Donations Please: Internet Prices Going Crazy and CANTV Not Working

Editorial note: You have the donation buttons in the main upper menu of our website and also in the footer. You can see it also in the desktop version on the right upper bar.

A few days back we relaunched the Donation Campaign using a better and improved interface.

We have receive since then donations summing up around US$ 150. And we want to thank again all of you for that.

CANTV is the state owned company that provides Internet and Phone Service to most Venezuelans and we had the service working fine until January this year. Beside multiple calls, complaints and direct inquiry to technicians we have not been able to have the service reconnected and neither have at least an explanation about what is happening.

Because comunicación is paramount in what we do, we have been using our cellphone provider (Digitel) for data during the last 3 months. It is a private carrier and in recent weeks they were authorized for a new tariff increase.

Last month we paid the equivalent of US$9 for that service mostly used by a cellphone and an Internet mobile-broadband device to which we can connect other devices in our place. A few days back we receive the new statement and the charge passed from US$9 to US$143 (Bs. 473.000), just like that.

New statement showing the current charge and what we paid last month

We knew there was an increase in the price for the service but we never expected having our bill multiply 15 times. Because of the price increase, 2 other devices that previously use their own data but were prepaid got constantly out of balance and then had to connect to mobile-broadband device affecting also the consumption of data and multiplying it by 2. So in reality the increase in this service price was around 700%, as can be seen below.

February statement

March statement

We are providing you with this information to reiterate the importance of your donation. ESPECIALLY IF IT IS A SMALL MONTHLY ONE. But also to raise awareness hoping that someone in CANTV might have access to this claim in order to have our regular internet (and phone) service restored.

We are committed to our work at Orinoco Tribune and even in the worst case scenario we will find ways to keep the website alive.

In case you can not donate, at least PLEASE, share this as much as possible (Facebook, Twitter, email, WhatsApp, LinkedIn) to see if it reaches the right person at CANTV in order to our regular internet service.

In solidarity and with love.

JRE