Outsourcing - a positive

Beth54 · Guru

Outsourcing - a positive

Blue Orchid · Senior Member

Ma and I changed over to bigpond wireless some four months ago and were forever plagued with intermittent drop outs, slow downloads and times with no connection even though the modem said we had 100% excellent quality signal.

Using my training and experience of 30 years working with computers, networks, modems, transmitter, etc. and logging on using other networks and fellow travellers computers, I eliminated our computers as the problem and all that was left to cause the problem was the modem.

Yesterday was the first chance we had to drop into Telstra shop instead of just an agency, so, with my modem in hand I went and made an appointment to discusss the problem with the technician.

Stressing to him that the problem happens intermittently, I handed over the modem for him to test. He hooked it up to his system and immediately declared that it was working perfectly and my problem was probably due to antenna saturation. I then attempted to tell him of the processes I had gone through to eliminate this as a problem and mentioned my experience in fault finding and repairing networks. He did not listen to anything I said and then questioned my qualifications.

Needless to say, I made some comments about his ability to find his own brain (I will refrain from using my exact comment), picked up the modem and walked out of the store.

Yesterday evening, the problem again arose, I immediately rang bigpond technical support and was finally connected to a young lady in the Phillipines.

She listened to my story with the only interruptions being to clarify some of the statements I had made, then, for the next hour, she monitored the performance of the modem while we chatted about many different subjects.

After a range of tests, resetting of the modem both electronically and manually, she determined that the modem was faulty and arranged to send a replacement. When I said we were grey nomads and not due home again for over a month, she organised to send it to the post office at our next port of call.

If only the technician in Hobart had have shown that enthusiasm to sort out my problem instead of being rude and obnoxious.

PS while with the technician (??? I use that word loosely to describe him???), I mentioned that my phone was not working after it took a very short swim in the bait bucket on Sunday, he didin't even look at it and could only offer me a new phone at $500.00

Cruising Granny · Guru

You are not alone with Bigpond frustration.
I have a new laptop, but after about 3 hours on the phone with Asian and Australian technicians I still can't access internet with my Bigpond Wireless USB "device".
I took it back to the shop where I bought and they tested the ability to access internet by WiFi and Optus broadband. All worked good.
So it's come down to the device. While it's obviously working great after being updated, on this laptop, it doesn't want to work on the new one.
So I'm standing by for further developments, and the issue of a new device. I'm not holding my breath.
It's very frustrating when a new computer won't accept devices, updates and all.
You done good Blue.

justcruisin01 · Guru

Can you figure this out Blue,?

Modem's, we started with the USB stick , which I ended up telling them to stick, as it was hopless.

Moved to a 240volt gateway , worked great for nearly 12 mths & failed, they replaced it with an elite gateway which died after a few months & this has been replaced with the same unit again.

They seem to be very tempermental things, we use an external ant on the caravan which is very good both for inernett & phone. Now to connect the external ant to the modem you need a small connector to join the cable to the modem ant fitting, on the first two gateways I left this connector attached to the modem at all times so as not to lose it & all worked fine even when the external ant was not connected. ( as in when we are at home )

When we received the last replacement modem ,it was set up by telestra & all was working fine,when finished I fitted the connector to the ant terminal as per usual so it would be there ready for the van.

When I went to use the system the next night nothing would work, had perfect siginal between the PC & modem but no internett of any kind.

Rang telestra back & they could not workout what was wrong, thought the new one was faulty as well. Looking at the unit the next day I removed the connector & all is working again, screwed the connector back on & all stops, they can't answer that one. confuse confuse confuse

JC.

the rocket · Guru

sorry you had all that trouble. seems to be the technical age we now live in. rocket n strop

Cruising Granny · Guru

The man at the Office Works said they have more problems with Telstra than the other networks, yet Telstra/Bigpond has the broadest coverage in outlying reaches.
If we don't tell them, no one will, and they won't fix their problems.
Keep the pressure on folks!

AmandaJayne · Guru

We've gone with them for the coverage but as yet, have only used it at home.... we start our trip at the end of the month now so we shall see how we go :) but I must admit that telstra are not helpful at all....

NeilandRaine · Guru

Good old Telstra, after two years on wireless broadband on a cheaper rate because we have 2 mobiles they write and tell me I cant have the cheap rate because I dont have a land line.
Guess seeing as how my plan is almost over they will loose 2 mobile and an internet account.

Blue Orchid · Senior Member

justcruisin01 wrote:
Can you figure this out Blue,?
Modem's, we started with the USB stick , which I ended up telling them to stick, as it was hopless.
Moved to a 240volt gateway , worked great for nearly 12 mths & failed, they replaced it with an elite gateway which died after a few months & this has been replaced with the same unit again.
They seem to be very tempermental things, we use an external ant on the caravan which is very good both for inernett & phone. Now to connect the external ant to the modem you need a small connector to join the cable to the modem ant fitting, on the first two gateways I left this connector attached to the modem at all times so as not to lose it & all worked fine even when the external ant was not connected. ( as in when we are at home )
When we received the last replacement modem ,it was set up by telestra & all was working fine,when finished I fitted the connector to the ant terminal as per usual so it would be there ready for the van.
When I went to use the system the next night nothing would work, had perfect siginal between the PC & modem but no internett of any kind.
Rang telestra back & they could not workout what was wrong, thought the new one was faulty as well. Looking at the unit the next day I removed the connector & all is working again, screwed the connector back on & all stops, they can't answer that one.
JC.

Hi Jim,

Would try to sort this out if I was local, but the range of reasons that come to mind for the problem would only mean a lot of speculation and tech info that even I still think of as "white mans magic".

It could be as simple as the external antenna input circuit is faulty, or a change of input impedence in that circuit (Even though the box looks the same and has the same part number, there may have been modifications to the circuitry).

But then, I could be chasing my tail and trying to thread a needle hidden in a haystack thats twenty kilometers away.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Bob

Whistler · Member

I changed from Optus to Bigpond because of frequent dropouts. Where I live we are unable to get ADSL and we live in a residential area. Still have the same problem with wireless but not as frequent. I was told by one techy when I rang that the problem could be that the towers accept mobile voice as a priority over data thus the drop out rate. I still have to put up with it, very frustration when downloading a larger document and have to re download using up my mbs.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

About 18 months ago I decided to get rid of house phone and desk Top Computer and just use my Bigpond Wireless Broadband. Well I had nothing but trouble, extremely slow, drop outs, no connection at all and people on the other end of my MOBILE phone that I had trouble understanding and they me. Now I live near where they are building the Desal Plant in Wonthaggi and they were using wireless Broadband up to late 2011, I mentioned this many times to Telstra and they said it would not be causing my problems. After a few months I got that fed up I went back to Home Phone and ADSL2, still keeping my Wireless for when away. Now, keep in mind Telstra said the Desal Plant would not be the problem, well, the Desal Plant went Fibre Optic about September 2011. Now when I use my Wireless Broadband at home, just to use it so to speak, I have full strength and no problems.

I wonder why that would be confuse confuse smile smile

Happywanderer · The Master

Had occasion to ring Bigpond this morning as my internet has been on go slow for the last 3 days but shows I have only used 95% of my usage.
It happens every month and most annoying.
The very polite man obviously from another country explain that they update in 1 and half day cycles so have already passed my 100%, it just isn't showing yet.
So to help me out till the 10th Feb he gave me an extra 1Gg at no extra charge, as he said it is so annoying trying to use laptop when its on go slow so this will see me through.
I've got no complaints.

Dougwe · Chief one feather

You do get some good news stories Marj. I must say, I have only had the one problem and at all other times I have found Telstra good.

Blue Orchid · Senior Member

Happywanderer wrote:
Had occasion to ring Bigpond this morning as my internet has been on go slow for the last 3 days but shows I have only used 95% of my usage.
It happens every month and most annoying.
The very polite man obviously from another country explain that they update in 1 and half day cycles so have already passed my 100%, it just isn't showing yet.
So to help me out till the 10th Feb he gave me an extra 1Gg at no extra charge, as he said it is so annoying trying to use laptop when its on go slow so this will see me through.
I've got no complaints.

Marg,

Telstra and Bigpond update your usage rate every 15 minutes. And there is supposed to be an email system from them that advises you when you reach 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of your usage, and this message should be sent immediately your account reaches these limits.

Does this happen??? No, because the more often you complain about getting slow downloads, then the sales person says "You have exceeded your limit, you should look at upgrading" What they don't say is what it will cost you.

THIS IS WRITTEN IN THEIR MANUAL FOR INCREASING BUSINESS.

I know, because I have read it...