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 Review by Guspaz 
Posted: 1.9 years ago
member for 8 years, 1286 visits, last login: a few hours ago
 Montreal,QC
 $35 per month (month by month)
 about 7 days
 Bell Canada
 "They didn't beat me with baseball bats."
 "Everything, primarily that nobody in the area ever got working service."
 "They're probably some sort of money-laundering operation"
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First, as a note, the only thing that went relatively well was the installation. There was some confusion as to when the Bell tech would come, but at least he came without too many delays. However, other than that, nothing else about the experience was anything the worst:
- The sign-up process involved calling a number, waiting on hold, speaking to a person at a callcentre whose only job is to take our name and number so that a REAL employee can call us back.
- They promised 24-mbit service, provided 0.3mbit service, a problem experienced by everybody on the CO/neighbourhood
- The issues were not isolated, but widespread, affecting everyone on their DSLAM at the CO
- Their tech support was unreachable, causing (me) to waste $30-40 on cellphone charges. Call them, wait on hold for 20 minutes, get sent to voicemail, leave a message, never get called back. Ever. At least other people probably only lost the time and not the money like I did.
- When you did manage to reach their tech support, they barely spoke English, were incompetent (kept telling us our poor performance was an issue with the e-mail server, which is insane), and lied (every day for at least two weeks they claimed it would be fixed the next day)
- Their staff disappeared from DSLR right after they signed the lot of us up, and hasn't been heard from since
- They charged us $80 for modems with an MSRP of $35
- Apparently, in addition to their broken equipment in the CO, their actual transit links are oversaturated
- Invoices, bills, and documentation for the service arrived from a completely different company without any explanation or warning.
- Canceling the service was an AOL-like nightmare, with them refusing to allow cancellation via phone, requiring e-mail (even though it was from gmail). Some of their contact e-mail addresses returned account-not-found errors. They then proceeded to ignore the cancellation e-mails. I only managed to cancel my service after mail-bombing every single e-mail address I could find on their English site, their French site (the two sites have different contact info), and the mysterious "other" company's site. They were then so confusing in their lack of English comprehension that they had me convinced that they intended to charge me for the next months' service even though I was still halfway through the first month when I canceled.
- Most of these issues were not isolated to just me, but experienced by all other Colba customers in the area. Most of us signed up about the same time, and canceled about the same time.
In short, they seem to be some sort of scam ring or money laundering operation. We're not sure, but obviously no company that provides this level of customer service could still be in business, so there must be something else going on here.
Avoid this ISP at all costs. The fact that I can rate them "worst" score 1 for almost every category and DSLR will say "ratings match consensus" should tell you something.
Followup comments:  
FinishedColba
@enter-net.com
| colbanet when i called them january 7, i asked them when adsl2+ will be available, they said for the end of March, so i paid for 12month.
BIG mistake!, no adsl2+ on the end of March, call them to ask, they say in 3 week, waited ... no adsl2+ they told me they have problem so it will be for June!, now december 24, still no adsl2+.
they called me last week to ask if i want to renew for one more year!, guess my answer.
It's a bunch of liar, worst they still advertise adsl2+!
all i wish that they close their door.
go to hell colbashit! | |
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Review by uncle62
Posted: 2.1 years ago
member for 2.1 years, 7 visits, last login: 2.1 years ago
Montreal,QC
$35 per month (12 month contract)
"Polite Customer Service"
"ADSL2+ (Max Speed 600 kbps) Customer Service Lie and Lie"
"Don't Sign Up With Colbanet - You'll Be Sorry"
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On August 29th, 2007 Colbanet switched me from ADSL to ADSL2+. The same day my INTERNET SERVICE PROCEEDED TO BE DISCONNECTED FOR 14 DAYS! The worst part was trying to get a hold of the technical support personnel. I would be on the line for 30 minutes until their automated answering service instructed me to leave a message and that my call would be returned in priority. Try up to 36 hours later for a response on avergae 24 hours later. And when I did get through to a tech person, they reassured me each day that the problem would be resolved within 24 hrs. The truth was 24 hrs times 14 days.
Now that I am finally connected via ADSL2+ my download/upload speed, which I have checked with numerous speed test sites before and after the changes, has decreased from 1500 kbps to a maximum of 600 kbps and all this on the ADSL2+. When I mentioned this to the tech support they said they knew of the problem and it would be fixed shortly. That was 10 days ago and no one has called back since.
Summary:
The ADSL2+ offered by Colbanet is a total bust. In the NDG area of Montreal, it's just 10 times faster than regular dial-up speed. Their tech support are dishonest, and the company doesn't care about their clients, at least ones with major problems. The low download speed of 600 kbps persists and I still get the standard answer each time I call that the problem will be fixed in a few days and that was 10 days ago. If you call the tech support expect to be on the line listening to the annoying customer service message, "Your call is very important to us, please stay on the line and the customer service representative will be with you shortly." Again, what a lie! Don't choose Colbanet, you'll be sorry.
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Review by wisechild
UPDATED: 2.2 years ago
member for 5.3 years, 21 visits, last login: 1.9 years ago
Montreal,QC
$35 per month (12 month contract)
about 21 days
Bell Canada
"I can check my email! Yay!"
"Forget ADSL2+, you're lucky to get a reliable 5Mbps"
"Make sure they have what ADSL2+ in your area from some1 you know, don't trust the rep"
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»/speak/slidesh···MA%3D%3D
The picture above was taken while connected directly at the demarc. Enuff said. If not, well here's my little Colba.net story.
Joined their ADSL2+ in January 2007. Had 5Mbps.
30 calls to their tech support and 2-3 months later. Not a single change. All stories and lies. I've been a tech support before as well, I am a very empathic person, but even for me that was too much.
Decided to post in this forum, that finally grabbed their attention. Gerhard here helped, at least he tried. Did a few tweaks on their side, connection got worse, he undone the tweak. Emails back and forth. Got a Bell tech to finally come, tech said he fixed a short circuit then left: only my upload was a bit better but that's it. Gerhard even came to my house, couldn't fix it, but he raised the possibility that my old wiring could be the culprit.
At that point for some reason I dropped to 3Mbps, tweaks on or off didn't matter. The problem got assigned to Michael who had to schedule another Bell tech to come and test the connection on my De-marc. He opened tickets after tickets but no Bell tech ever came. Michael says the Bell guys doesn't understand what he wants. This paragraph took another 3 months...
Come today June 28th. My legendary patience just ran out. Called Bell, they say it cost 100$ to change a de-marc (mine doesn't have a phone jack). So I took a knife and gutted my phone wire into 2, brought a laptop, their crappy ADSL2+ modem and the powerline right next to the demarc on the 2nd floor balcony. Sorted through the wires and plugged it all in. Behold, SAME crappy connection (see picture)! My wiring is good, all the tests on Bell side are OK, the problem is with Colba.net
28th June: Now trying to cancel and get a refund. I will post back the result. I'll try Acanac next.
Now 19th July: Still can't get a deactivation going. Just when I finally get to speak to a human, everyone is on vacation it says. Just great.
End of my story.
I just learned a few days ago that a co-worker of mine switched to Colba.net as well. He only have 5Mbps also. There is no problem with his location, we checked with the map. The support guy told him that some profile somewhere needs to be changed and that they are on it. My poor co-worker is still buying all that bull... The beginning of another story?
Edit 19th July: no big surprise there, my coworker still stuck with "just" 5Mbps. I envy him. That says a lot.
Edit: 10 minutes later:
They just called me again saying that I will get a full refund on August 1st if I return the modem. I'll have to call again tomorrow for the deactivation date. Let's wait and see if they keep their promises this time.
Last Edit: 24 August
I got my check for a full refund 2 days ago. It better not bounce! There's one good person at Colba call Ginette she did keep her word. In retrospect although it was definitively Colba fault I was unlucky as well for a few things... Anyways, I'm happy with Acanac 5MB now, full speed no problems.
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Review by sp33d_fr3ak
UPDATED: 2.2 years ago
member for 2.2 years, 59 visits, last login: 1.3 years ago
Montreal,QC
Contract price not specified. (month by month)
about 14 days
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Review by sp33d_fr3ak
UPDATED: 2.2 years ago
member for 2.2 years, 59 visits, last login: 1.3 years ago
Montreal
$40 per month (month by month)
about 14 days
"you'll feel better once you tell them what you really think about their services. believe me!"
"EVERYTHING."
"FAILED. Bad. Unreliable."
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Most of the times their speed do not exceed the fifth of a standard DSL line, ie 5mbps. You should consider yourself lucky if you get to have a 2mbps with these guys. I call tech support and I have to wait at least 25 minutes to get an answer and the tech guy on the phone is not even answering me. He’s just referring to another tech support guy whom he refuses to mention the last name. I ask him for an extension to that support guy and he tells me he has none. I mean I’ve already worked in a call center and every room had a special extension reserved for emergencies. I guess my clientele is not worth me getting that extension. So yeah, I guess I’m going back with either Bell Sympatico or Tekksavvvy. I hate to be lied to and I guess I might just send a letter to Office du la protection du consommateur and the BBB if I do not get at least the modem refunded.
Their modem is not worth the material it was built on. I’ve bought it without a contract for $90 + taxes and I found it from the manufacturer for only $40. »www.versatek.com/products/vxver170p.htm Believe me, the modem was sold for $35 just a week ago.
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Review by mfrimu
Posted: 2.4 years ago
member for 2.9 years, 37 visits, last login: 1.1 years ago
Montreal,QC
$37 per month (month by month)
about 22 days
"none"
"Terrible installation, service unreliable, no support -"
"Stay AWAY!!!!"
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First order was placed on May 9th or so. Promised service was for the 15th. Got a call that the 15th is not longer possible and rescheduled for the 21. Another call that the 21st was not longer possible and again rescheduled for the 25th. Bell tech came and switched lines at demarc. Apparently he tested line and line was dead. He promised line would be up in one hour. It took more than a week to get the situation resolved. At the end, one of the issues was VCI setting in modem, a banal setting that their tech support should have known about as ALL modems are sold with a default setting not compatible with ColbaNet service. Tech support at ColbaNet are completely clueless about anything regarding modems, internet and PCs. For example Tech guy insisted my modem was a DHCP server. Well boy, dream on. My Gnet is not a DHCP by default, as any ADSL modem on the market.
Once the internet was working I got decent 9Mbits (modem apparently connected at 13Mbits). But that only lasted one week. Starting with weekends and early mornings, speed decreased gradually. Now barely 5Mbits in daytime, 56Kbits in the morning. Is ColbaNet upgrading their servers? Look around in forums for more horror stories. If you must try it, make sure to have alternate DSL for at least the first month of service. But my recommendation is to avoid it at all costs.!
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Colbanet
Now DEAD.