Some things are totally predictable

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Some things are totally predictable

Linuxluver

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#91161 7-Oct-2011 21:21

I knew when I ordered the change from Orcon to Telecom that the transition would not go smoothly.

In the 14 years I've been using either cable or DSL broadband I have never once had a smooth implementation with any ISP.

I was hoping this time might be different......but the order delivery target of 7pm on a Friday evening was an omen that all would not go well.

My existing orcon connection died shortly after 7PM......looking good....

But now it's almost 9:30pm, all the support people have gone home - early, in fact, due to "adverse weather conditions in Chch".....and I don't have a working connection.

The first line support people said I had everything set up correctly and tried to put me through to the back end people....who had gone home.

It may well be that the weather conditions are the reason My order wasn't completed. Apparently, it's still open in the system.....

So...I get to keep my perfect record (across 14 years) of ISP failure to provision as promised.

Doesn't matter which ISP. They all fail.

[UPDATE: The txt announcing my broadband was now ready to go arrived about 11:15am. All connected now, but mystified as to why the order wasn't fulfilled at the time indicated yesterday]

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mattRSK

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#530730 7-Oct-2011 21:36

adverse weather conditions in Chch? It has been a pretty nice day today if that's what they mean by adverse.

freitasm

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#530735 7-Oct-2011 21:50

Linuxluver: Doesn't matter which ISP. They all fail.

Amen.

robbyp

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#530758 7-Oct-2011 23:55

Linuxluver:

Doesn't matter which ISP. They all fail.

Some are definitely better than others though.

DravidDavid

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#530771 8-Oct-2011 02:37

I switched from Actrix to Telecom. Actrix happily kept my connection open until Telecom got their act together.

A smooth transition was paramount to us and our business due to the fact many people book rooms with us online. It was very helpful :)

Linuxluver

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#530783 8-Oct-2011 08:34

robbyp:
Linuxluver:

Doesn't matter which ISP. They all fail.

Some are definitely better than others though.

Yep!

I was referring to implementation, but may well move to their phone support. I'm on the phone with them now trying to get the password reset to "Your Telecom" so I can look at my bill and you'd think I was bring outrageously unreasonable in asking them to do something they clearly aren't experienced with. They want to reset my Xtra password...which not the password that needs resetting.

In the end I gave up as the person I was speaking to (probably in the Philippines?) consistently and perfectly mis-understood everything they were told, getting it perfectly backward every time. Amazing. They sounded like they could speak English, but obvious the lack of comprehension of what I was asking for was on a level of perfection that would approach being God-like in some other context.

If I asked for a password reset for the "Your Telecom" customer self-management web page, they asked from my Xtra login and password. When I explained this was absolutely nothing to do with Xtra and that account works fine, they didn't miss a beat and asked for my Xtra email address. Nothing to do with it as "Your Telecom" is based on my GMail address....and on we went.

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sbiddle

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#530785 8-Oct-2011 08:40

You were on Orcon ULL weren't you? This means somebody visiting the exchange and rejumpering your MPF. This introduces human points of failure!

plambrechtsen

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#530820 8-Oct-2011 10:38

Linuxluver: I was referring to implementation, but may well move to their phone support. I'm on the phone with them now trying to get the password reset to "Your Telecom" so I can look at my bill and you'd think I was bring outrageously unreasonable in asking them to do something they clearly aren't experienced with. They want to reset my Xtra password...which not the password that needs resetting.

In the end I gave up as the person I was speaking to (probably in the Philippines?) consistently and perfectly mis-understood everything they were told, getting it perfectly backward every time. Amazing. They sounded like they could speak English, but obvious the lack of comprehension of what I was asking for was on a level of perfection that would approach being God-like in some other context.

If I asked for a password reset for the "Your Telecom" customer self-management web page, they asked from my Xtra login and password. When I explained this was absolutely nothing to do with Xtra and that account works fine, they didn't miss a beat and asked for my Xtra email address. Nothing to do with it as "Your Telecom" is based on my GMail address....and on we went.

Your Telecom has a self entered username & password associated to your customer account number. Sent you a PM asking for your account # and username you login with... I'm pretty sure I can get the password reset.

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Linuxluver

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#530837 8-Oct-2011 11:40

sbiddle: You were on Orcon ULL weren't you? This means somebody visiting the exchange and rejumpering your MPF. This introduces human points of failure!

Hi Steve

My exchange (Birkdale) is perhaps the last one on the North Shore that isn't unbundled. Glenfield may also be an old one, I'm told.

Either way my broadband DSL service via Orcon was Telecom wholesaled. My other line services have been Telecom all along.

Steve

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Linuxluver

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#530840 8-Oct-2011 11:45

plambrechtsen:

Your Telecom has a self entered username & password associated to your customer account number. Sent you a PM asking for your account # and username you login with... I'm pretty sure I can get the password reset.

Thanks, Peter. I think it was my 'mistake'. I called 123 instead of the 0800 24 00 24 you're offered when you get your password wrong. When I called the latter number I got someone in NZ who sorted it out in a couple of minutes. The people at 123 clearly don't appear to have this in their mission...so were understandably clueless. As a customer, I'm clueless too, not being schooled in which part of Telecom I need to call to sort out which issue. The presumption that 123 was the gateway to everything was apparently a wrong one.

All sorted now.

My broadband became active sometime after 09:30am. Only 14 hours later than promised. Comparedto past experiences (10 days in 2008) that isn't too bad.

But it's still a big fail on the expectation-setting front.

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plambrechtsen

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#530860 8-Oct-2011 12:36

Linuxluver: Thanks, Peter. I think it was my 'mistake'. I called 123 instead of the 0800 24 00 24 you're offered when you get your password wrong. When I called the latter number I got someone in NZ who sorted it out in a couple of minutes. The people at 123 clearly don't appear to have this in their mission...so were understandably clueless. As a customer, I'm clueless too, not being schooled in which part of Telecom I need to call to sort out which issue. The presumption that 123 was the gateway to everything was apparently a wrong one.

All sorted now.

Your Telecom / Xtra Broadband / Xtra email passwords all sit in a legacy part of the environment right now, but that is due to change. Depending on who you got through 123 they could have reset it, but the Xtra support line which you rang via 0800 24 00 24 are the dedicated team to supporting you so should be able to assist you with anything fixed line internet / xtra email / YT related. Worst case you could have signed up for a new YT account with a different username against your same customer number... But don't even get me started on that :).

Linuxluver: My broadband became active sometime after 09:30am. Only 14 hours later than promised. Comparedto past experiences (10 days in 2008) that isn't too bad.

But it's still a big fail on the expectation-setting front.

Sorry to hear you were out of action, but glad to hear you're now all sorted.

Linuxluver

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#532200 12-Oct-2011 08:17

Just to round out this thread......

I've been using the Telecom broadband the past few days and have to say it is pretty good. Especially in the evening....when we can happily watch YouTube videos at 720p - even 1080p!! - with only a bare minimum of stuttering / stopping - if any at all.

On Orcon I gave up ever trying to use 1080p and it would take literally minutes to NOT play.

So far - delivery issues aside - I'm pretty happy and I'm also saving almost $100 / month over what I was paying before.

I also noticed when I logged in to to check usage that my data quota is 80GB...not the 60GB I ordered. I phoned them up and the extra 20GB is promo of some kind.

Fine by me. All Good.

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DravidDavid

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#532371 12-Oct-2011 15:05

Linuxluver: Just to round out this thread......

I've been using the Telecom broadband the past few days and have to say it is pretty good. Especially in the evening....when we can happily watch YouTube videos at 720p - even 1080p!! - with only a bare minimum of stuttering / stopping - if any at all.

On Orcon I gave up ever trying to use 1080p and it would take literally minutes to NOT play.

So far - delivery issues aside - I'm pretty happy and I'm also saving almost $100 / month over what I was paying before.

I also noticed when I logged in to to check usage that my data quota is 80GB...not the 60GB I ordered. I phoned them up and the extra 20GB is promo of some kind.

Fine by me. All Good.

They are very good at the moment. Usually if a video begins stuttering at 1080p, I refresh the page and the stream bolts ahead of where it is playing from.