Global Mode on BigPipe?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Global Mode on BigPipe?

scribble1984

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#150145 12-Jul-2014 19:23

Are bigpipe going to do a global mode like slingshot and orcon?

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#1087843 12-Jul-2014 19:30

In my opinion, I'd highly doubt they would especially as Telecom/Spark (Bigpipe's parent company) are about to launch their own new video service.

-A.

BigPipeNZ

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#1087846 12-Jul-2014 19:51

almost certainly not, for the following reasons

1) Our whole 'thing' is providing broadband with masses of international bandwidth (we think 5-10 x more than other ISPs), amazing customer service....and absolutely nothing else. That's why we don't do modems, anti-virus, email accounts, or IPTV services. We think most people who are our customers prefer to get their own, and in many cases can be found for free. We'd rather put our focus onto broadband and service, instead of being distracted by adding on bells and whistles.

The only things we might consider offering on top of broadband + great service are things which you could not get except from your ISP (for example, a static IP)

2) there are loads of different unblocking services out there you can use - some of them are free - and we'd rather allow you the freedom to choose which one you want. Personally I use unblock-us, but I'm considering switching to unotelly. For a measly $5 or less per month, I don't see it as a big selling point.

3) Any service we offer, we want to provide great support for. We're pretty proud of the feedback from our customers - check our reviews on facebook. We don't want to wreck it by losing focus on the less important stuff

Now I don't want to bag slingshot here, but their support for global mode seems to consist of "restart your modem, if that doesn't work, ask on geekzone"
https://www.slingshot.co.nz/global-mode/support-faq

compare that to the support you get with unblock-us.com , which consists of comprehensive device guides with setup videos, service listings, help articles, trouble ticketing systems.

http://support.unblock-us.com/
http://www.unblock-us.com/how-to-set-up/

unblock-us also support dozens of overseas services (Slingshot doesn't even list the services it supports, but it has stated 10, unblock-us has way more)

I just don't see the point in us trying to provide that sort of service, when there are vastly superior options out there that only cost a couple of bucks per month. (I believe you can get unotelly for about $3 per month) or are even free (like Hola)

For us to do it would take money and resource away from providing broadband and customer service - and that means either worse service, or higher prices for your broadband, and we don't want to do either of those things.

in any case, Bigpipe ($79) + Unblock-us ($5) works out cheaper for you than slingshot's closest plan, naked unlimited, ($90) + Globalmode ($0) :D

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nathan

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#1087847 12-Jul-2014 19:51

exactly, big publically listed company is unlikely to stir up the proverbial like that

solaybro

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#1087848 12-Jul-2014 19:52

Bigpipe advertise themselves as a bare bones internet provider. They don't offer global mode type services because then they can keep their costs down and provide the cheapest internet. If you want to use region blocked services then you need to sort out a way to access that service yourself.

solaybro

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#1087849 12-Jul-2014 20:00

support for global mode basically consists of "restart your modem, if that doesn't work, ask on geekzone"

The mods should request that Slingshot remove that from their website. Geekzone is not doing free customer service for companies. Geekzone can complement ISPs customer service but it is not here to replace it.

sbiddle

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#1087853 12-Jul-2014 20:28

For all of the reasons listed in every other thread on here discussing this very same issue, this would be a very bad idea. I think it's actually crazy that Slingshot themselves offer it as a service - purely because of the implications of what happens when the likes of Netflix decide they'll simply stop the service from working. Slingshot have now said you can use Netflix from their connection (vs offering Global mode without really telling you the benefits). What happens when this no longer works? What happens when you're in a term contact with Slingshot and can't use Netflix any longer?

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#1087865 12-Jul-2014 20:50

sbiddle: For all of the reasons listed in every other thread on here discussing this very same issue, this would be a very bad idea. I think it's actually crazy that Slingshot themselves offer it as a service - purely because of the implications of what happens when the likes of Netflix decide they'll simply stop the service from working. Slingshot have now said you can use Netflix from their connection (vs offering Global mode without really telling you the benefits). What happens when this no longer works? What happens when you're in a term contact with Slingshot and can't use Netflix any longer?

I guess if the customer is desperate can still use unblock us unotelly etc

freitasm

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#1087887 12-Jul-2014 22:00

Sure they can use a third party, but Steve's point is that a contract was entered and in some cases the main attraction was the Global Mode service. If that doesn't work anymore, would customers be released from the contract?

This is obviously something to deal with when/if it happens and certainly not in this thread (wrong ISP).

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richms

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#1087896 12-Jul-2014 22:07

Terms and conditions will cover them if it stops working.

Richard rich.ms

sbiddle

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#1088006 13-Jul-2014 10:52

And just like that it it seems Nexflix isn't working on Global Mode this morning on Slingshot..

sbiddle

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#1088007 13-Jul-2014 10:53

richms: Terms and conditions will cover them if it stops working.

There is no reference to global made (last I looked). This means anybody signing up to Slingshot because they were told Netflix would work would have a very strong case for a fair trading act claim against Slingshot if you were in a term contract and Netflix no longer worked.

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livisun

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#1099072 31-Jul-2014 10:04

scribble1984: Are bigpipe going to do a global mode like slingshot and orcon?

Does orcon have global mode?

theoilslickjim

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#1105865 10-Aug-2014 13:24

I have been a Slingshot customer for years, never had a gripe or problem with them as a company. I have called them a few times with queries and unlike other posts I have read around the place, have always had friendly and helpful service.

However, the whole "Global Mode" is misleading when only a few sites are supported. I did join Netflix and for the first few weeks had it running perfectly on PS3. After that though it started giving loading errors etc and reading around the app uses another way to verify location, which is not blocked by Slingshot. I also tried this on a Chromecast but even using blocked DNS settings on the router it seemed to give location based errors. So, now I am trialing Unotelly and am finding it really convenient - Chromecast works, PS3 works and I now have access to hundreds of channels - most of them only play in the browaser though rather than being streamed to the TV.

Long story short. Global Mode is an advertising point and not really a reality.

linw

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#1106052 10-Aug-2014 21:01

livisun:
scribble1984: Are bigpipe going to do a global mode like slingshot and orcon?

Does orcon have global mode?

No.

semigeek

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#1106071 10-Aug-2014 21:41

BigPipeNZ: almost certainly not, for the following reasons

1) Our whole 'thing' is providing broadband with masses of international bandwidth (we think 5-10 x more than other ISPs), amazing customer service....and absolutely nothing else. That's why we don't do modems, anti-virus, email accounts, or IPTV services. We think most people who are our customers prefer to get their own, and in many cases can be found for free. We'd rather put our focus onto broadband and service, instead of being distracted by adding on bells and whistles.

The only things we might consider offering on top of broadband + great service are things which you could not get except from your ISP (for example, a static IP)

2) there are loads of different unblocking services out there you can use - some of them are free - and we'd rather allow you the freedom to choose which one you want. Personally I use unblock-us, but I'm considering switching to unotelly. For a measly $5 or less per month, I don't see it as a big selling point.

3) Any service we offer, we want to provide great support for. We're pretty proud of the feedback from our customers - check our reviews on facebook. We don't want to wreck it by losing focus on the less important stuff

Now I don't want to bag slingshot here, but their support for global mode seems to consist of "restart your modem, if that doesn't work, ask on geekzone"
https://www.slingshot.co.nz/global-mode/support-faq

compare that to the support you get with unblock-us.com , which consists of comprehensive device guides with setup videos, service listings, help articles, trouble ticketing systems.

http://support.unblock-us.com/
http://www.unblock-us.com/how-to-set-up/

unblock-us also support dozens of overseas services (Slingshot doesn't even list the services it supports, but it has stated 10, unblock-us has way more)

I just don't see the point in us trying to provide that sort of service, when there are vastly superior options out there that only cost a couple of bucks per month. (I believe you can get unotelly for about $3 per month) or are even free (like Hola)

For us to do it would take money and resource away from providing broadband and customer service - and that means either worse service, or higher prices for your broadband, and we don't want to do either of those things.

in any case, Bigpipe ($79) + Unblock-us ($5) works out cheaper for you than slingshot's closest plan, naked unlimited, ($90) + Globalmode ($0) :D

Just for the record, Slingshot has naked unlimited for $75 a month and from one of their staff, they are currently building a list of overseas services accessible via Global Mode.
Unblock-US is $4.99 a month Canadian, $5.37NZ at current exchange rates... so Slingshot if you used Unblock-US is $80.37. Bigpipe $84.37
No Unblock-US - $75 for Slingshot UL with Global Mode-$0

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