Some customers of the Cable and Wireless prepaid Homefone service are upset by the new terms of service, which takes effect today.

Several customers are complaining that the company is forcing new standards on them and that they had no opportunity to agree to these conditions before they signed up for the service. "I have a problem with all of that (new terms of prepaid service) because its like they are forcing something down my throat. I never got a chance to agree or disagree with the terms," one customer told THE STAR.

Another customer said, while she was informed about the changes, she too did not feel she had a chance to agree.

Effective today, under the new terms of service, which were advertised in the press for the past few days, prepaid customers must pay a monthly subscription fee of at least $600 by the 27th of each month. Customers who fail to meet this deadline will be given 10 days to do so, after which they will not be able to make or receive calls.

Following this, if the account is inactive for 15 days, customers will have the option of paying $1500 to reactivate the service. But, if that fee is not paid within the 15-day period, the service will be disconnected and the customer will have to apply for post-paid service if they want to keep using the fixed line service.

Errol K. Miller, vice-president Corporate Communications & Corporate Affairs Cable & Wireless Jamaica, said the company has a right to change its terms and had to do so because it was losing money. "The simple truth, as we have said several times, is that the company is losing money on the prepaid Homefone product. While we do not disclose precise figures in this extremely competitive market, the reason it is happening can be disclosed. This is simply because thousands of our prepaid Homefone customers hardly ever top up their accounts," he said.