Iburst described by it's customers:

I would like to invoke sections 14 and 54-56 of the Consumer Protection Act …

Dear Henry,
 
Trust this email finds you well. As speaker at Customer Management World Africa, Contact Centres World Africa and other high profile events, I am assured of your dedication to quality service, it would seem.
 
THUS:
Upon conditions of my contract renewal and subsequent interactions with iBurst today, I would like to invoke sections 14 and 54-56 of the Consumer Protection Act (whichever your review deems most relevant) in order to cancel the contract and arrange for the return of your modem pack at your earliest convenience.
 
read more …

Lani Botha (email on file)

Do let us know how that goes, Lani …

WEBMASTER

IBURST UNRESPONSIVE TO CANCELLATIONS

Hello.

I have had no response from iBurst on any of the attached letters – sent by fax, email, fax again, then another email.

A telephone call earlier this week to their accounts department lead me to understand that the service would be terminated on the 30th September – it hasn’t and another invoice and statement done for October, 2011.

Frik Blaauw (email on file)

Our sympathies. This is iburst's standard operating procedure, as letters below show…

WEBMASTER

BEWARE CONSUMERS WHEN DEALING WITH IBURST NO CUSTOMER SERVICE, NO ANSWERING PHONES AND DEFINITELY NO SPEED!

I am so glad I found this website, can’t wait for the consumer protection act to come into force. Their days are numbered and they will be forced to change their unethical behavior or preferably shut down. Here is my story:-

On 28th Jan 2011, I contacted Iburst to enquire about their wireless packages. I explained very clearly that I required a wireless connection that at least 3 other pc’s would be able to connect to ( go and listen to your telephone recordings or are you just to damn lazy to do your job properly).

From the beginning it went from bad to worse. Delivery was days late, their courier service asked me to meet him somewhere to hand over the modem, then didn’t pitch and then sent me please call me’s. Yes, iburst professional from the start!

When the modem did eventually arrive, I signed for it (according to them this constitutes signing for a 24 month contract)? I had an old contract with iburst which still existed on a month to month basis. I renewed this contract on a month to month basis, never signing anything or receiving one iota of paperwork. According to the telephone call it was stated that I was month to month. (Again before you argue with me, go and listen to the damn telephone call!)

On opening the package I found a USB laptop modem. I made the comment that I am sure this is the wrong modem if I wanted others to connect. Nevertheless since I used to have a PCMI card I had never seen their new hardware. I installed the software on all pc’s and tried to connect others. I phoned technical department to tell them I couldn’t connect others, he obviously told me I had the wrong modem.

I then contacted Enver Pillay via email. To this day haven’t had a reply. I then phoned him after waiting and being transferred and waiting some more, he told me he would speak to his manager. I have never heard from him again.

Phoned retentions department, twice being hung up on (seems like this is a familiar pattern you have) I eventually got hold of someone there, they told me I have a 24 month contract and cannot cancel. When asking them where I signed for a 24 month contract they stated by signing for delivery of this modem, I have accepted the 24 month contract. This is definitely not legal and binding, nowhere was it indicated to me that this was 24 months. It has been escalated to management now because nobody can provide me with any paperwork or telephone conversation where I agreed to this!!!

D Munger (email on file)

We have a pretty good idea of how far you are likely to get with iburst management. Do let us know how it goes…

WEBMASTER

iBurst Service is a complete joke

My iBurst Service is a complete joke, right from the financial side to the actual product.

They miss debits, don’t inform me and then just debit me three months in a row, expecting the cash to be there.

The most frustrating bit is for months my internet has been so slow and it’s my problem to get it sorted. Upload Speeds are as low as 0.2Mbps and Downloads(almost double that) at a whopping 0.42 Mbps. Done all the techi crap they do with you, nothing works.

I HATE the fact I ever went with iBurst and I cannot cancel the contract. It is awful. I wish I had money to sue them broken.

Dylan (email on file)

Thanks for sharing your story, Dylan. Certainly, similar feelings here resulted in this website's existence. We are currently investigating the posibility of legal action on behalf of all iburst's victims.

WEBMASTER

Bandwidth stolen

My problem with iburst is that my bandwidth disappear without me using it. I normally use less than 2gig per month, but has been forced to keep on adding this month and sits at 7 gig for the month.

Lantic and iburst offers a printout for websites visited in a period and nothing more. My family and a friend has had the same problem so it does not seem like an isolated incident. I think many users just do not realise that their bandwidth gets stolen.

I suspect iburst technicians being the culprits, since they have access to your username, password and utid, but have no prove for this. I plan to cancel my contract soon, and never use iburst again Thanks for starting your website, at least I do not feel alone with this problem

Leon (email on file)

Thank you for helping to warn others, Leon.

It seems from other complaints I have received that the problem is more likely a policy of severe over-billing than staff theft.

Good luck with canceling your contract. They want it in writing, during a limited time period, and are very, very good at losing your cancellation.

Be prepared too, to have your account illegally raided for as long as they can keep the debit order going, which is more or less… forever.

At iburstmyballs.co.za we have so far heard of just one person who successfully managed to cancel his contract. A very senior executive with a major bank. Even he had to threaten legal action first! (A very tech-savvy fellow, he detected the huge (10x+) over-billing immediately and managed to cancel within 3 months…)

WEBMASTER

SO-CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE

The query I published on their f/book query site:

I was told by the iburst 'advanced support team' that they can't fix the
echoing problem on my Dad's VoIP phone.We have to check with the
router's manufacturer (which Iburst have supplied us) so this has now
become our problem. I reckon this is because their 'advanced support
team' don't have a clue about VoIP or anything else for that matter

This was after 2 weeks of them not getting back to me and listening for
hours to the WAKA WAKA song on their switchboard which I am now able to
sing very well.

In case somebody at Iburst is reading this the fault ref is
001-00-177846...there were MANY fault refs logged before...this is just
the latest one.

My thanks goes out to the following indivduals at the 'advanced support
team'

Peter - Favourite quote " It must be the signal strenght...check the
signal strenght"
" The webphones are buggy" "I'll get back to you"

Phenyo - Favourite quote " I've got one on the system support guys
looking at this...I'll call you back later today (its now
thursday...that was Tuesday)"
"We dont support the software on your router (that Iburst supplied)
please check with the manufacturer regarding the echo problem"

This btw was after 2 weeks of asking about the echo problem

This is worst service I have received from any company. Its ok though
because I work for one of the major players in the Telecomms market.
They happen to agree with my sentiment
Oh I dont care if you delete this post. I've been doing some research in
your so-called customer service and see your company has become rather
popular in this regard.

(email on file)

REALLY PATHETIC SERVICES

I got an HSDPA 24month contract with iBurst, everything was working fine untill someone broke into our home and stole my modem & sim card, so i went to Vodacom and bought a new 3G card and requested iBurst to do a sim swop, on the 27-07-2010 i received the new sim card. Then i requested for over a week that iBurst activate the sim card which they say they did but on the Saturday i went to a Vodacom shop as instructed by iBurst helpdesk, firstly Vodacom cannot do a sim swop for an iBurst customer and secondly Iburst never ever changed the account to the new sim card number... I've been struggling now for 2 weeks to get iBurst to do the "sim swop" on the system and actually activating it! I got numurious ref numbers, tickets logged by "managers" at high priority but still no service.. BUT still i must pay for a full months service... and not to speak about my phone bill for keepping on the line for over 15min each time..

(email on file)

Billing department = stealing department

Hi,

I had (have) a 2 year contract that was supposed to expire on 28 JUL.

Firstly,
During the course of the two years it happened twice that my bank account was debited double. They would take the R485 on the 3rd of the month and then again on the 10th or so.
Then to get your money back you must send them a bank statement?! Were an easy target to fix their cash flow...

Secondly, and worse
I tried to give advance notice so that my 24 month contract does not become a 25 month contract.. It is impossible. You cannot give such notice and I was told to phone on the exact date that mycontract expires. Then they STILL bill you for month 25 .. your notice month. !? So it's a 25 month contract then, scammers!
Fine now month 25 is almost finished and guess what, I receive another invoice for September, month 26 then!? Another phone call and another reference number.. they will not stop taking money from my bank account!! I have now instructed the bank with a STOP order.

Absolutely amazing that a large company like this gets away with these things!

Regards
--
Martin (email on file)

I think they are just thieves out to make a fast buck

1. Account no. WO151771

2. Name : Karin (name and phone number in email on file)

3. Paid 2 years upfront

4. Mostly I can use my e-mail

5. Cannot surf the net as the pages I would like to open

Either freeze on my screen so they cannot be used

Alternatively upon re booting the same thing happens over and over,

Since almost day one.

They take my money for something I cannot use!!!

I think they are just thieves out to make a fast buck!!!

It would be nice to get my money back to be able to use

Another service.

Iburst - never never ever

Moved from Telkom and thought we get better internet service as the cables were always a problem

Got 8Gig internet package and voip phone to my dismay after 3 months hair pulling out and with technical support to unblock websites(never knew they can do it)
Internet resets too often, unable to browse websites besides iburst
My voip phone sounds like a cellphone with little signal breaking up - even with 100% signal

What the hell do we pay for - bad service connection?

If only I'd known, I want to cancel, right now

Pierre. (email on file)

I have been waiting for a response…

… from iburst since the 26th.jan 2010 my complaint was overcharging even though there was a R10.00 cap on 500mb.

This month they have taken on my stop order R629.89 [my package is R229.00/month] no explanation just take? I attach my emails to them. I will be so pleased when this contract ends in June of this year. Email response is zero. Telephone response is zero.

They cannot give a real time usage even though this was promised last year when they “Updated their system” Let the buyer beware. Be warned their hands are in your pocket! Unvalued customer. Regards.

Arthur. (emails on file)

Have you ever tried to get through to I burst by telephone?????

Make sure you have food and water near by. Because trust me you will be on hold forever.

Never, have I had such bad phone service from anyone. In fact while I am typing this I am on hold, having tried to get through to them a number of times. The phone is just never answered.

Are they still in business? Are they still alive? Post apocalypse, companies will answer there phones faster than this.

Ok, no more joking. 10 min and still no answer.

Frank Hackney

iBurst Sucks

• Global • Basic Info • Type:
Internet & Technology - Computers & Hardware
Description:
* iBurst signal is unstable

* Helpdesk Support is useless

* When calling any department there, you spend at least 10 mins on the phone wondering what the hell is going on while you are hold and the menus are repeated to you. Leaving you wondering if you will ever get through to someone.

* You call or email the helpdesk (or virtually anyone) and you will be very lucky to get a reply.

* Their SMTP servers (outgoing mail servers) deliver mail hours, if not days later, if you are lucky enough that they deliver your mail at all.

*They have shady business policies. e.g. They will not inform you when your 24 month contract has come to an end. They will continue to bill you as per the 24 Month contract pricing.

*They claim to deliver speeds which I have never, ever seen(and I support,sell and install iBurst, I have no choice in the matter). I think you have to be on top of the base station to achieve these "high speeds".

*Incorrect billing problems

*etc, etc, etc.... I could go on all day.

sourcelink

Lies…

To whom it may concern After hearing numerations iBurst adds claiming 1Mb line and up to 17x faster than dial up, and being able to carry over excess on my bundle, I decided to join immediately. After a couple of months I have come to the realization that this was nothing but a bunch of lies and was indeed false advertising.

My iBurst connection has always been terrible and nowhere near 1mb, but it has been progressively worsening as time goes by.

Downloading a file at an average of a mere 32kb/s. Not only are download speeds extremely slow but my connection is constantly being dropped, where I have to re-enable my modem time and time again regardless of the fact that my signal sits at 90% + (excellent). This then makes iBurst a much worse option than dialup as the iBurst connection keeps dropping time and time again. I have tried every possible route. sourcelink

Worse than Telkom!

I don't know if that is a retorical question, regarding getting your money back for accumulated bandwidth, buti n my dealings with iBurst, they are not interested in trying to keep their clients, or give any kind of reimbursments. They prey on the next sucker that rolpes themselves into a contract.Really, they do not care if u had great signal for a year and you now u cannot even work from day to day. U will spend hours trying to justify to them why you should have a signal test. Chances are they won't have a plausable reason for your problem. They know clients with 24 month contracts can't cancel. If you want to cancel on a 24 month contract you have to pay up the remainder of the contract, which is pretty pointless since u r still paying the full amount and no longer have internet access. God I hate that company, I love telkom in comparasin to iBurst and I'm not very fond of telkom as well. Anyway just thought I could come and vent my frustrations with iBurst here.
sourcelink

MASS ACTION?

Since February I tied uploading through iBust to UJ, to no effect. I then as alternative tried it to yahoo, no joy. So I tried google docs, which worked. Why? The latter is an ssl tunnel into which iBust should not interfere. Then as last resort I used my mobile phone and it took less then 5s to upload more than 1MB to yahoo.

I have six or seven messages I've sent to them without response.

I will cancel my subscription most probably by the end of the month.

I think we should just advise everyone to close their accounts (mass action) and find a real ISP,:

1. one that does not understand about private addresses,
2. that does not believes spam is in volumes,
3. do attempt to enforce virus protection,
4. responds to queries,
5. does not handle every customer as an idiot,
6. cache everybody's requests and then let you pay as if they fetched it for you (squid 2.x),
7. who will not respond to a query by send you your monthly invoice
8. who understands what it means letting managed internet infrastructure, not push all sorts of crap down your throat
9. who really responds in 24hours
10. who does not interchange first names and surnames
11. who bills you as and when agreed not months too late or weeks too early

L Krüger (email on file)

We have a pretty good idea of what will happen when you try to cancel. Do let us know if you manage …

WEBMASTER

I migrated to Telkom+IS: cheaper, unshaped & uncapped, maybe slower -- but now I can upload files to designated destinations! (I only need to sort the mail bit, then I will switch off that download only channel. The current combination even does better on iBust's speed test!)

L Krüger (email on file)

From HelloPeter.com

1) http://www.hellopeter.com/search_results.asp

THIS IS INCREDIBLE - however unfortunately the norm from Iburst!

USERNAME robins
TIME
DATE SUBMITTED 10:59:26
Tue 3 Jul 07
TOTAL POSTS 2
find all posts by robins

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE INCIDENT I was on a month to month contract, I faxed through the cancellation form at the of March, expecting my last debit at the end of April (30 day notice period). End of May I get debited again. When I called them, the seventh person I spoke to said they couldn't cancel the account because of an outstanding amount - R469 from my first month which they never debited. The outstanding amount never appeared on any of my statements. Wierd, but ok. I asked why nobody contacted me about this when I sent through the cancellation form. They couldn't give me an answer. If I hadn't phoned at my own expense, they would still be debiting, my subscription would still be active and there would still be an 'outstanding amount'.

Eventually, the account was cancelled, middle of May. I had no use of the service, the accumulated bandwidth as well as the remaining bandwidth for May is gone (AFTER they debited me for May). This month I got an sms from my bank - they tried to debit me R 1038 for June???? (I'm assuming it's my CANCELLED subscription as well as the outstanding amount which never appeared on any of my statements).

Totally unacceptable. I will NEVER deal with iBurst again! EVER!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUPPLIER'S RESPONSE
Time: 12:52:04
Mon 9 Jul 07

Hello robins

Sincere apologies for not getting back to you sooner to get your query sorted. Please allow me to sort out and get back to you ASAP.

many thanks

Shireen Powell

CUSTOMER'S FEEDBACK
Time: 10:19:34
Fri 6 Jul 07 Not impressed: 36 hours later ... no reponse whatsoever. I've taken my cancellation form to my bank and told them to refuse WBS Holdings debits ... just in case they keep trying to debit me.

2)Newest news from Iburst. An we always welcome their input and comments:

Hi Mark

Your feedback is invaluable to us. Thank you. We are really sad that we lost you as a client and that didn't address all your concerns while you were still with us.

We are seriously embarking on a Customer Service strategy that will change all these negative perceptions. Please know that the Head of Customer support is now addressing your comments with each individual you named.

Calia Douca
Iburst Marketing Manager

3)Dear Mark

Thank you for your email. Please let me know if I may be of assistance to you or any of the group members with regard to iBurst services.

I will escalate it accordingly and make sure you get feedback.

Let me know.

Thanks

Kind regards
Pearlene Singh
Head: Legal

iBurst

Instant, Fast, Wireless Internet

4) Dear Mark

I refer to the iBurst logo placed on the facebook website placed by your group.

This email serves to notify you that the reflection of the iBurst logo on the website in the format of iBurst with a line across it or “no entry” so to say is illegal and an infringement of our intellectual property rights.

I am fully aware of the facebook website and the idea behind it which includes people’s view and opinions, however disparaging a company’s intellectual property on a website is a clearly unlawful.
sourcelink