Bandwidth woes - An explanation from Sentech ?

B

bb_matt

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I think by now, we deserve some kinda concrete explanation from Sentech as to why this bandwidth disaster is happening.

For some people it's been as much as 5 days of terrible connectivity.

Things do seem to be improving, but that's not the point.

When I consider I'm spending a total of R16151 for my service for 2 years, I'd like to be informed when troubles persist for more than 48 hours.

Right now, I can't even get an 24kbs internet radio stream running for more than 20 seconds !

Get your a$s in gear Sentech, because right now, nobody in thier right minds would recommend you ! - to think, at least 4 people I know will be getting Sentech soon based on my past recommendations - maybe I should tell them to hang 5 on that ... [:(!]
 
bb matt,

Your message makes me very happy.
I have just got connection (2 days) 512 - and can't believe how bad it is.
If there is a problem - why don't they say so?. Waiting for tech to respond and don't hold breath!
I have been trying all sorts of things to improve speed but no luck.
Now ... I don't understand this, when you go to their web site & do the speed test, it shows happy days of 30/40 kb/s & in the real world all I can get is 4.7kb/s max.
Lets hope it gets better.
Thanks for the pointer.
 
Hi peeps

In all fairness, the SASSER worm has been wreaking havok across the globe, I have also experienced lack of capacity on my ADSL, but I'm not even going to complain, Telkom and all.

This 'excuse' should be sorted out by now though and I'd imagine if it were the problem you should soon be blissfully speeding along the broadband lane again.

[;)]

<font color="green">Video didn't kill the radio star...</font id="green"> <font color="red">Telkom did</font id="red">
 
The Sasser started tailing off on Thursday.
My work ADSL connection from Telkom was perfect Thursday and Friday.

I'd just like to hear basically what happened.
Like I said, 48 hours without explanation is acceptable, 5 days isn't.
 
A futher mechanism to scale back the call centre would be to stick little stickers on the new modem boxes that say "For FREE help, go to www.myadsl.co.za/forum" &lt;- perhaps this forum needs a new URL ie. www.mywi.co.za ?

Perhaps rpm can help initiate this drive?

I do think a potential call centre employee should use mywireless at home for 1 month before starting support. Then they will know more about cantennas, poor service etc. They should also be instructed to read through this forum completely (minus the bickering)
 
I have already suggested on several occasions that we should use our URL:
http://www.mywireless.co.za
and point it here but........ [V]


<hr noshade size="1"><center><font color="blue">MyWireless Stuff</font id="blue">
<font size="1"><font color="black">The opinions expressed here are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer</font id="size1"></font id="black"></center>
 
Hi guys

I am open to suggestions. Let me know what you would like to see and I will try to make it happen… As for this forum…Sentech will benefit greatly from pointing customers here. It will relieve the workload on their helpdesk for no extra charge. I made the same offer to Telkom but unsurprisingly they did not accept. It just makes sense to have an independent forum where users can assist each other, give their views etc.

Regards,


RPM
[email protected]
 
Thanks rpm, but I really don't think there's much you can do without an official response from Sentech.

If no representative in a marketing capacity has bothered to inform anyone of the problems in this forum, the only way we'll get any feedback is if it becomes an official part of the Sentech support policy.

I'm very sure that some people 'at the top' are aware that this forum exists - we can only hope that someone takes an initiative and adds an extra level of support via an official support forum.
 
The problem (IMO) is that there will be negative commentary on these forums no-matter-what. So if Sentech endorses the forum, they are saying yes we accept that negative commentary and its part of our offering and marketing. Thats probably the way they look at it. Up to last week 95% of comments were pretty constructive but lately I think they will be hesistant about using myadsl forum.

That said, I stick by what I say. I think it would be a good idea for them to use the stickers etc. What about all the people with no knowledge yet of the forum? What must they be thinking during this *bad* time? Theyre also probably phoning the call centre everyday. They also dont benefit from the advice of the other users and ProAsm etc.

Perhaps sentech should send out a mail ([email protected])
 
Good point - it could be a marketing nightmare to officially endorse an open forum.

Emails would be good. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to setup an internal fault reporting system where the Sentech help desk can fire of emails via a form to anyone who will be affected by problems with a simple "we're experiencing technical difficulties, normal service should be up in x hours/days"
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Sentech will benefit greatly from pointing customers here. It will relieve the workload on their helpdesk for no extra charge.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">Hi RPM,
You should see the reactions from clients when I tell then to goto www.myadsl.co.za
Perhaps a change of the URL to www.mybroadband.co.za/forums/ and then several forums, ADSL, ISDN, MyWireless, Wi-Fi or whatever.
The logo "myadsl" at the top left also kinda hits one in the face [:D]
Also it would be interesting although not important to know how many of the current registered users registered for MyWireless or MyAdsl as looking at the number of posts and topics on this forum, it wont be long before there are more than all the other topics combined. [:)]

Anyway its your call, and we are all very gratefull to you for this space to rant off [:)]

just my 0.02c worth [;)]


<hr noshade size="1"><center><font color="blue">MyWireless Stuff</font id="blue">
<font size="1"><font color="black">The opinions expressed here are mine alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer</font id="size1"></font id="black"></center>
 
Hi ProASM

I think it is a good idea to develop MyBroadband for that purpose. I will work on it and see what I can come up with. That will mean that MyADSL and MyBroadband will not be mirrors any more, but I will try to create some continuity… I can understand the confusion with MyADSL and that is why I registered MyBroadband and hosting it on a separate account :)

Regards,

RPM
[email protected]
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by rpm</i>
<br />Hi ProASM

I think it is a good idea to develop MyBroadband for that purpose. I will work on it and see what I can come up with. That will mean that MyADSL and MyBroadband will not be mirrors any more, but I will try to create some continuity… I can understand the confusion with MyADSL and that is why I registered MyBroadband and hosting it on a separate account :)

Regards,

RPM
[email protected]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Thanks for providing this forum for us.
Hope its not costing too much.
If it is you should consider using ads, as much as I dislike them, I would live with them to be able to use this forum!

[:D]
 
I was planning to go to the Nowire shop in Menlyn today and sign up for the 1 year contract and buy the modem cash. Total cost of R4600 to me. As I am not willing to sign a 2 year contact.

But with all the problems I have read in the last 2 days about slow speeds and poor services. I decided 2 wait a further month and see if Sentech cleans up it's act.
I not trading in a cheaper working service for a more expensive unreliable service.

On the same note I believe Sentech can do alot on their side to gain customers.
Their application process sounds like a nightmare. They can learn something from Cell C direct here. I phoned them up gave them all my details they did the credit check while I was on the phone and accepted to debt my credit card. They delivered my phone in 2 days and I signed the contract the courier brought, no need for me to pre-sign a contract and fax it.

Another lesson can be learnt from Mweb and Absa. Mweb has one of the biggest dailup bases in South Africa even thou not been the cheapest ISP and one of the main driving behind it was subsidized R99 modem drive a few years back. They lowered the entry point for alot of people to get the internet and experience it, once they had you agree to debt order they had you hooked for years, as to change ISP the person would have to buy a new modem, go through the effort of cancelling the service with a 1 month notice. It would take a repeated bad experience to get people to switch.
<b>Subsidizing the modem will boost your users base, and goodwill, lower the entrance point.</b>
Your Modem cost are more expensive compared to your competing services. Eg 56k 400 rand; Isdn 600 rand; Adsl R1200.

Absa has the largest internet banking base in South Africa, for one reason it offered free internet access for short period of time. Once they got their clients to experience online banking and see the benifit, they less adverse to paying R60 a month for internet access.

I would say fire your current product/marketing/pricing managers and hire more dynamic ones. As they lack the vision on how big this product can be in South Africa and how fast it can get there.
It is clear they have no understanding of how to acquire/maintain market share.
I estimate Sentech spent about R10million on buying TV Air time for their advert.
What ROI do you think they got from it ?
What was interest rate in the product. (Calls to the call centre enquiring) ?
What was the interest shown after mention of a 2 year contract & price ?
What was the enquiry take up rate ? (Signed up customers divided by enquiring number of potional customers).


Food for thought - I got can do alot with R4600 in one month, (entrance cost to mywireless if I don't want to sign the 2 year contract). I buy a Big Tv, a new computer, a Lcd 17'inch monitor. A fancy couch. Some new speakers for my NAD amp. Digital camera. A holiday at the coast.
Are you getting the idea.
Can somebody that actual knows somebody in Sentech feed them some ideas mention here. Workshop them and make them happen.

I am all for this technology to take off in South Africa and I get frustrated when they stumble on straight forward business issues.
 
To Group,
a copy of my e-mail to Sentech.
Thanks for your contributions, without your valuable help I would still be 'pulling the rods from ractor' in a vain effort to 'fix my
connection'


Sentech support ?

Why don't you let your customers know that you have a problem?

An e-mail to them would do the trick. After days of trying to do something on my side I find on 'MyADSL/MyBroadband' web site that this affects many.
The Sasser virus is reportedly the culprit, according to the 'MyADSL/MyBroadband' web site, you would do well to note what goes on there!
I have had your inferior product for a few days and look forward to
some kind of rebate for disappointing service.
I am paying R1,499 + a month (512) for 4.7kb/s service ????
Because of this I cannot cancel my existing internet account and
so I have to pay for two expensive, poor internet experiences.
Thanks for this.

I waited a month for the modem to arrive then a further two weeks
for an appropriate cable (ethernet for Mac users R250.00) and after all this
I find I get "dial up" speeds for R18,000 pa. ?
Your lack of Mac support / knowledge is a further disappointment.
The word disappoint is used rather frequently - no?

I hope you can sort out your problems -
I will be very surprised to receive a reply from you as your technical, non-exixtant
customer support is a bad joke.
Honesty with your customer base may bring a surprising amount of support to your
times of trouble. Try it, it may work.


Disappointingly yours,
Rick Colborne. [V]
 
Good on you pixie - please keep us posted on the forum for Sentech's response (if any) - this way we can all get an idea of whether its a glitch or a policy, and can thus take appropriate action. (ie sue, or cancel contract)
There's safety in numbers, and if its a policy course Sentech've chosen, then they may attempt to diversify the negative impact by simply getting their call centres to explain to the hundreds (thousands?) of irked customers individually that its the customers who are being 'unreasonable' and there's nothing wrong..
I'm still hoping that its a glitch and they're just dumb and trying to cover their ignorance..
(But I'm aware that worst case scenario, a couple of hundred bux each from 50 or so peeved Sentech customers, could buy a couple of very mean lawyers to institute court actions and seriously bad publicity for Sentech..hopefully it wont come to that - but a 24month 'legal' contract for a less-than-modem-speed service, isnt acceptable..)
 
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