Webafrica support or rather lack thereof

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stefan.lourens

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This might just be screaming into the void at this point, but how does one actually get support from Webafrica?

I've had my fiber line for over 8 years, and have been mostly happy with the service, until now where I have an issue that I need resolved. I'm on a 500/250Mbps fiber package (Openserve), last month I noticed that there is a cheaper option, but with a cancellation fee, given that I've had the line for so long and had no plans of canceling soon, I figured that's a good deal for me. Little did I know the frustration it will cause. Come 1st of Nov when the package switch happens, I noticed on the 2nd that I suddenly only get 50/25Mbps, I figured there might be some network issues, and left it at that, but the speeds persisted, perfect 50/25.

Contacted support on 04/11 for the first time, using the web client, multiple hours of slow chatting back and forth the agent informed me that the account was incorrect at the "backend" and put me through to provisioning, where I had to explain the problem again, only for them to not agree that there is an issue and put me back through to support, having to yet again explain the problem. They claim the same "backend" configuration issue as before and try and put me through to provisioning. This is now 4 hours into the chat, and provisioning presumably went home for the day so I just get no responses.

Started the process again the next morning 05/11, same slow responses, having to explain the issue again over multiple hours and covering what cables / router I'm using, not ideal, esp as nothing has changed on the installation side, but still fair enough. Only for the agent to eventually (4 hours in) log a fault with openserve, assuring me that they will look into the problem within 48-72 hours and refund me for the days I didn't get the correct bandwidth.

Come today, and the first thing I see in my inbox is the ticket (#171193) has been closed, no communication, no resolution and the problem persists. So now as I'm sitting here having to start the support process yet again, suffering the canned questions / responses from the agents, I'm at a loss for how a company can operate like this.

Is there any options to escalate this or do I just prepare for the hassle to cancel and move to another ISP? @WebAfrica Helper
 
I'd love to, now I'm having to spend time away from work to continue to sort this out
DapperDanMan said:
4 hours plus 4 hours ...

You should bill them for a full work day.
Click to expand...
Even at some national standard rate this would be a good idea, hopefully companies will actually deal with support requests instead of passing you around until the agents go home
 
Companies like Webafrica, which treat their customers with contempt should be abandoned. You can tell that the executives in charge utterly despise their existing customers...

- no named persons on the website
- no meaningful support in the real sense (costs money, reduces dividends)
- communication is only ever one way
- all investment on the marketing/sell side
- attrition managed by a hilarious 'retentions' team after the fact, but ultimately not of concern if new contracts > attrition at a the required ratio. Leaving is also turned into makework.


Spend your money elsewhere.
 
stefan.lourens said:
This might just be screaming into the void at this point, but how does one actually get support from Webafrica?

I've had my fiber line for over 8 years, and have been mostly happy with the service, until now where I have an issue that I need resolved. I'm on a 500/250Mbps fiber package (Openserve), last month I noticed that there is a cheaper option, but with a cancellation fee, given that I've had the line for so long and had no plans of canceling soon, I figured that's a good deal for me. Little did I know the frustration it will cause. Come 1st of Nov when the package switch happens, I noticed on the 2nd that I suddenly only get 50/25Mbps, I figured there might be some network issues, and left it at that, but the speeds persisted, perfect 50/25.

Contacted support on 04/11 for the first time, using the web client, multiple hours of slow chatting back and forth the agent informed me that the account was incorrect at the "backend" and put me through to provisioning, where I had to explain the problem again, only for them to not agree that there is an issue and put me back through to support, having to yet again explain the problem. They claim the same "backend" configuration issue as before and try and put me through to provisioning. This is now 4 hours into the chat, and provisioning presumably went home for the day so I just get no responses.

Started the process again the next morning 05/11, same slow responses, having to explain the issue again over multiple hours and covering what cables / router I'm using, not ideal, esp as nothing has changed on the installation side, but still fair enough. Only for the agent to eventually (4 hours in) log a fault with openserve, assuring me that they will look into the problem within 48-72 hours and refund me for the days I didn't get the correct bandwidth.

Come today, and the first thing I see in my inbox is the ticket (#171193) has been closed, no communication, no resolution and the problem persists. So now as I'm sitting here having to start the support process yet again, suffering the canned questions / responses from the agents, I'm at a loss for how a company can operate like this.

Is there any options to escalate this or do I just prepare for the hassle to cancel and move to another ISP? @WebAfrica Helper
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Morning Stefan, we see the faults teams have closed the fault and logged an urgent request with our provisioning seniors who deal with all Openserve fibre changes directly. We can confirm the team is investigating the speed profile allocation. To help - we have reached out to the seniors to further advise on the matter. We would like to continue support from this platform via DM - please check your DMs when you have a chance
 
My issue is now resolved, so that this thread isn't all negative, I'd like to thank whoever mans the @WebAfrica Helper account for sticking with the issue until resolved.

As a fast-follow I suggest investigating the original cause obviously, but more importantly why the issue wasn't apparent to the general support staff I spoke to.
 
stefan.lourens said:
My issue is now resolved, so that this thread isn't all negative, I'd like to thank whoever mans the @WebAfrica Helper account for sticking with the issue until resolved.

As a fast-follow I suggest investigating the original cause obviously, but more importantly why the issue wasn't apparent to the general support staff I spoke to.
Click to expand...
It was a temporary speed profile allocation system anomaly on the connection portal, it would have not been very easily detected. The portal confirmed the correct speed profile when being checked. It was only when we did in in-depth investigation together with our tier 2 techs, that we saw conflicting results when the line was tested. This was when as detailed via DM we reached out directly to Openserve for some help. They are addressing the matter, and applying an additional fix as a contingency plan going forward. Thanks again for your time and most valued patience with us
 
Pardon our typo*

It was a temporary speed profile allocation system anomaly on the connection portal, it would have not been very easily detected. The portal confirmed the correct speed profile when being checked. It was only when we did in in-depth investigation together with our tier 2 techs, that we saw conflicting results when the line was tested. This was when as detailed via DM we reached out directly to Openserve for some help. They are addressing the matter, and applying an additional fix as a contingency plan going forward. Thanks again for your time and most valued patience with us
 
Anyone else have really bad download speed to international servers during peak SA hours? On WebAfrica and FrogFoot
 
stefan.lourens said:
My issue is now resolved, so that this thread isn't all negative, I'd like to thank whoever mans the @WebAfrica Helper account for sticking with the issue until resolved.

As a fast-follow I suggest investigating the original cause obviously, but more importantly why the issue wasn't apparent to the general support staff I spoke to.
Click to expand...
Haha this is what it took for you to get help and you still thank them?
 
stefan.lourens said:
Well the thanks was mostly meant for the individual, not the company
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Fair enough. Either way, I'm long past thanking anyone for fixing something that should be working after making more noise than I should have to.

Damn I'm miserable these days :ROFL:
 
Hi,
would also like to thank the representative from WA here for support with the exact same problem I was having.

Honestly, many people I've spoken to who've used WA echo that the support is terrible.

To be fair when things are working, connection is solid until we have to get support.
The fact that there is no telephonic support is a problem for some of us.
On Whatsapp its no different, being passed around and having to explain over and over is terrible, thank you copy and paste.

If I never knew Mybb and the wonderful representatives who try their best to help us I'd cancel many providers.

Please WA, do something about the support on whatsapp. It as attrotious to say the least.
 
callvm said:
Anyone else have really bad download speed to international servers during peak SA hours? On WebAfrica and FrogFoot
Click to expand...
Almost every night or intermittently on weekends. Driving me insane. I'm on Webafrica + Octotel.
On a 200/200mbps connection.
SpeedTest CPT -> CPT: 400Mbps down, 190Mbps up (no idea why I get double my speed on local...)
SpeedTest CPT -> London: 0.4Mbps down, 85Mbps up. - and frequent packet loss.

My money is on WA being the culprit. Tried speaking to support but all they know how to do is "can you turn your router off and on again please?".
 
hyarion said:
Almost every night or intermittently on weekends. Driving me insane. I'm on Webafrica + Octotel.
On a 200/200mbps connection.
SpeedTest CPT -> CPT: 400Mbps down, 190Mbps up (no idea why I get double my speed on local...)
SpeedTest CPT -> London: 0.4Mbps down, 85Mbps up. - and frequent packet loss.

My money is on WA being the culprit. Tried speaking to support but all they know how to do is "can you turn your router off and on again please?".
Click to expand...
same here. 200mbps connection.

Just did an international speed test. 0.65mbps down. Local speedtest 210mbps down.
 
hyarion said:
Almost every night or intermittently on weekends. Driving me insane. I'm on Webafrica + Octotel.
On a 200/200mbps connection.
SpeedTest CPT -> CPT: 400Mbps down, 190Mbps up (no idea why I get double my speed on local...)
SpeedTest CPT -> London: 0.4Mbps down, 85Mbps up. - and frequent packet loss.

My money is on WA being the culprit. Tried speaking to support but all they know how to do is "can you turn your router off and on again please?".
Click to expand...
Thanks, interesting to hear it's happening on other FNOs, I was a bit worried it was FrogFoot and I'd have no way to resolve it. So, looks like I'll be moving ISPs then...
 
Morning everyone, apologies for the delayed response on this thread, in an effort to followup and ensure support to those who still need it - please DM us with your details to allow us to investigate and help out with a way forward. On standby to further assist, if still required.
 
WebAfrica Helper said:
Morning everyone, apologies for the delayed response on this thread, in an effort to followup and ensure support to those who still need it - please DM us with your details to allow us to investigate and help out with a way forward. On standby to further assist, if still required.
Click to expand...
It's been 2 months now since your MWEB acquisition and still speeds and ping are subpar in the evenings in Durban. This only happened once you moved networks. Is this the network going forward now or what.
 
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