Going mental about the internet..... is it just me or?

[singapore1959]

is the internet going mental at the moment? I have spent a rather large amount relatively recently upgrading and now the thing is going off and on like a Christmas tree. And when I phone my service provider the secretary just mutters "problems." No elaboration. Ugh!

Is it the storms and atmospheric conditions? (I am a newcomer here... well, been here two years or so permanently). Probably. But why don' the service providers be proactive and tell us with a group internet message when the service is on and off again. They could even be civic minded and provide a similar service when there is a total cutoff of electricity so we know a) what has happened and b) when it is expected to return. Such a service might even offer a competitive edge over rivals in the battle for market share.

It's a good job I have mobile internet.... but why in this day and age should that need to be the case? We pay large amounts of money for a service which is (occasionally it must be said, but when it happens grrrrr!) unreliable.

Silver lining... it's got me back to reading again, which I have discovered to be a joy. But I recently lost more than a week's work...which ain't hot going into the Christmas New Year period.

Any fellow travellers?
Pat.

[Owl Lady]

Sorry Pat, but that is one of "the joys" of living in N Cyprus. You will get used to it, in time! I am into my 10th year and just learning to accept it. On a more positive note, think of all that gorgeous sunshine next year!!

[MrA]

All normal here, better than usual if anything.

[kbasat]

If you want to have any chance of proper Internet service, I suggest you give Multimax a try. With the satisfaction or money back guarantee (on unused portion of your account), you cant be at fault.

[rocking]

Feel for you Singapore but also agree should try multimax. You will get used to it. Have to go back 30 years when I had a restaurant in Lapta and worked without a phone for 4 yrs and had to drive into the main bakery in kyrenia to pick up bread. Know it's difficult if you reply on Internet for work but as I say multimax is great. Agree with Owl Lady, there ore positives to living here which I think outweigh the negative. Best of luck.

[Deniz1]

I have a basic turkcell modem now 4 yrs old I pay 60tl a month for 4 gbyt and it has never let me down touch wood!

[dippersgirl]

Better check if you cover that area kbasat!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing worse, than seeing people being offered goods which you cannot have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kbasat]

Better check if you cover that area kbasat!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing worse, than seeing people being offered goods which you cannot have!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I didnt offer or promise we provide connection in any particular location, I simply stated Multimax is the 'go-to company' for proper Internet, obviously wherever available. Maybe we should adopt a new slogan: "Multimax is worth moving for" because it really is

[kbasat]

I have a basic turkcell modem now 4 yrs old I pay 60tl a month for 4 gbyt and it has never let me down touch wood!

Wow! on one end of the spectrum you pay 60TL for 4Gbytes of service per month

On other end, we charge our customers 62TL (749TL/yr) and allow them 12 hours a day completely unlimited usage, and then slow them down a little after 4GBytes of usage PER DAY (only until midnight, and it resets) and we got people complaining

Life is not fair



K.

[Ragged Robin]

Well, I am on my 18th full time year here, and beginning to sound like the Ancient Mariner. 18 years ago there was virtually no Internet and the only access to English language radio and TV (other provided by BRT and ) was BBC World Service and BFBS with transmitters based in the South and signals inadequate in most parts of the TRNC )-but we survived, and life was actually better and less stressful then.

Getting clear BBC Radio is a great improvement and BBC I Player TV (although admittedly the buffering can be annoying) is sufficient for my needs - I did not come here to watch UK TV!

I've just been reading a thread on another forum (which as far as I know does not have anyone living in N. Cyprus) and it is full of complaints about I Player and the BBC's technological policies from people accessing it via a number of technical applications which I have never heard of - and probably couldn' understand or afford if I had! Maybe some visitors or swallows could set me right,but I also gather from friends in the UK that the ISP service there is by no means perfect. Perhaps we should just be grateful for small mercies!

I do agree with the OP that notice of a general fault and some indication of the length of delay would be beneficial to customers (particularly those who may be involved in a financial or business transaction, or have sick friends or relatives and need to know if they need to resort to a different form of communication) and save them time and money phoning the ISP a lot of unnecessary queries. Like the notices that used to appear on TV screens - "Normal Service will be resumed as soon as possible!"

Storms and floods can affect the electricity supply and that in turn (see I do read the messages, Keith!) can affect the ISP base station. I dont think they usually know themselves how long it would take to repair, but it would be helpful to customers to know it is a general problem and not their equipment.

Singapore: I always keep a supply of good reading on hand, often prefer it to TV. Since you are comparatively new here , do you know the Kyrenia Society runs an English language library on Sat and Wd mornings behind the Post Office, there is a second hand book shop in Ozankoy that also pays (a little less obviously) for good quality returned books, and most of the open markets/car boots sell second hand books, CDs and DVDs.

[Deniz1]

Well mine suits me I dont download films or want to watch on my laptop if I need a bit more I can pay another 10tl for a month of 10 g. I have a very oddly shaped home and dont want wires running all over the place from a dish or box.

[RAZR63]

Deniz there is Wi-Fi which doesn't entail lots of wires?? My internet has been fine, get the occasional downtime but nothing major

[eyebob94]

If you have a landline, SunnyCyprus are brilliant and cheap. Very rarely have a problem and speed is very good, can download 1GB film in about 45 minutes.

[singapore1959]

HI there all. The hacked off internet user. I just wanted to say a belated thanks you very much for your informative replies and tea and sympathy. It means something to be not alone in these dark nights. I remember past years in Hong Kong, Singapore and Africa when there was nothing save the local media and it was so so hard. And I sometimes have a clear moment and reflect on the miracle of our modern communications and how it has infinitely smoothed difficulties for us expats. Culture shock is often totally minimised (I had extreme reactions once while living in Sweden and Norway) as a result, so I have the extreme luxury of enjoying the local culture to the full, then dipping back into my 'cultural ghetto' for a bit of r&r when frustrations raises its ugly heady, very occasionally.

Anyway, I use EXTEND.... have had two long, grinding years of it, and they are still doing it to be as we speak. But it may just be the extreme weather. Are you MultiMaxers having trouble too right now? (January 14).

I will give it a month more then swap over to MM and give it a try. In the meantime I will reactive my mobile internet... it normally gives TWICE the speed of you know whom, with which is normally hard to get more than 3MB down (right now, 5pm on a Tuesday, it's struggling to get half that) and only a couple of hundred kbps on the up). Ugh!

Again, happy internet surfing in the winter darkness and void. Oh, bring on Spring walks!
Pat

[ToastLady]

Been with Extend, Nethouse and some other ISP, over the years. All started off well, and then went into total decline. Been with Multimax two/three years now, and have never looked back. Yes, there are still outages at times, but nothing like the hair pulling out that I've suffered in the past. If there is a planned outage, MM usually sends a text to inform me. Few outages of late, have been because of power cuts in my area. As soon as the power is back, so is internet, so it's not really a fault with MM.

[singapore1959]

Well thankyou for that ToastLady. Very encouraging. I shall now make the leap with an easier mind...

[Mollie the cat]

I have to agree, MM have indeed stepped up to the plate. I can live with the price increases if their product continues to improve.

NTV is another thread. it is what it is, I don't think it will ever get better.

Good communication from MM, overall value for money.

[trueblue]

Kbasat,
have a Turkcell modem, too, since some years. The last three years without any problem, in any kind of weather. 20 (15+5 called) GB per month 80 TL, payable month by month. May I ask whether you can do any better, live in Lapta Baspinar, lots of heavy wind here . Thanks.

[kbasat]

@trueblue,
unlike Turkcell, Multimax does not limit how much data a customer can download in a given month. Our customers download as much as 300GB of data (yes, thats 15 times more than what turkcell offer for 80TL), while averaging around 70GB of data per month for a fixed cost.

The speed of connection you get from MM is almost certainly higher than what you are able to achieve from a 3G provider.

The only downside of a MM connection is the lack of a straight away monthly package, and this is due to the cost of the receiver antenna that is installed on customers' rooftop. However, if you pay yearly, monthly equivalent of your cost is 71TL and 92TL per month (850TL/annum for MM Gold and 1100TL/annum for MM Platinum packages). Our service quality is also backed by a 'no penalty' and 'no questions asked' money back guarantee if customer chooses, for the unused portion of his/her account.

Winds do not affect our system, and we have a strong presence in Lapta area.

Kemal

[davidthomas]

I live in Karsiyaka and get very fast speeds from Multimax. Been with them for 3 years and always had excellent service.

[Groucho]

Head's-up: Access to BBC iPlayer is a current issue - I've emailed them with details

[kbasat]

Head's-down: BBC Iplayer autovpn is fixed. everyone can now calm down.

[Groucho]

Head's-down: BBC Iplayer autovpn is fixed. everyone can now calm down.

So it is...

[Jonnie]

I was one of the early MM customers and have never looked back. When there is an issue which is rare I find their customer service excellent, I have introduced many of my friends and continue to do so without reservation.