What is going on with Bigpipe?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › What is going on with Bigpipe?

mvil

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#318050 10-Dec-2024 14:29

A bit of a rant.

Their support is just non existent. Their chat bot Mike has been taken away and now emailing them just goes into a black hole.

I have paid for a fixed IP address and for a few days now my internet just keeps dropping and it takes some time to come up again.

Since this has been happening, my fixed IP has changed causing more frustration.

I did find this post https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=314911 regarding Asus routers, mine is RT-AX82U. So just changed that setting, hopefully this helps.

If they don't answer their emails, or support queries from their website, what are we suppose to do?

Which ISP should I move too?

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1466 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#3318794 10-Dec-2024 14:37

Skinny if you don't need a public static, basically Spark lite. Spark if you want all the bells and whistles in terms of add-ons, I've heard good things about Voyager and Quic.

YMMV and I work for Spark on the fixed broadband network, so be aware probably some biases there.

dnwright

18 posts

Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#3318797 10-Dec-2024 14:48

Quic has been great for me.

You do need some technical skills to diagnose any issues you run in to. The Quic community on discord has been pretty good, there are always a few people around to help out in the troubleshooting channel.

The option for a once off fee for a static IP address is also quite nice.

Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R522387EKKDNO for free setup)

robjg63

4098 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3318799 10-Dec-2024 14:58

That's a bit grim!

I have been a BP customer since 2016 (also with a fixed IP address).

I did have an issue in 2018 and their support was really annoying - the email just went round and round until I got onto the chatbot.

It finally got escalated to Skinny and resolved (with help from Geekzone to prove the issue).

I am happy with the service and cost - but dont look forward with ever having to deal with them.

I really wish Spark would just move BP over to Skinny.....

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself - A. H. Weiler

mvil

3 posts

Wannabe Geek

#3318808 10-Dec-2024 15:14

I've been a customer since 2017 and seems like Bigpipe has gone down since beginning of the year. My intermittent dropouts has been happening for quite some time and have contacted support via their website a few times about this but till today never had any response, other than the same auto email replies. It was manageable on my end as this happened maybe twice a week.

The last few days its been happening many times a day. Well since changing Enable VPN + DHCP Connection to No on my router I haven't had a dropout yet. But I still need my fixed IP back.

Thanks for the recommendations, I will just move and get it over with.

hsvhel

1237 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#3318816 10-Dec-2024 15:29

I'm with Quic now, previously Voyager. Both are fine.

Voyager was actually brilliant, was just price point that prompted me to move, otherwise would still be there TBH

Referral Link Quic

Free Setup use R502152EQH6OK on check out

Spyware

3762 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3318818 10-Dec-2024 15:32

I just pay Spark, 26 years so far, and never bother with price. Would have overspent approaching $10k.

Spark Max Fibre using Mikrotik CCR1009-8G-1S-1S+, CRS125-24G-1S, Unifi UAP, U6-Pro, UAP-AC-M-Pro, Apple TV 4K (2022), Apple TV 4K (2017), iPad Air 1st gen, iPad Air 4th gen, iPhone 13, SkyNZ3151 (the white box). If it doesn't move then it's data cabled.

mattwnz

20163 posts

Uber Geek

#3318822 10-Dec-2024 15:55

Spyware:

I just pay Spark, 26 years so far, and never bother with price. Would have overspent approaching $10k.

Depends on what services you are using. Skinny is Sparks low cost brand if you just want the internet. Spark used to compete more on price but these days thee does seem to be a lot less competition with big players being allowed to buy out the small operators and brand. Then you have power companies selling internet and bundling it, which makes it more difficult to switch provider without losing the bundle pricing.

Sharesies

Trade NZ and US shares and funds with Sharesies (affiliate link).

cddt

1560 posts

Uber Geek

#3318834 10-Dec-2024 17:10

No issues with connection here. Not saying it isn't happening to you, but nothing appears to have changed with my connection, still have the same IP address I had seven years ago (even survived a house move which I wasn't expecting).

My referral links: BigPipe | Mercury

mattwnz

20163 posts

Uber Geek

#3318906 10-Dec-2024 20:22

Contact the TDR if you can't get support as they will contact them and find out what is going on with them.

Big Pipe are a member as shown at https://www.tdr.org.nz/about

mentalinc

3238 posts

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Trusted

#3318907 10-Dec-2024 20:24

Wow bigpipe, blast from the past, who knew they were still around (appears they may not be)/

Suggest moving to a new ISP, Quic is great and many referral codes about in the forum to waive joining fee. no contract so if you dont like it you can move to someone else anytime you want.

CPU: AMD 5900x | RAM: GSKILL Trident Z Neo RGB F4-3600C16D-32GTZNC-32-GB | MB: Asus X570-E | GFX: EVGA FTW3 Ultra RTX 3080Ti| Monitor: LG 27GL850-B 2560x1440

Quic: https://account.quic.nz/refer/473833 R473833EQKIBX

yitz

2079 posts

Uber Geek

#3318910 10-Dec-2024 20:57

I read that there were cuts to customer service:

Spark is again looking to make more staff redundant, which employees fear will cause customer service at the telco to decline.

A proposal, seen by Stuff, would reduce the amount of virtual customer advisors in both the Spark and Skinny virtual care teams.

It was proposed 62 roles would be disestablished - 46 from Spark, 15 from Skinny and Bagpipe (sic)
- https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/350416499/more-potential-spark-redundancies-looming

Perhaps you should ask to be transferred to the Bagpipe customer service department... good thing they never had phone support can't imagine what the hold music would be 😆

dnwright

18 posts

Geek

Trusted

Subscriber

#3318977 10-Dec-2024 21:51

From what I've heard BigPipe's support team was stripped back as part of that too.

Referral Links: Quic Broadband (use R522387EKKDNO for free setup)

nztim

3818 posts

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TEAMnetwork

Subscriber

#3319076 11-Dec-2024 09:53

It's such a Shame, I was with Bigpipe for many many years and never had a problem with them, ADSL and then an early adopter of the 100/100 plan its so sad to see this great service go downhill, However Quic has now filled that Void of "Advanced Users" ISP which BP was origionally set up for

Only moved away from Bigpipe when Sky started to offer Bundled Broadband with Sky TV (Bundled Sky With Sports Channels + Broadband is still cheaper than any other ISP + Skysport Now)

Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer.

Wheelbarrow01

1724 posts

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Chorus

#3319140 11-Dec-2024 11:03

Hi @mvil,

I've messaged a contact at Spark/Bigpipe to make her aware of your problem and provide the link to this post. She said she will pass it on to to appropriate people to reach out and assist.

The views expressed by me are not necessarily those of my employer Chorus NZ Ltd

cbrpilot

955 posts

Ultimate Geek

Trusted

Spark NZ

#3319194 11-Dec-2024 11:28

mvil:

A bit of a rant.

Their support is just non existent. Their chat bot Mike has been taken away and now emailing them just goes into a black hole.

I have paid for a fixed IP address and for a few days now my internet just keeps dropping and it takes some time to come up again.

Since this has been happening, my fixed IP has changed causing more frustration.

I did find this post https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=39&topicid=314911 regarding Asus routers, mine is RT-AX82U. So just changed that setting, hopefully this helps.

If they don't answer their emails, or support queries from their website, what are we suppose to do?

Which ISP should I move too?

Hi mvil, sorry for the experience you've had here. Can you please PM me your details and I will get your issue with your static IP sorted.

Dave.

My views are my own, and may not necessarily represent those of my employer.

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