Digiweb are one well run ISP

Sponge Bob

according to this report on the RTE business site they made €2.7m gross profit on turnover of €5.6m ...an unheard of gross margin for an Irish ISP. Nothing on their own website yet.

Digiweb says it plans to expand Metro to another 20 locations in Ireland this year, and to a number of locations in Europe. The company also aims to enter the mobile data market later this year.

watty

I had heard a rumour that they were doing well

I hope it continues!

damien

Well done Digiweb. A lot of tough work has been put in by the lads and lassies in there. Tough work isn't bringing every business and tech journo to all the international soccer and rugby matches.

Sponge Bob

damien.m wrote:

Well done Digiweb. A lot of tough work has been put in by the lads and lassies in there. Tough work isn't bringing every business and tech journo to all the international soccer and rugby matches.

Did you miss out on some jolly there Damien ????? , must invite you to the big match in Limerick on Sunday

crawler

Guys - thanks for the kind comments but lets see what the rest of the year brings.

When Ireland is at the top of the european tables then we can all take a bow, until then there is a lot of hard work to do.

While Government, the incumbent, Comreg & groups like IOFFL etc all have a part to play, the industry must also accept responsibility for driving the message home and for innovation. Not PR - fact.

lucernarian

FWIW, I was taken by suprise to see the amount of Digiweb FWA areials that have appeared on roofs around where I live, since they fixed the equipment shortage problem in January. This is with NO GBS funding. This is with an install fee of €89 and 512k access for €35. If those prices improved further, there would be significant uptake of the service.

I am not suprised that the company is doing so well. The QoS on what I have is excellent, leaving out the first 3 weeks I got it. The connection has never been lost yet, except for DCHP renewals roughly every 2 weeks. Good service is always the most important thing at the end of the day, that you get what you pay for. Look at the loss-making IBB. That says it all.

It's incredible to think that profits have doubled despite the investment in Metro. Great work guys. Most importantly, keep it up!:)

uncle_sam_ie

crawler wrote:

Guys - thanks for the kind comments but lets see what the rest of the year brings.

When Ireland is at the top of the european tables then we can all take a bow, until then there is a lot of hard work to do.

While Government, the incumbent, Comreg & groups like IOFFL etc all have a part to play, the industry must also accept responsibility for driving the message home and for innovation. Not PR - fact.

I would love to be able to get Digiweb. Any chance they'll be coming my way soon? I'm just outside kildorrery.

dhoun

Me too! What about Ringaskiddy?

Altreab

Sponge Bob wrote:

according to this report on the RTE business site they made €2.7m gross profit on turnover of €5.6m ...an unheard of gross margin for an Irish ISP. Nothing on their own website yet.

Congratulations to all in Digiweb. but i do have one gripe!!! ..... when can i get off Sat and move to your Metro service??? tell me soon ...please
Its great to see a company really getting their act together and walking the walk ....not talking the talk!! too much BS and PR at the moment!!

P.S. what was the net profit? hope it was excellent too!!!

crawler

Guys - to be fair to IOFFL - this is not the place for Digiweb to tout the Company wares...

We will announce the Metro 20 sites when they are live and tested...not until then.

dub45

Can I throw a spanner in the works given all the praise that has been throtted out here? Have digiweb sorted out their billing yet? A few months ago according to posts on the bb forum they debited customers without any warning for several months charges together - it has been posted that bills were not issued. If this is true it is in clear breach of the direct debit code of practise. All complaints in respect of this were ignored in the forum by digiweb reps.

Proper billing is in my view (though maybe not everybody's admittedly) as important as a good bb service.

Chaz

I dont want to spoil this thread or take it off topic but I would like to Dub45's comments.

I am not sure about Crawler, will let him answer himself, although I suspect he would have the same feelings about this:

No Digiweb 'reps' ignored the billing issue - I personally felt that it was not my place to comment on a department that I am not part of. I am happy to help on the technical side as it is a part that I am active in, I do not work in accounts and do not believe that I should comment in this regard. These are not official support forums, therefore any info given here is to try and help out where possible. Even this backfires at times, despite the best intentions.

If you or anyone else would like answers on the billing, please contact our accounts department.

Thank you.

dub45

Chaz wrote:

I dont want to spoil this thread or take it off topic but I would like to Dub45's comments.

I am not sure about Crawler, will let him answer himself, although I suspect he would have the same feelings about this:

No Digiweb 'reps' ignored the billing issue - I personally felt that it was not my place to comment on a department that I am not part of. I am happy to help on the technical side as it is a part that I am active in, I do not work in accounts and do not believe that I should comment in this regard. These are not official support forums, therefore any info given here is to try and help out where possible. Even this backfires at times, despite the best intentions.

If you or anyone else would like answers on the billing, please contact our accounts department.

Thank you.

No Digiweb rep ignored it? No Digiweb rep responded to it that is a statement of fact.

No digiweb rep responded to a serious (in my view anyway) Digiweb issue.

To say it was not ignored is disingenuous to say the least. If you did not wish to respond to it and it was poinited out several times that the issue had not been addressed then surely you could have brought the attention of someone in Digiweb to it and ensured there was a proper response to the issue?

Do you not regard driving a coach and four through the direct debit code of practise as a serious issue? Or messing up people's bank accounts as a serious issue?

Have Digiweb got their billing issues sorted out? Its a very simple question and if you dont want to answer it perhaps you could get someone else to answer it? Thank you indeed!!!!!!!

kaizersoze

Ah jesus Dub, give it a rest will ya.
The lads are here on their own time and help out customers as best they can, and where they can. Chaz stated his position and thats fair enough. No need for the horse whipping.
If you feel the need to take up the baton for someone elses grievance then go higher up to management and take it from there.

dub45

kaizersoze wrote:

Ah jesus Dub, give it a rest will ya.
The lads are here on their own time and help out customers as best they can, and where they can. Chaz stated his position and thats fair enough. No need for the horse whipping.
If you feel the need to take up the baton for someone elses grievance then go higher up to management and take it from there.

Where is the horsewhipping? the thread is entitled 'Digiweb are one well run ISP'. The two reps chose to join the thread. In my view a well run ISP has a reliable billing system - I asked had Digiweb's been fixed. Chaz stated disingenuously in my opinion that this issue had not been igored before. They choose to be on here and they choose to in my view anyways to ignore a serious issue that affects the company they represent on their own terms.

If Eircom did what their company did billing wise would you be saying give it a rest? Boards should not be praising companies with lousy billing systems.

lucernarian

One of them only took part because you posted in it. We can all praise whoever we like on boards. I am praising them for their good quality of service. As a digiweb user I feel I am entitled to give them credit too. We have had no billing issues.

Have Digiweb apologised to the customers involved and/or remedied the situation?

watty

Sky have never sent a bill or invoice ever. They just take the DD.

I'm not fond of DD as the bank(s) are getting evermore awkward (please ensure you have enough money to cover the DD the day before even if we know you are getting 10K the day the DD due, or we will not pay it and charge you, even though we made a big thing about no more bank charges).

I used Credit Card. I thought the billing thing was a once off issue at the start.

Re DD generally:
If a company is legally obliged to inform, then Sky owes me a lot of paperwork. As do almost every other DD on my account. Normally a price is agreeded at the start ant then they take the money when and in amounts it suits them. They can even change the amount. I don't like DD as you give the right to a 3rd party to do pretty much whatever they like.

cgarvey

The DD terms clearly state prior notification is required. However for a fixed sub like Sky (and like Digiweb's normal monthly invoice?), you are deemed to have been notified, which is fair enough, so you don't have to get an invoice each time. Should the amount change from what you are expecting, then you ought to have been notified.

Dub does have a point .. if Digiweb aren't all roses, then it should be known. The horsewhipping probably refers to your tone, Dub, which was a bit strong. Digiweb don't have to answer to anyone here

dub45

cgarvey wrote:

The DD terms clearly state prior notification is required. However for a fixed sub like Sky (and like Digiweb's normal monthly invoice?), you are deemed to have been notified, which is fair enough, so you don't have to get an invoice each time. Should the amount change from what you are expecting, then you ought to have been notified.

Dub does have a point .. if Digiweb aren't all roses, then it should be known. The horsewhipping probably refers to your tone, Dub, which was a bit strong. Digiweb don't have to answer to anyone here

What was wrong with the tone? I pointed out there was a billing issue and that Digiweb reps had (in my opinion) ignored it. They choose to participate here and they ignored (in my opinion) a major issue. I asked had it been fixed - where is the horsewhipping in that? It provided an opportunity for Digiweb to reassure people that the issue had been addressed.

dub45

watty wrote:

Sky have never sent a bill or invoice ever. They just take the DD.

I'm not fond of DD as the bank(s) are getting evermore awkward (please ensure you have enough money to cover the DD the day before even if we know you are getting 10K the day the DD due, or we will not pay it and charge you, even though we made a big thing about no more bank charges).

I used Credit Card. I thought the billing thing was a once off issue at the start.
Re DD generally:
If a company is legally obliged to inform, then Sky owes me a lot of paperwork. As do almost every other DD on my account. Normally a price is agreeded at the start ant then they take the money when and in amounts it suits them. They can even change the amount. I don't like DD as you give the right to a 3rd party to do pretty much whatever they like.

Well unless you consider February 2006 as the start?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054893145


The Direct Debit guarantee is here

http://www.ipso.ie/frames/documents/PayersGuide.pdf

Unfortunately there appears to be no sanction available to the payee in relation to any company who misbehaves and the 'guarantee' is certainly very open.

However there is no provision for debiting people without advance warning no matter how loosely you read it!!!!!!!!!!!

cgarvey

dub45 wrote:

What was wrong with the tone?

It was harsh/agressive, since you asked!!

dub45 wrote:

I pointed out there was a billing issue and that Digiweb reps had (in my opinion) ignored it.

Right, and they continue to do so, blatently. So that's their problem. They clearly don't want (or can't, they are tech guys afterall) to answer/address the issue here.

dub45 wrote:

However there is no provision for debiting people without advance warning no matter how loosely you read it!!!!!!!!!!!

Your advance warning is the original contract which details the fixed fee. As it doesn't vary, you have been notified. So I presume Digiweb have a fixed monthly fee, which is debited monthly. If so, then that has been advised to you, so they don't need to re-advise you each month (unless the amount changes).

Nor, it seems (but ISPO won't source a definite answer), are they obliged to take it out by a given date, just as long as it's not before the advised date. Same issue with BT, who wait years to charge the full amount. I guess, it'll take a court case somewhere to decide what's "reasonable", but it doesn't appear that the DD originator contract specifies that.

dub45

cgarvey wrote:

It was harsh/agressive, since you asked!!


Right, and they continue to do so, blatently. So that's their problem. They clearly don't want (or can't, they are tech guys afterall) to answer/address the issue here.



Your advance warning is the original contract which details the fixed fee. As it doesn't vary, you have been notified. So I presume Digiweb have a fixed monthly fee, which is debited monthly. If so, then that has been advised to you, so they don't need to re-advise you each month (unless the amount changes).

Nor, it seems (but ISPO won't source a definite answer), are they obliged to take it out by a given date, just as long as it's not before the advised date. Same issue with BT, who wait years to charge the full amount. I guess, it'll take a court case somewhere to decide what's "reasonable", but it doesn't appear that the DD originator contract specifies that.

Given that the first amount due usually varies because of the date of joining and the amount to be debited will contain a pro rata charge plus an advance monthly charge I would cerainly argue that even where there is no subsequent variation in the monthly amount the customer is entitled to at least a first bill. I would also argue that any well run company will ensure that its customers get a bill which is timely and easily understood and allows a customer to manage his/her bank account.

crawler

Dub45 - please PM me directly and I will fully investigate, if there was an issue I will have it resolved and will apologise - this is not the place for this. Thanks

dub45

crawler wrote:

Dub45 - please PM me directly and I will fully investigate, if there was an issue I will have it resolved and will apologise - this is not the place for this. Thanks

Crawler there was an issue it was highlighted in two seperate threads on boards in February

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2054893145


http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=309016&page=49

- I asked a simple question above = have your billing issues been resolved?

Why is it not possible to get an answer to that in an open forum?

When you are interested in bb from time to time people ask for recommendations as to isps (I am sure lots of people on here find that?) I was strongly advocating to a friend of mine that he should go the Metro route based on posts here on boards when that billing issue arose. I would not recommend any isp with billing issues.

pjproby

i am receiving monthly statements for my metro service.

Sponge Bob

if Digiweb accounts were _generally_ crap we would know by now, they are not a small ISP .

any ...in fact every.....company can have a hiccup in its billing and invoicing but the real test is how they deal with it when its brought to their attention learn from it and ensure it does not happen again .

perfect CS practice is where you ring the customer to apologise before they know there is a problem, its always better to tell them before they tell you.

absolutely perfect CS ,loose in the wild, always follows the Third Law /second Maxim of the Sponge as originally suggested by Sam Kinison (item 3 'alphabet' bit) . It reads.

"Because you should ALWAYS leave the illusion that you Care ! "

Altreab

What do i get a strange feeling that people only consider it a "billing issue" when Digiweb wants to collect? No collection no issue???

dub45

Altreab wrote:

What do i get a strange feeling that people only consider it a "billing issue" when Digiweb wants to collect? No collection no issue???

I dont know why you get such a strange feeling as far as I can see nobody in any of those threads complained about having to pay(in fact one poster had requested a bill) the issue is how Digiweb collected. I think the vast majority are aware that bb must be paid for. People would like it collected regularly (i.e. monthly) and with appropriate advance notice irrespective of who the isp happens to be.

Altreab

dub45 wrote:

I dont know why you get such a strange feeling as far as I can see nobody in any of those threads complained about having to pay(in fact one poster had requested a bill) the issue is how Digiweb collected. I think the vast majority are aware that bb must be paid for. People would like it collected regularly (i.e. monthly) and with appropriate advance notice irrespective of who the isp happens to be.

It was very much tongue in cheek comment!!!

kaimera

Wrt to the billing, thanks to Digiweb allowing an agreement to be reached for the bill we received.

Didn't go out when we were expecting but we did get invoiced prior to it leaving the bank.

Other than that, pld guys.

Now if only you'd do something about the LoS in Stradbally, Co. Laois so I can get BB

crawler

We migrated to a new billing system about Feb time. There were a few teething issues which are now resolved.

The new billing platform is to allow for new billing features (such as online access etc) in time and for the billing of new services coming on stream.

Our sincere apologies to the very small number of Cusotmers that were impacted.

cgarvey

Original point still stands .. that's a pretty impressive margin for any ISP .. here's to hoping they use it wisely!! Dub if your beef isn't sorted now (with the apology, and the explanation), then it's never going to be.

Group hug.

(thread closed)