WebAfrica response to R29/Gig offer.

Gatecrasher

Gatecrasher

Executive Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2005
Messages
6,727
Reaction score
624
I found this on the WA forum, posted yesterday:

http://forums.webafrica.co.za/_2396.html

Badboy said:
Can WebAfrica comment on the new pricing from Afrihost for ADSL @ R29 per GB?

I would like to move to them now, i was originally waiting for the trial to be over and new pricing to be released by you'll but now i would like to know whether Webafrica will ever be able to beat that price when the trial is over or is there no chance at that ever happening?
Click to expand...

waJohnathan said:
This offering is an IS (Internet Solutions) product which is a limited offer provided by Afrihost

When the special ends top up pricing will increase to whatever they decide the top up rates will be which can be viewed at http://www.afrihost.com/adsl-faqs.php - there is no confirmation that this is definitely not going to be higher as you will see in their FAQ "depending on" - the price increase is on the top ups and is going to take effect but the amount that it will increase by is not guaranteed

Also I noted that their is no guarantee that once the special has ended that should one change the package one is going to get the same pricing on the fixed package for either upgrade or downgrade

If one needs support does one really want to wait an hour for a response and why should you? When support is needed you can call us regardless of the time of day or year (including all weekends and holidays) not have to wait on an sms or support ticket to be answered within "57 minutes"

Our network testing is scheduled to begin on the first which is just a few days time following which we will be able to start looking at quality and value of our packages as a tier one provider without cutting corners
Click to expand...

Hmm, but will it also be without significantly cutting prices?
 
Last edited:
[edit] Cos I do the world favours. :rolleyes:[/edit]

On Topic:

I don't see WA hitting back that hard.
They've got their loyal client base, but then again, it's been shown here and from those quotes above from the WAforums that clients are willing to move away.

They manner in which Matt Tagg has been addressing this issue (them going 1st Tier ISP & I think I read a response concerning the Afrihost deal - I may be wrong on the latter) in recent weeks/months is that WA is not really going to be creating any shockwaves.

They're still playing the same card (which most of the larger ISP's have been as well) that Seacom is not making any significant changes to the local market and that true change will only come when WACS and Eassy get online.

Though that theory does hold water, because our major hurdle is Telkom and it's IPConnect fees, the Local Loop and backhaul supplies to 3G networks and other components - I really feel it's smoke and mirrors. Perhaps I just want to believe it's smoke and mirrors, because 1st Tier ISP's make a killing!
Or am I just tired of being killed by the prices we're stuck with?

Based on WA's commentary these last few months, I don't see them shaking up anything, unless they take/get the same deal from IS that Afrihost has.

Afrihost has breathed a welcome sigh of relief with their latest offering and those DSL users out there that have gotten hold of it, must really be chuffed and that's GREAT!

Let's hope the deal can last for as long as possible and keep a smile on many faces.
There are still so many other faces that need to be lit up in this country with regards to telecomms...

Anyway, enough ramblings from me...
 
Last edited:
See... I can't work with "depending on" and "subject to" and things like that. G-Connect tells me you get PREPAID 4.7 cents per MB, unshaped at all times... no ifs or buts. I have never waited more than 10 minutes for them to respond to my queries... even at night... late at night. I can't be convinced that "depending on" and "subject to" will give me reliability or consistency.

If they said "we charge 29 rand per GB no ifs or buts", then maybe I would consider making a move. Its so easy to get caught up into the R29 vibe then all of a sudden a mass e-mail tells all its clients that the deal is now over and you must now bay R50 again.
 
What about the part that says : "Anyone who signs up while the offer is valid will get the GB's included in the package they choose for R29 per GB forever."

Seems that WebAfrica is playing dodgeball and failing. But, their point on support, well, AfriHost should respond to that one here.
 
Yip, none of those concerns raised worry me in the slightest. I often have very little need for support so one hour is sufficient for me. Further to this I have more than one ISP account so if the one is on the blink I am more than happy to use the other for the one hour it MAY take Afrihost to respond.

Also Afrihost have been quite upfront about the fact that the special will ONLY be on the package you originally sign up for. If you change or need top ups then you will pay the price after the special is over. They have not hidden this fact at all.

Sorry, but it is ALL about price for me. I very rarely worry about service and support as I usually take care of these things myself.

Further to this I am yet to find a provider that is loyal to it's customers so I do not in the slightest buy into the whole loyalty thing. You can be with a bank for 20 years and when it comes time to ask a "favour" they will tell you to bugger off just like the man who has been a client for one week. Screw loyalty I say.
 
Another note on support... some people seem to express a need for quick support and they may use it often. I think they should somehow price this into the packages. You pay according to the number of support calls you make! I know this will never happen but why should I pay the same as they guy who calls the support guys every week when I very rarely use their services?
 
Last edited:
If Afrihost can keep top-ups reasonable then they will cause a shake in the market that will be felt to the core of many ISP's. I have been a WA client for a while now, but this "if and but" games of the ISP's have just pushed me over the edge, I'm moving EVERYTHING to Afrihost as soon as I can see what their top-ups will be.
 
WA are just to slow with new products. I've been with them since I got my ADSL in February. Signed up with Afrihost yesterday afternoon.
 
I was very blunt when I cancelled my Web Africa adsl account.

"I see no point in paying your companies premium for bandwidth when Afrihost are offering me bandwidth for R29 a gig."
 
Top-ups have been promised at no more than R49/gig when the special ends. I guess it will be around R45.

Afrihost has been more than honest and upfront during this whole process.
They have my support all the way.

It actually angers me that WA just wants to point out the "faults" in the Afrihost deal and downplay most of it. Instead they should come up with a counter or admit defeat :rolleyes:

If I was Gian I would let this this "Special" run for at least another week or two. Make sure you get almost everybody on your side.

On the support. I very rarely start a support ticket but a hour is more than reasonable for me. I know it is not for everybody.
I had a issue(my own fault) on Tuesday. It was sorted within 10minutes. Impressed.
 
I'm with Apoc on this one....

The fact that WA aren't coming up with a counter special, or admitting defeat and praising Afrihost for doing what they've done.... irritates me, and it shows me what we can expect from them as a company going forward
 
ToxicBunny said:
I'm with Apoc on this one....

The fact that WA aren't coming up with a counter special, or admitting defeat and praising Afrihost for doing what they've done.... irritates me, and it shows me what we can expect from them as a company going forward
Click to expand...

Exactly.

Also the terms and conditions were clear. R29/gig for the 1st x gigs, then the topup amount will increase once the special is over, but to no more than R49.

Very disappointed with that 'response' from WebAfrica.

Amazed there is not something more official from the other ISPs.
 
WA talks lots, does little in my mind.

I PMed waroop a few days ago and am still waiting for his reply. :confused:

As to WA support - if you call after hours and there are issues (as the were a few days ago) you can wait quite a while for the one poor person on support to answer. The funny thing on Monday was was that she was not even aware of the problem and then did not do what I asked for anyway, so if that is support!!.

I too now have two ISP's so if I have problems with my new main ISP - Afrihost - I will have my 1 gig WA to back me up. I just need to be very carefully of canceling properly with WA as their billings have had many problems.

Sadly the days of WA been a top ISP seem to be over and I agree that their response was poor at best. Maybe this might help them to come right

I wish Afrihost all the best and kudos to them for taking this radical step. At present I am paying half what i was with WA and have much better performance than I have had with WA SAIX for many months now, so I am winning on both price and speed :). So what if I do have to wait a bit for some support after hours!!!
 
I got more or less the same answer from WA regarding the query yesterday.
I pointed out a few others that were also cheaper in pre-paid, but surely they are not ALL IS?
I have been with WA for a few years, but will move soon If they do not get in line with better offerings
 
WA only hold my ADSL line now, since its just too much effort to move it to another provider.

They had many opportunities to adjust their pricing and have not, so they've lost me as a customer.
 
Our network testing is scheduled to begin on the first which is just a few days time following which we will be able to start looking at quality and value of our packages as a tier one provider without cutting corners
Click to expand...

So the trial starts on the 1st October
 
It's IS fibre, i.e. via SAT3 - you know, the same cable that supplies SAIX bandwidth? Oh and one more thing Webafrica - seeing that it's not SAIX, most of the google sites and many others actually work properly now!
 
Smooth Criminal said:
It's IS fibre, i.e. via SAT3 - you know, the same cable that supplies SAIX bandwidth? Oh and one more thing Webafrica - seeing that it's not SAIX, most of the google sites and many others actually work properly now!
Click to expand...

Haha, indeed. My browsing experience is much improved since switching to IS from SAIX.

Will be interesting to see what comes of this 10GB trial come October. They need to act, and fast.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X