Xtra Broadband - anyone else had bad experience

**Blackbird** · 20th October 2005, 19:41

Excuse me while I rant - I'll try and keep saliva from sticking to the monitor

Trying to keep it in a nutshell, we had wireless broadband installed just over a month ago. A Technician was recommended for installation because our line was a bit iffy (a technical definition of mine which is shorter than Telecom's). Broadband was duly installed (the day AFTER the one promised after I had already taken half a day off, grrr...).

It worked fine for a few days. Then it started working intermittently. Then it stopped working. So did our phone. Telephone Man (as opposed to Broadband Man) arrived, blamed the crap filters that Telecom supply and advised us to buy a better one from Dick Smith. Phone was restored and we dropped back to dial-up whilst emails were exchanged (I'd have died of malnutrition waiting for the phone help line to answer) with Telecom Broadband as there was no bloody way I was going to fork out on a filter. "No probs Sir", the return email said, "new filters on their way" - expressions of surprise over the telephone technician claiming the problem was widespread. A week goes by with no filters showing up. Now I know Tokoroa is small but it's on SH1 for God's sake so even the biggest knuckle-dragging courier driver should be able to find it. Another email to Telecom on Tuesday sees the new filters arrive today. Same Dynalink make as before, but the model number is now two up. Plugged in with barely concealed glee - SAME EFFING RESULT - SWEET FA.

Another email despatched to Telecom a few minutes ago, barely civil; asking what comes next.

Anyone else had similar experiences?

In the meantime, I shall bugger off to Coromandel tomorrow evening and do the Loop for the second week running if I finish the tasks allocated by my wife. Thank God I don't need Telecom's help to do that.

Have a great weekend everyone and take care.

**jimbo600** · 20th October 2005, 19:55

Got slingshot broadband. ADSL modem arrived in about a week and shock horror after simply plugging it in it worked a treat.

**Zed** · 20th October 2005, 19:56

What a drama Geoff!

We went on broadband (adsl) close to two years ago. I bought the router and line filters from ETC Computers up here in Auckland and installed it myself, just had to wait for Telecom to sort out the phone line. Has worked well except for a spell about 2 months ago when the adsl went intermittant like yours and completely died! It took 4 days to get it up and running again ending up with a Telco technician having to come and do some rewiring to the outside line! I felt helpless without my Net so for the first time ever I made my way to one of those Internet Cafes where I got my online fix!

Have a great loooong weekend Blackbird, I hope those choice Coro roads stay nice and dry for you! Keep the shiney side up and the rubber side down.

Zed

**InDeSkyz** · 20th October 2005, 20:06

Take a look at the consumer.co.nz site. I think they just did another ISP who's who.
Xtra last year were bottom of the heap, and although I still wouldn't touch them with a dead stick, they have come up a little in the ranks with customer service.
I've heard plenty of 'bad service' stories about Xtra/Telecom, I guess it's hard when you have owned the market for so long.
Also, telecom in the past few years is continually in the poo with the commerce commission and for DSL lovers, there has been some good outcomes recently.

Inspire have had really good feedback since they started a few years back in palmerston north.

http://www.nzdsl.co.nz/ is a good place to check things out.

**Dadpole** · 20th October 2005, 20:32

Crap service and crap equipment fron Telecom. The "free" modem in the signup deal is prone to overheating, and the filters seem to have a high failure rate. I am with them probably because I am too lazy to change. The best part of the changover was they emailed my new password to me. Had to explain (in very short words) that my new broadband was the only way to get online to read my email to get the password to get online to read my email. Thank God I was not there in person - holding an axe.

**DMNTD:Me** · 20th October 2005, 20:41

Xtra "broadband" is simply crap..total and complete.
We too have the wireless modem but they "forgot" to tell us we needed to buy the extra reciever thingy for the 2nd PC and the fact that it needed to be in the same room to work ok. Hopeless and a waste of coin. Should of just bought a reel of wire and ran it upstairs.
They suck for service...lesson learnt!

**Blackadda** · 20th October 2005, 20:41

Ihug, the only way. I've been with them since day 1 and haven't had 1 problem.

**Zed** · 20th October 2005, 20:48

Originally Posted by Blackadda

Ihug, the only way. I've been with them since day 1 and haven't had 1 problem.

I started my internet experience with Ihug 9 years ago and since have changed to about 3 different ISP's over the years, mainly because of price!

Um...I'm now back with Ihug.

**Blackadda** · 20th October 2005, 20:56

Sometimes you forgo price when you get good service!

**pyrocam** · 20th October 2005, 21:43

xtra called me up the other day cos I had the line with them but the net through orcon (best isp ever) they said 'all with us or nothing with us'

I said fuckoff you whimsicalcuntmaggots and they said ok but you gotta pay the $100 disconnection fee. orcons taking them to court over that

and all around terrible service of course\

edit: and ive been using dsl for 5 years
anyone remember the huge box modems nokia had. I had the M11 (still got the box) you couldnt buy them in those days. just rent em from telecum. I now have 2Mbit download 10gb cap and I pay around $50 a month I think

**RiderInBlack** · 20th October 2005, 21:52

My Xtra Broadband Modem works sweet (we're only a Km from the main Telecom line, which is not bad considering we are in the wopwops

) until you get a power flicker (not even one long enough to effect any other appliance in the house), and then you have to reboot the modem (pull it's power plug out for 10sec and then put it back in) and my PC (WTF???). A little rechargable battery would fix that, but no.

**justsomeguy** · 20th October 2005, 21:56

XTRA broadband sSUCKKKKKK

had them about a year ago - we had a 10 gig limit on our account paying 70 a month - but for the first 5 months they charged us at 1gig a month....

So every month we would get a 600-700 dollar bill for internet usage and spend a MIMIMUM of an hour on hold before talking to the various stupid call center dodo's bout the mistake......

Got Slingshot 256Kb flat rate now for 50 bucks a month

**justsomeguy** · 20th October 2005, 22:04

Originally Posted by SpeedMedic

Been with Ihug since day dot with my trusty dial up.. now have a router and its sweet. Not usualy any problems apart from the rare drop out.. except tonight have had it drop out about 3 times. very unusual.. i have a feeling it could be the phone line due to the weather.

Probably -

Hey what happened out east on SH1? - Saw heaps of fire engines go that way as I was riding towards the city.

**N4CR** · 20th October 2005, 22:24

You can't even call it broadband guys, it simply is not classed as it.... don't see anyone with 512k uploads and unlimited caps on any telescum plan in NZ.

ROFL!