My correspondence with Sentech

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PierreLeRiche

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Hi all,

I had some e-mail correspondence with Sentech to find out what speeds I can expect with their MyWireless product on the 128kbps package. All e-mails below are unedited, except for my e-mail address which I masked with x's. What stands out is that according to them 8kbps during peak hours is what one can expect from the 128kbps... While that's not too great in itself, I don't see how they can call it a 128kbps package if according to the techies you will never get 128kbps :-(. I've decided to wait before getting involved in this thing.

Here goes:


Good Day Pierre,

It depends on what time you are using the internet. At peak times your average speed should be about 8kbps with the 128kbps package. When using the service out of peak hours, your speed can change between 10-100kbps, depending. This also depends on whether you are using international or local bandwidth and if you networking.

Regards,
Jared Talbot
Sentech Support
0860 SENTECH



On Wed, 30 Jun 2004 19:08:30 +0200
"Pierre le Riche" <[email protected]:
Hi Again,

I understand that the worst case is 4.26kbps, but my question was: what is the average speed on the 128kbps package? I don't think the "worst case" or "best case" speed is really that relevant. What matters is the average, because that is what determines how long it takes to download something.

Thanks,
Pierre

----- Original Message -----
From: "Support account" <[email protected]
To: "Pierre le Riche" <[email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2004 6:18 AM
Subject: Re: MyWireless Query


Good Day Pierre,

The contention is managed to give you the best performance, your speed will not drop less than 4.26kbps in a worst case scenario.

Regards,
Charles Van Reenen
Sentech Support


On Tue, 29 Jun 2004 20:23:31 +0200
"Pierre le Riche" <[email protected]:
Hi,

Thank you for the reply. The biggest complaint seems to be very slow download speeds, even on the faster packages. There are also many reports of very unreliable connectivity. Most of the complaints are on the forums on www.myadsl.co.za and www.mybroadband.co.za, but there are also articles on ITWEB and Business Day about the problems users have been experiencing.

What kind of speeds can I expect on the 128K package, on average? I am in the Cape Town area and I am within range of a tower.

Regards,
Pierre

----- Original Message -----
From: "Support account" <[email protected]
To: "Pierre le Riche" <[email protected]
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 11:44 PM
Subject: Re: MyWireless Query


Good day,

Please be advised that the MyWireless service is a new service and like with any new service there are "Teething stages." Our biggest issue at this point is coverage, at this stage we are trying to rollout as many towers as possible. But otherwise we have not received many complaints. Would you please be so kind as to inform us of what issues the clients are receiving and which internet site they are listed in order for us to improve our services?

Regards
Sentech Support
Carlos



On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 14:44:55 +0200
"Pierre le Riche" <[email protected]:
Sir,

I would like to enquire about the status of your MyWireless product. I noted from your television advertisements and your website that you offer an always on connection that is quite price-competitive with the Telkom ADSL offering. However, after a quick search on the Internet for more information I encountered a barrage of negativity and complaints about slow speeds and intermittent connectivity problems.

I am very interested in your product, mostly due to the uncapped and flat rate nature, but I am hesitant to enter into a 2 year contract without some assurances on the quality of service that I will receive. I would like to know what is the current status with regard to the MyWireless product: Are there currently any problems, and if so, when will they be fixed? Do you expect these problems to recur in the future?

Thank you,
Pierre le Riche
 
This is complete BS.

Look at this graph:
http://myweb.absa.co.za/james.mclaren/FraudulentAdvertising.png

All above speeds are from my own extensive personal experience with each of these connection types except for the MW values which I'm taking from the emails. If someone could give me some ADSL data I'll put it in.

Can you spot the problem? [:o)]

The average internet user in ZA, based on their passed experience, would expect that a connection package advertised as “128k” would, on average, achieve near 128k speeds.

Sentech feel they can completely redefine the whole ISP advertising paradigm in ZA single handedly? Oh wait according to them they "aren’t an ISP" ... that explains everything! They have sold a product based on completely false claims.

This type of deception is called FRAUD people:

<i>Fraud is the crime or offense of <u>deliberately deceiving</u> another in order to damage them -- usually, to <u>obtain property</u> or services from him unjustly. (http://www.lectlaw.com/def/f079.htm). </i>

They deserve the hounding that are getting and will continue to get!


-Professional information anarchist-
I support:
www.hellkom.co.za
 
Ok, I'm not on their side :)

But they do say they give you a 128k connection, and that they dont lie about that. They just didnt say anything about the performance from there (or am I wrong) It's just that you'll never reach those speeds because of contention (or bad planning... or thinking they are serving bird brains...), which is written in their 'promise'.

Pierre :) My personal opinion .... Stay faaaaaar away :)
If I could drop my contract, I would. I think allot of people would.

Oh, and I get disconnected about once a day. The damage that does to my p2p...

Blah :)

&gt;&gt;&gt; This one &gt;&gt;&gt; They deserve the hounding that are getting and will continue to get!
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by hArTh</i>
<br />


This type of deception is called FRAUD people:

<i>Fraud is the crime or offense of <u>deliberately deceiving</u> another in order to damage them -- usually, to <u>obtain property</u> or services from him unjustly. (http://www.lectlaw.com/def/f079.htm). </i>

They deserve the hounding that are getting and will continue to get!

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

If this is correct, hound them with a criminal charge at the SAPS and publish the station name as well as the MR number online.

Hound the SAPD as well regularly as to progress made with the charge..

It would be interesting to see how this fits with the SA laws. Not to speak about the way the SAPS would investigate it.

If I had MyWireless, I would have laid the charge already.



South Africa needs World Class Broadband at World Competitive Prices.
 
I signed up for this thing based SOLELY on the advertising I saw from Sentech on the Sentech website. Nowhere on that site does it state anything even remotely relevant to what Charles, Carlos or Jared have said in that e-mail reply. This is utter crap. Surely we can do something about this. The website should state without any confusion exactly what was said in that e-mail replies from Sentech. Anything less quite simply is FRAUD and blatant DISHONESTY

Cape Town 128K 16% Tower 22(Salt River)
 
That could work, but unfortunately all crimes in this country need to be investigated by carte blanch before the cops do anything about it.
 
Welcome to the wonderful world of sentech, world class pricing on a prodcut where u get capped after 1Mb of useage.



VIVA LA RESISTANCE
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by ConDamage</i>
<br />That could work, but unfortunately all crimes in this country need to be investigated by carte blanch before the cops do anything about it.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Maybe the mere fact of criminal charges will get them into action re refunds, not charging while service is defective, more accurate advertising in general etc. It will add another dimension to consumerism in South Africa.

They advertise broadband, and 4kb/s is for sure not broadband. I'd love to hear them explain to a judge in open court that it indeed is broadband!

Ever thought about the effect of a report about such a charge on IT-web?

Sentech started with the lawyers...

It could change the whole scene regarding consumer rights in the country.







South Africa needs World Class Broadband at World Competitive Prices.
 
MyLowBandwidth,

Check your email.

If you dont get anything: [email protected].

Need to ask you some questions!

-Professional information anarchist-
I support:
www.hellkom.co.za
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Ever thought about the effect of a report about such a charge on IT-web?

Sentech started with the lawyers...

It could change the whole scene regarding consumer rights in the country.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

good point. Should create some kind of stir if the people find out that sentech faces legal actions against them for something like fraud.
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
It depends on what time you are using the internet. At peak times your average speed should be about 8kbps with the 128kbps package. When using the service out of peak hours, your speed can change between 10-100kbps, depending. This also depends on whether you are using international or local bandwidth and if you networking.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

WTF!!!!
I'd like to know what Jared Talbot understands under the acronym kbps. Whether its kilobits or kilobytes, the above quote is ridiculous. You will never get 100kilobytes per second! And if you're getting 8, 4.26 or 10 kilobits per second, you are getting seriously screwed!

Is anyone still wondering why we're having problems with bandwidth?

Groenie
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
Broadband
A type of transmission that shares the bandwidth of a medium--such as copper or fiber optic cable--to carry more than one signal. Broadband facilities have a bandwidth (capacity) greater than a voice grade line of 3 kHz. Such a broadband facility--typically coaxial cable--may carry numerous voice, video and data channels simultaneously. Each "channel" will take up a different frequency on the cable. "Guardbands" (empty spaces) exist between the channels to make sure that each channel does not interfere with its neighbor. A coaxial CATV cable is the "classic" broadband channel. Simultaneously it carries many TV channels. Broadband cables are used in some office LANs. But more common are the baseband variety, which have the capacity for one channel only. Everything on that cable to be transmitted or received must use that one channel. That one channel is very fast, so each device needs only to use that high speed channel for only a little of the time
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

Broadband doesnt seem to have any definitions on speed, but rather architechture.

128Kbs/20? = gives 6.4Kb/s?
I think they said a contention ratio of '20'.

The only thing I definitley heard and saw through advertising is 'high-speed'

hehe, now that I know is definitly wrong.
 
Its high speed when compared with a cellphone dialup of 9600 [;)]

<font color="blue">Telkom needs a leash, ICASA needs some guts, and the </font id="blue"><font color="red">SA consumer</font id="red"><font color="blue"> needs to make it happen</font id="blue">
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"><i>Originally posted by lewstherin</i>
<br />Its high speed when compared with a cellphone dialup of 9600 [;)]
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

No it's not :)
 
Wel, I managed to get a good whopping - 2.9KB/s last night, measured from their own wandwidth test on their own site.

Spoke to Jared and he asked a whole lot of questions and then says they will send someone out to check whats happenning between my house and the tower.

So I then asked what's the point of wasting time like that if there is a problem with the service. Then he admitted that they are having speed problems generally and agreed it would be a waste of time.
The problem is they actually believe that we will just accept what ever crap they dish out to us, both in service and response.

Or maybe they think think that we live in Africa and must accept third world standards. I should have realised that there would be a problem when they couldn't even deliver the modem without hastles, when I signed up.
 
&lt;OPINION-HATERED-YOUNAMEIT&gt;
Most companies tell most customers what they want. Because most people are oblivious.
No one ever stands up except for the ones that are competent enough. But that is the minority of the world.
When you tell a normal dumb-ass person that someone is ripping him off, they dont care, unless they actually feel the damage.

There are so many copmanies in this country and world, that push around the little people. Because the little people dont do anything ever about it. And that's why we will always sit with stuff like this. That is how most lives are destroyed.
Unless the company breaks the person's leg and causes him to scream, that person doesnt mind. But if people will just do some god damn research into the things they pay or get ripped off for, more would stand together.
&lt;/OPINION-HATERED-YOUNAMEIT&gt;
 
From http://www.sentech.co.za/:

"Up to 512k of broadband at your fingertips"

Now does that or does that not direclty imply that you will receive 512k or near 512k speeds?

Fraudulent advertising. Simple.

If BMW marketed a new car and said it had a maximum speed of 250 kph you expect it to be able to do 250 kph on an open road. Normally in traffic on a highway you'd expect to be able to do at least 120 kph. If it turned out the car could only do 15 kph(8kps/128kps * 250kph) there would be RIOTS in the streets.

If Sentech markets a new product and says it has a maximum speed of 128kbps you would expect it to be able to do 128kbps at 4 AM. Normally, in peak hour usage, you'd expect it to be able to do at least 64kbps. If it turned out the speed was only 8kps there SHOULD be RIOTS in the streets.


-Professional information anarchist-
I support:
www.hellkom.co.za
 
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Broadband doesnt seem to have any definitions on speed, but rather architechture.

128Kbs/20? = gives 6.4Kb/s?
I think they said a contention ratio of '20'.

The only thing I definitley heard and saw through advertising is 'high-speed'

hehe, now that I know is definitly wrong.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"></font id="quote">

So they say the worst you'll possibly get it a 4.26kbps connection - WOW! Amazing :) On the 128K package it gives you a maximum theoretical throughput of 16Kb/s (128000b(its)ps / 8 to convert to Bytes) so, at worst, you can expect rates of 0.5Kb/sec???? And they call this broadband? LOL
 
h4rth : I'm not saying theyre nice people and I that like them :)

But then shouldnt mweb be held liable for not delivering 56kb/s ?
(Great by me, I'll join a compaign against them anyday)

There was a big war somewhere earlier in the forums about the advertising. And well, be it or not false. No one has bothered to do anything about it.

Main site: High Speed. Portable. Always On.
Up to 512kbp/s of broadband at your fingertips.

High Speed - Yeah :) That is a lie.
Up to 512kbp/s &lt;- They say up to, meaning the maximum you can get.
On my 128k connection I have reached the top once or twice in my life.

Now note :) I'm not defending them, I'm just lifting my viewpoints about what theyve said. I'm being pessimist to a certain point, because I think were all screwed, and well ... h4rth :) Now youre comming with us :) hehe
 
TrXtR,

You're missing the point completely:

44/56 &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; 8/128


[}:)]

-Professional information anarchist-
I support:
www.hellkom.co.za
 
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