Now it doesn't?

K

Kei

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Well, well, there's been a hive of activity here

Last week when I asked about it being worth it or not I heard iBurst was relatively OK. Today I'm hearing it's a repeat of the Sentech MyWireless saga.

I see a mass of people contagiously becoming fed-up with the service today and now cancelling contracts and getting rid of the service. I understand some of you got suspended but now I am hearing all sorts of mixed-messages that "WBS is a bad company", "the service sucks" etc...

Does that categorically refer to the service itself, or is everyone up in arms about a legal clause in a contract which is in dispute?

I am a potential user of this product and hearing these things today, is, at best, very distressing for me.

I don't have any other means of accessing the internet where I live. I can't get ADSL nor even a simple phone line for 2 years because that monopoly **** TELKOM have an excuse because my area is brand new. I don't need to do big downloads. I have my means to get large files downloaded via some people who have access to 2 meg pipes to the net. I just would like to have web browsing, e-mail and downloading of shareware/patches/etc at home and not have to stay late at work to do it after hours. I know MyWireless is a load of crap as they are incompetent- I know they are, they hired all those Nigerian/ Cuban "students" in 1996

I dont intend getting a contract even. The product was demo'ed in my house and performed better, on poor signal strength, than my 56k modem.

Now tell me honestly, am I now to sit without net access and go back to the dark old days, or does anyone have anything remotely positive to say about iBurst. I need the internet to do some of the kinds of work I do and I need to know now, today, if I am about to make a costly mistake, or will I be relatively happy.
 
Read as much as you can about the suspension us certain users, then make your own decision about what WBS are doing. Additionally look here.

Suggest you wait before getting iBurst.
 
WBS, as a company, leaves a lot to be desired. Iburst, as a product, is excellent. Despite all, I still think it is still the best solution for my purposes. And I think my needs are similar to yours.

It just galls me to say anything good about Iburst when they pull the kind of krap they pulled today. On a purely selfish level, I'm better off for what they did, my connection is now flying. I just don't believe they had the right to behave that way. WBS have gone even further down in my estimation, not that they were very high up in the first place.
 
I agree, WBS are a hideous f***up, iBurst technology is great. I have dealt with WBS because by some fluke I had no problems up until now and have been relatively happy, but they are competely incompetent. I heard something about other iBurst providers though, I don't know if there is any truth in the matter.
 
Suggest you wait before getting iBurst.
Click to expand...

Well I have a problem. I need net access and I need it for work related purposes. My partner needs it more than I do to complete her studies. It's been proven to work where we live, more than satisfactorily so I think it's safe to go onto the month-to-month option. I don't foresee myself using up the 3 gig cap. I simply don't have that much to download.

I am not saying what they (WBS) did was right. WBS should have warned people the MOMENT they went over cap, by e-mail or fax or phone. That would have prevented the heated arguments and temper flares here today. I agree, a bit more customer relations etiquette is in much need, but I guess we could argue that WBS is a start up, they're working their asses off and invariably mistakes get made. It's clear they're new to this game and I can only hope service will improve. The good news is, there seems to be someone at the top who is not stupid. The same can't be said for Sentech.

As I see it, on the month-to-month option, if service degrades you can always stop it for a month or two, and hear when things improve. if they do then you simply reconnect.

I agree, as a product it is excellent, as I saw it work on my own computer. Sentech have never demonstrated anything viable, not to anyone I know or to me at any rate.
 
I have to agree too. Great technology, crap company!

If you are ok paying R600 per month for 3GB and then either pay extra every time you exceed a bit this limit or be prepared to be suspended without any warning, then iBurst is for you!

In your case you don't have any other options so I guess it is ok, but I have a phone line and I can download much more for less over it than with iBurst, the only problem is that I can't have it all the time on (peak time especially) which is quite anoying sometimes.
 
yeah the technology is great, but the management seem to share an IQ of a retarded goldfish.
 
Well, as I mentioned, I have no phone line and there's none in the area. I don't even think I will exceed one gig. The thing is I can monitor my usage as I do have software in place that can do the job for me.

My average usage on dialup over the last year or two has been 10 megs/evening, as high as 60 megs/evening on those nights/days when I was downloading software. I am not home on some evenings as I do go out to dinner, visit friends, etc.. I used to be a power user but that changed a while ago.

Furthermore, I hate having to pay each time the line drops due to Telkom
 
Idea - !!!!!!!!!!

Phone IBurst and tell them what you want to use their service for.
If they say the service is suited for that, then ask them for that answer in writing.
Get the service, and if it fails you - kick ass.

But - they'll probablee refuse to put that in writing.
 
Kei, if you aren't going to exceed one gig, and are happy with slowish speeds, why not just get the MTN 1 gig EDGE/GPRS bundle for R499?

All you need for that is an EDGE cellphone for speeds of around 200kbps or a GPRS cellphone for speeds of around 56K...that will save you about R100 per month and also save you having to buy an Iburst modem for R2800...

Check out the Mtn EDGE forum for more...
 
Kei said:
Well, as I mentioned, I have no phone line and there's none in the area. I don't even think I will exceed one gig. The thing is I can monitor my usage as I do have software in place that can do the job for me.

My average usage on dialup over the last year or two has been 10 megs/evening, as high as 60 megs/evening on those nights/days when I was downloading software. I am not home on some evenings as I do go out to dinner, visit friends, etc.. I used to be a power user but that changed a while ago.

Furthermore, I hate having to pay each time the line drops due to Telkom
Click to expand...

Check with Vodacom first to see if there's 3G access in your area.
If you won't exceed 1gig, it'll work out cheaper in the long run, as you have to pay R2800 for a desktop modem if you go on the iBurst month by month.

Bottom line, don't support WBS, otherwise people will just keep on getting ripped off in this country.
 
Month to Month !!!!

please for the sake of your own sanity and the other users go for the month to month ......... :cool:
 
Idea - !!!!!!!!!!

Phone IBurst and tell them what you want to use their service for.
If they say the service is suited for that, then ask them for that answer in writing.
Get the service, and if it fails you - kick ass.
Click to expand...

I'll see about that tomorrow. I'll see if I can get it in writing.

As for stuff that works on GSM, I'm not that interested. The GSM networks in my area are unreliable and where I live my cellphone breaks up at present. I live in a lightning-belt area and last night there was just a bit of a flash and it went out. I've done my homework here and I've found that the iBurst technology is the best short-term solution I can possibly find for the area I live in but I will nonetheless protect myself against WBS and its incompetence. Furthermore, my aunt's husband is not someone you mess with and he's got iBurst. He hasn't beaten up Shaun Green or anyone yet, as far as I know. (He has, however beaten up the manager of Wimpy)

Month to Month !!!!

please for the sake of your own sanity and the other users go for the month to month .........
Click to expand...
yes

Of course, sorry if I didn't make myself clear. I've even told the guy who did the demo- no contract, month-to-month only!
 
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Yep, excellent suggestions by lewstherin & bb_matt - try out WBS' competitors if there is coverage in your area.

Assuming you have cellular reception in your area which may not be the case seeing as it is a new area Telkomonopoly might not have the fibre/whatever to linkup cellular towers for Vodacom & MTN...

Worth investigating ;).
 
Kei said:
Well I have a problem. I need net access and I need it for work related purposes. My partner needs it more than I do to complete her studies. It's been proven to work where we live, more than satisfactorily so I think it's safe to go onto the month-to-month option. I don't foresee myself using up the 3 gig cap. I simply don't have that much to download.
Click to expand...
Fair enough, I'm not asking you to cancel if not possible
I am not saying what they (WBS) did was right. WBS should have warned people the MOMENT they went over cap, by e-mail or fax or phone. That would have prevented the heated arguments and temper flares here today. I agree, a bit more customer relations etiquette is in much need, but I guess we could argue that WBS is a start up, they're working their asses off and invariably mistakes get made. It's clear they're new to this game and I can only hope service will improve. The good news is, there seems to be someone at the top who is not stupid.
Click to expand...
Wonder who that is?
As I see it, on the month-to-month option, if service degrades you can always stop it for a month or two, and hear when things improve. if they do then you simply reconnect.
Click to expand...
Yes, dont get tied for 24 months
I agree, as a product it is excellent, as I saw it work on my own computer. Sentech have never demonstrated anything viable, not to anyone I know or to me at any rate.
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They had greate service when they started out, then degraded, and this is what the big scare is now.
If you ever decide to cancel, post your aspiration here.
 
the iBurst product is beautifull, I am its biggest supporter its no secret, but the tactics WBS have used mainly in the month of April can turn even the biggest 'fanboy' to the other side. I will not accept WBS overstepping the mark and breaking the law, especially when it costs me money no matter how good the product is, my hope is that WBS will admit they were wrong and we will be able to go back to how we were, but they will not do so without massive pressure from thier customers and the media.
 
I read up about how this kind of situation gets handled overseas.

I agree, what happened yesterday could be illegal ( I am no lawyer so I am not sure), and very poor customer relations on the part of WBS. I also agree that everyone here has now got the right to complain or file lawsuits if they wish. I also hope they will now admit they're wrong and try and do some damage control. I am a potential customer, who is now sitting with a lot of doubt and worry because of what happened yesterday. They could have won me as another customer, but now, by their foolish actions yesterday they've made me delay.
 
Money,Money,Money makes the world go around, During the Beta stages there was no cap and some ppl downloaded more than 200 gig worth and you telling me for mistake that WBS has done they suspend all accounts who went over there 3 gig to me that is UNFAIR!!
 
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