Afrihost Business Uncapped Feedback - 2

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AfriMan said:
Our management will definitely take notice. Ultimately though, I'd always like to think that other ISPs have learned and upped their game, which is good for the industry. I think it's our turn to learn and maybe look at what works and what doesn't and what we can do to be better for our clients.
Click to expand...

Lets hope so, and my PM request?
 
bullzeye.za said:
This makes sense - The amount of bandwidth your clients are consuming year on year must be growing very quickly, given the rate that VOD services are growing. You can always try and bargain for cheaper rates from your upstream providers, but if they won't budge, the difference has to fall somewhere, either in reducing your profits ( and you -do- make a killing off of ADSL, I'm sure ), or upping your prices.
Click to expand...

We actually don't make much in terms of margin, we actually lose money on many of our power users and Uncapped clients, but we literally take our money for advertising and pump it into subsidising bandwidth where we can't negotiate better pricing for our clients. We also lose a ton on mobile data, but that's another story.

We don't ever want to increase prices or compromise on quality, so that not a lot of wiggle room and our providers generally know that we'll keep pushing until we get the best deal, which we immediately pass onto our clients.
 
And that's what we call an unsustainable business model :/
 
AfriMan said:
It's worked for like 15 years, so I think we'll keep going for it as long as we keep winning for our clients :)
Click to expand...

lol dude that's called leading with your chin! :/ The winning ended this morning?

You need to double your advertising budget, so you can pump more money into the network ;)
 
Sinbad said:
lol dude that's called leading with your chin! :/ The winning ended this morning?

You need to double your advertising budget, so you can pump more money into the network ;)
Click to expand...

I don't know though. In theory, that's the TV industrial complex model that Seth Godin talks about. You pump massive money into reaching the broad base of users and dollars spent translates into sales earned. But today's media and networks work very differently. In fact, it's on the verge of changing again. A few years ago people would get excited about impressions, and now people are looking at real engagements and conversations. Do people more often go into a store to buy something they saw on TV or to buy something they heard about from a friend on Twitter? And how often do people go into a store not knowing what they want VS knowing exactly what they want, having price checked across suppliers, researched deals, bundles and discounts (doing the twoogle thing) and basically walk straight up to what they want?

Today's consumer is so different, I personally can't remember when I last got excited by a TV ad or a newspaper ad. I get so much more information from social media, which is probably 90% of what people I know and trust talk about. So I would think the best way to get those people to talk about your product is to make it amazing and unique. Many companies, like Zappos, adopt the idea that they are companies that sell an experience,not a product. We definitely believe that our company culture sets us apart from other companies, and while people may copy our products and processes (maybe even improve them) clients will create long term relationships with us because they trust in how we do business with them.

Interested to hear your views on that, though :)
 
Well I think the long term relationship thing is valid because I care enough to post (mostly) constructive stuff in here despite not having been a customer for a while.

And yes, using your marketing budget to build a quality product is a pretty good idea, given the connectedness of things nowadays, social media etc. Word of mouth marketing is hugely important for the service industry. But it's a double-edged sword - and right now it really seems like your product is not good quality, based on perceptions I'm seeing. Sure, there are probably thousands of satisfied users who don't say anything - but the volume of complaints (and their consistency) is increasing. Hence time to increase the marketing/network budget... Because constantly fine tuning to eak out the last kilobit/sec from your IPC is not a good place to be. Far too much margin for error, and not nearly enough headroom for unforeseen events.
 
Sinbad said:
Well I think the long term relationship thing is valid because I care enough to post (mostly) constructive stuff in here despite not having been a customer for a while.

And yes, using your marketing budget to build a quality product is a pretty good idea, given the connectedness of things nowadays, social media etc. Word of mouth marketing is hugely important for the service industry. But it's a double-edged sword - and right now it really seems like your product is not good quality, based on perceptions I'm seeing. Sure, there are probably thousands of satisfied users who don't say anything - but the volume of complaints (and their consistency) is increasing. Hence time to increase the marketing/network budget... Because constantly fine tuning to eak out the last kilobit/sec from your IPC is not a good place to be. Far too much margin for error, and not nearly enough headroom for unforeseen events.
Click to expand...

Costs of marketing are certainly not what they were in real terms say 10 years ago, for a 30 second ad spot, but it's definitely a better place for us to spend on improving our product, even if that means investment in more capacity or staff, etc. Like they said in that movie "If you build it, they will come". As long as we can do so without raising prices, then I think that's the way we'll go.
 
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\François Marais>tracert yahoo.com

Tracing route to yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 12 ms 12 ms 13 ms 105-236-3-193-esr-lo.mtnbusiness.co.za [105.236.3.193]
3 * 50 ms 14 ms ipc-recieve-rb-2a.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.178.65]
4 16 ms 17 ms 15 ms rb-cr-1.za--rb-dca-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.0.146]
5 17 ms 16 ms 15 ms jh-cr-2.za--rb-cr-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.31.95]
6 * 17 ms 15 ms qux-jh-dca-2.za-b.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.165.115]
7 213 ms 213 ms 212 ms ls-cr-2.uk--jh-cr-1.za.mtnns.net [196.44.31.114]
8 211 ms 210 ms 211 ms ls-pr-1.uk--ls-cr-2.uk-a.mtn.net [209.212.111.201]
9 219 ms 195 ms 195 ms ge-1-1-0.pat1.the.yahoo.com [195.66.224.129]
10 337 ms 313 ms 287 ms ae8.pat2.nyc.yahoo.com [66.196.65.15]
11 306 ms 305 ms 305 ms ae-5.pat1.bfz.yahoo.com [216.115.96.65]
12 305 ms 325 ms 306 ms ae-3.msr1.bf1.yahoo.com [216.115.100.29]
13 298 ms 298 ms 298 ms UNKNOWN-98-139-130-X.yahoo.com [98.139.130.19]
14 291 ms 291 ms 290 ms UNKNOWN-72-30-22-X.yahoo.com [72.30.22.39]
15 311 ms 317 ms 310 ms po-12.bas1-7-prd.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.129.193]
16 307 ms 305 ms 306 ms ir2.fp.vip.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\François Marais>tracert yahoo.com

Tracing route to yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms 2 ms 2 ms 192.168.0.1
2 13 ms 12 ms 13 ms 105-236-3-193-esr-lo.mtnbusiness.co.za [105.236.3.193]
3 15 ms 14 ms 14 ms ipc-recieve-rb-2a.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.178.65]
4 16 ms 15 ms 15 ms rb-cr-1.za--rb-dca-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.0.146]
5 15 ms 15 ms * jh-cr-2.za--rb-cr-1.za-b.mtnns.net [196.44.31.171]
6 * 36 ms 38 ms qux-jh-dca-2.za-b.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.165.115]
7 213 ms 213 ms 212 ms ls-cr-2.uk--jh-cr-1.za.mtnns.net [196.44.31.114]
8 218 ms 215 ms 211 ms ls-pr-1.uk--ls-cr-2.uk-a.mtn.net [209.212.111.201]
9 194 ms 194 ms 194 ms ge-1-1-0.pat1.the.yahoo.com [195.66.224.129]
10 288 ms 288 ms * ae8.pat2.nyc.yahoo.com [66.196.65.15]
11 309 ms 302 ms 302 ms ae-5.pat1.bfz.yahoo.com [216.115.96.65]
12 305 ms 305 ms 305 ms ae-3.msr1.bf1.yahoo.com [216.115.100.29]
13 * 337 ms 310 ms xe-11-2-1.clr1-a-gdc.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.129.167]
14 335 ms 343 ms 344 ms UNKNOWN-72-30-22-X.yahoo.com [72.30.22.7]
15 306 ms * 309 ms po-12.bas1-7-prd.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.129.193]
16 307 ms 296 ms 305 ms ir2.fp.vip.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\François Marais>tracert afrihost.com

Tracing route to afrihost.com [197.242.144.102]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 192.168.0.1
2 13 ms 12 ms 12 ms 105-236-3-193-esr-lo.mtnbusiness.co.za [105.236.3.193]
3 32 ms 32 ms 32 ms ipc-recieve-rb-3a.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.178.77]
4 * 18 ms 16 ms rb-dca-2.za--rb-cr-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.31.120]
5 17 ms 16 ms 16 ms jh-cr-1.za--rb-cr-2.za.mtnns.net [196.44.0.42]
6 35 ms 37 ms 36 ms qux-jh-dca-2.za-b.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.165.115]
7 17 ms * * 196.44.31.99
8 17 ms 17 ms 18 ms 196.31.220.8
9 * * 20 ms 196.31.220.27
10 15 ms 15 ms * 196.31.63.202
11 17 ms 16 ms 17 ms vl9-ah-ha-2.za.mtnbusiness.net [196.30.42.133]
12 16 ms 16 ms 18 ms cms-gm.afrihost.com [197.242.144.102]

Trace complete.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4305782468

Are you shaping P2P on business accounts now or not? I can hardly get 10 kb/s - 50 kb/s MAX on P2P and I am pushing data to a server of mine.
 
ac0e9f4601.png


5c7dcf024101b083008e90529f42c1e32be6a97d47fc4c0c8f449466b9bc8613.jpg
 
Francois Marais said:
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\François Marais>tracert yahoo.com

Tracing route to yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms 1 ms 1 ms 192.168.0.1
2 12 ms 12 ms 13 ms 105-236-3-193-esr-lo.mtnbusiness.co.za [105.236.3.193]
3 * 50 ms 14 ms ipc-recieve-rb-2a.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.178.65]
4 16 ms 17 ms 15 ms rb-cr-1.za--rb-dca-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.0.146]
5 17 ms 16 ms 15 ms jh-cr-2.za--rb-cr-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.31.95]
6 * 17 ms 15 ms qux-jh-dca-2.za-b.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.165.115]
7 213 ms 213 ms 212 ms ls-cr-2.uk--jh-cr-1.za.mtnns.net [196.44.31.114]
8 211 ms 210 ms 211 ms ls-pr-1.uk--ls-cr-2.uk-a.mtn.net [209.212.111.201]
9 219 ms 195 ms 195 ms ge-1-1-0.pat1.the.yahoo.com [195.66.224.129]
10 337 ms 313 ms 287 ms ae8.pat2.nyc.yahoo.com [66.196.65.15]
11 306 ms 305 ms 305 ms ae-5.pat1.bfz.yahoo.com [216.115.96.65]
12 305 ms 325 ms 306 ms ae-3.msr1.bf1.yahoo.com [216.115.100.29]
13 298 ms 298 ms 298 ms UNKNOWN-98-139-130-X.yahoo.com [98.139.130.19]
14 291 ms 291 ms 290 ms UNKNOWN-72-30-22-X.yahoo.com [72.30.22.39]
15 311 ms 317 ms 310 ms po-12.bas1-7-prd.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.129.193]
16 307 ms 305 ms 306 ms ir2.fp.vip.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\François Marais>tracert yahoo.com

Tracing route to yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 1 ms 2 ms 2 ms 192.168.0.1
2 13 ms 12 ms 13 ms 105-236-3-193-esr-lo.mtnbusiness.co.za [105.236.3.193]
3 15 ms 14 ms 14 ms ipc-recieve-rb-2a.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.178.65]
4 16 ms 15 ms 15 ms rb-cr-1.za--rb-dca-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.0.146]
5 15 ms 15 ms * jh-cr-2.za--rb-cr-1.za-b.mtnns.net [196.44.31.171]
6 * 36 ms 38 ms qux-jh-dca-2.za-b.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.165.115]
7 213 ms 213 ms 212 ms ls-cr-2.uk--jh-cr-1.za.mtnns.net [196.44.31.114]
8 218 ms 215 ms 211 ms ls-pr-1.uk--ls-cr-2.uk-a.mtn.net [209.212.111.201]
9 194 ms 194 ms 194 ms ge-1-1-0.pat1.the.yahoo.com [195.66.224.129]
10 288 ms 288 ms * ae8.pat2.nyc.yahoo.com [66.196.65.15]
11 309 ms 302 ms 302 ms ae-5.pat1.bfz.yahoo.com [216.115.96.65]
12 305 ms 305 ms 305 ms ae-3.msr1.bf1.yahoo.com [216.115.100.29]
13 * 337 ms 310 ms xe-11-2-1.clr1-a-gdc.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.129.167]
14 335 ms 343 ms 344 ms UNKNOWN-72-30-22-X.yahoo.com [72.30.22.7]
15 306 ms * 309 ms po-12.bas1-7-prd.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.129.193]
16 307 ms 296 ms 305 ms ir2.fp.vip.bf1.yahoo.com [98.139.183.24]

Trace complete.

C:\Users\François Marais>tracert afrihost.com

Tracing route to afrihost.com [197.242.144.102]
over a maximum of 30 hops:

1 2 ms 2 ms 2 ms 192.168.0.1
2 13 ms 12 ms 12 ms 105-236-3-193-esr-lo.mtnbusiness.co.za [105.236.3.193]
3 32 ms 32 ms 32 ms ipc-recieve-rb-3a.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.178.77]
4 * 18 ms 16 ms rb-dca-2.za--rb-cr-1.za-a.mtnns.net [196.44.31.120]
5 17 ms 16 ms 16 ms jh-cr-1.za--rb-cr-2.za.mtnns.net [196.44.0.42]
6 35 ms 37 ms 36 ms qux-jh-dca-2.za-b.za.mtnbusiness.net [41.181.165.115]
7 17 ms * * 196.44.31.99
8 17 ms 17 ms 18 ms 196.31.220.8
9 * * 20 ms 196.31.220.27
10 15 ms 15 ms * 196.31.63.202
11 17 ms 16 ms 17 ms vl9-ah-ha-2.za.mtnbusiness.net [196.30.42.133]
12 16 ms 16 ms 18 ms cms-gm.afrihost.com [197.242.144.102]

Trace complete.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4305782468

Are you shaping P2P on business accounts now or not? I can hardly get 10 kb/s - 50 kb/s MAX on P2P and I am pushing data to a server of mine.
Click to expand...

We definitely don't shape P2P (or any services) on Business, but we are seeing some services perform poorly when demand is high on the network. Your latency seems mostly within acceptable range except for the last test.
 
That clears up a lot. I just returned to my connection. Last time I was home we had no telkom lines (junk stole lines in the area) that was fixed. Just rode past a Telkom Van guy sleeping next to the bakkie. And then saw that P2P was so slow that I can't push or pull data. Did the test, so take it that P2P on a business account will be shaped (and that is not what I signed up for) and that some websites can't even open. At least Skype is working so I can chat to my brother in Germany
 
AfriMan said:
We definitely don't shape P2P (or any services) on Business, but we are seeing some services perform poorly when demand is high on the network. Your latency seems mostly within acceptable range except for the last test.
Click to expand...

exactly the point when demand is high you don't have enough capacity
you are suppose to cater for all your customers not just half of them
 
Francois Marais said:
That clears up a lot. I just returned to my connection. Last time I was home we had no telkom lines (junk stole lines in the area) that was fixed. Just rode past a Telkom Van guy sleeping next to the bakkie. And then saw that P2P was so slow that I can't push or pull data. Did the test, so take it that P2P on a business account will be shaped (and that is not what I signed up for) and that some websites can't even open. At least Skype is working so I can chat to my brother in Germany
Click to expand...

it's definitely not being shaped, and I've even asked to be sure myself (which would be pretty awful) and it's been confirmed by management and technical team that they have not implemented any such rule :(
 
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