Crystal Web DSL performance feedback thread Part 4...

AfriMan said:
The team are working with each client individually - there doesn't seem to be any single state that all lines are in. Some are suspended, some are converted back to phone lines, etc.

Has someone from our side been in touch with you?
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Derrick..

Said it would be sorted by yesterday. Im no fan when people give you date/time of completion. One of things i dont like. Best to rather just tell me its in progress, instead of not being a 100% sure
 
RiD1 said:
Letting an ISP other than telkom manage your line works out better for me, when something goes wrong then they have all the power to see where the fault is, also port resets are simpler. Ive not checked again but the last time i was with Afrihost you could do your own port reset via the control panel if your line was managed by them.
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Personally, i believe AH has the best client portal and support. As i said before, i appreciate when there is a support structure in place across all platforms ie here, social media etc. You have somebody to complain to or compliment, without the need to hold an hour or get transferred to 5 different people
 
I also ordered with Afrihost last night and they received a message from telkom, even though I didnt order anything and when speaking to Telkom they cannot find adsl line, or it was deleted or this department cant help, move the next one... round and round1543470102502.png
 
Cant be bothered anymore, going to enjoy my holidays. My line is still up, with no service provider attached to it. Its nearly December, and i only got billed by Evonet for data. Ill pay them for December, and then cancelling, but im not paying anybody for my dsl line for December, if its not sorted before December 1st.
 
Was my situation as well until yesterday morning 9:30.

Story I got from CrystalWeb is that someone at openserve released the lines to the holding pool but didn't notify anybody and after 5 days it was just terminated.
 
AfriMan said:
The team are working with each client individually - there doesn't seem to be any single state that all lines are in. Some are suspended, some are converted back to phone lines, etc.

Has someone from our side been in touch with you?
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Hi

It seems our fibre service is classified as "ceased" due to this mess up... is this something you believe can be rectified by moving to Afrihost?
 
wesleyfraser said:
Was my situation as well until yesterday morning 9:30.

Story I got from CrystalWeb is that someone at openserve released the lines to the holding pool but didn't notify anybody and after 5 days it was just terminated.
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The problem is that this doesn't gel with the "official" OS policy of lines only being suspended after 30 days in the holding pool. Which makes me wonder whether it could be one of three scenarios:

1) The lines were moved to the holding pool over a month ago, CW didn't tell anyone (they couldn't NOT have known, surely)
2) Or maybe, the lines were moved to the pool last week but then were also suspended for non-payment? Again with CW not telling anyone.
3) CW is telling the truth and the lines were moved to the holding pool last week, they weren't informed, they didn't pick it up on their systems, and the lines got suspended unnaturally early for being unclaimed in the holding pool.

Color me skeptical.

Openweb is starting to look like first-class boy scouts compared to this sketchiness.
 
Thee
aktor said:
The problem is that this doesn't gel with the "official" OS policy of lines only being suspended after 30 days in the holding pool. Which makes me wonder whether it could be one of three scenarios:

1) The lines were moved to the holding pool over a month ago, CW didn't tell anyone (they couldn't NOT have known, surely)
2) Or maybe, the lines were moved to the pool last week but then were also suspended for non-payment? Again with CW not telling anyone.
3) CW is telling the truth and the lines were moved to the holding pool last week, they weren't informed, they didn't pick it up on their systems, and the lines got suspended unnaturally early for being unclaimed in the holding pool.

Color me skeptical.

Openweb is starting to look like first-class boy scouts compared to this sketchiness.
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The history of this whole matter is very convoluted and full of special cases as it affected individual line and those individuals were able to get lines activated as an interim measure.
Essentially, OS suspended CW lines because of non payment early in October. The 30-day period count down started. Then a flurry of activity saw some get their lines unsuspended others not. Then lines started being moved into the holding pool, after which another 30-day count down started. A SMS was supposed to be sent to account holders (by whom is unclear but it should have been by CW/Evonet) stating that you have 30 days to decide to re activate as a CW/Evonet line or move the line to another ISP or move the line back to your telephone account if you had an active fixed line.
After that things got really confusing. In essence if OS received no instructions the line then gets cancelled and you lose the line as it no longer exists. You then have to reapply as if you have never had a ADSL service.
Read Afriman's posts for more insight about the holding pool process.
Some of the techno gobblydegook is not that easy to understand either.
The important matter to realise is that Telkom Retail deals with customers on behalf of OS, as well as an ISP in their own right. There is a very subtle difference though between Telkom as an ISP (where a customer gets ISP services from Telkom) and where Telkom Retail is only managing the ADSL "line" as an ASP service on behalf of OS, with no Telkom ISP package associated with the ADSL ASP service.
Very few Telkom call centre and on line chat personnel appear to be able to understand the difference, let alone the general public out there.
But the actions Telkom Retail are supposed to take when dealing with these two cases are different.
 
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Waylander said:
Hi

It seems our fibre service is classified as "ceased" due to this mess up... is this something you believe can be rectified by moving to Afrihost?
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It depends on who installed and runs the fibre ASP service. Worth asking AH if they can help via a PM, but provide them with the details of who installed the fibre as well.
 
wesleyfraser said:
I also ordered with Afrihost last night and they received a message from telkom, even though I didnt order anything and when speaking to Telkom they cannot find adsl line, or it was deleted or this department cant help, move the next one... round and roundView attachment 585056
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There is a delay in the systems updating which some times means Telkom Retail can't always see what is going on with a line with up to date info.
In theory, Telkom Retail as an ISP, should NOT be able to "see" a ADSL "line" that is being managed by another ISP.
There are exceptions and because there are exceptions, there are holes in the holding pool process, which means ISPs are able to "see" details of each others' ADSL customers.

wesleyfraser said:
Was my situation as well until yesterday morning 9:30.

Story I got from CrystalWeb is that someone at openserve released the lines to the holding pool but didn't notify anybody and after 5 days it was just terminated.
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That story is full of BS.
CW failed to pay OS and OS suspended ALL the CW ADSL connections. Not "someone in OS". CW heaped all this on their heads and hence on yours as CW customers.
 
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Good day XXXX

Sadly, the ongoing dispute between Crystal Web and Openserve has
resulted in Openserve cancelling all Crystal Web lines - that is all
Telkom services bought and paid for through Crystal Web. This is in
spite of constant efforts by EvoNet to keep the lines open and have them
transferred to EvoNet at the earliest opportunity.

Please understand that this is not an EvoNet issue, and there is little
more that we can do in terms of intervention in this dispute. EvoNet has
its own relationship with Openserve which is not affected by this
dispute and which was supposed to now be servicing Crystal Web clients.

Sadly, some clients have reported to us that Telkom has told them to
take the cancellation of their services up with EvoNet. This is most
unfortunate and highlights a clear misunderstanding of the dynamics of
this dispute and the relationship between EvoNet and Crystal Web.

Please allow us to explain:

EvoNet has not bought Crystal Web. It is not part of Crystal Web, which
is a separate, free-standing company. EvoNet is an unrelated, separate
company with its own board of directors and shareholders.

EvoNet bought the Crystal Web client base in October this year and as
part of the purchase agreement with the directors and board of Crystal
Web, all client accounts and related lines were supposed to be migrated
from Crystal Web to EvoNet. Sadly, this did not happen. There are
various allegations in the public space at the moment pointing to
reasons why this migration did not take place, but EvoNet is not in a
position to speculate about these allegations or make comment on them.
These are questions which need to be answered by Crystal Web and we urge
you to take this up with them directly.

EvoNet's intervention in the dispute between Crystal Web and Openserve
was in good faith in the hope of achieving a smooth migration of the
client base it had just purchased. Unfortunately there is nothing more
EvoNet can do.

Once more, rest assured we have tried our level best to secure your line
with us. We are now in the difficult position of having to consider
legal action against Crystal Web for its failure to meet the obligations
of the purchase agreement that passed the Crystal Web client base to
EvoNet. This is far from ideal, and we are exceedingly frustrated
because it is you who is now suffering as a result of this needless
dispute and Crystal Web's inability to resolve matters with Openserve.

We can only hope to keep you updated on this issue, and trust that
matters will eventually be resolved, allowing us to fulfil our vision of
supplying you with the very best internet connectivity and networking
options available in South Africa.

Again, we apologise profusely for what you are going through and the
apparent shortcomings of your chosen ISP that have put you Sir, in this
position. Hopefully this will all be resolved in the very near future.

Sincerely yours,

EvoNet CEO Tim Germond and the EvoNet Team
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*edit*

Received this mail from Evo just now.
 
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"Get in touch with CrystalWeb directly".
Well yes, we've been trying. CrystalWeb's site support is staffed by "EvoNet" staff members. Guys are having an identity crisis over there.
 
aktor said:
"Get in touch with CrystalWeb directly".
Well yes, we've been trying. CrystalWeb's site support is staffed by "EvoNet" staff members. Guys are having an identity crisis over there.
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Therein is the problem many are facing, ownership and brand rights of which the responsible party is shifting the onus.
 
OMB said:
Who else has Openserve fibre that's also now been affected by this debacle?
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Openserve fibre is an almost duplicate of the ADSL issue. Openserve will not deal with an unlicensed service provider.
End of story.
Once again, my advice is get out of this deal, get your fibre connection direct from Openserve and be done with this. The sooner you do this the better and DONT deal with a third party to manage it for you.
 
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Anakha56 said:
*edit*

Received this mail from Evo just now.
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I suggest you reply back to them appropriately but ask them one simple question. That is to provide you with the proof of what type of service licence they have from ICASA and the details of that licence registration.
As a new service provider it should be either a I-ECNS, or, I-ECS or both.
 
Has anyone else received that email? Just sent a two liner response asking A: How do we contact CrystalWeb when all contact options provided lead to Evonet? B: What their service license is from ICASA and the details of said license. Let's see if I get a response... Probably to tell me to go away...
 
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