing the second complaint on Saturday submit the second template posted on the blog.

Tuesday, November 1 – The fast Internet access in Macedonia is officially dead. A “memorial service”, following a paid ad with the necrologue in the Dnevnik daily, is held in the centres of Skopje and Bitola, with a wide media coverage.

Monday, November 7 - MakTel announces it will fire 550 employees, contrary to the Collective Agreement, because of "greater competition, which urges the company to cut costs and lower their prices". The Government of Macedonia suggests that MakTel should lower the wages of their employees, instead of firing them, but MakTel persists in its intentions.

Tuesday-Saturday, November 8-12 - A third wave of complaints and cancellations of contracts by the ADSL users. Some users decide to have no further business with MakTel whatsoever (cancelling even their telephone lines), while others remain ADSL users, but with a view to premanent pressure on the company for betterment of their services.

Thursday, November 11 - MakTel's CEO Attila Sendrei informs its employees that if any of them attend or get involved in the announced protest (passive strike), they would lose their jobs.

The revolution is on...

Wednesday, December 30, 2009 - As a result of the first grassroots democratic action in Macedonia, I've got an actual flat-rate internet connection (it's 10 Mbs - the limit is nominally 150 GB, but I don't want to download internet.zip just yet) with a 1 year contract with a guarantee of 96% uptime. I'd say that's a good outcome.

28 October 2005

За хакнувањето на Телеком

Веднаш ќе ги разочарам телекомци, постов нема намера да ги открива напаѓачите, туку да им помогне на сурферите да се заштитат од несаканите последици по нив.

Нејсе, МТ беше потврдено „хакнат“ со пренасочување на ненормални количества сообраќај барем двапати овој месец. Првиот пат на 6-ти од 11 до 17 часот, вторпат на 26-ти вечерта после 20 часот (за второво само чув, ме кутна варијација на птичји грип, што ли, па сум се отштекал од вебот навреме).

Првиот напад го почувствував бајаги и ме чинеше реинсталација на целиот систем (освен општа паника бидејќи не можев да контактирам со клиентите дента), но за тоа сам сум си виновен.

За основна заштита на машината ги користам бесплатниот АВГ антивирус (www.grisoft.com), а пред првиот напад имав Пенџери ХР со ЅР1 - и го користев рудиментарниот огноѕид на системот (што изгледа не бил којзнае што). Првите симптоми дека нешто не е во ред можеа да се забележат уште во средата на 5-ти октомври - прозорчето за конекцијата АДСЛ ми даваше ненормални бројки за сообраќајот. На пр., за една минута се правеа од 1 до 6 мегабајти симињање. Не знам каква врска треба да има човек за да има таков промет. Тогаш бев малку и на штрек по најавите за дополнителни наплати па го користев АДСЛ-от како дајал-ап - вклучи/исклучи за проверување мејл и слично. Е, во ред, ама бидејќи Д-Линкот е ЛАН-модем, изгледа не му треба да е вклучен АДСЛ-от за да може некој да ми цица нешто ако машината ми е пробиена.

На самиот ден на нападот АВГ почна да ми пријавува тројанци. Програмата сама ги става во карантин, а јас ги бришев. Убо, ама секое следно приклучување тројанците пак беа таму. Се работи за два фајла сместени во папката Windows\system32 - msua.exe и mwupdate32.exe. Овој вториов никако не сакаше да се исчисти. Уште една интересна работа - инфекцијата се случила на 19.09.2005, ама се активираа на 05.10. АВГ ги вика Trojan horse IRC/BackDoor.SdBot.ILM - значи си отвориле вратичка на мојата незаштитена машина и си работеле што требало без да знам. Повеќе информации за ова на http://www.srnmicro.com/virusinfo/sdbot.htm (сајтов е реклама, ама има доволно информации ако сте погодени со последниов напад).

Значи, бидејќи нападов се повтори (а може се планираат и други) - имајте најнови верзии на антивирусите и барем ЅР2 на Пенџерите. Јас го поминав викендот на 8 и 9 преинсталирајќи го системот (а не е некој што лесно се доведува до оперативна состојба - имам премногу тракатанци накачено последниве година и пол-две) и спремајќи се за поднесување приговори и барања на МТ. Саат време неделно посветено на машината се исплаќа, во што се уверив на својата кожа ;)

24 October 2005

До каде сме со приговорите

Не стогодишна војна, не стоминутна војна, ама тука некаде во средина - така изгледа му доаѓа работава.

http://www.dnevnik.com.mk/?pBroj=2893&stID=65646

Нејсе, по последните консултации со правниците, Мактел се на добар пат да изгубат бајаги корисници (ако тоа им било целта со последниве дејанија, на добар пат се да ја остварат), не само на АДСЛ, туку и на телефонските линии. И за тоа ќе се чуе далеку.

Најнови вести:

НОВИТЕ пакетите објавени на 14.10.2005 (те ограничено, те неограничено, те брзо, те споро) се уште една промена на условите, што значи:

1. Пенали не се плаќаат ако се раскине договорот во законскиот рок (30 дена).
2. Корисниците имаат право да ја бараат услугата што им е ветувана за да бидат намамени да ги потпишат договорите - неограничен брз интернет со фиксна цена.
3. Корисниците имаат право да бараат поништување на договорите на Суд врз основа на... сега засега тужбата има 15 страни, со добри шанси да станат 150.

Утре, 25.10.2005, е законскиот рок до кој Мактел треба да одговори писмено на поднесените приговори.

22 October 2005

Одиме и до ЕУ

Бидејќи МТ сè уште се прави „финтаџија“ и ич не им чуе за корисниците, корисниците се тужакаа и понатаму.

Овојпат известувањето беше посложена процедура и се праќаа три писма.
Против мафијаши се оди со закон.

Првото писмо - за Дојче и Маџар Телеком.

До: info@t-com.net

Cc: управители на т-ком во Дојчланд и Маѓаарош

(Предлог) Subject: Customer Unfriendly Macedonian Telecom
(ако сакате и варијации на тема, ама да не биде без предмет).

Порака:

Dear Sirs,
the embelishment of Deutsche Telekom's name in Macedonia continues with the recent news item about Maktel's transfer of funds to Deutsche Telekom. According to unoficial sources in the National Bank of Macedonia (The State Treasury), Maktel has transferred 20.000.000 euros as a credit to Deutsche Telekom, which is bound to be inspected as an attempt at tax evasion.

Furthermore, the fiasco with the ADSL offer continues. Despite all attempts by existing users to talk some sense into Maktel, the managment continues to sow confusion and discontent among its consumers, as well as potential new accounts. Starting next week, the existing users, who are being threatened with financial penalties if they cancel the contracts with a company they have already lost faith in, on their own cognizance, will begin an intensive media and grass-roots campaign against Maktel, Magyar Telekom AND Deutsche Telekom, both in Macedonia and abroad.

Please take into consideration that we are unaware of the level of contact and information exchange between your companies, however this will not stop us from pursuing our goal of obtaining either a cheaper and better ADSL offer, or canceling of existing contracts without financial penalties.

The question of unfair, dishonest and ultimatelly illegal contracts Maktel has decieved its users into signing is still open.

Sincerely, a large number of ADSL users.

Второ писмо, до странски медиуми, управа на телекоми и до ЕУ. Ова се праќа и пешки до институциите на ЕУ преку следниве сајтови (одете на сајтот, пополнете податоци и ставете го ПРВИОТ ПАСУС од долната порака во телото).

http://europa.eu.int/comm/competition/forms/consumer_form.html
http://www.europarl.eu.int/registre/portail/CourrierCitoyen.cfm?langue=EN

И германски онлајн весници - мора еден по еден (ама, се исплати)
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com/germany.htm

Пораката за мејл-клиентите:

То: Атила Сендреј

Cc: (мејловите се тргнати)

Subject: Customer Unfriendly Macedonian Telecom

Порака:

Dear Sir/Madam,

I would like to bring to Your attention the uncouth, unfair and, ultimately, illegal business practices in Macedonia carried out by Deutsche Telekom through their proxies Magyar Telekom, Stonebridge Telecommunications and Macedonian Telekomunications (Maktel). Exploiting its monopolistic position in Macedonia, Maktel has set extremely high prices for ADSL internet access, which many were willing to pay up until recently, when Maktel introduced a rather controversial billing system which depended on the ammount of traffic generated by its users, and not on the fixed monthly fee. This action spurred ADSL users to go through their contracts with Maktel and the existing laws in Macedonia (much of which are harmonised with EU legislation) with a finetoothed comb and, inadvertedly, they found many discrepancies between the laws and the contracts. The two main laws which Maktel broke with the contracts are the Law on Electronic Communications and the Consumer Protection Law (harmonised with the Council Directive 93/13/EEC on unfair terms in consumer contracts, Council Directive 84/450/EEC on misleading advertising and Council Directive 98/6/EEC on indication of the prices of products offered to consumers).

The contracts contain unfair terms which protect only Maktel as an Internet Service Provider, providing them even with the right to change the contracts without consultation with the consumers.

During the past three weeks, since the whole ADSL fiasco began, many of Maktel's consumers submitted objections to the unilateral change in the contracts, and some even went so far as to cancel the contracts. The main problem arose when Maktel, starting 17.10.2005, called all of its ADSL consumers and threatened that if they do not withdraw their objections and requests for the cancelation of contracts they will be charged with fines that go as high as two average wages in Macedonia. The threats continued even on the web log (blog) where most ADSL users found a place to gather and exchange information, opinions and strategies on the situation. To quote the alleged employee of Maktel "you will pay the fines, otherwise you will have to deal with Credit Express [a debt collection agency], and believe me, you do not want to mess with them".

Unable to talk some sense into Maktel, the consumers are being threatened and forced into maintaining the illegal contracts with a company they no longer trust, a company which may change its mind in the next fifteen days (an ability Maktel has vividly demonstrated in the past month), and change the contracts, prices and services for the worse, once again.

The ADSL users will also push the question of misleading advertising by Maktel (and thus, effectively, Deutsche Telekom), consumer deception and the legallity of the contracts in Macedonian, and eventually, international courts.

Another question of note is the continued embelishment of Deutsche Telekom's name in Macedonia, especially with the recent news item about Maktel's transfer of funds to Deutsche Telekom. According to unofficial sources in the National Bank of Macedonia [The Central Bank], Maktel has transferred 20.000.000 euros as a credit to Deutsche Telekom, which is bound to be inspected as an attempt at tax evasion.

Sincerely, [Ime i Prezime] an ADSL user.

И трето, до Македонските медиуми, политичари и корисници.

To: собрание ет собрание

Cc: Д рест оф д генг (Есно спец. риСпект до Дневник - тиражот да им се умножи)

Предмет: ADSL korisnicite na Telecom odat do EU

Порака:

Почитувани,

по повод нечесното однесување на Македонски Телекомуникации што продолжува и понатаму и покрај оправданиот револт на нивните корисници, и молчењето на релевантните фактори и институции во Р. Македонија, сакаме да Ве известиме дека заеднички праќаме информација до компаниите што се сопственици на АД МТ (Дојче Телеком и Матав) и релевантните институции во ЕУ со надеж дека барем тие можат ни помогнат конечно да добиеме законитост во Македонија и функционирање на правната држава.

И тука и двете горни пораки (или ставете им линк до револуција или овој блог - иако не верувам дека ќе се помачат да ги проследат - секоја чест на исклучоците).

Масовноста помага.

20 October 2005

Успешно извршен притисок

Трите акции за известување на домашната и меѓународната јавност, како и Управата на МТ, за нечесното однесување на нашиот „омилен“ провајдер со кој сме „навистина блиски“ (си пишуваме и писменца, нели) беа мошне успешни.

Главните цели беа 1. информирање и 2. реакција.

Првата реакција беше перењето образ на МТ и „враќањето“ на старите услови на договорите.
Втората реакција е нервозата на МТ и нивното избегнување на каков било директен одговор (бидејќи не се чисти ни пред себе, ни пред нас, ни пред Бога) - страв им е дека ќе ги фатиме за што и да кажат
Трета реакција (видлива) е и одговор од Т-ком (значи, од толку маање, сме погодиле на добро место)

Наскоро ќе се подготви соопштение и за странските медиуми (посебно за да ја притиснеме јавноста во Дојчланд и Маџарленд, а и пошироко, ќе се најде нешто за што ќе се фатат) и - се разбира - овде ќе ги има писмата и адресите за „обработка“.

Благодарност, повторно, до сите што учествуваа во акцијата на овој или оној начин - се виде дека не сме група со која што може да си играат како што сакаат.

18 October 2005

Упаство за притисок врз Атила Сендреј и Управата на МТ

Текстот на културниот протест до Управата на АД „Македонски телекомуникации“

До (To:) Атила
Сендреј и компани
И до (Cc:) Рестото од Управата (домашна и странска) - мејловите се тргнати

Предмет (субјект): Discontent with ADSL-services in Macedonia

И следново најучтиво писмо во телото на пораката (копи-пејст таму):

Skopje, Macedonia

18.10.2005

Dear Mr. Szendrei

First, let me congratulate you on your business success in Macedonia, your Company being one of the top Companies in the country, and I appreciate your mindfulness and mentioning of the users.

Consider the following letter a plead from a user of the Company (AD Makedonski Telekomunikacii) you’re in charge of, and has no other means of protesting against the injustices done to the so far faithful users and regular payers of their obligations towards the AD MT.

Let me introduce you to the problem that has cause so much discontent and pain among the average user of the services of your Company.

Starting from the winter 2004, and continuing until August 2005, your Company has been very successful in attracting a great number of users of your ADSL-service (advertised as "brz Internet" or "fast Internet access"), attracting some 5000 new customers (some estimates claim a greater number). We were all lured by the advertisements claiming that we could use the ADSL access to Internet with speeds from 384 and greater for download, and 128 and greater for upload. We were even instigated to use this connection for downloading everything we like without any limit. And we did so, even though the price for the service were around 1/3 of the average monthly pay in Macedonia (according to all relevant info found on the web) and far beyond the technical possibilities of the ADSL Internet access. And we all signed contracts with your Company – previously prepared by its legal departments, and we didn't much bother to read what's in them, having faith in the fair intentions of our provider.

The problem started on 30.09.2005, when your Company gave an ad in a newspaper (one of 10 in Macedonia) with which it "informed" the users that it introduces a limit to the internet access through the ADSL service, and that any Internet traffic above that limit is paid according to a new tariff. That resulted in a reaction very unfavourable for your Company, since not only the way it was done, but also the imposed limit, were in breach with three laws currently in power in Macedonia (and enacted under the efforts of our country for accession to the EU), but also in breach of the contracts of the users with your Company. The reputation of MT sank (if you ask your subordinates, I doubt they can show any number of new users this month) and it gets even worse with the reaction of the Company to our justified protest.

About the protest. It consists of submitting Complaints to the company (unofficially, there are at least 2000 Complains submitted, which is 25% of the current users base), and organising for protests to the legal Macedonian institutions, as well to international institutions. The actions of your Company were proven illegal, and we, as a group, intent on pursuing this matter to any instances that are willing to hear us (including domestic and foreign media, which means the Macedonian, Hungarian, and German public, and the management of MT in Macedonia and abroad). The ADSL users are not simple people, but a demographic with special interests, highly educated, which could serve as a driving base for luring more Internet users and making more profits for your Company, but only if it's done fair and according to the laws of our country and the international regulations covering this matter.

Your Company has tried to remedy the situation, but has done that very clumsy and - again - breaking all the possible laws in the area of telecommunications and obligation (contracts between two parties). The reaction (in the form of introduction of new user packages that were meant to silent our justified protest) was illegal, and made the situation even worse. Our resolution to pursue this matter to domestic and international courts is not weakened, but on the contrary, strengthened by your Company's actions. And because justice is on our side, it may result by sinking of your Company to the lowest level possible in this circumstances, since I doubt your goals include getting rid of the existing users and spending more money and energy on offsetting a bad reputation.

Our group of discontent users is not using any illegal means to achieve our proclaimed goal - having the right to Internet access at fair prices, but is opposed to any illegal means of achieving it. Mind you, your Company’s actions have even resulted in a complete failure of the Company’s infrastructure – but it was not something that was done by any members of our group, nor we encourage that. Our actions are concentrated on the institutions and the media, and we hope we can achieve our goals only through legal means.

Please, if you can help us in any way, do so. Try to talk some common sense into your management base. If they really want to make profit for your company, they can use us, the users, with our prepositions, to make even more profit for the Company - with remedying the damage done to your Company by their illogical actions, and through introducing an affordable Internet access for the greater part of the Macedonian public (which is not economically strong - but is willing to buy any value added service from a provider it considers fair and just) – your Company can make a name as one of the driving forces of the prosperity, freedom, and democracy in the Macedonian society.

Best regards (Wishing you the best health),

(полно име и презиме)

A former satisfied user of your Company's services

17 October 2005

Демократијата во Македонија функционира?

По успешните акции што ги спроведовме во последно време, издејствувавме делумно повлекување на АД МТ од нивното безобразно менување на условите на договорите за користење на услугата АДСЛ, но тие немаат излезено со ништо конкретно и јасно (дури и новите огласи во весниците им се матни и не влеваат доверба).

За да бидат акциите поуспешни, ќе има уште масовни известувања на домашните политичари и институции, како и на медиумите (домашни и странски). Утре има состанок на Организацијата на Потрошувачите на Македонија со АД МТ и „други“ (веројатно ќе има и некој од Владата) на кој ќе присуствува и наш претставник.

Најсмешно од се е што човек овде мора да интервенира и да моли еден монопол во кој делумен сопственик е и Владата ДА ГИ ПОЧИТУВА ЗАКОНИТЕ. Не бараме ништо повеќе и ништо помалку. И ќе се држиме до словото на законот докрај - затоа што само во функционална држава може да се живее и функционира.

Стеј тјунд - ќе има уште поинтересни работи.

14 October 2005

Победа? Толку брзо?

Штотуку ми јавија дека МТ.нет усвоиле едно од нашите барања - а тоа е враќање на старите услови. Сега ќе има два Мах-АДСЛ пакета - еден со 4 гига ограничување, после што ќе паѓа брзината (и без доплата) и друг со 4 гига ограничување со доплата (207 ден. за секои почнати 512 мега над лимитот).

Јас ги тргам и-мејл адресите од блогот, да не ми дојде некоја тужба.

Или вчера сме боднале некоја добра адреса за бомбардирање, или има некој од мајка роден во мт.нет.

Заглавје за масовни мејлови

За да ни бидат мејл-бомбите фини и културни, повелете следниот увод за праќање на кој било мејл на горенаведените адреси.

Dear Sir/Madam,
this is a post published on a blog (http://revolution.blogspot.com) which serves as a center for consumer dissatisfaction from the services provided by the monopoly of Macedonian Telecom in the tiny Republic of Macedonia. Don't consider this a spam, it is not the intention of the post. This is only a desperate cry for support if the legitimate battle against a company which intentions seem to be driven by greed, greed, and only greed. Also, the action of the users/consumers is one of the rare displays of democracy at work in the Republic of Macedonia, so any help you can provide would be invaluable. Feel free to contact me if you need any further information.
Best regards,
[вашиот ценет потпис, име и презиме и мејл за одговор, ова не смее да биде анонимно]

Текст за масовни мејлови и правнички размислувања

To any and all foreigners reading this: HELP!!!

Help us get our message through: Deutsche Telekom through their proxies Magyar Telekom and the Macedonian Telecom is terrorizing ADSL users in Macedonia by abusing their position as a monopoly.

The Macedonian Telecom is the only broadband internet, telephone and ADSL service provider in Macedonia. They were bought by the Hungarian Magyar Telekom, who in turn are owned by Deutsche Telekom. So far, the price for a (standard) ADSL package was around 50 USD (VAT included) for a 384/128 kbps connection, and was the cheapest available option.

However, starting November, they plan on introducing a new internet traffic limit of 4GB, and every initiated unit of 512MB above said limit will be charged at (around) $4, thus not only enabling users to do nothing more but surf "light" sites, but also violating several Macedonian laws. Since 49% of the shares of Macedonian Telecom are owned by the Government, we are (to put it mildly) doomed to go back to dial-up.

Now, don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with dial-up. When you have a phone to dial out from. You see, most users were duped into signing a 2-year contract with the Macedonian Telecom, which upon being disputed by the User invokes a clause which in turn forces the User to pay ridiculous penalties. Being the only ADSL and telephone provider in Macedonia, the Telecom couples the phone with the ADSL bill. If the user decides not to pay the penalties invoked by the breaking up of the contract, they won't be able to pay the phone bill as well, which means they won't have a phone as well.

And to put this in perspective, the average Macedonian wage is around 200 euro, or 300 USD. Of course, that's if they ARE employed, since the official unemployment rate is 38,6%.

The Macedonian media are silent, since most of their income comes from ads by the Macedonian Telecom, and the Government is in on the deal. Macedonia is already cut off from the rest of the World by having to go through a long, difficult and uncertain process in order to obtain a visa for almost all major Western European countries, as well as the USA and Canada. Don't let Deutsche Telekom, Magyar Telekom and the Macedonian Telecom make matters worse!

Help us put pressure on Deutsche Telekom and Magyar Telekom while we continue our battle here!!!

Размислувањето:

Dogovorot e kasa-popara, nestrucno, nejasno i neprecizno napisan i podzakrpen, i nikako ne bi smeelo da se tolkuva na steta na korisnicite bidejci (podvlekuvam), se raboti za t.n. dogovor-obrazec (odnapred) sostaven od edna od dogovornite strani, za sto na drugata strana ne i bilo ostaveno mesto da pregovara i da go menuva.
Glavni elementi na eden dogovor, za da bide validen se dogovaranjeto za predmetot na dogovorot i cenata na dogovorot. Vo konkretniov slucaj, predmet na dogovorot e usluga na dostavuvanje na internet vo soglasnost na izbraniot paket. Izbraniot paket e del od dogovorot(cl.4 paragraf 1) i sekoe menuvanje na karakteristikite na paketot e fakticko menuvanje na predmetot na dogovorot. Sekoe menuvanje na predmetot na dogovorot bez soglasnost na dvete dogovorni strani e prekrsuvanje na dogovorot i voedno ponuda za formiranje na nov dogovor.
Dogovorot mu dava za pravo na provajderot da gi menuva tehnickite karakteristiki na paketot (na pr. pogolema brzina za download i sl., a so cel za podobar kvalitet na uslugata i koristenje novi uslugi)no ne i da ja menuva cenata. Dogovorot veli deka ako provajderot go smeni nacinot na tarifiranje, togas za toa ce go izvesti korisnikot. Toa e vo red, no toa neznaci deka korisnikot mora da se soglasi so toa. Ta zatoa i se sklucuva dogovorot, za da dvete strani znaat odnapred sto e predmet i cena na dogovorot, i kako samiot dogovor ce se realizira. Se drugo sto se naveduva e mackanje oci. Toa sto se naveduva deka korisnikot ima pravo da go raskine dogovorot e makcanje oci. Duri i ako ne se navede vo dogovorot, dvete strani imaat pravo da go raskinat, i normalno, da platat odsteta za toa raskinuvanje. Konkretno ovde, provajderot gi upatuva korisnicite da go raskinat dogovorot za da korisnicite bidat odgovorni za nadomestokot za steta sto bi go trpela drugata strana.
Spored mene, korisnikot, bi trebalo da dostavi prigovor do provajderot, deka ne se soglasuva so promenata na nacinot na presmetuvanje na cenata, i deka bara provajderot da go pocituva dogovorot i nacinot na presmetuvanje na cenata utvrden vo dogovorot (a na denta na potpisuvanjeto na dogovorot), i deka sekoja promena na dogovorenoto ce go smeta za prekrsuvanje na dogovorot. Znaci, dokolku po eden takov prigovor (ispraten preporacano, ili so potpis/pecat za priem na prigovorot, za da se ima dokaz), provajderot pocne da presmetuva po nova tarifa, treba da se podnese tuzba za nadomest na steta poradi prekrsuvanje na dogovorot, i voedno da sudot go utvrdi dogovorot kako nistoven t.e. nevazecki. Znaci vo vakov eden slucaj, topkata e prefrlena na stranata na provajderot, bidejci toj go prekrsil dogovorot i toj treba da placa odsteta. Vo slucaj da sudoto go proglasi dogovorot za nistoven, nema da postojat uslovi za placanje penali. Od druga strana, vo najlosoto scenario, vednas po podnesuvanje na tuzbata za otsteta, korisnikot moze da go izvesni provajderot, pismeno, deka e povedena sudska postapka, i deka korisnikot go smeta dogovorot za raskinat od strana na provajderot, i deka nema da primi nikakva ponatamosna uluga od provajderot (sto vo prevod bi znacelo isto ko da go raskinuva, no bitno e sto se se desava po tuzbata), pa taka, ako provajderot resi da tuzi za penalite, ce treba da dokazuva deka dogovorot bil vo sila koga provajderot smeta deka nastanalo prekrsuvanje na dogovorot, sto pak ce zavisi od tuzbata podnesena od strana na korisnikot. Vo edna takva situacija, ako provajderot e lud da se sudi so site (losa reklama, i voopsto nepozelna sostojba za sopstvenicite i investitorite), korisnikot barem si obezbedil osnova za pobaruvanje na odsteta. Zatoa bi rekol, deka korisnicite ne bi trebalo vednas da go raskinuvaat dogovorot, tuku da ostavat provajderot da go odigra pogresniot cekor. Ako vece korisnikot e pomiren so toa da plati penali za raskinuvanje, nema razlika dali ce go raskine dogovorot vednas ili po pola mesec. Finatata e da si obezbedi osnova za da voopsto ne gi plati penalite ili duri i da obezbedi nadomest na steta (od prilika vo visina na dogovorenata cena i novopresmetanata cena).

13 October 2005

Задњи урнек за бомбардирање (макар било спам)

Се менуваат имињата - прочитајте внимателно што праќате.

Dear L. Pauly,
Excuse me for writing to you this unsolicited mail, but the situation is rather urgent and very unfavourable for your company.
Namely, your sister-company, Macedonian Telecom (Makedonski Telekomunikacii - www.mt.net.mk) has, in breach of contracts concluded with thousands of customers (estimates ranging from 6000 to 18.500), raised its rates for internet access through a service called Max ADSL for at least 100%. This is considered a robbery by the general public, since there has been a major media attention to this event since yesterday (12.10.2005 - there is no medium - printed or televised - that has not published an information about this).
There is a wide user protest going on on the Internet and in the Macedonian media against this breach of legal contracts, not to mention at least three Macedonian laws, to which the Macedonian Telekom has not even bothered to reply. There has been a massive submittal of APPLICATIONS FOR DISCOUNTINUATION OF USER CONTRACTS this week, which is expected to go on until the end of the month, the last legal term for submittal of such applications, and there a PETITION (http://212.120.4.231/) against the blatant breach of contract agreement by the MT.NET being signed at the moment, to be submitted to all the relevant institutions in the country next week, massively supported by the existing users of the ADSL-service who feel robbed and lied to by the service provider.
This action goes beyond our borders and the legal authorities of our country, since the discontened ADSL-users are organized and are protesting this politics of greed to international media and legal institutions (I, personally, as a member of this group, am prepared to go to court to excercise my user rights and to discontinue any further commitment and obligations towards the Macedonian Telecommunications monopoly) and is also hurting the reputation of your firm as a major owner since the privatisation of this company.
I can only say that the Macedonian Telecom, in its politics of greed, has only succeeded to turn the public against themselves (this has become a major issue this week, and the media attention is not to fade away quickly), and against your company, the T-Com, in general.
If you can help us anull or change the unfair decision of the management of the Macedonian Telecom for the benefit of the users (numbers going down every day), you will not only help remedy the damage done to the reputation of your respected company, but also manage the scandal to turn out for the best, and to renew the confidence of the Macedonian public in your company.
Yours sincerely,
Aleksandar Zafirovski
alez@mt.net.mk
a so far pleased user of your services turned to an angry discontent customer

И уште едно писмо до Дојче Телеком (T-com)

Ова е изменета верзија на претходниот мејл (со изменети места кадешто се споменува фирмата). Слободно за препраќање на следниве адреси

http://www.t-com.de/service/kontakt
http://www.t-online.de/

Ова е што е пратено:

Dear Deutche Telecom,
I'm writing to you because of the unheard of robbery of users that's hapenning in my country, Macedonia. Namely, your sister-company, Macedonian Telecom (Makedonski Telekomunikacii - www.mt.net.mk) has, in breach of contracts concluded with thousands of customers (estimates ranging from 6000 to 18.500), raised its rates for internet access through a service called Max ADSL for at least 100%.
There is a wide user protest going on on the Internet and in the Macedonian media against this breach of legal contracts, not to mention at least three Macedonian laws, to which the Macedonian Telekom has not even bothered to reply. There has been a massive submittal of APPLICATIONS FOR DISCOUNTINUATION OF USER CONTRACTS this week, which is expected to go on until the end of the month, the last legal term for submittal of such applications, and there a PETITION against the blatant breach of contract agreement by the MT.NET being signed at the moment, to be submitted to all the relevant institutions in the country next week, massively supported by the existing users of the ADSL-service who feel robbed and lied to by the service provider.
This action goes beyond our borders and the legal authorities of our country, since the discontened ADSL-users are organized and are protesting this politics of greed to international media and legal institutions (I, personally, as a member of this group, am prepared to go to court to excercise my user rights and to discontinue any further commitment and obligations towards the Macedonian Telecommunications monopoly) and is also hurting the reputation of your firm as a major owner since the privatisation of this company.
I can only say that the Macedonian Telecom, in its politics of greed, has only succeeded to turn the public against themselves (this has become a major issue this week, and the media attention is not to fade away quickly), and against your company, the T-Com, in general.
If you can help us anull the unfair decision of the management of the Macedonian Telecom, you will not only help remedy the damage done to the reputation of your respected company, but also manage the scandal to turn out for the best, and to renew the confidence of the Macedonian public in your company.
Yours sincerely,
Aleksandar Zafirovski
alez@mt.net.mk
a so far pleased user of your services turned to an angry discontent customer

Going international

Објавено и на revolucija.blogspot.com

Следново го испратив преку http://www.t-com.hu/egyeni/ugyfelszolgalat/kapcsolat/, како почеток на меѓународниот протест на незадоволните корисници на АДСЛ во Македонија. Сега одам да го ископам мејлот на дојче телеком (T-com) и ако ми тргне денес - ќе стигнам до кај сум намислил.

Телото на пораката (изменете што ви е волја, ова е само урнек/образец)

Dear Magyar Telecom,
I'm writing to you because of the unheard of robbery of users that's hapenning in my country, Macedonia. Namely, your sister-company, Macedonian Telecom (Makedonski Telekomunikacii - www.mt.net.mk) has, in breach of contracts concluded with thousands of customers (estimates ranging from 6000 to 18.500), raised its rates for internet access through a service called Max ADSL for at least 100%.
There is a wide user protest going on on the internet and in the Macedonian media against this breach of legal contracts, not to mention at least three Macedonian laws, to which the Macedonian Telekom has not even bothered to reply. There has been a massive submittal of APPLICATIONS FOR DISCOUNTINUATION OF USER CONTRACTS this week, which is expected to go on until the end of the month, the last legal term for submittal of such applications, and there a PETITION against the blatant breach of contract agreement by the MT.NET being signed at the moment, to be submitted to all the relevant institutions in the country next week, massively supported by the existing users of the ADSL-service who feel robbed and lied to by the service provider.
This action goes beyond our borders and the legal authorities of our country, since the discontened ADSL-users are organized and are protesting this politics of greed to international media and legal institutions (I, personally, as a member of this group, am prepared to go to court to excercise my user rights and to discontinue any further commitment and obligations towards the Macedonian Telecommunications monopoly) and is also hurting the reputation of your firm as a major owner since the privatisation of this company.
I can only say that the Macedonian Telecom, in its politics of greed, has only succeeded to turn the public against themselves (this has become a major issue this week, and the media attention is not to fade away quickly), and against your company, the Magyar Telecom, in general.
If you can help us anull the unfair decision of the management of the Macedonian Telecom, you will not only help remedy the damage done to the reputation of your respected company, but also manage the scandal to turn out for the best, and to renew the confidence of the Macedonian public in your company.
Yours sincerely,
Aleksandar Zafirovski
alez@mt.net.mk
a so far pleased user of your services turned to an angry discontent customer


Битка се води

Ако сте налетале случајно на блогот - главната акција е на http://revolucija.blogspot.com. Дали ќе не биде или не - читајте таму (а навраќајте и тука, колку за информација)

Почеток

Колку да има нешто - повеќе кога ќе имам што да кажам (а ќе имам наскоро)