Bigpipe and their deceptive trade practice.

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Bigpipe and their deceptive trade practice.

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#1337395 5-Jul-2015 17:42

kentrixnz:
lxsw20: So you pay a one off $45 for a static IP. I think that's one of the cheapest static IPs around.

I already have a DDNS service so I'll have to pass.

You would prefer to use DDNS over a static IP? OK then...

mattwnz

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#1337396 5-Jul-2015 17:45

RunningMan:
kentrixnz: Bigpipe just emailed me and assigned me with a public address, so I got that sorted out for now.

So, may I suggest that what you were told on the phone was a simple mistake...

I don't know. Simple mistakes can happen, but if that mistake influences your decision to go with a service over another provider, you find out the provider gave you incorrect info, I presume that you can cancel the contract and claim any cost resulting from that error can't you? I think providers have to be careful what they tell people over the phone. they are always best to follow up any phone call with an email outlining what was discussed for clarity.

Anyway I thought bigpipe didn't provide any phone support/sales, so I wonder how they could have made a mistake over the phone.

tdgeek

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#1337400 5-Jul-2015 18:05

I work for Spark, thereby afflliated with Bigpipe, disclosure. . I feel, IMHO, that if an issue happened, discuss with whatever provider it was, before deciding it was deceptive, etc. Anyone in business can err, most will not decieve. Why would they or any other business decieve?

kentrixnz

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#1337415 5-Jul-2015 18:35

BigPipeNZ:
kentrixnz:
Jase2985: http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=158&topicid=170907

Well, I did not read this forum signing up. I signed up solely based on the information provided on their website.
If I actually did read the forum, I'd not sign up with them.

Hi,
Whereaboutson the site did you see the info about a free public ip? If we've got some content wrong on the site, or if content has somehow reverted to old wording somehow, then I'd like to know so we can amend it. (That can easily happen)

Pretty sure the ts and cs, sign-up flow and the faq haven't mentioned free public ip for quite some months.
Here's what the faq says, and it has said this for several months.

"Do I get a public IP address?
No. Static IP is available. Please see our Static IP FAQ's for more details on this."

I know the offer summary page mentions public ip, but it doesn't say it is free. (It's not especially clear though, so I do want to amend it)

Believe me, there is nothing intentionally deceptive about it if we have made a mistake. Since we're not locking you into any contracts you are free to leave at any time, so if we made a habit out of misleading customers in this way, then they would just immediately move on. Would be just a huge waste of money for us.

A public static ip is available for a one-off $45 charge. If you would prefer to have a public dynamic ip instead, then we can do that for the same fee, although it's pretty rare for people to want that.

I do not want a static IP address because I already have a DDNS service up and running.

We use carrier-grade NAT. This should not impact most online activities such as streaming video, web browsing and online gaming, but may affect some complex broadband-based services (e.g. personally hosted websites).

Public IP addresses are available on request.

Static IP is available for all our plans, please check our Static IP FAQ'S.

Yes, it doesn't say its free neither does it say its $45, but its available on request. It's your guys responsibility to correct the website when your terms changed months back.

Whether it's a breach or not, I think I'll let the commission decide.

kentrixnz

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#1337417 5-Jul-2015 18:37

mattwnz:
RunningMan:
kentrixnz: Bigpipe just emailed me and assigned me with a public address, so I got that sorted out for now.

So, may I suggest that what you were told on the phone was a simple mistake...

I don't know. Simple mistakes can happen, but if that mistake influences your decision to go with a service over another provider, you find out the provider gave you incorrect info, I presume that you can cancel the contract and claim any cost resulting from that error can't you? I think providers have to be careful what they tell people over the phone. they are always best to follow up any phone call with an email outlining what was discussed for clarity.

Anyway I thought bigpipe didn't provide any phone support/sales, so I wonder how they could have made a mistake over the phone.

Yea, they don't, everything is done via email. I have no idea why did he mention phone calls.

kentrixnz

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#1337418 5-Jul-2015 18:38

lxsw20:
kentrixnz:
lxsw20: So you pay a one off $45 for a static IP. I think that's one of the cheapest static IPs around.

I already have a DDNS service so I'll have to pass.

You would prefer to use DDNS over a static IP? OK then...

Since I already paid for it, I'd prefer not pay another fee for static IP.

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#1337431 5-Jul-2015 19:08

lxsw20:
kentrixnz:
lxsw20: So you pay a one off $45 for a static IP. I think that's one of the cheapest static IPs around.

I already have a DDNS service so I'll have to pass.

You would prefer to use DDNS over a static IP? OK then...

*Chuckled*

If you really don't like BigPipe - you can move any time.

It is interesting that Bigpipe can still give you public IP for free. Do you get free static public IP or shared public IP.

kentrixnz

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#1337432 5-Jul-2015 19:11

nakedmolerat:
lxsw20:
kentrixnz:
lxsw20: So you pay a one off $45 for a static IP. I think that's one of the cheapest static IPs around.

I already have a DDNS service so I'll have to pass.

You would prefer to use DDNS over a static IP? OK then...

*Chuckled*

If you really don't like BigPipe - you can move any time.

It is interesting that Bigpipe can still give you public IP for free. Do you get free static public IP or shared public IP.

shared public IP.

I think u meant dynamic public IP? Shared public IP = private IP for me, essentially what the NAT device is doing.

kentrixnz

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#1337435 5-Jul-2015 19:16

nakedmolerat:
lxsw20:
kentrixnz:
lxsw20: So you pay a one off $45 for a static IP. I think that's one of the cheapest static IPs around.

I already have a DDNS service so I'll have to pass.

You would prefer to use DDNS over a static IP? OK then...

*Chuckled*

If you really don't like BigPipe - you can move any time.

It is interesting that Bigpipe can still give you public IP for free. Do you get free static public IP or shared public IP.

I do hope the dynamic public IP is for me to keep, however, they've escalated the case so I think I'd hear more from them on Monday.

Also, since I just paid my $49 set-up, I'd prefer to stay at least for a while.

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#1337497 5-Jul-2015 21:51

Every time I see a user posting strong words such as "deceptive business practices" have to follow the thread. Most times is something innocuous, or something that can be easily fixed by talking through the situation.

I know it's done and dusted now but I wish people would post the facts, ask for opinions and seek help - before going hard.

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blakamin

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#1338158 6-Jul-2015 21:20

This thread reads like facebook.. "I'm upset so I'm going to complain to the highest authortae in the land!!moreexclaimations!!!eleven!!!"

If they've stuffed up, point it out to them, and if they don't fix it and say "stiff shizzle", then go hard.

/end2cents

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#1338162 6-Jul-2015 21:42

blakamin: This thread reads like facebook.. "I'm upset so I'm going to complain to the highest authortae in the land!!moreexclaimations!!!eleven!!!"

If they've stuffed up, point it out to them, and if they don't fix it and say "stiff shizzle", then go hard.

/end2cents

Kids today .................. lol

NonprayingMantis

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#1338180 6-Jul-2015 22:40

blakamin: This thread reads like facebook.. "I'm upset so I'm going to complain to the highest authortae in the land!!moreexclaimations!!!eleven!!!"

If they've stuffed up, point it out to them, and if they don't fix it and say "stiff shizzle", then go hard.

/end2cents

funny you should mention facebook:

"Edward Huang – 1 star
This is a total scam, on the order it clearly stated that:
"Other information
We use carrier-grade NAT. This should not impact most online activities such as streaming video, web browsing and online gaming, but may affect some complex broadband-based services (e.g. personally hosted websites).

Public IP addresses are available on request."

Here is the screenshot in case they change it : imgur.(delete this)com/MK1fihd

But instead they would not give me that (public IP) and offered me to pay another $45 for a static IP.
Guess what, take my $49 setup fee and fck off."

https://www.facebook.com/BigPipeNZ/reviews

insane

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#1338184 6-Jul-2015 22:55

Storm in a tea-cup, and it looks like a good outcome was reached in the end. I'm sure a well worded email to the support team would have achieved the same result given the detailing I've had with them.

Yes it used to be free, but if you see how much public IP addresses actually cost from a broker I can sort of understand why they have gone down the CG-NAT route as the default option. I did pay the $45 to get a static, one of the best $45's I've spent.

hashbrown

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#1338223 7-Jul-2015 07:00

insane: Storm in a tea-cup, and it looks like a good outcome was reached in the end. I'm sure a well worded email to the support team would have achieved the same result given the detailing I've had with them.

Yes it used to be free, but if you see how much public IP addresses actually cost from a broker I can sort of understand why they have gone down the CG-NAT route as the default option. I did pay the $45 to get a static, one of the best $45's I've spent.

Clearly it would not have achieved the same result. You paid $45. If you'd just had a tantrum you might have got a public IP for free like the OP.

Companies need to stop pandering to the squeaky wheels and the rest of us need to just ignore them for this to stop.

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