Poor service from Midrand-Estates (Midstream) eTube internet

[StephenF]

From a previous posting:
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Anybody out there want to make use of the Midrand-Estates (Midstream) eTube service -> my recommendation is to rather stay away!!! It is not worth the frustration. Midrand-Estates eTube make even Telkom broadband appear more appealing.

I took up the advertised "24/7" broadband service almost a year ago and have experienced endless problems. During this almost 1 year, my "24/7" service has been down so much that I calculate an availability rate of approx. 80% over the year... The norm for telcom grade services are measured at 98% for radio access and 99.5% ~ 99.995% availability for core/data network. As this is not a radio network I would expect at least 99.5% availability of eTube service in Midstream.

80% <> "24/7" !!!! -> Somebody else on this forum mentioned false advertising?

And the customer service -> Pathetic. After escalating my problems to the "Director" of eTube, still no action.

My Vodacom 3G / HSDPA service is my current reliable source of broadband. My wife uses MTN 3G and is also quite happy with it -> one would expect that wired broadband would offer more stability than wireless broadband, but this is not the case with eTube.

 

[StephenF]

From my original gripe, see e-mail extract:
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Hi {name omitted},

I would really appreciate if you can assist me with a problem that I am experiencing?

I proactively arranged with {name omitted} to have the eTube internet service activated on 2 March 2007 at the house I purchased in Midstream, so that the internet service would be ready as I move into the house. For this I arranged with {name omitted} weeks in advance. -> I must add that {name omitted} was very helpful.

After the equipment was delivered at my house on the 2nd of March, I have not been able to get the cable modem to work - it is now 11 days later and I still have exactly the same problem.

I have called IT support on numerous occasions, but they do not appear very eager to assist me and keep on 'passing the ball' - the IT guys say there is nothing they can do as it is an eTube cable problem and the eTube cable guys keep saying they cannot do anything because it is an IT problem…. and my problem remains unresolved. Nobody appears to be in control of the situation. I do not recall that they have ever called be back with feedback, even if I pertinently ask for feedback. I have also escalated the matter to {name omitted} with no feedback from him either.

I truly hope you can assist in this regard.

For your information, I list the number of calls I have made regarding this problem. You can see that I have really tried from my side.


Date Time Number
02 March 2007 15:55 0126611177
03 March 2007 14:43 {cellphone number omitted}
05 March 2007 8:30 0126611177
05 March 2007 11:59 0126611177
06 March 2007 12:00 0126611177
07 March 2007 8:41 0126611177
07 March 2007 18:03 {cellphone number omitted}
08 March 2007 9:14 0126611177
08 March 2007 16:47 0126611177
08 March 2007 17:25 {cellphone number omitted}
09 March 2007 8:16 0126611177
09 March 2007 9:13 0126611177
09 March 2007 10:53 0126611177
09 March 2007 12:38 0126611177
09 March 2007 12:43 0126611177
09 March 2007 16:05 0126611177
09 March 2007 16:13 0126611177
09 March 2007 16:32 0126611177
09 March 2007 17:13 {cellphone number omitted}
09 March 2007 17:56 {cellphone number omitted}
12 March 2007 8:43 0126611177
12 March 2007 8:55 0126611177
12 March 2007 11:13 0126611178
12 March 2007 11:17 {cellphone number omitted}

 

[StephenF]

My more recent outage:
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Hi {name omitted},

I will appreciate if you can assist me….

I have not had any eTube internet access for the last 4 to 5 weeks.

I have visited the IT office a few times already (I think about 4 times now already)

I have called the IT office for IT assistance many times in the last few weeks without a proper solution…

I do not understand why my eTube service is interrupted so often, and why it often takes them many weeks to fix the problem. In the last year my service has not been available for approx 2 months in total. This is an availability rate of approx. 80%... telecoms availability is usually rated as 99.5% or 99.99% depending on the specific part of the network.

 

[StephenF]

Fed up.......
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Hi {name omitted},

It is now almost another 2 weeks later. My eTube service is still down, now making it a total of 6 to 7 weeks without any action from your side…..

It appears that eTube is going to the dogs… (not that it was ever anything to boast about).

It appears that you are not able to provide even the most elementary part of customer service. During this period of multiple complaints and direct escalation to you, nobody has bothered to rectify my problem (even though it is probably a simple problem to repair), nor has anybody had the courtesy to even phone me.

I HEREBY CANCEL MY SUBSCRIPTION TO ETUBE, and trust that you will reimburse me for the entire period without ANY service.