I Wonder If Vumatel Really Wants My Business?

[Aquila ka Hecate]

We've had FTTH capability in our residential area (Randburg) for about a year now, so, what with Telkom pissing me right off, I decided it was time to make the switch.

After a bit of research and comparison, my partner and I agreed on an ISP provider and package, so I put the order through from Vumatel's website.

That was 2 weeks ago.

Since then I have received:

One auto-mailer giving me an order number.

A reply (after a week of silence) from their sales department saying they were "escalating" the order.

A similar reply yesterday from their Twitter team saying the same as the sales team.

Nothing further.

Seriously Vumatel - do you want me to believe that you actually care about my business?

Because it really isn't looking like it.

 

[Cavallino]

Are you placing an order with Vumatel to link you to their network? Or are you ordering a new ISP package on the Vumatel network. If so, it could be the ISP is lax...

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Are you placing an order with Vumatel to link you to their network? Or are you ordering a new ISP package on the Vumatel network. If so, it could be the ISP is lax...

Both. Need installation and an ISP, which I chose through Vumatel.
I complied with the "order now" procedure on the Vumatel website, received an automated response and then..nothing.

 

[Nobody Important]

They don't want your business. I suggest you show them who's boss and go back to Telkom.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

 

[Nerfherder]

Both. Need installation and an ISP, which I chose through Vumatel.
I complied with the "order now" procedure on the Vumatel website, received an automated response and then..nothing.

Is there any kind of infrastructure at your house ? like do you have a box at your wall or is the line on your property already ?
All these things mean different providers have to be booked and scheduled. Vuma have so many rollouts happening all the time they barely keep up.
You have to sit on them constantly to make sure you get done first. I just started phoning every couple of days until they came. It took about a month or so...
This after waiting 3 years for someone to install in our area then another 2 months for them to rollout to every house in the neighbourhood they could before doing actual installations.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Is there any kind of infrastructure at your house ? like do you have a box at your wall or is the line on your property already ?
All these things mean different providers have to be booked and scheduled. Vuma have so many rollouts happening all the time they barely keep up.
You have to sit on them constantly to make sure you get done first. I just started phoning every couple of days until they came. It took about a month or so...
This after waiting 3 years for someone to install in our area then another 2 months for them to rollout to every house in the neighbourhood they could before doing actual installations.

We have arial in our area and it's ready to go.

We phoned Vumatel before we ordered and were told it would take two weeks from order to installation, and that the installation would be only hours.

That two weeks is up today, with no further communication from Vumatel, despite me trying.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

They don't want your business. I suggest you show them who's boss and go back to Telkom.

Actually, given the inefficient cancellation process at Telkom, that may very well be what we end up doing.

 

[calypso]

Who is the ISP?

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Who is the ISP?

Vox

 

[ozziej]

Same problem in my area. They’ve been promising service for about two years. Still no sign of anyone. Im sure most of the people in our area couldn’t be bothered anymore.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Vox

I don't think Vox runs on top of Vumatel fiber, do they? I may be wrong, but this doesn't sound right.

Vox installs their own fiber using Frogfoot (which was bought out by Vox about a year ago.

 

[Diesal]

I don't think Vox runs on top of Vumatel fiber, do they? I may be wrong, but this doesn't sound right.

Vox installs their own fiber using Frogfoot (which was bought out by Vox about a year ago.

Vox is the ISP using Vumatel's fibre network in the same way you can use Afrihost on a Telkom ADSL line for example.

 

[websquadza]

I don't think Vox runs on top of Vumatel fiber, do they? I may be wrong, but this doesn't sound right.

Vox installs their own fiber using Frogfoot (which was bought out by Vox about a year ago.

Vox is an ISP. Frogfoot, although owned by Vox, is an independent company that owns open access fibre infrastructure, just like Vumatel.

 

[websquadza]

We've had FTTH capability in our residential area (Randburg) for about a year now, so, what with Telkom pissing me right off, I decided it was time to make the switch.

After a bit of research and comparison, my partner and I agreed on an ISP provider and package, so I put the order through from Vumatel's website.

That was 2 weeks ago.

Since then I have received:

One auto-mailer giving me an order number.

A reply (after a week of silence) from their sales department saying they were "escalating" the order.

A similar reply yesterday from their Twitter team saying the same as the sales team.

Nothing further.

Seriously Vumatel - do you want me to believe that you actually care about my business?

Because it really isn't looking like it.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's been really badly communicated by Vumatel as well as ISPs. Vumatel installation teams are facing an incredible backlog, this is in addition to their scheduling systems earlier this month resulting in teething issues which exacerbated the backlogs. We are told the backlogs are being brought to book though and we are seeing normal service levels return. For now, as much as it hurts to hear, you'll need to be patient, you'll probably get a call for scheduling as the new month rolls in. Trust me, it's worth the wait. Both in terms of line quality as well as maintenance when something does actually go wrong.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's been really badly communicated by Vumatel as well as ISPs. Vumatel installation teams are facing an incredible backlog, this is in addition to their scheduling systems earlier this month resulting in teething issues which exacerbated the backlogs. We are told the backlogs are being brought to book though and we are seeing normal service levels return. For now, as much as it hurts to hear, you'll need to be patient, you'll probably get a call for scheduling as the new month rolls in. Trust me, it's worth the wait. Both in terms of line quality as well as maintenance when something does actually go wrong.

Well, thank you for that.
It's galling to be told, pre-order, that you have 2 weeks between placing your order and installation though - not quite honest really.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

I can scarcely believe the piles of incompetence I've been wading through this afternoon.

The Vumatel Twitter team eventually assured me that there was a "premise" created and that I would be contacted soon.

On phoning them I had to go through 3 people - one of whom claimed there was no record of my order - to be told that no "premise" had been created and that they would (you guessed it) "escalate" the matter for me.

The ONLY THING I have heard from this bunch is "I will escalate the matter".

Really reaching the end of my tether with Vumatel.

 

[Hermes14]

Is there any kind of infrastructure at your house ? like do you have a box at your wall or is the line on your property already ?
All these things mean different providers have to be booked and scheduled. Vuma have so many rollouts happening all the time they barely keep up.

There is a pole & a connection point outside our property.
Vumatel still needs to install the box inside our property.
Their communication SUCK big time though.

 

[websquadza]

There is a pole & a connection point outside our property.
Vumatel still needs to install the box inside our property.
Their communication SUCK big time though.

and @Aquila ka Hecate

This is why you let your ISP do all the hard work for you. Your ISP should place the order, follow up and ensure your service is installed as well as activated properly.

 

[Aquila ka Hecate]

Finally.

Got a call to make an appointment for installation tomorrow.

I can't help wondering if I'd still be waiting next month if I hadn't gone out and made a fuss. This should not be necessary.

Edit: oh yes, and then there was that Openserve guy parked up at our park, with leaflets...