Vodafone worst ISP: Consumer NZ survey

Vodafone worst ISP: Consumer NZ survey

Vodafone has slumped below Telecom to be ranked as New Zealand's worst Internet Service Provider, according to Consumer NZ's latest annual internet survey.

The survey, answered by over 15,000 Consumer subscribers, asked customers to rate their ISP's overall performance, customer service, connection problems and more.

Broadband

Only 57 percent of Vodafone broadband customers were satisfied with its overall performance, while 89 percent said they'd experienced slower-than-expected speeds. Vodafone also rated poorly for customer service and had above average problems for disconnections and drop-outs.

Telecom received a 62 percent satisfaction rating this year, up significantly from its abysmal 42 percent rating in 2007. However, Telecom still rated poorly for customer service and had above average problems for disconnections, drop-outs, and slower-than-expected speeds.

TelstraClear was the best of the big ISPs with 83 percent of its customers satisfied with its performance.

The best

Actrix and Inspire rated as the best nationally available ISPs. They were the only providers to have fewer than average problems in every category while also having better than average service in every category.

Actrix’s overall performance was rated as good or very good by 97 percent of its customers, and none of them rated it as poor or very poor.

Inspire, the top ISP from 2004 to 2008, was beaten by Actrix by just one percent and achieved 96 percent satisfaction.

Tauranga-based Enternet OnLine (EOL) was the best locally available ISP. All of its 33 customers in the survey were satisfied with EOL’s performance, the first time an ISP has achieved 100 percent since Consumer's ISP surveys began in 2004. EOL's wireless broadband is currently available in the Bay of Plenty and is expanding into the central North Island.

Mobile broadband

Nearly a quarter of survey respondents used their mobile phone for internet access.

New entrant 2degrees was the best for speed and connection reliability while Vodafone rated the worst on disconnections and dropouts, slower-than-expected speeds, and unexpected charges for excess usage.

Dial-up

Only six percent of this year’s survey respondents used dial-up, compared with 50 percent in 2005. Actrix was rated the best dial-up provider, with 95 percent of its customers satisfied, while Telecom rated the worst with just 33 percent satisfaction.

Changing ISPs

Ten percent of survey respondents changed providers in the past year, but over a quarter of those encountered problems with billing, connection delays, or set-up issues.

Consumer NZ chief executive, Sue Chetwin, says the survey can be an invaluable guide to choosing an ISP.

"With no reliable or accessible data to say which ISP will deliver the best performance at the best price for you, the experiences of existing customers is the only available guide. That’s where our annual ISP survey comes in."

Full survey results can be seen at www.consumer.org.nz or in the January/February issue of Consumer magazine.

ENDS