Unacceptable: Forced to use WBS's SMTP server

[DFantom]

If I ran iBurst...

It would be bankrupt

 

[jmn]

This topic has now also appeared on the IOZ mailing list (ioz@internet.org.za)

 

[Karnaugh]

That's it.
Can't send mail through my paid-for off-site SMTP servers.
iBurst UTD going back later today (Tuesday).
Sorry, WBS. I'd hoped you were going to make a go of things. I'd recommended iBurst to several family and friends, but now I repent.
Back to DSL-only - and an extra account in case 3GB isn' enough.

Why do that?

Also, have you tried phoning them up and asking for an exception on your mail server?

All they are trying to prevent is zombies which send SMTP directly from themselves - something that I wish all good ISP's did because then I could just wall all the others and that would be the end of spam.

 

[DFantom]

Also, have you tried phoning them up and asking for an exception on your mail server?

Why not state this as an option in their email? The problem here, is even if this is an option, the lack of communication has screwed them over. Hell most people didn't know about this until it was posted here.

All they are trying to prevent is zombies which send SMTP directly from themselves - something that I wish all good ISP's did because then I could just wall all the others and that would be the end of spam.

MUHAHAHAHAHA it wouldn't end spam, just force it to evolve. The only way to stop spam is to make spam illegal and then enforce that law. This needs to be done on a world wide scale, not just national govt level.
Anyway this has been tried by adding dynamic IP addresses (like the ADSL users) to blocking lists.If all dynamic IP addresses were added to blocking lists and everyone used it, it would accomplish the same thing.

 

[regardtv]

Why do that?

Also, have you tried phoning them up and asking for an exception on your mail server?

While possible, how probable will it be to get actioned at the moment ....

I'll actually ask since it would be of interest to me...


I personally doubt that they would offer this as it will increase resource use ... imagine if 400 of their *8000* users asked for this ... an additional 400 acl rules would be fun to deal with...

 

[slimothy]

guys if you are with tradepage I advise you to use thier server rather than WBS', it's never been down, been up longer than WBS', it's run by people who know how to run a mail server and as far as i am aware there is no 10MB limit on mails.

And if something did go wrong you know they'd sort it ASAP out because thats what businesses who want your money do.

 

[regardtv]

AFAIK even this won't work slim ... unless you've already tested this ?

I thought TradePage simple ran a VISP option with iBurst .. so all BW etc still runs on wbs's systems ...

 

[slimothy]

it does run on WBS' systems, its all WBS, and yes it does work actually, the wirelessza.co.za mail server is excempt from the rules, that is to say they are not blocked, it makes total sense, tradepage users are now using @tradepage.co.za usernames and it represents a sizable portion of the total userbase because they are the biggest reseller, so I guess they had a chat with WBS and now tradepage users should use thier server, of course you have a choice you can use the wbs one too, but I wouldn't

 

[regardtv]

Having had a look at things:

smtp.wirelessza.co.za is simply a CNAME entry for smtp.wbs.co.za ... so more than likely the SAME 10MB cap is in effect.

As I said, they are purely a VISP ...

Unless they have gone so far as to implement different IP ranges and ACL rules based on the reseller account --> which I doubt atm.

 

[wushutiger]

The smtp.wbs.co.za outgoing server is the most unreliable thing I have used since signing up with iburst (next to their utd)!!!. I have had to send some emails 5 times before they went through....what are they thinking, I use this for business !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Arthur]

Also, have you tried phoning them up and asking for an exception on your mail server?

I sure did, Karnaugh. It was my first course of action. This last week I spoke to 14 people on 4 separate occasions at WBS (have kept a full log, with names, dates and times).

As you will gather from my first post, my real ire is that no-one with any decision ability bothered to take my calls or call back despite the effort of the Customer Service staff to pass the issue on to them. On Friday 24 June I spoke to the recently-hired Cust Svcs manager, who was most sympathetic and promised to raise this at the Monday management metting. She said she'd get back to by noon on Monday. I understood that to be Monday 27 Junem, but that's come and gone without a response. Maybe they meant another Monday ... but I can't just hang around at R699 per month.

I spoke to Koena, who was most sorry to hear me cancelling as I'd been with them since the early days of the pilot in 2004. He asked me to e-mail Antony M, which I did, but the delivery and viewing notifications on the e-mail have not been returned.

A sad day, really.

 

[slimothy]

you gotta use social engineering with them, just mention how you use a vpn for work and thats the only reason you use the internet and that the port is set up on the server to port 25, the same as SMTP, but dont talk to the monkeys, you gotta get one of the dudes higher up who can actually make the choice

 

[SupaMonkey]

Karnaugh:This isn't an attack or anything - but have you ever phoned the WBS helpdesk? Its pathetic. I have phoned them on numerous occassions and the have never been able to help me (save once, which was a newbie question since I was unfamiliar with iBurst "workarounds" instead of solutions.)

In any case, off the top of my head, I can recall about 5 times when I spent about +20minutes on hold only to get told: "Sorry, I can't help you, someone will get back to you". They take down my details, and never get back to me (even if I follow up, they give me the same story that someone would get back to me).

 

[Simple Twist Of Fate]

Proof once again!!!

Never got no email.

Read the post on Helpdesk wake up !!!
no dude not you, the helplessnessof the darkness

 

[Crash]

The helldesk doesn't answer e-mails or phone calls.
Makes it kinda difficult to ask for an exception.

 

[jarr]

apologies if this has already been posted, but i thought you guys might be interested in this article on itweb:

In what looks suspiciously like a fit of staggering stupidity and arrogance (but could be an unexpected warp in space-time), Wireless Business Solutions (WBS) left its mail users high and dry on Monday, unable to send any outgoing e-mail

 

[Raithlin]

Read the post on Helpdesk wake up !!!
no dude not you, the helplessnessof the darkness

I did eventually get an email - a full day after posting here.

On another note, is anyone having trouble getting mail from GMail's POP3 service? I can see the mail on the webmail, but POP3 says no mail...

 

[jmn]

Tests fine for me

 

[ic]

I reconfirmed ADSL installation date today in case TelkoDemonopoly cancelled again...

I did eventually get an email - a full day after posting here.

On another note, is anyone having trouble getting mail from GMail's POP3 service? I can see the mail on the webmail, but POP3 says no mail...

Apart from the problem where my UTD has not been able to connect for several hours now, no problems with GMail pop3 accounts...my problems can be summed up in one 3 letter acronym: "WBS"...

 

[wushutiger]

Wow I only had to send my last 2 emails 7 times before they went through!!!

Way to go iBurst your service is impecable!!!