Cromwell residents frustrated with bad broadband service

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Sat, 22 Aug 2009 12:00a.m.

Residents of Cromwell in Central Otago claim they have been left in the Dark Ages after their broadband internet service all but collapsed over the past few months.

They have been given little explanation from Telecom and other service providers - until now.

Cromwell's Copy and Print put out a community newspaper every week, but for the past three months faulty broadband has meant they have almost missed their deadline.

"Because we publish Tuesday night, and having proofs going in and out on Tuesday, and losing it for half a day is just ridiculous," says Diane McAuliffe.

They are one of a dozen businesses in Cromwell's industrial area who are battling with Telecom over the lack of reliable internet.

"Totally frustrated," says Irene Schrieber, Cromwell Travel. "We're on the phone within two or three minutes of the broadband going down and we just get fobbed off."

Ms Schrieber says they have lost business, and want Telecom to foot the bill.

"We've lost about 200 man hours that we are having to pay our staff for. We've lost customers. We'd like to see Telecom reimburse some of that on our telephone bill."

Another business was told they would have to wait up to two years to be connected.

"I thought they meant September this year, for a start," says Regan Payne, Affordable Sheds. "Then they said, 'No, September 2011,' and I said something I probably shouldn't have."

Telecom says faulty broadband equipment was to blame, and they have upgraded the system to cope with the growing amount of businesses in the area.

Locals are back online, but say their personal connection with Telecom is still far from perfect.

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Comments

30 Aug 2009 10:23a.m.

Andy wrote:

I most;y live overseas but come to Cromwell for our business several times a year. It's like stepping back in time with technology. Our broadband service is slow, unreliable and with the worst helpdesk service I have ever encountered. Anyone from Telecom who tries to show "statistics" that say customer satisfaction is good or services works needs to try living here. I smile when I arrive in "Third World" countries and get better service.

26 Aug 2009 03:39p.m.

Dr Who wrote:

You should read mr boyds(chairman of telecom board) glowing report on customer satisfaction,are these morons for real.I wish there was an election tomorrow,may be then this government can get there act together.How many more lives need to suffer because financial greed has more power than the government.

24 Aug 2009 01:14p.m.

Andrew wrote:

If you think you are angry with Telecom then you haven't had to put up with what I have put up with over the past 3 months in dealing with Telecom. Firstly we had to spend over $750 putting in a new phone line to our house from the street, then we had to pay Telecom over $550 just to connect the phone into our new house. Then we tried to get Broadband and I spent many hours with various staff at Telecom onlt to finally be told that "we can't connect Broadband to your house why don't you try our new 3G. Just plug it in and it will work. Ha Ha !! What a joke. Again I have spent many hours with Telecom staff in Manila, Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch trying to connect 3G but in the end a total failure. I mistakenly thought 3G was going to be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but not for us , it has been another disaster.
Do you know the most frustrating thing. Twice I said to Telecom staff , "for goodness sake when you have an enquiry from a customer keep in touch until the problem is solved" and twice staff said they would but they haven't done so.
Now I have paid for two 3G memory sticks etc at between $100 and $200 each even asking for this to be put on hold as it was agreed that I should send them back. ( total a/c $444.37 for Now the latest straw is that I have again been charged a further $69.95 twice on my latest account even though I have sent these useless 3G sticks back at least 3 weeks ago. ( $ 245.62 latest a/c )
To summarise I have had very poor service, no satisfaction and now having paid them a lot of money for nothing I still can't get Broadband. At my work we have had huge disruptions with Broadband down time which is hugely frustrating and who bears the costs ? We do not Telecom !!

22 Aug 2009 07:01p.m.

john wrote:

Bad news Cromwell businesses.Greedy Telecom is going to make it worse.They have forced technicians to take industrial action by making Auckland and northland contractors redundant by end of september to take a 60% pay loss and sign up with rip off Aussie firm Vision Stream as owner operators,which is not going to happen.Nation wide strike Monday,maybe longer and sorry, Broadband repair ban.Get the government involved to sort this greedy company out.How many years has telecom ripped Kiwis off now.I am angry are you?