Afrihost/Vumatel download speed issue

overit98

overit98

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Richards Bay
Afrihost/Vumatel - 500mbps download / 200mbps upload line

Download speed drops during peak and off-peak hours. Some days the line is perfect for 8+ hours without a drop, other days it's stuck between 10-80mbps download speed for 4-12 hours. (10-80mbps is on Afrihost JHB speedtest.net server, but most DBN and JHB servers perform similarly, only server that is always 500/200 no matter the time of day is Cool Ideas JHB).

There hasn't been a single day in the last 2 months were the line was perfect for an entire day. It always drops at some point during the day.

Upload speed is NEVER affected. Always stable. Only download speed is affected, but once download speed drops, there is 4-8% packet loss in CS2, but WinMTR tests come back "normal".

-Router replaced (waste of money, thanks Afrihost whatsapp support)
-ONT replaced
-Vumatel re-spliced the connection outside
-Vumatel moved me to a different splitter
-Vumatel used OTDR to check the fibre line on my property
-Lan cables replaced

7 tickets with Vumatel in the last 2 months and they sent technicians to my house on 6 different occasions. I've tried explaining to Vumatel and Afrihost that this is not a CPE issue, but they won't listen.

I've done speed tests with my PC connected to ONT directly, makes no difference. Router/ONT/cables is not the issue.

Afrihost opens a Vumatel ticket and says the issue is with Vumatel.
Vumatel closes the ticket and says the issue is with Afrihost.

The other day I noticed when I enable Cloudflare WARP, it fixes the download speed issue in most cases. Seems like an IPC / Peering congestion issue.

An example where cloudflare "fixes" the problem -
https://imgur.com/a/ffJnRyz
An example where some servers are good and other are bad -
https://imgur.com/a/wvc8k7t

If someone from Afrihost is willing to help and actually resolve this, please reach out (if you're going to open another Vumatel ticket, don't bother replying). If the problem isn't solved by 9 January 2026, then cancellation stays in place and I'll get a better ISP & FNO.
 
The clowns at AH/Vuma can't fix the issue. Vuma's response to Afrigirl is the exact same as the one I got weeks ago. They're not looking into it. ICASA will be involved. Good luck

https://imgur.com/a/WYK0EaQ
 
Last edited:
Tangentially I had very similar issues with Afrihost back in my ADSL days, speed issues that nobody could ever get resolved so I just decided to never use Afrihost again.

I know they have thousands of happy customers but they were just not a fit for me apparently. I was very concerned when they bought out Cool Ideas but so far CI still seems to be operating independently, if that were to change I'd have to look elsewhere.
 
That's awful. I will never use Afrihost again either. Horrible communication and unhelpful.

Just signed up for CI/Openserve, so hopefully the issue is only on AH/Vuma side.
 
overit98 said:
That's awful. I will never use Afrihost again either. Horrible communication and unhelpful.

Just signed up for CI/Openserve, so hopefully the issue is only on AH/Vuma side.
Click to expand...

Hi

Apologies for the issues experienced.

I was also involved with this query from a NOC perspective. Unfortunately, we have exhausted all options to get the issue resolved.
Do you want to give us a try on Openserve?
 
LMAO!!!!!!

If the problem persists even on AH/Openserve? Then I have to pay R999 + 1 month notice to cancel. You're a funny guy.
 
overit98 said:
LMAO!!!!!!

If the problem persists even on AH/Openserve? Then I have to pay R999 + 1 month notice to cancel. You're a funny guy.
Click to expand...

Okay. I was just thinking we can give Openserve a try on Afrihost since we gave you January for free to retain you as a client.
 
Yeah no. Then I'm stuck for 6 months or pay R999 cancellation if the line is ****.

Well the retention was for December, but your billing department ****ed up (shocker), hence why the free month was applied to January.

You want me to go with AH/Openserve, because then you can definitively say if the issue is with AH or Vuma. I'm not here to do your job.
 
overit98 said:
That's awful. I will never use Afrihost again either. Horrible communication and unhelpful.

Just signed up for CI/Openserve, so hopefully the issue is only on AH/Vuma side.
Click to expand...
Why not Vuma with CISP? Let AH release your line.
 
And if Vuma is **** with CISP too? Then I'm stuck with that for another month + 1 month notice. Doesn't seem worth it.

If i switch ISP + FNO, then the problem should theoretically be gone.
 
overit98 said:
And if Vuma is **** with CISP too? Then I'm stuck with that for another month + 1 month notice. Doesn't seem worth it.

If i switch ISP + FNO, then the problem should theoretically be gone.
Click to expand...
Openserve is also the better option, since you can easily switch PPPoE accounts to another ISP, to test out if a problem is ISP or FNO side. You don't need to ask for VLAN changes, etc

+1 for openserve
 
Openserve came to install the new line today and damaged the existing Vumatel line.

Told them where the line started and where it entered the house.

Feels malicious to me. The guy smiled as he told me they damaged the Vumatel line. Its a big ****ing joke to them.

https://imgur.com/a/AOFXvIr

Will be interesting to see how CISP and Openserve handles this situation.
 
I've got a 500/250 Openserve line with Afrihost, always get my full line speed 24/7. I sincerely doubt the issue you're having is with Afrihost.
 
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