Datapro

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Bobb

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If anyone uses the Datapro uncapped business solution (+- R820 / month) can you give me feedback on latency, speed and port prioritization.

Need to move over to an uncapped account but would like to have access to download my linux torrents whenever i want and don't want to pay the earth!

Thanks
Cheers
 
Don't, don't and once again don't!

Bobb,

We have used DataPro's 'unlimited' ADSL for a year or so now. What a pile of crap! It works like this, according to them. The first 3 GB is actually just a normal Telkom ADSL account, once you hit this limit they move you over on to their inhouse bandwidth for international but still route you through the Telkom account locally. Of course ICMP packets are blocked for international so you can't trace or ping. Now believe me, once you get through the initial cap, your international drops to 6.4k, if you're lucky. I literally phone them once a day and know probably every name at their help desk. (Which isn't many, I count about 6-9!) Because everyone else is complaining you're always on hold, they can never tell you what the problem is but always make up some bull****, which you know isn't true. Traffic is shaped to ****, so forget about torrents! Let me be frank, It's not worth it. I have just ordered another Telkom ADSL line for testing versus Datapro.

As a guide, I have Senetech at home with a Cantenna and Smoothwall, this performs better the Datapro!
 
A company we did a review on, was using the datapro service. During testin, it went down a few times completely. While it was up, the international sites were dead slow. Google didn't open half the time. One site that seemed to have been cached on their linux server they provide you (the FULL MONTHY), was the only international site that was quick.

We then used our uncapped solution on their line, to rule out the possibility that the line was fkd. The uncapped aco**** performed to its specifications, providing the full 512K int bandwidth. The customer signed up that day.
 
uunet = a no no.

They just cant provide a consistant service. The one day its brilliant and perfect, the next day you get almost nothing, just enough to say its not nothing. Axxess however is not a bad option at all, but still has its limit.

If you really need uncapped adsl for a small company, I'd say the best deal so far is the ISadsl with 5 static ips.

If you are a consumer, rather go with Axxess.
 
Actually I took a look at datapro's website again.

There is in total 4 different uncapped solutions now...

For business' there are 3 options, of which the 1st look like the original option bob explained, the 2nd one looks like ISadsl with 5 static ips and the 3rd like an expensive uunet option.

Then lastly there is a consumer one, which looks like the uunet offer again...

I emailed them, more than 24 hours now, still no reply.
 
DataPro ADSL Offering

DataPro offer all the major providers ADSL solutions includingt our own and will shortly offer our own a wireless ADSL as well.

We believe that Telkom used their ADSL solutions to outflank the private ISP's and gain a significant share of the local bandwidth, this has proved successful and the latest peering arguments between them and IS is evidence of them flexing their muscles. Their ISP product is cross subsidised by the line fees to make it almost impossible to compete.

We decided a year ago to adapt a solution by bypassing the cripples imposed (Cap's shaping etc) and start to compete. This was a necessary in all our interests so that some competition would develop. Our product has evolved, improved and stabilised, We currently provide ours, IS's, UUNET's and Telkom's so we can swap out and change depending on the unique requirements of each customer. We also focus on businesses because we can't afford to have the solution abused by part time consumers and small IT companies. This is a problem because certain customers believe it their right to suck down 512 Kb/s International businesses permanently. Everyone’s costs (Excl Telkom) for 2 Mb/s of bandwidth are: International R128,000, Local R16,000 and R27,000 to the ADSL Cloud. Anyone who can work a calculator can see what contention ratio is required to breakeven.

Currently we lead the pack in this broadband sector, UUNET have withdrawn their product, Sentech have had expensive lessons and IBurst have still some to learn. We like to work with customers to work out the best solution and we believe that in most cases of the cases we have been successful but we do have separate pipe to keep the worst abusers off our network where they can abuse each other. This is unfortunate, it makes enemies but we can’t afford to subsidise these customers or allow them to effect our other customers.

Bottom line for normal business use we will consistently strive to improve the product and provide it on a win win basis. We will see continuous improvements as the Telco monopoly disintegrates over the next 5 years which is dependent upon the likes of DataPro providing alternatives.
 
excellent - management are always most welcome when they deign to descend into the hurly-burly of the forum
 
Thanks Doug !

Dominic, I've met with Doug some years back through my old web design company and I can say he's a down-to-earth guy. During my years hosting with Datapro and our 128k diginet line, the service was good.

If anyone can provide competition to Telkom, Datapro can.

Nope, I don't work for Datapro, have no affiliations with them currently - just speaking from experience - as you can see, the MD himself has taken the time to address peoples concerns, which is always a sign of a progressive and honest company.

In comparison, years back before my company went with datapro, we tried dealing with IS for a dedicated server and a leased line solution - the arrogance we received at the time was shocking. Apparently R10 000 a month of business to IS about 5 years back put us in the "small league" and we were shunted from pillar to post until we gave up. Datapro, in contrast, had our solution ready in a matter of weeks at a much better cost. Whether IS have improved since then, or whether we just dealt with the wrong sales guy, I don't know, but from that day on, I vowed never to deal with IS again.
 
cool, was a sincere welcome - if more MDs and upper management listened to what their most knowledgeable customers and potential customers were saying the world would be a better place and their products would be more profitable

when they take the leap and join in the conversation in a disciplined and constructive manner as some have done, well, shucks, i think that is not only admirable but also great business
 
Cut the Bullsh1t, DouglasR

With all due respect I have been involved in the Internet/Web Industry since day 1 in this country. I run several networks and have web servers both here and in the States! DataPro's 'Unlimited' Solution barely crawls once one has used up the first 3GB. It's a FACT! As is the fact that I have spoken to everyone from Janine to Mohammed at Datapro and several others. I now no longer bother.

It doesn't really help if you lead the pack in supplying bugger-all.

This is a problem because certain customers believe it their right to suck down 512 Kb/s International businesses permanently.

Well? In my opinion, after spending so many years on the web, there is very little reason to want to download 200 GB a month, as this generally means one is downloading warez of some sort, however when I desperately need to download a service pack, kick everyone off the line, and get 4-6 Kb from Micro$oft. And then try the same download from one of my local web servers and get +25 Kb, I know you're bull-sh1tting me.

At the very least let me trace!
 
I, for one, would like to see douglasr's response to this.
I'd hate to find myself saying good things about a company if they weren't actually fact.
 
Hi SorCcre1
I am not sure who you are or what solution you are referring to but give me a ring 011 809-1541 and lets see if we can provide you with a solution that most suits your needs. Maybe I am wrong but from your posting I understand that you are not a big user but you require decent downloads speeds when you need it. If that's the case then the Telkom solution is probably the best at R250 pm / 3GB, if you need more and the latency is not an issue and local bandwidth congestion is not an issue then the DataPro Static Uncapped (Static IP solution from IS) is the best at R1539 pm other wise the solution I think you are on the DP Bus ADSL, this is a good all-round solution for most small businesses requirements. Unfortunately we cannot offer the DataPro Standard Uncapped (Supplied by UUNET) because they have put a hold on new applications but the service is similar to the DP Uncapped.
 
Douglasr, btw what is the story with Datapro offering uncapped which really means 10gig? I post about this a while ago.

The funny thing really regarding this, I phone on purpose about having an vpn to uk and need uncapped bandwidth. After mentioning this, the sales person told me that I wont have enough bandwidth on the uncapped solution, Ill need to get a custom package of X(how much I would like). Eventually calculating 40gig per month, I was told it would cost me R5000.

We both know what uncapped means, 10gig means etc. Why not call it hire capped at 10gig package sold by Telkom but we cant offer something better solution?

Its either uncapped, or capped. We dont need bull****ting going around what uncapped "really" means.

I have tried datapro products before aswell, and its as bad as sentech.. realisticly Id rather have a 128k sentech solution going at a cheaper cost than having your package.

I still dont see how Reselling other solutions = competition for telkom. Reselling Telkom products is making Telkom more anti-competitive.
 
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Well if I read his post correct, they offer their own, they also resell IS adsl (not telkom as you mentioned Clipse) and they also resell UUNET (when the application on that is not postponed...). That is 3 different uncapped solutions...

Agreed UUNET suck big time, IS one is a little expensive but consistant.
They however resell the normal telkom accounts for those who dont need expensive adsl uncapped, however I found those to be a little expensive too if I compare it to www.budgetadsl.co.za

My experience with datapro is like this, when you email them, heck it takes 3-5 days to get a response (excluding that automailer back that they recieved your email)

I once used an account on their dialup numbers (before they changed to reselling saix dialups) and those are still one of the best I used. Its too bad they dont offer the same (connection between telkom's dslams directly onto the datapro backbone) with adsl. If you ask me, this is the isp that could possibly bring out adsl accounts with the best possible ping times to international gaming servers. Unfortunatly I am 100% sure not 1 isp in this country will even attempt that :(
 
sorCrer1 said:
With all due respect I have been involved in the Internet/Web Industry since day 1 in this country. I run several networks and have web servers both here and in the States!
Click to expand...

And your name is "sorCrer1" ? If you have local servers, why don't you just VPN to them for your connectivity?
 
I have read through this topic carefully, as there are many angry people here and many unsatisfied users. I would like to firstly point out the following fact, I own an ISP called ODS, we purchase all of our bandwidth from Datapro.

However I would like to point the following out. And before you flame me just have a look at all the other companies trying to offer uncapped.

1. Datapro, while they may not get back to you asap, do have good staff who are willing to go out of there way. And if you dont belive me call them.

2. I have a huge amount of respect for Douglas, he has developed and grown a initaly small ISP into a reliable 1st tier network.

3. If you look at the uunet offering, datapro offering and quite frankly any uncapped offering, the only thing that hold them back is Telkom and there pricing. The only fortunate ones are IS as the have the muscle to push Telkom around to a certain degree. However with nedcore and old mutal pulling out there is going to be a lot of bleading on there side.

When a product is called a Business package / (correct me if I am wrong ) it is ment for business, buiness does not included p2p or torrent usage unless for ligit reasons.

The fact the Douglas gave you his number and is willing to work on these problems indicates a company that will try to move mountins for the customers, try that at any other ISP.
 
Tinuva - I read everything you replied with, and that is your personal experience and I respect it.

Now I would just like to know from douglas whats the reason for them trying to bill on the "proposed vpn bandwidth, that I intend to setup myself, R5000 for 40gig) when I can quiet happily do the same with stringed 3gig accounts at most expensive or axxess account if I want to save money.

I dunno, the way I have been handled with that case just didnt want me to put any trust in datapro, yet thats my personal experience and perhaps I got to a ****ty sales rep?
 
Karnaugh!

Howzit Karnaugh,

If you have local servers, why don't you just VPN to them for your connectivity!

Because my studious friend, they're production servers in the real world which paying clients use! It wouldn't really make sense to load them with additional traffic when I am paying for a Datapro 'Uncapped' Business Solution. Essentially thats the problem with studying, you don't have any experience in what happens out here in the real world.

BTW, I matriculated before you were born!
 
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sorCrer1, I think that was a little childish of you, you know a bit about Karnaugh, but I think every person on this forum still deserve some respect. A good example is Clipse. He saw my post, understands that that was my experience, he explained his, and no one gets unhappy. Very mature of him.

I also agree with him its possible that we both had totally different experiences, as we both experienced different products from datapro. Its quite possible that datapro's 1st adsl uncapped solution did not work good at all, as I have never used it. I know datapro has the potential, they might not see it as a good oppertunity though :(

Also I have to agree, the fact that he gave his number to you to call him directly, that is quite amazing it self...
 
LOL

It was my mistake, I thought perhaps with all those paying clients and local servers you had purchased one of your own, or had one for testing which would be easy to route a few bits through to give your self international connectivity - if you're unhappy with Datapro's service then no one is forcing you to pay, and you seem to have the resources to self provide and equal service (as you claimed, you arn't trying to download alot)

I'm not sure how when or where you matriculated is relevant, nor your assumptions on my levels of experience.
 
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