Curious updates from Bigpipe

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robjg63

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#225409 17-Nov-2017 13:11

Just got an email from Bigpipe saying they are making some updates to their T&Cs.

Of note:

In particular, these updates:

Make it even clearer that nothing in our terms will affect your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 and Fair Trading Act 1986.
Explain that if we ever transfer our agreement with you to someone else, as long as we’re not breaking confidentiality, we’ll let you know at least one month in advance.
Do away with the time limits for querying your bill with us, but ask you to let us know as soon as possible if you do have a query.

Also:

We’ve also made some updates to our Bigpipe App. On 20 December 2017, the ability to prioritise or restrict streaming, gaming and downloading activities on your connection via the Bigpipe Mode Selector function will end. All other services inside the App will continue as usual.

The bold/underline (my highlighting) bit above got me wondering if they are merging/being sold perhaps.

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sbiddle

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#1903212 17-Nov-2017 13:25

Most of ventures is moving back to Spark (Skinny has already moved) so it wouldn't surprise me if the same happened to Bigpipe. I could never understand the point from day 1 of replicating all of Spark's infrastructure.

robjg63

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#1903214 17-Nov-2017 13:33

The wheels must be in motion then....

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hio77

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#1903222 17-Nov-2017 13:53

Bigpipe isn't being sold at all.

It's a mature product in the market, This more likely relates to a larger business wide change rather than anything else.

Years ago, i went for a role at BP, Ventures was very clearly explained as just the testing ground. Stick the toe in the water, if it works it can become a 'thing'

All i see this is just crossing all the T's before anything happens.

As above, look at the Skinny example (ok it's not fully merged, is still a separate system in terms of things like Connection Promise at this time; but it's not really under the 'Ventures' Tree.)

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hio77

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#1903224 17-Nov-2017 13:55

sbiddle:

I could never understand the point from day 1 of replicating all of Spark's infrastructure.

To be fair, BP have a few things going on their network that simply wouldn't be possible on a large RSP without heavy changes.

Has had a few great things come out of it :)

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RogerMellie

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#1903228 17-Nov-2017 13:56

i never use the app anymore, it has always been basically useless for my needs.

JamesN

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#1903290 17-Nov-2017 15:21

Yeah, haven't need to use the app bandwidth management since moving to Fibre as there is enough bandwidth in there for the household to do everything we need and not cause each other issues.

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NonprayingMantis

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#1903334 17-Nov-2017 16:11

Yeah it’s really most useful for adsl users which I am not. Although there are a lot of them in NZ who might miss this feature.

Having said that, I’ve used it several times to help manage my teenage kids usage.
When they are glued to the screen it’s nice to turn off video streaming and say “oh look, internet is down, might as well get on with your homework”. A lot easier than fiddling with modem GUI and causes less arguments than just turning the tv off myself.

It’s a shame really though because I feel like bigpipe is one of the few isps who has actually attempted to do anything different with broadband. Everybody else seems to either do “cheapest possible plan”. Or “distract you from a high price with giving you content”. Only snap focused on good service, and they have lost their shine a bit since being bought by 2 degrees.
What I dont get is why would spark take the one thing they have done that is actual innovation and shut it down? Makes no sense.

Also, if they do move me accross to skinny or spark, I’ll definitely move to another isp. The best thing about bigpipe was the customer service. I hate hate hate call centres and bigpipe’s service was always fast.

Are there any other isps that don’t have a call centre I could move to? if Not, what is next best option? Voyager?

robjg63

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#1903339 17-Nov-2017 16:25

I have used the app a couple of times as well when the grand children were staying a while back.
They wouldn't leave YouTube alone.
In a lightbulb moment I remembered the bigpipe app and 'mysteriously' YouTube was suddenly 'broken'.
Can't see that it is a ' must have' though.

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hio77

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#1903368 17-Nov-2017 17:32

NonprayingMantis:

Also, if they do move me accross to skinny or spark, I’ll definitely move to another isp. The best thing about bigpipe was the customer service. I hate hate hate call centres and bigpipe’s service was always fast.

Are there any other isps that don’t have a call centre I could move to? if Not, what is next best option? Voyager?

Ventures (BP included) have recently moved to a completed refurbished floor, They aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I too hate call centres (ironic considering i did business support for a year). Sometimes they are a required evil, Where i progressed to is a unique part of spark focusing on designing more proactive measures.

Much of this in the long term, will turn out into something you will be able to benefit from without calling in.

Keep an eye out :)

Look at any business, Phone calls are simply not scaleable aswell as some form of IT backing (be it AI or Logical).

To take a simple feature many don't even think of, an IVR. They can be the worst when they are too smart (Lets not mention IRD...) However;

IVR saves you from getting to someone who decides where your call goes to.

as an example, Picture an internet outage, Clearly the phones are going to be busy. but what if your calling regarding your bill? Surely you expect to get straight through and sorted regardless of all that.

IVR scales itself out and sorts those customers into the right bins, While if there was a manual person doing it... You would be waiting to be put in the right bin!

Bigpipe has set a standard, that many try to copy and fail. It has a huge rep for that.

Skipping those pesky phonecall things nets a better value proposal for a business..

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Flickky

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#1903417 17-Nov-2017 19:18

hio77:

Ventures (BP included) have recently moved to a completed refurbished floor, They aren't going anywhere anytime soon.

I too hate call centres (ironic considering i did business support for a year). Sometimes they are a required evil, Where i progressed to is a unique part of spark focusing on designing more proactive measures.

Not trying to be that guy because it doesn't change what you've said, but Bigpipe haven't been part of Spark Ventures for years ;)

hio77

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#1903423 17-Nov-2017 19:27

Flickky:

Not trying to be that guy because it doesn't change what you've said, but Bigpipe haven't been part of Spark Ventures for years ;)

Yeah... It's that weird confusing space...

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#1905930 22-Nov-2017 19:10

Recieved and read, then reread the updated Ts and Cs. It really reads like BP is on the way out and will be dissolved into an existing ISP.

Reading the replies above, I'm hopeful that this isn't the case. From my perspective BP is an ISP for people that understand the internet, the connectivity and the different internet needs out there. Its no-frills but quality no-frills.

The customer service has been tops, the service has been brilliant.

cheers BigPipe for great internet.

The little things make the biggest difference.

JamesN

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#1905935 22-Nov-2017 19:22

I got the same the other day then a few days later got one from Spark pretty much saying the same stuff on Sparks end if Spark changes etc

Cannot find that email at the moment but will put it up once I find it