WARNING #2: HD Net strikes again

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getontoit99

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#257065 12-Sep-2019 22:06

In addition to the billing debacle which I posted about yesterday, HD Net has gone one better.

I've been on a 100/100 plan from Unlimited Internet for $79/month since March.

I'm moving house soon. I opened my second ticket with HD Net (the parent company I think) yesterday, to move the service to my new home, where fibre is installed.

They came back today with this:

Unfortunately we have retired the 100/100 plan, the next best plan for $79.00 is the 100/20 plan. A one off connection fee of $39.00 will apply to connect the new service at (where I'm moving to).

Please let us know if you want us to place the order?

When HD Net emailed UL customers saying they were taking over the billing, there was no mention that this plan would be dropped.

So $79/month which got me 100/100 with Unlimited Internet, will only get me 100/20 with HD Net! And I had to pay $39 for the privilege of being moved and downgraded.

Unbelievable! I had to read the email several times to be sure I understood them correctly. I went back to them and asked what would have happened if I wasn't moving. Never mind.

I've gone back, cancelled the move, cancelled the current service, and threatened merry hell if they complain about a lack of notice. They retired the plan without notice, for f's sake.

They still have my last payment to Unlimited Internet which I've insisted they refund, rather than crediting it to the next HD invoice.

I won't even call them Muppets because I liked the Muppets. (Particularly Animal on the drums)

Shame about the $45 I paid way back for a fixed IP address....

Let this be over soon!!

Help me out folks, where should send my broadband spend now?

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#2316848 12-Sep-2019 22:12

Happy here with Orcon, I have the Gigantic Fibre and get $10 off so it's $90 for me, but the next one down is $85 for the 100/20, which I take it you won't be happy with.

You could make use of the special offer from geekzone: https://broadband.geekzone.co.nz/

which will mean you only pay $42.48/month for the first 6 months.

or I see you can get the 6 months half price on the 950/500 plan as well for $50 for the first 6 months.

I see you can get 100/100 from bigpipe.co.nz for $89/month with 3 months free, I've never been with them though.

nztim

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#2316849 12-Sep-2019 22:18

I am with @BigPipeNZ $89 for for 100/100 so $10 more than you are paying now, $49 one off for the static

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

networkn

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#2316866 12-Sep-2019 23:22

ISP's and in fact other businesses change their offerings from time to time to reflect the market in whatever form that may take for them (or in this case, what their suppliers offer to them). I see they don't offer 100/100 on their website. There would be no reason to advise you of retiring a plan if you aren't affected by it, but even if they had given you notice of retiring your plan, you'd be in the same exact situation regardless of having to pick another similarly priced plan. I am certainly no fan of HD or it's owners, but in this, I don't feel they have done anything that many other businesses do (legally) each and every day.

Whilst you might feel aggrieved by your treatment over your other issue, this isn't an HD issue, and even if they do waive your right to notice, it would not be as a result of them legally being obliged to, simply because they aren't prepared to or are unable to continue to offer you a new connection at the existing connections rate.

You'll find that most other ISP's are offering similar plans to the ones on HD's website, as these are the ones commonly (and most cost-effectively) offered by their suppliers (Chorus in this instance).

sbiddle

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#2316893 13-Sep-2019 07:06

I don't think it's unfair for a provider to charge for a move. They incur those costs from Chorus or the LFC and are merely passing them on.

Chorus / LFC costs for a new customer signup are slightly different as they're typically built into the cost of acquiring a customer, but in a very low margin business like selling Internet there isn't necessarily a lot of money to be made.

xpd

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#2316908 13-Sep-2019 07:57

With BigPipe as well on 100/100, excellent so far. Was on Voyager previously for VDSL, loved them, only left because they couldn't offer me a 100/100 plan without increasing costs to business level.

XPD / Gavin

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nztim

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#2317011 13-Sep-2019 09:54

xpd:

With BigPipe as well on 100/100, excellent so far. Was on Voyager previously for VDSL, loved them, only left because they couldn't offer me a 100/100 plan without increasing costs to business level.

And when I moved from ADSL to UFB they kept my Static without charging me again, anything over 100/100 is a waste of money because you never get those speeds to international servers

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networkn

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#2317012 13-Sep-2019 09:55

nztim:

xpd:

With BigPipe as well on 100/100, excellent so far. Was on Voyager previously for VDSL, loved them, only left because they couldn't offer me a 100/100 plan without increasing costs to business level.

And when I moved from ADSL to UFB they kept my Static without charging me again, anything over 100/100 is a waste of money because you never get those speeds to international servers

Incorrect. I regularly get far in excess of that.

xpd

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#2317019 13-Sep-2019 09:59

Depends on the servers and routes. If they're sitting on 100/100 in Russia, all bets are off ;)

XPD / Gavin

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#2317023 13-Sep-2019 10:00

networkn:

nztim:

xpd:

With BigPipe as well on 100/100, excellent so far. Was on Voyager previously for VDSL, loved them, only left because they couldn't offer me a 100/100 plan without increasing costs to business level.

And when I moved from ADSL to UFB they kept my Static without charging me again, anything over 100/100 is a waste of money because you never get those speeds to international servers

Incorrect. I regularly get far in excess of that.

It's very easy to completely saturate a 900/400 connection to the point your flatmates get annoyed. 😇

shanes

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#2317032 13-Sep-2019 10:08

nztim: I am with @BigPipeNZ $89 for for 100/100 so $10 more than you are paying now, $49 one off for the static

Another vote for Bigpipe.

I'm on 100/100, the three months free makes it $66.75 per month for the first 12 months, or if you work it out over two years, it works out at slightly better than break even.

chevrolux

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#2317045 13-Sep-2019 10:36

I get that it's annoying, but retiring plans internally is fully within their rights.

Honestly though, considering the origins of Unlimited Internet/HD/whatever, I wouldn't touch them with a ten foot pole.

Have you got a 2degrees on account mobile? $20/month discount for that at the moment.

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getontoit99

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#2317124 13-Sep-2019 12:48

Thanks to those of you who provided ISP recommendations, much appreciated.

dt

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#2317129 13-Sep-2019 13:14

from memory big pipe use cgnat so if you do go with them make sure you pay the one off static IP fee.

Otherwise, I'll give a +1 to Orcon, not the cheapest out there but amazing speeds and reliability

toejam316

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#2317134 13-Sep-2019 13:30

dt:

from memory big pipe use cgnat so if you do go with them make sure you pay the one off static IP fee.

Otherwise, I'll give a +1 to Orcon, not the cheapest out there but amazing speeds and reliability

Nah, BigPipe uses Spark's network now, which is public IPs all the way through.

For my money, Spark/BigPipe/Skinny, 2degrees and Voyager are the 3 I recommend, depending on your expectations. If you just want the internet that works, Spark or 2degrees. 2degrees, and Voyager are a bit more poweruser friendly, and BigPipe/Skinny are the more budget-friendly options.

Join Quic Broadband with my referral - no sign up fee and gives me account credit

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wratterus

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#2317143 13-Sep-2019 13:41

Bit late to the party but another +1 for Bigpipe.

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