Can somebody suggest a way to get SPARK to respond regarding UFB install

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Can somebody suggest a way to get SPARK to respond regarding UFB install

haerh

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Topic # 194959 31-Mar-2016 21:50

Was with Vodafone, decided to switch to spark. I was offered an ADSL plan upgradable to UFB. When I signed up, I was told that a contractor should contact me regarding scoping visit. No contact so far. I spoke with a contractor on the street wondering maybe fibre is not reached the house as it says end May2016 on the website. Contractor showed me that houses are being connected and I should contact my ISP. I Sent an email to a spark rep. I got a reply next day that somebody will contact me in 10 working days. I registered my interest again (although there was no need as it is already part of contract).

After 10 working days sent another email and havenot received a reply. I decided to call spark. After some wait got a message that waiting time is over an hour and leaving a number will get spark to contact me. Waited 3 hours, still no contact.

Not a good performance from a telecommunications company, anybody got suggestion how to find out whats happening with my ufb install request

Thanks in advance

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Reply # 1523592 31-Mar-2016 22:24

I say its passed on to Chorus?? depends what stage of it. You can try but we tried when they didnt show up to find out the telecom

hadnt booked them after all despite the email confirm we got LOL so it was a month late but asdl worked fine

until then. Its hard now since 123 goes out the country for support.. philipines? I would try the email contact form (well in your case AGAIN and AGAIN)

no one phone prior to showing up either times.. the UFB ONT install or the phone on POTS

and so none of them were prepared for our house setup (patch panel) only to find the fibre

was on wrong street side and had to wire it passed the panel instead.. a real mess

but managed to work around it

Linuxluver

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Reply # 1523599 31-Mar-2016 22:56

If you call Spark's Fibre install help desk they never answer and they never phone you back. I discovered that myself.

Stick to "123" and the people there....or the online chat can work, too.

Spark have a few gaps in their online services. When I login to "MySpark", you'd never know I had any Internet service with them at all related to my landline. My 200m/200m Fibre service isn't mentioned at all. It does appear on my monthly statement, but online it's invisible.

I've called Spark about this no less than 3 times over the past 2 months - about an hour each time - and they tell me to call back in 2-3 days and it will be sorted.

It's never sorted.

Each time I call back I have to re-educate the new person as to the nature of the problem....wait for them to be stunned and amazed it's completely broken.....and then they say they will follow up....(and they then never follow up)

____________________________________________________
I'm on a high fibre diet.

haerh

6 posts

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Reply # 1523657 1-Apr-2016 02:45

Thanks a lot, your replies are appreciated. I will try both 123 and online chat as well as emailing again.
I just wish to know when and how is it happening?

Jase2985

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Reply # 1523659 1-Apr-2016 05:22

have you actually ordered fibre? its not automatic. Does the spark address checker say fibre is available?

Batman

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Reply # 1523666 1-Apr-2016 07:07

Leave your number again. They will call.

sbiddle

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Reply # 1523672 1-Apr-2016 07:25

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Does your property show as being UFB ready either on the Chorus or Spark websites? If it's not yet ready then you're not going to get a scoper show up not a UFB order scheduled until your street is ready.

Jaxson

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Reply # 1523696 1-Apr-2016 08:26

The missing link in these discussions is always any accurate feedback back to the potential customer.

It's messy bouncing between Telecom/Vodafone etc and Chorus, but that's the way it is.

Chorus is essentially backend, and you don't get to talk to them as a customer, so you point of call is always back to Telecom.

If Chorus doesn't communicate back to Telecom, then it would at least be nice to get an update saying they're still waiting etc.

Changing Telco providers in NZ is always a pain in the as compared to say energy companies or insurance companies, where you can usually change (comparatively) fairly quickly and easily.

jonathan18

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Reply # 1523729 1-Apr-2016 09:00

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Jaxson:

Changing Telco providers in NZ is always a pain in the as compared to say energy companies or insurance companies, where you can usually change (comparatively) fairly quickly and easily.

The greatest issues, though, are when switching forms of internet, eg from ADSL to UFB: with this scenario it's much more complex than switching electricity providers, given the provision of a new service and heavy involvement of that third player (Chorus or equivalent).

The electricity provider comparison is probably closer to moving ISPs with the same type of connection, where there appear to be far fewer problems. Personally, all my same-type ISP switches have been totally smooth (whether it was for ADSL or fibre) - luckily even my ADSL>UFB transition (which also involved shifting ISPs) went smoothly, but sometimes it seems I was one of the lucky ones!

Back to the OP's post, though - it's disappointing to read that yet another ISP seems to have major issues with wait times and communication; good luck with sorting it.

Jaxson

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Reply # 1523800 1-Apr-2016 10:46

jonathan18:

The greatest issues, though, are when switching forms of internet, eg from ADSL to UFB

Agree.

haerh

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Reply # 1524067 1-Apr-2016 16:16

Thanks again. Managed to get hold of somebody at spark and mentioned that I was supposed to be contacted.

No it does not show up on map although a contractor on street showed me the boxes with fibre on the power poles.

No order has been placed as the spark rep told me that fibre is not available on my street and its status is "will be available in future". Her interpretation of future was more than 12 months which seems wrong.

I was sold the contract with promise of upgrading to fibre when available which was to be end april or May.

She also told me that " outbound (one who sold me the contract)" services people are different from "inbound(herself)" services people.

So I have decided to stay put until I get the flyer that fibre is available. I got another flyer today in mail that "fibre is coming to your street and register your interest"

So I am going to register again and be patient.

Thanks for replies. It gave me better idea and I will post when I get closer to a possible realisation of fibre at my property.

cheerio

Jase2985

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Reply # 1524119 1-Apr-2016 16:49

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so whats your issue?

you signed up to a plan that gives you no penalty (Early disconnection fee) when you change to UFB, thats it.

so when you do eventually have UFB available you can place an order with your ISP for UFB and they will place it with chorus. then someone will get in touch with you to organise a scopeing visit

what registering are you talking about? the tell me when fibre is available?

haerh

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Reply # 1524312 1-Apr-2016 21:39

My issue is "I was told when I was sold the contract on 7/3/16 that ufb will be available from May, but somebody will contact me 10 working days after around 8/3/16 to discuss about how to go about it?" and I haven't heard back at all. I just needed some timeframes and a confirmation that things have moved, which as per spark call centre has not as ufb will be available in future. which according to call centre rep meant 12 months away.

Registration that I talk about it when you get flyer in mailbox that fibre coming to your street, preregister for early connection.

I know fibre is there 2 houses away from me as contractor showed me the box. I wanted to upload a photo but cannot.

I am going to wait for a week or so to watch and see whats happening in neighbourhood and talk to a few neighbours to see if anybody got it.

Jase2985

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Reply # 1524313 1-Apr-2016 21:43

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FYI you cant order UFB if its not avaliable, and you were told wrong. No one should be calling you back as you havent/cant place an order for UFB as its currently not avaliable at your place.

Pre registering means nothing, it means they will send you an email when its available in there system and say you can now order it. doesnt mean you will be shifted to it.

My advise is keep checking the chorus UFB map and when it says its available at your address order it from your ISP.

for now there is nothing more you can do.

sbiddle

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Reply # 1524325 1-Apr-2016 22:13

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haerh:

I know fibre is there 2 houses away from me as contractor showed me the box. I wanted to upload a photo but cannot.

I am going to wait for a week or so to watch and see whats happening in neighbourhood and talk to a few neighbours to see if anybody got it.

A pillar a few doors away means very little.

Based on your comments so far you've indicated UFB will be available in your street in May. That will most likely be when it becomes available.

When ducting is rolled out in an area it's typically a few nodes at a time. Once all of the ducting is in place and been tested then these nodes will go live - if you're one of the early streets in this area it can easily be a few months from the time the rollout goes past your house until it goes live.

Use the Chorus or Spark site as guidance - what others say will often be wrong.

gareth41

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Reply # 1524509 2-Apr-2016 11:03

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This all sounds typical of Spark, no communication from them. My advice as mentioned in another thread is sign up for fibre with a small provider initially.

Back in 2012 when our street had fibre rolled out my ISP was orcon and was adsl, I contacted them to signup for fibre after the street had been done, they said it wasn't available so I contacted planet (now kiwilink) and they got the process underway straight away. They also kept me in the loop with what chorus was telling them, forwarding chorus emails to me etc... Orcon contacted me around 2 months later after I was up and running, told me fibre was now available and asked if I wanted to go ahead with install, I told them they were too late, I was already up and running with another provider a couple months ago.

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