The impending upgrade to 2Meg - ISPs automatically upgrading our packages?

DrKillinger

DrKillinger

New member
Hi guys

As you all should know, Telkom is upgrading 1meg lines to 2meg, and the ISPs have released new packages to suit this new offering, albeit at a higher cost.

I'm probably in the minority here, but I'm going to be staying at 1meg, for budget reasons. I've heard people say that MWeb have been automatically upgrading their packages without asking; am I going to need to contact MWeb to keep them from upgrading me?
 
Just got the same info from Cybersmart... I have to request a downgrade after this has been upgraded, and IIRC, there's a downgrade fee?

This is absolute bullshit!
 
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I'm probably gonna stick to 1Mbps, my account with Mweb is for data only so I'm sure that that won't change. Once the 384kbps to 1mbps tansition takes place I'll give iSat a call and drop to a 1mbps linespeed.
 
I have soo many questions about this upgrade:

1) How can a product which I've signed up for be upgraded without my consent at a higher price point?
2) what is the point of this upgrade if the pricing of the upgraded line is beyond what was original 1mb. i.e. the point is a "free upgrade" but now its more expensive to basically stay at the same level. i.e. the level 2 speed.

i dont know...I mean telkom just got a "slap on the wrist" and now theyre doing this. And despite this supposed fine we still are forced to have an anologue line.

sigh at south africa
 
I have no problem with the pricing, I just want to know if I must let them know if I want to upgrade, or let them know if I don't!
 
TBlaar said:
Just got the same info from Cybersmart... I have to request a downgrade after this has been upgraded, and IIRC, there's a downgrade fee?

This is absolute bullshit!
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So you paying extra to keep your current speed or have it put down because they automatically pushing it up? WTF?

I should email Mweb then I see what they say. I see a 1Mbs 2Mbs 4Mbs and 10Mbs options on the website now, If my line is getting a bump up to 2Mbs will I pay mweb more or will it stay at the same price?

Email I sent Mweb will post the reply when I get one.
Good evening.

I see that telkom will be performing upgrades to the lines through out the country during August by pushing up the lines speeds, With this I have a few questions I would like to ask.

I am currently on your 1Mbs uncapped package, if my line gets upgraded to 2Mbs (via Telkom) will my package on Mweb be upgraded to 2Mbs aswell or will it remain at 1Mbs, and if it does get upgraded to 2Mbs will extra costs be incurred, and how much will they be? Will I have an option to stay at 1Mbs?

Thank-you for your time
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We got a 100%-200% speed boost for a <10% price increase. Whats not to like?

TBlaar said:
IIRC, there's a downgrade fee?

This is absolute bullshit!
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There shouldn't be a fee. Unless you signed some BS 24 month contract...in which case they will nail you with a penalty (which btw is a totally acceptable practice *if* the penalty is correctly calculated).

Cobalt said:
1) How can a product which I've signed up for be upgraded without my consent at a higher price point?
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Unless you signed a contract they can quite easily change the price. Simply put each month they pitch a new "deal" and you can take it or leave it. If you did sign a contract then its a bit more tricky...if the price is fixed there then they shouldn't be able to change it. Who knows what funky laws apply to Telkom though. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some post office era law still in force allowing them a little more wiggle room.

DrKillinger said:
I just want to know if I must let them know if I want to upgrade
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Automatic upgrades for all on the line speed side (Not to be confused with the data account). If you want to downgrade you'll have to contact Telkom.

Glordit said:
If my line is getting a bump up to 2Mbs will I pay mweb more or will it stay at the same price?
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Not 100% sure but: MWeb won't charge you more all of a sudden for increasing the speed of your uncapped data package. They'll either push you up for free or do nothing (& send you an email to notify you of the possibility). The price might increase *automatically* by the ~R10 or so that the adsl line rental goes up if you're on a bundled package....MWeb said they can't absorb that. On the whole I wouldn't worry too much about Mweb though...they aren't likely to screw you over.
 
HavocXphere said:
We got a 100%-200% speed boost for a <10% price increase. Whats not to like?


There shouldn't be a fee. Unless you signed some BS 24 month contract...in which case they will nail you with a penalty (which btw is a totally acceptable practice *if* the penalty is correctly calculated).


Unless you signed a contract they can quite easily change the price. Simply put each month they pitch a new "deal" and you can take it or leave it. If you did sign a contract then its a bit more tricky...if the price is fixed there then they shouldn't be able to change it. Who knows what funky laws apply to Telkom though. I wouldn't be surprised if there is some post office era law still in force allowing them a little more wiggle room.


Automatic upgrades for all on the line speed side (Not to be confused with the data account). If you want to downgrade you'll have to contact Telkom.


Not 100% sure but: MWeb won't charge you more all of a sudden for increasing the speed of your uncapped data package. They'll either push you up for free or do nothing (& send you an email to notify you of the possibility). The price might increase *automatically* by the ~R10 or so that the adsl line rental goes up if you're on a bundled package....MWeb said they can't absorb that. On the whole I wouldn't worry too much about Mweb though...they aren't likely to screw you over.
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Okay good to know I don't mind the whole R10 extra but if I have to pay for a new 2mbs package I would rather say with 1Mbs.
 
Agreed, the "free" bit is only the circuit upgrade... The price comes when your ISP doubles their price (for obvious reasons).

ISPs will never bump your line from 1MB to 2 MB for free, they SELL that bandwidth, now they need to basically fit double the amount of accounts on the same amount of bandwidth that they have? Or they have to double THEIR spend... The reality here is, the consumer will need to pay if he wants the increased speeds.
 
It's up to the ISP, some will definitely upgrade the users for free, and I'm sure some will tell their users to pay extra :P Most companies tend to exploit the less informed users.
 
if 2mb price is more than the old 1mb price then im sure they will just keep you @ 1mb and drop how much you are paying monthly
 
Guys. Mweb wont just upgrade you, because its an extra R160 or so to go from 1mbps uncapped to 2mbps uncapped. AS for the speed syncing upgrade, that is meant to be seamless, and you are already paying extra if you were on a 1mbps line, its only an extra R10-20 though for that.
Pretty much only uncapped data accounts will have to pay more for an increased speed, which makes sense.

On my side of things, I had a 1mbps line managed by WA with a small 2gig cap. Then I have 1mb uncapped data package from Mweb. The line was upgraded for free (of R10 extra or so). But then I had to phone mweb to upgrade me to 2mb uncapped and agree that I'm fine with the extra data cost.
 
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I on a 384kbps, will be waiting a tad longer for 1mbps. Cybersmart has downgrade fees? Do other ISP's have such a fee?
 
if they charge downgrade fees then they are a ripoff.lol.but what you gonna downgrade to?1mb will be the new minimum line speed
 
You need to inform Cybersmart if you want to stay on 1MB, or they will automatically upgrade you to a 2MB line. There is no downgrade fee, but once you have been upgraded to 2MN you need to give them a calender month's notice to downgrade you back to 1MB... so you will end up having 2MB for a month if you don;t let them know in advance that you do not wish to upgrade.
 
I'm just baffled as to why people use MWeb for uncapped, when Afrihost is much cheaper.

MWeb 4Mbps uncapped - R539p/m
Afrihost 4Mbps uncapped - R397p/m

Either some people don't consider all of their options well, or there are some details I'm missing (MWeb offering better overall speed, more consistent line speeds, better services, free doughnuts, whatever).

Can someone possibly enlighten me on this matter?
 
matchstick said:
I'm just baffled as to why people use MWeb for uncapped, when Afrihost is much cheaper.

MWeb 4Mbps uncapped - R539p/m
Afrihost 4Mbps uncapped - R397p/m

Either some people don't consider all of their options well, or there are some details I'm missing (MWeb offering better overall speed, more consistent line speeds, better services, free doughnuts, whatever).

Can someone possibly enlighten me on this matter?
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Afrihost is asking R697 for 4Mb/s uncapped/unshaped - http://www.afrihost.com/site/product/uncapped_adsl_bundles?src=nav

***Edit
Semi-Shaped Bandwidth:
http://www.afrihost.com/site/product/adsl_uncapped?src=nav - R397 p/m - Oh, I see...
 
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