Warning - This is a bit of a ramble / rant but I'm intrigued to see if I'm alone.

I've recommended 2D internet to clients for quite some time but lately I've been hearing a lot of stories about poor service. I still have my work Fibre connection with them and I've noticed zero slow down or impact thus far that's stood out but the problem seems to be if you require to speak to anyone.

Due to the University year and rental houses both my daughters recently changed flats with a small trip home due to availability. Both put their flat 2D fibre on hold and then activated at their new addresses.

1. Every phone call both of them have had to make has resulted in a minimum wait time of 1 hour and 20 minutes and up to 1 hour 40.

2. My youngest is in their new flat - Fibre already there and ONT online with a PON light (Enable in Christchurch). They spend the hour 40 on hold to talk to someone to get it reactivated and were told it would be live "any minute.". 2 days later its still not going and the router directs to a "call Trustpower to setup your modem" page so obviously still linked to prior tenants providers. Another 1.5 hours on hold to be told "Oh, just wait for the txt to say its live. It can take 5 to 15 days!"

Now I recommended 2D (from Snap days) because they are good at actually following through with Enable to make things happen and I always found their backhaul very reliable for consistent international bandwidth for 365 / Dropbox etc services. Previously you would ring the help desk and the person you spoke to would put you on hold and usually after no more than 15 or 20 minutes you'd get a "Reboot the modem now" - Bang, you are on and going.

I can't understand call centres that don't have a reserve your place in the queue and we'll ring you back. Daughter one rang her power provider (Might be electric kiwi - Can't recall) - She held for 5 minutes and figured it was going to be too long, she'd try later. They rang her back 20 minutes later asking if they could help as her number registered in the Queue! That's how a helpdesk should work.

I can in zero confidence continue to recommend 2D as a provider to my clients as the service levels have dropped so bad. Had a client getting Fibre into commercial premises - Its taken MONTHS for the Fibre to be run from the services closet to their tenancy but I can understand that's problematic and in the mean time they were offered a 4G connection that has worked pretty well for their now light needs. Now that the fibre is go the supplied Fritzbox is a DOA and each call to resolve has been slow and the last one ended with a "We can send a new one but it'll be ~$250" - ITS DOA! I have another client telling me she's found them tragic to deal with lately trying to get internet at her mothers new house. Offered VDSL, dragged the chain for WEEKS and finally said it couldn't be offered. Now on 2D 4G BB and having issues I haven't personally witnessed that sound like Modem/Router "issues". Again - She said every call is torture.

Has the help desk been merged with the other providers now and is that the problem?? Its a shame as Snap were my number 1 choice for a provider from the Nationwide providers, 2D bought them and while the numbers climbed the service stayed pretty good but now it seems they've become absolutely woeful.

Has any one else found this or have my third party experiences just been unlucky. Does emailing them actually get a useful response back as far too often with email support in general I find you give a long explanation of the fault and what you've tried and they respond with an unintelligent answer that ignores most of what you said so you reply and wait another 6-8 hours. I know staffing of helpdesks is an issue in the current employment landscape but having frontline people who can escalate calls that are obviously resolvable by the right team should get resolution??

PS - The whole hold forever without a place in queue call-back is massive - MYOB are dreadful - I've held for an hour for a fault with their platform only to be told "Its end of month so we're busy" DUH - You run an accounting platform, this should be part of your helpdesk staffing that its increased at peak. Secondly I was told "Oh, yes, there is a fault with that and technicians are working on it. I'll investigate why no-one has put that on our pretty but worthless status page" (OK, I embellished a little in what was said there.)