Gatecrasher said:
But I sometimes wonder whether posts are made to help Iburst users, or whether they are made simply to slam the service, because it helps fulfil their predictions.
I wanted iBurst to succeed too. You have no idea how much. I was the first person to receive one of their official new 1.8ghz modems. I started work on fixing the Linux drivers the moment I could. Of course, when I heard that the package they were offering is WORSE than ADSL (Cap/Cost/Speed), I returned the modem immediately. In fact, here's a piccy of the paper bag I sent it back in:
http://rodent.za.net/gallery/albums/miscellaneous/IM000265.sized.jpg
Right then and there - I knew that their marketing department was going to screw up a wonderful technology. Unfortunately I' had previously paid my dues for holding onto a crappy service in the hopes that it might turn out good, and I wasn't about to do it again. Perhaps, in a few months things will be different on the iBurst-scape - and perhaps in a few months you will order ADSL if things have not yet been sorted out.
Take some advice from me though. Don't put your hopes too high, and don't spend too much time on these forums debating things, and analyzing things. In fact - this tip can probably go for everyone in this thread. It's a waste of time, it won't make iBurst react any faster, and it's not going to bring you back any money in your pocket.
Rather make a personal call on the issue. Create a deadline for the service working perfectly for
yourself. If things aren't fixed by that date, let the service go, and look for alternatives. It's about YOU, and YOUR money, and YOUR satisfaction. Not iBurst's. So if YOU dont feel satisfied, and if YOU feel you've had enough -- GET OUT. It's healthier that way. This is the reason I got out after 3 days. If you can get ADSL and want some convincing about why ADSL is great, then come visit me some time - I'll be glad to demonstrate.
Shaun Green commenting here is a good thing, and a damned nice attempt from their side. But other than that, EVERY SINGLE THING THEY'VE SAID PUBLICALLY SO FAR -
IS EXACTLY WHAT SENTECH SAID when they went through these "teething" problems. It is standard corporate practice.
Now, you might say that this brings nothing to bear on fulfulling my predictions of doom, etc... But - I have a knack for spotting trends, having written technical analysis software for stock markets etcetera. And unfortunately the trends are pretty much the same as before.
Some "interesting" similarities.
1. Brand new wireless technology.
2. Promises the world.
3. Promises amazing speed.
4. Must be better than the beast called Hellkom.
5. Utterly clueless marketing department starts advertising.
6. Marketing department sees $$$ instead of the opportunity to take over internet provisioning in .ZA and kill Telkom.
7. Instead invents crappy product packaging that doesn't beat Telkom.
8. Claims it's better than DSL because it's wireless and "ooh mobility!"
9. Product starts becoming available.
10. Initial uptake.
11. Initial users ecstatic. Product AWESOME!
12. 2 weeks later the authentication server goes down.
13. The freshly, hastily installed towers start yo-yo-ing up and down.
14. Users call helldesk and complain.
15. Helldesk promises immediate action.
16. Users impressed by Helldesk promises.
17. Problems go away for a few weeks.
19. More users sign up.
20. The towers start taking strain, because the implementers had no clue and "hey it worked for us!"
21. Speeds start sucking.
22. Users phone helldesk complaining about speed.
23. Helldesk inform marketing, and second level support.
24. Marketing figures it's a good thing, since it means that people are actually using this thing and that "the ball is now rolling". Starts advertising HEAVILY.
25. Second level support claims all is ok, and just a few "tweaks" are required.
26. Users complain more as speeds get even worse, and heavy advertising brings more users.
27. Helldesk promises that second level support is now "working on implementing the solution" - or that "your'e the only one on your tower having problems".
28. Second level support doesn't have a fscking clue what's going on, so they just randomly tweak stuff. Users start to buy antennae and cans to "improve their signal" since it's "only them that have the problem". It's the "I'm not OK" syndrome.
29. The random tweaks make things even worse.
30. Users cry, but feel too stupid to cancel the service, since they've already exclaimed how much it roxorz.
31. Instead users whine more at the Helldesk.
32. Helldesk says things are "in progress". User must be patient.
33. Eventually marketing starts to hear about the "bad product vibe"
34. Calls in techies and asks "Wtf is going on?"
35. Techies say that must be a hardware problem and that the kit is defective.
36. Marketing goes bananas and calls in "the overseas guys" since the "local techies" are clearly not cutting it.
37. Users whine at Helldesk, but since second level support is now usurped by "the overseas guys" they just tell the users there's no problem, except for that tower. Local techies feel miffed.
38. Newspapers start to hear about the crappy service and talk to marketing.
39. Marketing denies everything and claims that it's simply 1-2% of users having problems. "Here be no dragons".
40. Users are now whining constantly, flaming in the myadsl.co.za forums and threatening with ASA action etc.
Need I carry on?
There's an old story about housewives involved in a chain-scheme: Selling little plastic balls that supposedly "atomically soften the water in your washing machine" - saving you money and soap. Of course, the ball does absolutely nothing. But every housewife that's purchased one convinces all her FRIENDS to purchase one too (from her), because
she feels too embarassed to admit she's been conned, and would rather drag her friends into the scheme with her too, by lying through her teeth. Naturally her friends continue the scheme, because they too, don't want to feel like the only idiots that fell for it.
Yes, iBurst is a
beta service. Yes, it could possibly get better. But just remember that you shouldn't have to wait forever. Consider this post whichever way you want - "helpful" or "doomsaying". This is the past, and these have been the experiences of a number of people. I can tell you now, that if you think you've been swindled for as much as
one day of the month, then insist on a refund TODAY, not tomorrow, not next month. Because then it will be too late. Act now. There's the advice - the rest is up to you. Heck cancel the service until such time they get their issues sorted out. Consider going back to 56k for a few months, keep your UTD. BUT don't continue supporting an unreliable service just for the sake of supporting it. All that that will show iBurst is that people are prepared to put up with ****. Make a statement, be kind, and tell them that they can resubscribe you when they've sorted out their billing screw-ups, their service stability, and the performance. Bur for pete's sake... Don't continue rewarding them with money.
Right now, I'm using the monthly subscription I'm saving Sentech/iBurst (since I only ever used them as top-up for ADSL) and buying an 802.11b/g access point every month, and I'm rigging up my neighbourhood of Greenside. It's a lot more fun. Think of doing the same. You'll be doing community networks (or your own little business) a lot of good, instead of throwing money at a service that can currently only be summed up as "frustrating".
My apologies - this seemed to turn out to be a bit of a LoneGunman post.
