How is Vox Fiber in 2019?

[pouroverguy]

Looking to sign up with Vox for Vumatel Fiber. They have excellent prices and are one of the only ISPs that offer free installation (the R1725 Vumatel fee) as well as free activation, as long as you don't cancel within the first 12 months.

However, I'm seeing some nightmare posts from last year September and before. MyBroadband members complaining that they don't get even half of the advertised speeds for international etc. I can't seem to find anything about throttiling or shaping either.

Is anyone with them? How are they in 2019?

 

[greg0205]

In May I'll have been with them for two years.

I can count the times the network has been down on one hand, with fingers to spare. It's been a Vuma issue every time... folk with other ISPs were down too.

Speeds are exactly as advertised, and I've found their home fibre support to be really good.

I've never been throttled. Usage averages around 800Gb each month, 'tho we've been over a Tb a couple of times with 1,4Tb being the heaviest month.

Had an debit order issue after I upgraded from a 50m to the 100m account... Sorted out in days with a refund. I cancelled the debit order and pay directly. You should too.

All in all, I've loved their service, and every time MyBB runs one of those 'rate your ISP' thingies, I've given them top marks. That doesn't mean that there are folk who have had bad experiences. I paid up-front for the instillation, 'cos I wasn't taking anything that wasn't a month-to-month deal... Opting for the 12 month tie-in wouldn't be my first choice, and you might be like me and love 'em, but if you don't...

Anyway, that's my 10c for what it's worth.

 

[Henry_S]

I paid up-front for the instillation, 'cos I wasn't taking anything that wasn't a month-to-month deal... Opting for the 12 month tie-in wouldn't be my first choice, and you might be like me and love 'em, but if you don't...

Vox has the free installation on month-to-month packages. If you leave before the 12 months, that is your only cost. Looking further at their pricing, it doesn't look like they even have 12 or 24 month contracts any more.

Anyway, I've been with Vox/Vumatel since May 2018 and have been very happy with everything so far.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

Vox has the free installation on month-to-month packages. If you leave before the 12 months, that is your only cost. Looking further at their pricing, it doesn't look like they even have 12 or 24 month contracts any more.

Anyway, I've been with Vox/Vumatel since May 2018 and have been very happy with everything so far.

This is not 100% true, installation is not free, you will have to get it when the promotion is on. I ordered my fiber from Vox last month (Feb) but there was no free installation, so took the pro version which does include the installation fee at a higher cost. They installed the line this month (March) but didn't tell me before the installation that the free installation was on again for the month of March.

Now they will not let me "downgrade" from 20meg pro to 50meg standard (which is cheaper) without paying a penalty.

 

[Henry_S]

This is not 100% true, installation is not free, you will have to get it when the promotion is on. I ordered my fiber from Vox last month (Feb) but there was no free installation, so took the pro version which does include the installation fee at a higher cost. They installed the line this month (March) but didn't tell me before the installation that the free installation was on again for the month of March.

Now they will not let me "downgrade" from 20meg pro to 50meg standard (which is cheaper) without paying a penalty.

Fair enough, but they do seem to have the promotion on quite often.

 

[pouroverguy]

This is not 100% true, installation is not free, you will have to get it when the promotion is on. I ordered my fiber from Vox last month (Feb) but there was no free installation, so took the pro version which does include the installation fee at a higher cost. They installed the line this month (March) but didn't tell me before the installation that the free installation was on again for the month of March.

Now they will not let me "downgrade" from 20meg pro to 50meg standard (which is cheaper) without paying a penalty.

What is the difference between pro and standard?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

What is the difference between pro and standard?

for the 20meg line std vs pro

Std = R709 Pro = R909

Pro includes a softphone (plus some mins) + 1 gig data sim + installation

50meg line on Std is R850 something.

 

[Henry_S]

for the 20meg line std vs pro

Std = R709 Pro = R909

Pro includes a softphone (plus some mins) + 1 gig data sim + installation

The VOIP (softphone or standard VOIP phone) includes unlimited free local calls to any network.

 

[pouroverguy]

The VOIP (softphone or standard VOIP phone) includes unlimited free local calls to any network.

Called Vox to confirm what was on Vumatel's website - they offer free installation on their basic bundle as well

 

[treeman]

Have been with Vox Vumatel since dec18.CT. They do shape in evenings, and I notice often it's up and down and need to reconnect to wifi and you have no admin control of the wifi router..however load shedding is causing new issues.. emailed Vox about 2hr downtime due to load shedding when power comes back on, and received a call back from agent..recomends to keep the fibre box on UPS to avoid the issue of on and off internet I was experiencing after load shed. I have verified this works so ensure wherever they install the fibre box that you have backup power available..which also keeps it alive during load shedding.

 

[pouroverguy]

Have been with Vox Vumatel since dec18.CT. They do shape in evenings, and I notice often it's up and down and need to reconnect to wifi and you have no admin control of the wifi router..however load shedding is causing new issues.. emailed Vox about 2hr downtime due to load shedding when power comes back on, and received a call back from agent..recomends to keep the fibre box on UPS to avoid the issue of on and off internet I was experiencing after load shed. I have verified this works so ensure wherever they install the fibre box that you have backup power available..which also keeps it alive during load shedding.

What kind of shaping exactly?

And what do you mean no admin control of the wifi router?

 

[cavedog]

Just for clarity they are NOT the only ISP that covers the Vumatel installation.

Vox > Free installation
Supersonic > Free installation + 1 month Free fibre
Cellc Cfibre > Free installation + 3 months Free fibre

Vox is pretty decent but so is Supersonic. All of this "Free" has some terms attached to them like

Vox > Cancel within 12 months = Full installation payable.
Supersonic > Cancel within 24 months and you pay a pro rata installation back depreciated monthly
Cellc Cfibre > Cancel within 24 months and you pay a pro rata installation back depreciated monthly

As far as I know Vox uncapped does shape traffic. Supersonic and Cellc Cfibre does not shaped. There are also lost of other providers that don't shape at all but does not cover the Vumatel install and some good ones are Cool Ideas, Rocketnet, Webquad, Macrolan, Home-Connect and others.

 

[pouroverguy]

Just for clarity they are NOT the only ISP that covers the Vumatel installation.

Vox > Free installation
Supersonic > Free installation + 1 month Free fibre
Cellc Cfibre > Free installation + 3 months Free fibre

Vox is pretty decent but so is Supersonic. All of this "Free" has some terms attached to them like

Vox > Cancel within 12 months = Full installation payable.
Supersonic > Cancel within 24 months and you pay a pro rata installation back depreciated monthly
Cellc Cfibre > Cancel within 24 months and you pay a pro rata installation back depreciated monthly

As far as I know Vox uncapped does shape traffic. Supersonic and Cellc Cfibre does not shaped. There are also lost of other providers that don't shape at all but does not cover the Vumatel install and some good ones are Cool Ideas, Rocketnet, Webquad, Macrolan, Home-Connect and others.

Thanks a lot for the detailed post!

I'm definitely going to consider Supersonic and Cell C. Vox's offering on Vumatel states that the service is unshaped. But I have seen another post with a user stating that they do get shaped on Vox. I will email them for clarity

 

[deweyzeph]

The biggest complaint I've heard about Vox is that they lock you out of the router they supply.

 

[Savy561]

I think almost all isp's for fibre lock the router. I am with supersonic and they lock the router as well vodacom and cell c from what I've heard.

Although if you do go with supersonic, @cavedog has provided a detailed and clear way of unlocking the router in this thread.

https://mybroadband.co.za/forum/threads/mtn-supersonic-feedback.998742/

 

[deweyzeph]

I think almost all isp's for fibre lock the router. I am with supersonic and they lock the router as well vodacom and cell c from what I've heard.

Although if you do go with supersonic, @cavedog has provided a detailed and clear way of unlocking the router in this thread.

https://mybroadband.co.za/forum/threads/mtn-supersonic-feedback.998742/

Personally I would always insist on buying my own router. The routers that ISPs supply are usually low-quality rubbish.

 

[Savy561]

Personally I would always insist on buying my own router. The routers that ISPs supply are usually low-quality rubbish.

I got a gigabit zyxel with supersonic which is anazing once unlocked but under normal circumstances I agree, the provided routers usually come with custom firmware and are just average.

I've read people posting in the vodacom fibre thread that they lock you out of using any other router besides theirs so it seems a lot of research is needed when choosing an isp.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

I have been with Vox on Vuma since November last year.
The only issue I had was around first billing time - I will not do debit order payment under any circumstances and had to put my foot down.
Otherwise, they've been excellent. Very little down time compared to other ISPs on Vuma in my area.
Their technical communication is good, also.

 

[deweyzeph]

I got a gigabit zyxel with supersonic which is anazing once unlocked but under normal circumstances I agree, the provided routers usually come with custom firmware and are just average.

I've read people posting in the vodacom fibre thread that they lock you out of using any other router besides theirs so it seems a lot of research is needed when choosing an isp.

I think it's safe to say that if when you sign up with an ISP they insist on supplying you with a "free" router (with no option of supplying your own) that should be a big red warning sign.

 

[Henry_S]

I think it's safe to say that if when you sign up with an ISP they insist on supplying you with a "free" router (with no option of supplying your own) that should be a big red warning sign.

With Vox, you can definitely use your own router.