My Irish Broadband Problems

Random

I have IBB 2Mbit package.
I'm trying to use www.ebay.ie.

When I goto login most of the time I get an error "This document contains no data". If I do manage to login I can't use any of the links in "My Ebay" as they take a few mins and then just give me "This document contains no data".

Also, I get the same problem when browsing some of the auctions on Ebay.

This is not a computer or browser problem as I've tried on 3 different computers, browsers, firewalls and AVs. I've tried with and without my router.

The only thing all of these PCs have in common is my IBB connection.

Could anyone please tell me if they are having the same problems ?

Nevyn

I get this a lot it is a right pain in the tits,
esp when the page your looking for is one you had open not less then 5 mins ago.

Damned packet loss with IBB.

Random

This is permenant with www.ebay.ie though other sites work after a while, this doesn't.

Hal1

cant see any problem with the ebay site. it could be something to do with your particular transmitter im on the siac one and no trouble browsing at last

Random

I'm on the Ballycoolin mast.

Random

Well, I got through to tech support after 45 mins on the phone. He took my details, pinged my radio and what not.
He then asked me to goto ftp.esat.com and download such and such a file. After spending 5 mins navigating to the file (hey, it's slow!) it finally started.

It leveled off at 58KB/s on my 2Mbit line. He argued this was proberly within contention (which is true). I then pointed out my constant timeouts and what not and that they indicate packet loss, he agreed.

He said he would elevate it to 2nd line tech support (They close @ 1730). I asked should I expect a call tomorrow. He said they don't usually ring and that it would just "be working when it's working". I said "WHAT?". I explained I'd sent in 3 emails over the past 2 weeks which had gone unanswered. He explained that there was 3000 (I assumed complaints?) emails in the queue and that their few staff simply couldn't cope with it. They may be drafting more people in to answer the emails he says.

I should ring back by Thursday if I haven't noticed an improvement.

Fair play to the guy on the phone, he was helpful and truthful and seems to simply be held back by IBB and it's poor procedures, setup and service.

This level of service however is unacceptable. There's a queue for sorting out bandwidth issues? No **** sherlock, STOP ****ING SUBSCRIBING NEW CUSTOMERS UNTIL YOU GET MORE BLOODY BANDWIDTH!


Well, so was my evening. I now go back to having to not being able to access websites, not being able to browse properly and generally having a hard time online.

Woopie ****ing doo.

I think I'm going to take out my 56k modem.

</rant>

CuLT

Yeah, they really are eejits subscribing more people than they should.

I happen to have access in an unadvertised service area, which is probably why I've had very few problems.

Random

You do wonder - are they actually stupid? They have 3000 emails in their queue full of complaints and problems. They have a support line so busy it takes 45 mins to get through. They have every member on boards cursing their service - yet they sign up more more more.

Reminds me of that ad on RTE .. "STOP. LOOk. LISTEN!"

I guess I'll let you know on Thurs if they fix it. No doubt it will be at the expense of some other poor customer.

Drapper

3000 wtf !

nadir

our service has gone to **** over the last month.
I think the ebay problem is to do with a poorly configured web proxy

I tried to ring them today, afdter waiting on the line for 20 mins, I put the phone down, went to wash the dishes(took about another 20 mins), came back and it still hadnt rang through so I just gave up. I **** you not.

bloke

ciaranfo wrote:

You do wonder - are they actually stupid? They have 3000 emails in their queue full of complaints and problems. They have a support line so busy it takes 45 mins to get through. They have every member on boards cursing their service - yet they sign up more more more.

And why wouldn't they? Business is about making money, and many companies figured out long ago that signing up new customers now, and taking their money, is better* than limiting their numbers to preserve service.

I worked in a large (non Irish) ISP support centre some years ago. The SC management were blue in the face going on about customer service to the poor reps; however the true company ethos showed that in a time when the support queue was dropping over 80% of calls and average wait time was over 40 minutes, they launched yet another major marketing drive to get more customers while decreasing the number of support staff.

ISPs like most companies are fundamentally controlled by accountants, closely abetted by sales people and marketeers. These (well paid) people do a great job at wringing money out of the market for the minimum outlay. Everything is a calculated risk, including the lash-back from disgruntled customers.

In IBBs case they're so cheap (with no line rental), among other things, they still get the numbers signing on. A reliable service with reasonable support and decent capacity would cost more, and people would be slow to buy it. Wait - isn't that around already? Being slightly facetious there as fixed line ISPs have their problems too, but you get the idea.

The perfect ISP is so expensive it would have no customers and could never exist. Everything is a compromise, and the compromise is always about money. Companies want it, we don't want to give it, we compromise on cheap sh1tty service

Apologies for the rambling long post!


* Better in terms of the financial bottom line for the company. Not better for the customers, who obviously don't matter that much once you've got their money.