Having endured the horrendous early days of redhotant when logging on was a long and arduous process, if not impossible, I have been very impressed recently with the level of service.
Gone are the days where at least thirty minutes had to be set aside to have any chance of being connected, ... Read review
Advantages: Cheap Disadvantages: Total disregard for customers
Having endured the horrendous early days of redhotant when logging on was a long and arduous process, if not impossible, I have been very impressed recently with the level of service.
Gone are the days where at least thirty minutes had to be set aside to have any chance of being connected, and in its place an efficient, fast service. At last the company had delivered the service it had promised, rewarding all of its loyal customers ... ...so it seemed for a little while.
I was stunned when browsing the redhotant web site to be informed that no new customers were being accepted for next year and existing customers would not be allowed to resubscribe. No emails to contact existing customers to explain, just this paragraph at the top of the web page. I emailed redhotant and eventually their notoriously slow customer service department replied claiming that no more subscriptions ... more
Having endured the horrendous early days of redhotant when logging on was a long and arduous process, if not impossible, I have been very impressed recently with the level of service.
Gone are the days where at least thirty minutes had to be set aside to have any chance of being connected, and in its place an efficient, fast service. At last the company had delivered the service it had promised, rewarding all of its loyal customers who had stuck with it through the difficult beginnings, or so it seemed for a little while.
I was stunned when browsing the redhotant web site to be informed that no new customers were being accepted for next year and existing customers would not be allowed to resubscribe. No emails to contact existing customers to explain, just this paragraph at the top of the web page. I emailed redhotant and eventually their notoriously slow customer service department replied claiming that no more subscriptions were being accepted to ensure that customers received the optimum service, a very sensible and responsible policy.
The problem I have with this policy is that when I subscribed to redhotant I paid a one of joining fee of £20, which it was explained was applicable for the first year, but thereafter customers wishing to continue with redhotant would only pay for the service.
I am really disappointed in redhotant, whether they have purposely decided that they can make a greater profit by only signing up new members for their joining fee, or if it is coincidental is debatable, but for all the existing customers who endured the first few months with an ISP that did not deliver the service it promised, this policy is a insult and reprehensible.
I fully accept that the initial sum of £30 was untenable and with redhotant at last now delivering a quality service, I believe that most of its existing customer would have paid the extra amount of money, about £100, for another years service.
The practical implications are irritating like having to change my email, currently with redhotant and find another ISP, but I feel betrayed and let down by redhotant and would advise anybody against subscribing to a ISP who treats their customers with such a blatant disregard.
Advantages: None. Disadvantages: Unreliable - couldn't connect most days! Cancelled service without any notice!
I feel compelled to give my opinion on what has to be (in my opinion) the worst ISP that ever started up business. I'm sure others have had worse experiences than me - in fact, I came off very likey, but none the less THEY STITCHED ALL THEIR MEMBERS (sorry for shouting)
Here's my experience -
I found RedHotAnt being advertised on a freebie site sometime last year, and as I was just buying my new house, I thought it would eb a good idea to get some ... ...keep track of my internet costs. I signed up no problems, and was able to use it straight away - all great so far. They were only accepting a small number of people onto the unmetered service. It cost one of 3 amounts, which for the life of me I can't remember. I think it was something like £20 for the basic evening and weekend free call (per year), and there was a £40 and £60 option. The latter, which I had offered 24 hour free internet access. ...
MikeWhalley 27.03.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Red Hot Ant
Advantages: Free after the initial payment, reliable now Disadvantages: Can be busy but better since the lines have been improved
I have used Red Hot Ant for free internet for about 9 months now and I have always found it quite reliable. It does autodisconnect every so often but this is fair enough since there are many people who have ruined the privelege that free internet is by leaving themselves connected to the net 24 hours a day, and thus making such services unprofitable for companies who attempt to provide them and make some money. The service has been much improved ... ...and made more lines available. Now the connection is always first or sometimes second time and reliable as long as you are actively sending and receiving data. It is excellent value and always has been a good service while other providers have claimed it is impossible to provide a free service 24/7. The technical support and website does however leave something to be desired. ...
BIGHORSE 11.01.2001
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Red Hot Ant
Advantages: haven't found any yet Disadvantages: just terrible service
Having read variable reviews of this ISP over many months I finally decided to sign up when it seemed to be getting consistently 'this ISP has improved' type mentions on the user groups and websites.
I think RHA must have taken my 50 quid as a sign to suddenly go into a downward spiral - with what looks like absolutely no chance of recovery!
So I signed up with RHA after being one of the Lineone 'victims'. I say signed up but the whole process ... ...as there's no on-line credit card facility. There then also seems to be no way of telling when your account has actually been activated, except by continually trying the free number and seeing if it lets you in (RHA don't actually do anything useful like email an acknowledgement). Over the past 3 months the service has been patchy to say the least. Most days I find I can't connect at all - I leave my redialler on and go away for an hour or three ...
den99 19.11.2000
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Red Hot Ant
Advantages: Cheap, if you want to use it at 7 am in the morning ! Disadvantages: OVERSUBSCRIBED, cannot log for half of the day
Red Hot Ant is OVERSUBSCRIBED.
You should join OneTel.net and pay 1 p a minute for call charges.
Red Hot Ant is VERY VERY OVERSUBSCRIBED.
It is very difficult to log on to Red Hot Ant at MOST time.
You can log on easily at 7 am to 9 am.
It is almost impossible to log on between 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
It is difficult to log on at most time.
You should try OneTel.net
It is worth paying 1 penny a minute,
because you can log on easily 99% of the time. ...
Advantages: Free Reliable Service Disadvantages: Problems Setting Up?
...wrote an opinion on the Red Hot Ant service which advised all readers no too touch their service. Well in fairness they have now sorted out my problem, it did take 18 weeks to give me a valid password, and I have been very impressed with the service ever since I got my vald password.
While 18 weeks is obviously an unacceptable delay the amount of money I have saved with the free surfing more than makes up for it. The initial problems know appear ...
