Important changes at RapidShare.com

IrishTonyO

Everyone just make sure to email them at support@rapidshare.com and let them know how you feel.

Stinicker

IrishTonyO wrote: »

Everyone just make sure to email them at support@rapidshare.com and let them know how you feel.

If happy hour is gone then that is the final straw for me, I have a Hotfile account and find myself using it more and more often anyways and can always nearly find what I want in Hotfile as easily as on RS.

dizzy_davidh

I read recently that many film companies are now giving up with their efforts to stop pirating by filing suit against online copyright violators a thet realised it costs too much to push for the prosecutions. They went so far as to advise the music industry to follow suit.

It all fell on deaf ears though as the comments where made at the same time as the Independant firm responsible for The Hurt Locker made a big play to file copyright breach\infringement claims against hundreds, possibly thousands (I forget how many) of file sharers\hosters.

As for companies that choose to loose their customer base in an effort to go legit how about 'Napster' (remember them?!).

Cuddlesworth

The hurt locker case is interesting. The company behind it is basically blackmailing for a immediate settlement of 2.5k. They have no intention of taking it to court.

NothingMan

So, If I was to go on the Rapidmedium account it would be the equivelant limit as I currently have but cost more.

However, if I was to go to Rapidsmall it would cost considerably less but I would only have 1gb a day.

It really comes down to whether traffic limits carry over as they do now. In which case rapidsmall would benifit me and a lot of people who may not download everyday.

The scary issue is the removal of rewards. The reason there is an abundance of uploaders is the reward scheme. With this gone, my account in theory could cost less but what good is that if I can never find what I'm looking for.

My account expires on July 11th so i'm not too bad. I'll use that 2 weeks to get familar with the scheme and see if the files keep coming.

CapaCapaCapa

I'm not too bummed out by this whole situation, I can always just fall back on torrents if need be. Internet speeds are getting faster and faster every year, and torrents are actually at usable level now. They don't have the almost luxurious speeds of RS, but they aren't horrendously slow unless you're downloading something very niche. I'm not sure if the situation is slightly different for you folk in Ireland (hello from Scotland!) since I heard something about The Pirate Bay being blocked by one of your ISPs.

hidinginthebush

I've read that email 4 or 5 times and still get a brain sore. Guess I'll be taking my business elsewhere come renewal time in September

dizzy_davidh

CapaCapaCapa wrote: »

...I can always just fall back on torrents if need be.

A quick legality point;

The problem with sing torrents is that if you are downloading copyright materials the legal risks are much higher with torrent use than with just downloading as with a simple download you aren't seeding and therefore not making something available to others yourself and so can't be portrayed as distributing copyright material.

IrishTonyO

Well coming up 72 hours since I sent them an email and still no response from them

Lenny

IrishTonyO wrote: »

Well coming up 72 hours since I sent them an email and still no response from them

of they've read it alright, my account was phished twice, and I received prompt emails from them very quickly

corny

If we enter into a contract with them in the first place don't they need our consent to make changes to said contract?

dizzy_davidh

corny wrote: »

If we enter into a contract with them in the first place don't they need our consent to make changes to said contract?

In most cases continuing to use their service is agreement enough.

Wolflikeme

I just mailed them to complain...well that's already been done, rather to tell them in no uncertain terms that the new price model sucks.

Sent the link to this thread also.

Mine expires in a month. Think I'll download the rest of the Sopranos now!

TouchingVirus

I mailed them because I must have been served a cached version of the news page and I read that they were offering 10 rapids per day for every day left of premium membership, when the equivalent package (RapidMedium) is 20/day.

It's a shit change. Incredibly convoluted, overlooks a major part of their userbase (downloaders who don't store files) because I'm sure the xGB storage costs RS money, therefore it costs you "rapids" ... Where's the 10Gb/day, 1gb storage package? Want to save some Rapids? Welcome to Account Micromanagement. Now that it's costing you 20 rapids per day as opposed to a yearly fee, there should be no accumulation limit of unused traffic e.g. You take a week's holidays, Day 6 and 7 are costing you 20 rapids/day(on the RapidMedium package) but you reached your 25GB accumulation limit (5 days x 5GB/day) then you shouldn't be charged Rapids for 6 and 7 because now it's a daily fee, not a yearly one.

See? Useless, complicated a bit load of w*nk. Another load of crap is people who already have paid memberships thinking RS has just robbed them - they haven't. Once the change happens, swap packages to RapidMedium and you get the exact same as your current premium account. What's a ripoff is how the charges work out once your premium account is finished, I'll be moving in January unless something drastic changes my mind.

Biggins

IrishTonyO wrote: »

Well coming up 72 hours since I sent them an email and still no response from them

Same here. No reply back - not that I'm expecting one to be honest.
Bye bye Rapidshare.

Krieg

Well its D-day, no news yet. I understand the new system kicks in at 23:00

TouchingVirus

It kicks in on July 1st, not tonight at 23:00.

I received a reply to my email this morning, they skipped over every one of my points and reiterated what I already gathered - efficient or what?

jeffk

I only got an account around a month ago and I’m wondering can/will they change from the 5GB a day account type to the new ones.

I wasn’t sure @ the start, I assumed you pay for it and use it, no limits, well keep it under the 250 GB to keep Eircom of your back. But now this talk of points and new download system, all I wanted was download full speed with no waiting times.

I’m wishing I went hofile as we speak.

Biggins

jeffk wrote: »

I only got an account around a month ago and I’m wondering can/will they change from the 5GB a day account type to the new ones.

Yes.
They have a bloody cheek. The least you should get, is the service you exactly paid for.

If I was working for the company at lower level, to be honest I'd start worrying.
If users are going to dump this service (and the indication is that many, many are) to some good extent and move to another then eventually a knock-on of this will be that the company will have to let folk go due to a downturn in revenue/use of their services.

If I was still working for Rapidshare, I'd start now sending out my CV again to other businesses for future jobs just in case.

jeffk

I no its been said, but surely this is breach of contract and in turn we can claim a refund.

I mean look @ the stink most of us kicked up with Eircom when we didnt get what we paid for. Has anyone enquired about cancelling ?

jeffk

Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at www.rapidshare.com.

IrishTonyO

Yeah Rapidshare site is now down

jeffk

SO even if we wanted to see about cancelling after they changed the rules we cant.
I knew this was to good to be true when I bought it.

c - 13

jeffk wrote: »

I no its been said, but surely this is breach of contract and in turn we can claim a refund

Going to fire off an email once I see the detailed article on their site. They've been taking the piss over the last while anyway introducing the daily download limit first and now this.

I've read it a few times and still can't quite get my head around it due to the way its phrased.

Got a megaupload account instead and if the uploaders move to hotfile ill get an account there too. Rapidshare on the other hand will never see another cent from me.

Vinny-Chase

Just got this email after I sent an email of complaint.

Hello,

Kindly note only the pricing and product model is changing. Instead of selling
accounts with valid time, we now sell hosting packages with storage and
download capacity. The usage of our service it self is identical.

Newly you will purchase a flexible amount of Rapids which will be credited to
your account.

Let us assume that you have an account which runs on the RapidSmall package.
Then our system will deduct 4 Rapids every day. If on one day your up- or
download needs change, you can easily switch to a different package. If you
switch for example to RapidBig, then our system will deduct the difference
between the two Packages, with other words further 74 Rapids. After the
upgrade is complete your account is credited with the storage and traffic
difference of the two packages. In this example additional 199GB storage and
19GB traffic. If your needs only require a single day of the bigger package,
you can easily switch back to a smaller package. Kindly note that the smaller
package comes the next day in affect (24:00 CET).

Since RapidShare Premium account now never expire, only the Hosting-Package
features will be unavailable when you run out of Rapids.

If you have further question on how to use the new created Hosting-Packages do
not hesitate and let us know.

jeffk

c - 13 wrote: »

Going to fire off an email once I see the detailed article on their site. They've been taking the piss over the last while anyway introducing the daily download limit first and now this.

I've read it a few times and still can't quite get my head around it due to the way its phrased.

Got a megaupload account instead and if the uploaders move to hotfile ill get an account there too. Rapidshare on the other hand will never see another cent from me.

Yeh im lost, more so than when i started using it and found out there are limits to downloading.

My payment was only on June the 5th, wonder if i open a dispute with paypal claiming I paid for a service that has been changed without prior knowledge or consent on both sides.

jeffk

webmaster@rapidshare.com is listed on the paypal transaction if people need a point of contact.

budhabob

Vinny-Chase wrote: »

Just got this email after I sent an email of complaint.

I'm slightly less confused now, but i think its an extremely complicated method of change, and will push customers away while confusing any possible new users. Are the alternatives similar to use? I was introduced to rapidshare a few years ago, and have continued to use that (with flashget).

Voodu Child

jeffk wrote: »

Yeh im lost, more so than when i started using it and found out there are limits to downloading.

My payment was only on June the 5th, wonder if i open a dispute with paypal claiming I paid for a service that has been changed without prior knowledge or consent on both sides.

You can cancel the rapidshare account and get a refund for whatever months you have left. You have to do it within 4 weeks of receiving the e-mail outlining the changes, if not, it is taken that you agree to the new T&Cs.

jeffk

Voodu Child wrote: »

You can cancel the rapidshare account and get a refund for whatever months you have left. You have to do it within 4 weeks of receiving the e-mail outlining the changes, if not, it is taken that you agree to the new T&Cs.

Pity the site is down and I didn't read this before i sent this...

"To whom it concerns,

I am writing concerning the change in the terms and conditions of an account I purchased on the 5TH of June. At the time of purchase there was no information forthcoming on the changes that where to be implemented less than a month later. Surely if you where selling a product that was to be in use for 12 months and less than a month into this contract the product has changed, you should have told people before they decided to invest in a yearly account.

As we speak I feel cheating and am very upset , also the terminology and style of writing used to explain the changes is confusing in its very essence. I point you towards the following hyperlink where there are people who feel the very same.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055951489

I am now wondering, since the trust barrier has been broken, where can we go from here. Personally I would prefer to cancel my account, because again I feel I am not getting what I have paid for and as if I am not getting value for money.

I hope to hear from you soon and look forward to a speedy resolution to this issue,

Jeff"

TouchingVirus

Vinny-Chase wrote: »

Just got this email after I sent an email of complaint.

That's the exact same email I get sent too, it addresses none of my concerns.

TouchingVirus

Biggins wrote: »

Yes.
They have a bloody cheek. The least you should get, is the service you exactly paid for.

That is what he will get. 20 Rapids/day for the remaining days on the premium account. The 5GB/50GB storage package (RapidMedium) costs 20 Rapids/day. It's the exact same.

The only difference now is when renewal time comes it'll cost more than €55.

jeffk

The site is back up, anyone know where the cancel your account part is?

TouchingVirus

To cancel your account you need to email them - support@rapidshare.com or webmaster@rapidshare.com which is the contact for the paypal receipt.

Outline that you want a pro-rate refund based on the days left (and TrafficShare left if you purchased some of that).

I think cancelling your account is a bit much at the minute though, the changeover isn't screwing existing premium account holders, it's the same thing.

jeffk

TouchingVirus wrote: »

To cancel your account you need to email them - support@rapidshare.com or webmaster@rapidshare.com which is the contact for the paypal receipt.

Outline that you want a pro-rate refund based on the days left (and TrafficShare left if you purchased some of that).

I think cancelling your account is a bit much at the minute though, the changeover isn't screwing existing premium account holders, it's the same thing.

The reason i want to cancel is because from what I can grasp is there is no incentive for people to upload to rs and in turn everyone will move away from using them.

TouchingVirus

I'm waiting for the RS links to start disappearing, I'm not into speculation - especially when the new reward system isn't announced nor are the other details to this change (that announcement is due today some time)

Prezatch

TouchingVirus wrote: »

I think cancelling your account is a bit much at the minute though, the changeover isn't screwing existing premium account holders, it's the same thing.

They will loose everyone with this system.

Uploaders are totally screwed by the storage limitations. The majority of uploaders who used Rapidshare in the past to get rewards would have way in excess of 50gb uploaded to RS. Which means they'll get bumped to 78 rapids (rapidbig) a day assuming they have uploaded less than 200gb on the system. Rapidbig costs 270 odd euro a year!

I saw this posted on a board....continuing to have this account with in excess of 1200gb storage would cost 1550 euro. Yikes...

jeffk

So are most people going to cancel or feel cancelling is the best option?

Biggins

jeffk wrote: »

So are most people going to cancel or feel cancelling is the best option?

Going to use it until my account expires.
If they cut me off in the meantime for using up my daily/weekly limit etc, I'm just switch in the meantime to downloading/uploading with a different service during the same period.

Stuff them. Their loss in the long run - and by god, according to all user complaints so far, they are going to lose BIG time.

jeffk

Biggins wrote: »

Going to use it until my account expires.
If they cut me off in the meantime for using up my daily/weekly limit etc, I'm just switch in the meantime to downloading/uploading with a different service during the same period.

Stuff them. Their loss in the long run - and by god, according to all user complaints so far, they are going to lose BIG time.

Im 25 days into a year account and im VERY strongly thinking of getting out, as a poster said this is the time to do it and youll get all but the time since you bought it back.

Ive already asked a bit about hotfile in the new downloader site thread. Seems everyone is using hf.

AntiRip

jeffk wrote: »

Im 25 days into a year account and im VERY strongly thinking of getting out, as a poster said this is the time to do it and youll get all but the time since you bought it back.

Ive already asked a bit about hotfile in the new downloader site thread. Seems everyone is using hf.

You paid e54 for RS for the 12 months which works out e4.50 a month so you should get nearly e50 refund. Hotfile is e46 for a year. The majority of sites now have HF links as alternative links. I would be extremely tempted if I was you.

AntiRip

Anyone else getting "Invalid request" when they try to log into their RS account?

jeffk

AntiRip wrote: »

You paid e54 for RS for the 12 months which works out e4.50 a month so you should get nearly e50 refund. Hotfile is e46 for a year. The majority of sites now have HF links as alternative links. I would be extremely tempted if I was you.

Cheers, ive emailed rs for the refund and as soon as thats sorted ill get the hf one. A tenner cheaper for a better service, wish i seen this 25 days ago lol.

jeffk

AntiRip wrote: »

Anyone else getting "Invalid request" when they try to log into their RS account?

Not for me, maybe you bookmarked it and the location changed with the new rules etc?

AntiRip

jeffk wrote: »

Not for me, maybe you bookmarked it and the location changed with the new rules etc?

You're dead right

Was using a bookmark, thanks

IrishTonyO

I only used to pay per month and now this is what they have for my account now



Does this mean I can only now download 1Gb per day, and if I want to download more I have to change the account to use more rapids. Or is this done automatically if I exceed 1gb. I am still very confused by all this

_Kaiser_

I still can't make sense of this crap.. on the old system I paid my €15 (or whatever) for 3 months and could download whatever as I wanted.

There was plenty of days I'd download nothing, and others when I'd hit the daily limit, but to me it was a "pay and forget" system that worked very well for me.

Now we have "rapids" and a convoluted and cryptic new download/pricing policy that to me seems to be a thinly veiled attempt to extract more money from customers.

I won't be renewing when it runs out next month... oh and i just received this email:

Dear User, Since you have exceeded either your storage volume of 10 GB or your daily traffic volume of 1 GB you have been automatically upgraded from your RapidSmall to a RapidMedium account.

Your total storage space is now 50 GB and you dispose of a daily traffic volume of 5 GB. Furthermore, you will now be able to access our additional feature ?Folder Management? which gives you the opportunity to create your own folders and subfolders. In case of a downgrade your folders will not be deleted. The RapidMedium account costs 20 Rapids per day.

Thank you for using RapidShare. We hope you are happy with our service. Best regards
Your RapidShare team

Biggins

Rapidshare responded to my email of protest.
Here is their response:

Hello,

kindly note only the pricing and product model is changing. Instead of selling
accounts with valid time, we now sell hosting packages with storage and
download capacity. The usage of our service it self is identical.

Newly you will purchase a flexible amount of Rapids which will be credited to
your account.

Let us assume that you have an account which runs on the RapidSmall package.
Then our system will deduct 4 Rapids every day. If on one day your up- or
download needs change, you can easily switch to a different package. If you
switch for example to RapidBig, then our system will deduct the difference
between the two Packages, with other words further 74 Rapids. After the
upgrade is complete your account is credited with the storage and traffic
difference of the two packages. In this example additional 199GB storage and
19GB traffic. If your needs only require a single day of the bigger package,
you can easily switch back to a smaller package. Kindly note that the smaller
package comes the next day in affect (24:00 CET).

Since RapidShare Premium account now never expire, only the Hosting-Package
features will be unavailable when you run out of Rapids.

If you have further question on how to use the new created Hosting-Packages do
not hesitate and let us know.


Best regards,

Sascha
RapidShare Support

I still confused as hell.

I was quite happy with the "pay and go" service previous - not this UTTER confusing schite.
Like I previously said, Hotfile your becoming my main service from now on.

IrishTonyO

I still haven't got a mail from them after 3.5 days

sink

As most days I download nothing or less than a gigabyte and it's only every 3 -4 days that I might download more, this new system could work out cheaper. However the inconvenience of having to manage which download package I subscribe to on a daily basis is more than a little annoying. Hopefully JDownloader can come up with a plugin that will automatically change your account to a lower level if it is inactive.