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eh, no wonder yesterday my office was visited by the TM Net staff asking about our satisfaction towards the Streamyx service. Glad that they are now in the move to make it better.

Jeff, maybe can suggest TM to waived the telephone line rental if you have Streamyx connection. I rarely use my house phone (it's not even plugged in).

JEFF OOI says: Don't make me your messenger/dispatch boy as my role is that of a facilitator. Do come to themeeting if you believe in a community that helps each other.

I don't believe these groups will increase the budget for International links as this is the core of all Streamyx problems.

TM.Net will continue overselling their services when they do not have even close to adequate capacity to support 30% of their users.

That's their business model, it makes them money, they don't care about users, why would they change?

I am doubtful on the outcome.
I know friends working in TMnet on the broadband dept., most of the fellows on operating level meant well. Particulaly the newly graduated who are full of vision on improving the service.
Most of them hit a brick wall call management red tape and end up sounding the exhausted customer service official you get when you call 1-300-88-9515.

streamyx was down in my area for 3 days and i requested a refund via email. there was no reply from them at all. so for downtime in their service we still hv to pay. whenevr it rains, my line gets d/conn easily. pls get streamyx to hv a rebate policy for not fulfilling its promise to deliver a stable and reliable service.

JEFF OOI says: I don't think we want self-elect as a babysitter for your problems unless you vounteer your time for the common good. As a first step towards positive action, we want to spend time on bona fide issues from people who come come forward with specific case -- ADSL numbers, nature of fault, the account holder and address. Sorry, we are not self-elected fire-fighting men, or your nanny, or your office boy. Nobody gave us that right and nobody should "enslave" us like this. Your attitude is not right.

they don't need users' input to improve their services. they know what to do. they're just not doing it.

Would no doubt try to attend if time permits.

I have an interesting streamyx problem to share. Whenever someone is in the shower with the water heater on, my connection inevitably gets slowed to a crawl, and disconnected after a minute or two.

I gather that this is probably due to the relatively cheap modem and power adapter streamyx provides. I know at least one other friend who had the same problem.

I believe this is but one of the things we can share in the forum. Though TM might not replace the modem, at least I can sort of "schedule" those limited downtime and live with it for the moment.

I am skeptical about the phone waiver since TM and TMnet are seperate entities.. would be a great incentive otherwise.

This is not Streamyx-related. It's about the voluminous spam that you have received - per one of your earlier blog that showed the thousands of spams still in the folder.

It's not a good idea to post your email address in your blog. Bots can spider your website and harvest your email address for mass-mailing purposes.

You can use a javascript-based email or image-based to thwart those bots.

I can't *expletive* believe the comments I've just read above!

When tmnet don't do anything, you guys complain, now that they're trying to do something right, all you guys do is cast doubts and whine on further.

With mentality like this, how on earth can our country progress and move forward?

Memalukan saja... I'm sure Jeff feels the same too!

JEFF OOI says: Frankly, Au Yong, I have no time for born losers.

*self-censored of my own anger*

Jeff, You missed out Sarawak and Sabah.

KY:

From what you've written, I gather that you subscribed to one of those Streamyx packages where they provide you with a pair of HomePlugs. Also, I assume that when you mention 'water heater', you mean an electric water heater.

If the above scenario is correct, the problem doesn't lie with your modem (cheap or otherwise) but with the HomePlug. As you may know, the device turns your home electrical grid into a network, or a Powerline network to be exact. The quality of the connection is therefore easily affected by everything else that draws power from the grid, from a hair dryer to a mobile phone charger to a ceiling fan. These appliances can interfere with your HomePlug, the degree of which depending on how much power they draw. My guess is that an electric water heater uses up a fair amount of power, hence the interference with your HomePlug and subsequently your internet connection.

So the best thing that you can do is to try and place the HomePlugs at different power points. It's basically trial and error. Just to see if you can get them as far away from the sources of interference as possible.

Hope that sheds some light on your problem before you lodge a complaint with TMnet about your internet connection. Because if it is indeed a problem with the HomePlugs, then the issue is with your home electrical wiring, and not with TMnet. Just so you know, lest they come back to you and blame you for ignorance!

There are so many things can do to improve the broadband service. Do they really need our suggestion to start? Just do it now.

i think most people, after covering little tweaks here and there, will basically want to see the ISP buck up. when these suggestions are forwarded to the tm net buggers, if at all, they have to really consider and action the good ideas put forward and not treat it like the VADS support lines. all we can hope is that tm net take it as seriously as we are taking it. wish i could join you fellas, but outstation la. this is a good start. empower the users, in one way or the other.

Benny,

Thanks for the reply, but no, I do not have the Homeplug. All I have is a standard PC to modem to phone setup. The modem isn't of one of the more popular brands, but of Chinese origin, takes 18V.

My home networking doesn't go through the power socket at all, just the standard 100 baseT LAN set up.

Hi guys,

I think TmNet is trying to improve its efficiency before the government opens up the telco market. But the problem is that it is not trying hard enough because there is no competition yet. I think the TMNet call centre has improved a lot since 2003. However their so called CRM system suxs big time. I sent them an e-mail in January 2005 and they replied in like March 2005. Furthermore when I received their reply I don't even know what the hell they were saying? I didn't even request for the information they replied and furthermore they adress the e-mail to the wrong person - let say I am Mr.Wong and they replied to Mr.Lim?? I am just wondering what the hell is wrong with their CRM system lol. Probably we could raise this issue during the meeting??

KY:

Oh, okay. I got it wrong then! In that case, you do seem to have a rather odd problem.

I would never advise anyone to take the TMnet-bundled modem. Just subscribe to the package of your choice, and get a good modem yourself. The extra dough saved is not worth that much, if you can't surf the net while someone else is in the shower!

We're "whining" because we know that this supposed "feedback from customers" isn't going to achieve anyting. Like I've said before, they know what has to be done and yet they're not doing it. If they don't know what's to be done, they shouldn't be in business in the first place. Step aside and let someone who's able and competent to do it! Stop monopolising!

I want to use Streamyx at home, but unfortunately my taman is monopolized by maxis. I wonder if Telekom is able to accomodate me now that the last mile is supposed to be "opened".

If they are really lack of ideas to improve their service, why not open a forum to get all the suggestions from all levels?

Well it is all depends on their determination.

BTW what is "Streamyx Special Interest Group"?
Is it open to public too?

[quote]
Several suggestions shared last year have actually been implemented by TM Net on the quiet, one of which is the setting up of Streamyx users focus group. It is now named as Streamyx Special Interest Group (Streamyx SIG).
[end quote]

I guess improving bandwith and latency are not one of them. Im pretty dead sure packet filtering are implemented 'quietly'.

If they want suggestions/complaints, better look in lowyat.net forum.

For your information, TMnet has already setup SIG (as they said "Special Interest Group") committee here and we shall be having our inaugural meeting this coming Monday. The pro-tem committee was elected in mid March when TMnet CEO, Michael Lai, was doing his nationwide visit.

I am part of the SIG committee for Sabah, so it would be good since I am in the IT industry.

If they want suggestions/complaints, better look in lowyat.net forum.

I second this.
Who has the M Lai email? May be we can forward him the lowyat.net URL.

TMnet CEO, Michael Lai, was doing his nationwide visit.

Why waste the time in nationwide visit to get suggestions? If he still don't know how to improve, he is not the right CEO then.

JEFF OOI says: Do Malaysians have an attitude problem? When TM Net was not getting down to the customer level, you bantai them kua-kuat. When TM net is getting down to the streets to listen to the customers, you ALSO bantai them kua-kuat. Talk is real cheap for these armchair critics! TM Net is not worthy of you.

Jeff,

Just close the comment function for this post. Not likely to get any more constructive comments.

The post itself can deliver the message across. Those who cares enough about broadband development and not just streamyx connection, can come check out the SIG event.

Those who wants to bantai summore, can go forth and multiply...

dear jeff,

Nobody requested that they get down to the customer's level. We just want a better service without just being given lip service all the time.

If they truly wanted to improve their services, they should check their customer service call logs. The list of problems are always almost the same. They know that the approach they've taken in the deployment of broadband in this country has resulted in the customers having poor internet connection and unreliable services.

Does it really cost that much to provide a reasonable internet service? If this is so, why are they so afraid of competition?

With so many subscribers can't they afford to provide a better service? So, is it really necessary to waste more time going around asking for customer's input instead of making things happen? Or is this just a way to waste time?

And No..we don't have an attitude problem. We've paid for horrible services for far too long without being given an option for alternative service providers. It was unfair to us so why shouldn't we doubt tmnet's intention this time around?

JEFF OOI says: Thanks for your feedback. I am equally helpless on many occassions. I just want to try new ways to solve an old problem. Surprisingly, those who sent me private emails to pre-register their interests in attending the meeting -- scores of them -- far outnumber those who whine and rant in this blog entry. Tjose who emailed me also indicate their tech-savvy ness and are willing to share their experiences to the Streamyx user community. I take it as a motivation for me. There is still a silent majority who think rather positively.

I don't have attitude problem here.

I'm suggesting him to go and read the forum to get tonnes of suggestions, easily, comfortably and most cost effectively.

JEFF OOI says: Technology is great enabler, and it should people and community closer rather than colder and far apart. That's one part that the virtual world can't deliver as effectively, building tangible relationship.

Just came back from Sabah's 1st TMnet SIG pro-tem committee meeting. It was a good one and the management here are actually doing their best to improve their service. They admit that sometimes they take things for granted and most of the time do not inform all their users. For instance, some modems would not be able to support their ADSL2 upgrade, thus requires a firmware upgrade or modem upgrade.

We are also telling them that their customer call centre should not follow blindly reading out the script for every caller who reported the problem. This is because some callers are actually IT people and they dont need to go through the same procedure over and over again.

Customer Care centre is actually improving their call log system. At this point of time, if you call 3 times, they would asked u to perform their standard procedure 3 times. They admit that their call centre staff are quite robotic and cannot be flexible and staff turnover is also quite high.

Rest assured, with such committees setup nationwide, we should be able to inform TMnet now how to improve their service. They are serious in doing do and I think we should give them some time to improve.

Give some time to improve ... till year 2020 i guess. Kakaka

Limiting p2p and torrent network part of latest offering ?

Let's Click

There are some areas in KL that dont have broadband connection, like some parts of Bandar Sri Damansara where i live.

If I wasn't studying in the UK now I would definitely go for this meeting because things really need to change. It really 'hurts' having to stick to dialup! Seriously, how is that fair. Ah well..good luck guys.

*back to my 10mbps connection now..lol

At least the CEO is trying to do something. Shame on those people who just talk and talk cheaply. Meeting also don't want to attend but can criticise here and there. Really a "M'sian Boleh" attitude.

When you don't even help yourself, how to others can help you?

No amount of SIG groups will help to improve the service level we expected. The problems lie with the Malaysia boleh attitude.

the solution is real simple. OPEN the last miles connection to competitors.
Take example of the mobile industries. Thanks to DIGI, we really got a reliable system that we can afford.

If Michael Lai is genuine in solving the problems. He should have his handful by now without anymore feedbacks from the SIG.

I'm impressed they have Streamyx in Sabah. Even more so that they're making efforts to improve the service. Less impressive is the lack of Streamyx in Segambut. Despite the distant sounding name, its pretty much IN KL and just next door to Mont Kiara, and Hartamas. The latter areas blessed with Streamyx for ages now. My suggestion for QoS is to please hurry up and pull the cable to my house so I can qualify to be a bona fide 'Klang Valley' Streamyx user. Oh, btw, Jaring hasn't made it this far either.