Crystal Web (NEW ISP) ADSL Feedback

[Crystal Web]

Let me share with you some more data: this is the exchange connecting Noordhoek:

Last night I was still calibrating the algorithms to exclude testing latency from the equation. I got this right at about 3am this morning as you can see from the above. Now we start to get some proper exchange performance data. As you can see, from about 8:30am in Noordhoek the exchange gets busy and response times increase. In fact they double. This is data one can work with to rule out issues, or spot issues. We also have access to the raw data for analysis, so I can tell you exactly how your exchange was performing last night at 5pm, for example, if you've subscribed to our trial.

This means that we can actually rule out the exchange as well as pick up issues. It's a better quality of support in our opinion.

 

[Looney]

there's several posts where exchange congestion are blamed for high pings. yet when changing accounts there's a different picture. maybe not intentionally. but its there.... as Paul said in his last post..

Mika1000: I really think you should cut CW some slack and remember that they have not officially launched and there is a known issue being worked on.

If you were expecting an amazing account pre launch then the only blame here is yourself for thinking that that was possible.

I myself am a CW member and I too have issues. Have you once heard me complain about them? No. I was fully aware of the fact that the accounts are not running at their full potential and that they will be resolved shortly.

If you are unable to accept this, then perhaps you are with the wrong ISP?

Just saying.

Oh and for the record. The minute that all issues are resolved and they have officially launched, If my account does not perform as expected, believe me, you'll hear about it.

For now, it is what it is. Either accept or move on.

 

[mika1000]

noted. I'm closely monitoring and would post my first weeks experience in detail on Tuesday.

performance are not up to scratch. unfortunately.

hopefully after the hardware been replaced and implemented it would be...

 

[Necuno]

International update:

The equipment has been released and is in transit to the rack. It should be racked over the next one to two days. Thereafter configuration and testing begins. This can be quite a process, and can take a few days, but expect speeds to begin sorting themselves out over the course of the next week. We thank you for your patience - it will truly be rewarded, and allows us to move forward with our new products and official launch now. Once the final configuration is complete the international troubles will be a thing of the past.

This is finally some good news. We will update you soonest with further information as and when we can.

Thanks for the update

 

[semaphore]

Let me share with you some more data: this is the exchange connecting Noordhoek:

Last night I was still calibrating the algorithms to exclude testing latency from the equation. I got this right at about 3am this morning as you can see from the above. Now we start to get some proper exchange performance data. As you can see, from about 8:30am in Noordhoek the exchange gets busy and response times increase. In fact they double. This is data one can work with to rule out issues, or spot issues. We also have access to the raw data for analysis, so I can tell you exactly how your exchange was performing last night at 5pm, for example, if you've subscribed to our trial.

This means that we can actually rule out the exchange as well as pick up issues. It's a better quality of support in our opinion.

Those graphs make me moist.

 

[Sinbad]

YES

It is a diagnostics exercise

Sign me up then

 

[Messugga]

Let me share with you some more data: this is the exchange connecting Noordhoek:

Last night I was still calibrating the algorithms to exclude testing latency from the equation. I got this right at about 3am this morning as you can see from the above. Now we start to get some proper exchange performance data. As you can see, from about 8:30am in Noordhoek the exchange gets busy and response times increase. In fact they double. This is data one can work with to rule out issues, or spot issues. We also have access to the raw data for analysis, so I can tell you exactly how your exchange was performing last night at 5pm, for example, if you've subscribed to our trial.

This means that we can actually rule out the exchange as well as pick up issues. It's a better quality of support in our opinion.

Wow, that's pretty cool. Didn't know you guys had access to that level of data. Perhaps as a matter of course, it would be wise to include graphs like that when you suspect that exchange congestion might be at play?
Unfortunately, because exchange congestion was often used (seemingly) as a scapegoat, it comes across as a cop-out. That doesn't mean that users can't ever exchange congestion though. Bit of a boy-who-cried-wolf situation you're stuck with.

And the sucky thing is that you then get accused by users of having shady business practices even though you've been pretty transparent about network issues we've been experiencing and you've been taking ownership of those issues that can be attributed to you.

Life's not always fair as a service provider...

Ps. Is there a way for us mere mortals to get access to those same graphs? I wouldn't mind being able to see what's going at my exchange. Perhaps if the user logs into their profile on your website, they should be able to see that sort of stuff?

 

[Necuno]

Sign me up then

read:

To all ADSL internet users,

We're currently testing a line quality monitoring tool and would like you to participate. This tool will give you detailed live and historical data of your exchange, allowing us to offer you even better support, and allowing you to have insight into potential problems, such as exchange congestion and downtime, in real-time, as well as being able to look back to see specific data on specific dates and at specific times. It also allows us to submit data to have exchange congestion issues resolved in highly congested areas.

If you'd like to be a part of this for the next 3 weeks, please email [email protected] with the subject "Exchange congestion" and all details will be submitted to you immediately thereafter.

But this is not only for customers of Crystal Web. Any ADSL internet user in SA can apply for this trial, and we'll begin to collect data for you for the next 3 weeks. Thereafter we will evaluate the situation and make a call on whether or not to introduce this.

For now your application to take part will only result in us collecting data on your behalf, and we will submit this data to you on a periodic basis. If we implement this fully, it will be integrated into the customer portal.

So feel free to take part so that we can properly evaluate whether this is a viable system for long term implementation.

Regards

Crystal Web

 

[Sinbad]

read:

On phone. Pain in ass.

 

[OMB]

there's several posts where exchange congestion are blamed for high pings. yet when changing accounts there's a different picture. maybe not intentionally. but its there.... as Paul said in his last post..

2 of those posts are relevant to my problem, CW is new on the scene as my ISP since Tuesday and have been helping out based on their understanding of the issue, as I explained in some of my responses I don't feel the issue is necessarily related to exchange congestion, as the user with the problem at no point have I seen these as being a blame from CW for the issue, they were just responding as best as they could based on the information that they had

I'm very happy with the process and progress that has been made so far, for me it's way too early in the day to start pointing fingers at CW given that they really are the new kid on the block and haven't even officially launched, right now I'm happy to cut them lots of slack

 

[Necuno]

On phone. Pain in ass.

I think you are using the phone in an incorrect manner.

 

[Sinbad]

I think you are using the phone in an incorrect manner.

Quite possible.

 

[Hectic]

I don't have the best of international experiences atm. Hopefully when the replacement part goes in and are configured things will look better.

Apart from that, I do like the way that CW seems to do their thing. Some very innovative stuff and good communication.
Please keep it up.

 

[Crystal Web]

Life's not always fair as a service provider...

Which is why we see no value in bullschitting our customers. It makes no sense whatsoever, and will always come back to bite you in the arse. We've seen this play out too many times on mybroadband to even consider it.

Ps. Is there a way for us mere mortals to get access to those same graphs? I wouldn't mind being able to see what's going at my exchange. Perhaps if the user logs into their profile on your website, they should be able to see that sort of stuff?

Absolutely. Just sign up for the State of the Telco Nation trial by dropping a message to [email protected] and an automated response will guide you through the steps required.

This is a hellishly expensive exercise, so we're looking at adoption, and want to survey our customers afterwards to see whether customers would be willing to pay a once-off fee for this, as it cannot be funded from existing margins.

We're looking at a once-off cost of R99 for our customers to subscribe to this. Non-Crystal Web-customers can also subscribe to it. That's the beauty - it's ISP independent.

 

[Messugga]

Which is why we see no value in bullschitting our customers. It makes no sense whatsoever, and will always come back to bite you in the arse. We've seen this play out too many times on mybroadband to even consider it.



Absolutely. Just sign up for the State of the Telco Nation trial by dropping a message to [email protected] and an automated response will guide you through the steps required.

This is a hellishly expensive exercise, so we're looking at adoption, and want to survey our customers afterwards to see whether customers would be willing to pay a once-off fee for this, as it cannot be funded from existing margins.

We're looking at a once-off cost of R99 for our customers to subscribe to this. Non-Crystal Web-customers can also subscribe to it. That's the beauty - it's ISP independent.

Email sent.

 

[Anakha56]

Yeah email sent from my side as well. I am more than happy to pay a small fee to get an idea of what my Exchange is up to. .

 

[Paul Hjul]

This is a hellishly expensive exercise, so we're looking at adoption, and want to survey our customers afterwards to see whether customers would be willing to pay a once-off fee for this, as it cannot be funded from existing margins.

We're looking at a once-off cost of R99 for our customers to subscribe to this. Non-Crystal Web-customers can also subscribe to it. That's the beauty - it's ISP independent.

Legal and finance are saying the overheads are a weeee bit more

 

[slvR]

Welp did not get any response after emailing a few times, used the online chat thing and they got me going, oddly enough I didn't get a confirmation of receipt when I emailed back with the requested information. Hope it got delivered...

Also have not gotten anything regarding payment. I'm using Gmail so it's probably not on my end..

 

[Crystal Web]

Welp did not get any response after emailing a few times, used the online chat thing and they got me going, oddly enough I didn't get a confirmation of receipt when I emailed back with the requested information. Hope it got delivered...

Also have not gotten anything regarding payment. I'm using Gmail so it's probably not on my end..

There is an automated response to the exchange submissions. Well, there should be. Looks like a few messages were stuck in the outgoing spool and I'm trying to get them to fire off at the moment.

With regards to payment, please let us know what this is in relation to. There is no payment required for the 3 week trial of this system.

 

[Messugga]

There is an automated response to the exchange submissions. Well, there should be. Looks like a few messages were stuck in the outgoing spool and I'm trying to get them to fire off at the moment.

With regards to payment, please let us know about this. There is no payment required for the 3 week trial of this system.

Wouldn't mind paying, but it looks like I may very well be moved to VDSL within this year still so it'll be a bit of a waste.

There is a funny thing where I used to get what looked like my port at the exchange, killed every other Saturday. Would be interesting to see whether it has to do with load.