Whirlpool

Hi everyone,

This is a bit of a rant but I don't know what else I can do at this point of time. Owing to the fact that I am new to the whole Broadband scene, as this is the first ADSL connection I have applied for.

I applied for an iiNET connection about 8 weeks ago. It took them about 15 days to send out the modem to me. The iiNET guy came over to fix the connection at my building's MDF. I live with another housemate who works in hospitality and it's impossible for her to take an off from work (being new there and all that). She also desperately needs the internet because she is applying for a job in her field.

Anyways, coming back to the path, I had to take an off. I understood that was necessary and required. Although, I lose $275 every time I take an off I went ahead to get this done. Following that I tried to set up the connection but there was no sync on the line. I complained and they sent out another iiNET guy (contractor) to my place in about 4-5 days' time. The guy checked whatever he had to and declared it was Telstra's issue. BTW, did I mention I had to lose money for another day because I had to take an off! I thought this was still fine, taking the high road I thought "we are only human", "nobody gets it right the first time" and numerous other philosophical justifications for my day off.

Soon enough ('soon' is a relative term ..took 4 days for someone to show up) the gentleman from Telstra showed up. As expected I was called a day earlier to ensure that I was to be at home for this guy to show up. That phone call was quite a dilemma because I knew for a fact that my house mate could not possibly take an off, I on the other hand could take an off but I would have to sacrifice the money. If I ask them to delay this, we would end up grumpier and frustrated because my house mate needs to get her career in order. Realising that the impatient hag on the other end wanted a "YES, I'm OKAY" asap, I decided to sacrifice my hard earned money yet again. The Telstra tech came over, checked the MDF and some other distribution thing outside the building (I did not see what he checked when he went out of the building) and declared "DSLAM has a problem, your port can not take the load". DAMN! This means another guy to come over to fix this. This time around, I was just feeling plain frustration and no philosophical rambles came to the rescue.

4 days later, another phone call, same dilemma, same decision, same loss of money and guess what.... same result "NO RESOLUTION". And in fact just a day before the iiNET guy was to come again, I was joking about how he might declare that it's "TELSTRA's PROBLEM". The cruelty of the circumstantial irony is remarkable as that is exactly what happened.

So, now we are here waiting for the fifth technician to grace our flat's doormat (and possibly declare that it's "iiNET's PROBLEM"). Naturally, I will be taking an off again. All in all the loss amounts to:

- $775 (not counting the first two technicians, I decided to forget about the first two visits because I was prepared for them)

- HUGE loss of time for my house mate who absolutely NEEDS the internet to do effective job searching and applying

- HUGE delay in the startup of my small internet business for which the plan is all laid out and waiting.

What makes the little-guy-in-me-with-red-horns-and-hooves want to jump out and cause messy destruction is the fact that the customer service operators treat me like an idiot. Always claiming that it's unfortunate and there's nothing that can really be done because a process is a process. A couple of them have been patient though, but it looks like the company just does not give a flying rat's stinky arse about the customers. The operator was kind enough (for the uninitiated, please notice the sarcasm) to offer one week's free internet for me. WOW! I thought, how generous of you. Considering the fact that I am on a $49 plan, I was amazed that iiNET are being kind enough to offer $12 for my loss of well above $700 and more.

I am waiting for this to be resolved. I want the internet active first and foremost. I will see if they offer something that is at the very least not an insult as a compensation (like the $12 offer). I must admit that I am a mild mannered person but this is the first time I find dark anger boiling within me. I feel like launching a full blown negative propaganda (pamphlets, blogs, et al) against iiNET (wishful thinking perhaps...but I sure hupe as well it doesn't get to anything close to that).

My questions:

Q. Do I have any chance of any sort of retribution by approaching the ombudsman?

Q. Is anyone out there to help me? Is there anyone out there who has been pushed around like this?

Yours truly

P.S. Thanks for reading this. I would really appreciate any words of wisdom in these dark times.

would you be able to email me some more details?

I will take a look and see if there is any thing else we can do.

Sean writes...

Is it legal to conduct a full blown (pamphlets, clubs, blogs, posters et al) negative propaganda campaign against a company in full public ?

Is it worth it? What are you hoping to achieve?

iiNet do hundreds of naked DSL connections every day – very few seem to experience a problem.

Do I have any chance of any sort of retribution by approaching the ombudsman?

Not for your purported loss of earnings.

Is anyone out there to help me? Is there anyone out there who has been pushed around like this?

Has the acutal problem been isolated yet? Is it the MDF, your internal wiring, the exchange? Until the source of the problem is located, there is no chance it will be fixed.

EDIT: I think the title is a little off – I certainly don't see how iiNet have harrassed or insulted you.

I can't see anything about being harassed on insulted... Infact it sounds like you are planning to harass them...

Sean writes...

I feel like launching a full blown negative propaganda (pamphlets, blogs, et al) against iiNET

I would really appreciate any words of wisdom in these dark times.

Toughen up. It's only the internet.

Hi Mike,

I agree with my slightly hyper first question....must be my emotional state at that moment. I have rectified my post.

However, I totally disagree with your take on the misleading title. it is I who is being harassed and insulted. It is ME as a customer who is feeling insulted by their offer of compensation. Although you might try to logically see what's going in my situation, I don't think you can put yourself in my shoes and so comfortably proclaim that "this is NOT the harassed territory". Of course if you have been kept waiting for 6 months and asked to stay at home for 10 techies to come and fix it then I agree my situation is nothing compared to yours. However, I doubt if that's true and if it is true and still you did not find yourself offended or harassed then HATS OFF to your patience. I am only human and I can't be as patient as someone like you. I stand by the title of my post.

IMO you were not insulted by iinet. Your title is misleading. You found their offer insulting. There is a very large difference there.

Charleston, I'm sure you must have waited for your internet connection for 6 months. Good stuff! You are the role model...THE MR.PATIENCE. By the way, I mentioned it was a rant and I think some people took my GRAND plans literally. I want the problem fixed and want to be compensated fairly. That's all.

Sean writes...

it is I who is being harassed and insulted. It is ME as a customer who is feeling insulted by their offer of compensation.

How exactly do you feel you are being harassed?

I can get how you might feel they insulted your obviously large ego, but they don't seem to have harassed you at all.

Charleston... You are the role model...THE MR.PATIENCE

Thanks.

I mentioned it was a rant and I think some people took my GRAND plans literally

This is a forum. Expect comments about your seemingly crazed rant.

Sean writes...

it is I who is being harassed and insulted.

if you think so...

I can't be as patient as someone like you.

As I asked before, has the root of your problem been located? Have you considered for a moment that the issue could be the internal wiring in your property, that is your (or your landlord's) responsibility (not iiNet or Telstra or Vision Stream).

Unfortunately, you are stuck in the position where iiNet can't touch Telstra's equipment and DSL is not an essential service and no CSG is applicable.

I can understand your frustration – but a rant on WP isn't going to rectify it.

Sean writes...

Of course if you have been kept waiting for 6 months and asked to stay at home for 10 techies to come and fix it then I agree my situation is nothing compared to yours.

I don't think anything can compare to this guy:

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