View Full Version : Vodacom's Internet service is unreliable.
OutOfTheBox
01-03-2007, 07:16 PM
I've been using the 3G Network for nearly a year.
In the last few months the speed and connection, especially international, has been getting worse and worse.
I am forever getting website not found pages, which when I try again a few minutes later, are fine.
I also I can't play on line games, as I am forever getting disconnected.
Its nothing to do with my hardware or connection to the 3G network, as you can see it getting worse when more people are using the internet.
Really crap from 5pm > 11pm
The 155 support people, say theres is no problem.
Anyone else with the same problem ?
Like to hear if anyone using the 3G network can actually play online games at the MSN website with out being disconnected every 30 minutes.
Big Kriss
02-03-2007, 07:06 AM
May I suggest you have a look at this thread?
My symptoms were very similar to yours and I was terribly frustrated at it all...
http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=67899
...
The 155 support people, say theres is no problem.
...Best to insist that 155 get it logged as a problem in your area and insist that 155 give you a call reference number, if you run into problems with 155 refusing to supply a reference number then send v3g a p.m. with all the details and specifically the date and time of your call to 155 and the number you called from...
OutOfTheBox
02-03-2007, 04:58 PM
2nd March, Antenna = Bothas Hill, KZN
4:50 pm >> 4:55 pm Network Down
09h05 - There was a problem on the one site serving the Bothas Hill area for part of this week (Monday - Thursday). I was in that area on Thursday afternoon after it was repaired and all was working fine. I even achieved a speed of 1482kbps at the client's house. Possibly the site has started its problems again - will see what I can find out and post it here.
09h18 - Checked the performance stats for this site and all looks great. OutOfTheBox, please log a call with 155 and ask for a call ref so we can investigate this further.
nuyork
05-03-2007, 09:48 AM
In the last few months the speed and connection, especially international, has been getting worse and worse.
I am forever getting website not found pages, which when I try again a few minutes later, are fine.
I also I can't play on line games, as I am forever getting disconnected.
I'm not sure if this is just a general problem in South Africa.
I'm on ADSL and I experience the exact same problems as you. Pages not loading the first time, and I have to hit the refresh button and only after the 4 or 5 refresh the page loads.
When playing on XBox Live I experience disconnects as well.
I'm not sure what Vodacom goes through (SAIX or IS), but I'm with IS, but I've heard of similar problems on the SAIX network.
This all started happening recently, I would say in the last 3 to 4 months.
Point is...nearly every internet service goes through Telkom, and if they haven't got their network working properly, the whole country suffers. Telkom is to blame for the crap internet we have in this country.
:L:
vodacom3g
05-03-2007, 11:26 AM
I'm not sure if this is just a general problem in South Africa.
I'm on ADSL and I experience the exact same problems as you. Pages not loading the first time, and I have to hit the refresh button and only after the 4 or 5 refresh the page loads.
When playing on XBox Live I experience disconnects as well.
I'm not sure what Vodacom goes through (SAIX or IS), but I'm with IS, but I've heard of similar problems on the SAIX network.
This all started happening recently, I would say in the last 3 to 4 months.
Point is...nearly every internet service goes through Telkom, and if they haven't got their network working properly, the whole country suffers. Telkom is to blame for the crap internet we have in this country.
:L:
Wonder if it's not related to the international connectivity issues. I heard the final repairs will only be in the March/April timeframes.
I've been using the 3G Network for nearly a year.
In the last few months the speed and connection, especially international, has been getting worse and worse.
I am forever getting website not found pages, which when I try again a few minutes later, are fine.
...
The 155 support people, say theres is no problem.
Anyone else with the same problem ?
I concur. For the price charged, the access is nothing short of abysmal. There are times when my connection crawls and other times it is ok. I've been using "3G" for a year now and no matter where I connect from there are usually issues of one form or another. The only recourse is to post here and get help from v3g. v3g (or the people who monitor the v3g login) are more clued up than the folks who run the 155 help-desk. What an absurd anomaly.
The 155 service is of zero use when one has a problem with connecting! To have to be on-line (to post here) to get connectivity (ahem, on-line) problems resolved is illogical and absurd in the extreme. In the past I've logged calls and 90% of the time vodacom's 155 call-desk doesn't follow-up. Go figure.
Management at vodacom clearly don't give a hoot. They're making money and loads of it, so why should they care about efficient and effective customer service.
That being said, customer service isn't the only component of a good "service" - the actual service being charged for should be much more reliable. No excuses.
BTW, my connection has been switching between GPRS and 3G for the past hour.... mostly GPRS!
TMoose
05-03-2007, 04:56 PM
I also have a lot of problems with Vodacom GPRS not 5 mins from Menlyn Park mall. Connection is irratic, slow and stops responding after 15-20 mins after which you have to reconnect to get it going again.
Everybody who said Vodacom doesn't give a damn is right, if they did they would've responded to the MTN deal. They don't care about your R1000 a month when they're making millions daily. As soon as my contract runs out I'm switching... don't know to who yet, don't much care. They're becoming the Telkom of the cellphone world.
Syndyre
05-03-2007, 05:37 PM
MTN's international connection is a bit screwed at the moment too.
QX6700RULZ
05-03-2007, 08:47 PM
upload 7.9 KB/sec
download 5.4 KB/sec
and this is called broadband (HSDPA by the way)
Bedfordview Arterial Road please explain, why i should stick with this crap. Also use i-burst and ADSL and guess what they f*** up 3g
upload 7.9 KB/sec
download 5.4 KB/sec
and this is called broadband (HSDPA by the way)
Bedfordview Arterial Road please explain, why i should stick with this crap. Also use i-burst and ADSL and guess what they f*** up 3g1. How long have you had this problem?
2. Have you logged the problem with 155 and insisted on a call reference number?
QX6700RULZ
05-03-2007, 09:11 PM
1. How long have you had this problem?
2. Have you logged the problem with 155 and insisted on a call reference number?
Not logged with 155 been liasing with online support via email, had this rubbish since Oct Nov last year, latest software core 2 laptop etc etc sometimes it is ok but 90% of the time it just sucks.
Sick of explaining hassles and asking for solutions, getting dial up access at more than broad band prices nothing more to say apart from cannot wait to get rid of this dead dog :)
Telkom sucks but at least when you go on the net it does not take 20 mins to do a speed test :P
There could be several reasons for the problems you're experiencing - the first to check is signal - bad signal quality and very low signal strength do drastically reduce throughput [i.e. speed of data transfer].
What is the official coverage for your location according to Vodacom's 3G coverage map?
I suggest running a Vodacom speed test [http://speed.vodacom.co.za/] outdoors and seeing if there is any improvement outdoors compared to indoors - if there is no noticeable difference at any time of the day, then you really should insist on a call reference number, which you could pass onto v3g - Vodacom is well known for sending out radio & signal engineers to customer premises.
I hear what you say about reverting to dialup, but that is potentially a big step backwards if your 3G|HSDPA problems could be solved...
QX6700RULZ
05-03-2007, 11:09 PM
There could be several reasons for the problems you're experiencing - the first to check is signal - bad signal quality and very low signal strength do drastically reduce throughput [i.e. speed of data transfer].
What is the official coverage for you location according to Vodacom's 3G coverage map?
I suggest running a Vodacom speed test [http://speed.vodacom.co.za/] outdoors and seeing if there is any improvement outdoors compared to indoors - if there is no noticeable difference at any time of the day, then you really should insist on a call reference number, which you could pass onto v3g - Vodacom is well known for sending out radio & signal engineers to customer premises.
I hear what you say about reverting to dialup, but that is potentially a big step backwards if your 3G|HSDPA problems could be solved...
lol never said i would go to dial up, just meant paying for "broadband" speeds and getting dial up speeds is a joke :)
have i-burst at work and ADSL at my previous abode which i will be soon returning to so speed in the day is great just 3g is a big disaster for myself, my brother and my dad.
Just grates me that Voda can charge the earth and not deliver, this also goes for every other service provider in the country, used ADSL for 3 years and had issues yes but when it is running it destroys HSDPA easily. I love going to the previous residence and plugging into the network, stuff i-burst and 3g ADSL kills. No need to worry about bloody towers and signal.
Anyway me just ranting purposelessly now (very drunk) so shall shut up :)
vodacom3g
05-03-2007, 11:40 PM
Obviously those speeds can't be right, so let's fix it.
I agree with ic, first let's get a benchmark to work with:
- Result of speed.vodacom.co.za?
- Signal level?
- Coverage according to the map?
QX6700RULZ
06-03-2007, 08:46 AM
Obviously those speeds can't be right, so let's fix it.
I agree with ic, first let's get a benchmark to work with:
- Result of speed.vodacom.co.za?
- Signal level?
- Coverage according to the map?
The speeds i quoted were from your speed test, took 20 mins to run which is prob a once off but i am sure you can understand my frustration, also the speed test results are not real life anyway, have had speeds up to 500 or so but it can still take 2 minutes to open a local site.
Need a better test than that one.
Signal is usually 2 or 3 bar with Voda aerial and as for area siganl you would know better than me, no idea where tower/s are in Bedfordview
...
Signal is usually 2 or 3 bar with Voda aerial and as for area siganl you would know better than me, no idea where tower/s are in BedfordviewForumites [v3g included] do not know where in Bedfordview you are trying to use 3G - you alone know your own address, and consequently you need to lookup the official 3G coverage for your specific location within Bedfordview on Vodacom's 3G coverage map:
http://www.vodacom.co.za/services/3g/coverage_map.jsp
Coverage within the same suburb can and usually does vary drastically - especially when new structures [read obstructions] get built to block out wireless transmissions, e.g. new shopping centres, new complexes, new houses, etc etc etc.
rustyw
06-03-2007, 01:47 PM
See the thread at http://mybroadband.co.za/vb/showthread.php?t=68335
vodacom3g
06-03-2007, 02:07 PM
The speeds i quoted were from your speed test, took 20 mins to run which is prob a once off but i am sure you can understand my frustration, also the speed test results are not real life anyway, have had speeds up to 500 or so but it can still take 2 minutes to open a local site.
Need a better test than that one.
Signal is usually 2 or 3 bar with Voda aerial and as for area siganl you would know better than me, no idea where tower/s are in Bedfordview
The test is fine, you're just getting cr@p throughput :o
PM me you contact details and I'll get hold of you to sort out.
QX6700RULZ
09-03-2007, 10:47 PM
The test is fine, you're just getting cr@p throughput :o
PM me you contact details and I'll get hold of you to sort out.
That is what the last guy said to, given up with you guys, shall stick with adsl and iburst from now on at least i get some speed then.
Just need to find a way out of this screwed up 24 month contract and i am A for away.
vodacom3g
09-03-2007, 11:49 PM
That is what the last guy said to, given up with you guys, shall stick with adsl and iburst from now on at least i get some speed then.
Just need to find a way out of this screwed up 24 month contract and i am A for away.
OK, sorry I can't help.