[Image: Flickr]
It’s now Day Four since a reader’s internet went down, and despite repeated, increasingly urgent requests, Cool Ideas still hasn’t sent a technician to fix the issue.
To recap: the connection failed on Sunday, a day when Cool Ideas offers no support whatsoever. No phone line, no live chat – just a holding pattern until Monday morning.
The reader tells us they immediately tried to get help, only to discover they were on their own for the next 24 hours.
“When I saw there was no support available on Sundays, I couldn’t believe it,” the reader said. “Every other ISP I know – like RSAWeb – has at least basic support available seven days a week. This is 2025. Internet downtime shouldn’t have a day off.”
By Monday, the reader had already performed a full round of troubleshooting and logged the fault. They made it clear that they are tech-savvy and had done everything possible from their side, and that what was needed now was a technician on-site. Instead, Cool Ideas support kicked off a long and frustrating cycle of emails and calls:
“They asked me to restart the router, test cables, all the usual stuff. I told them straight up – I’ve done it. I need someone to come to the property. I’ve begged every day since Monday. Still, nothing.”
Cool Ideas was once the darling of South African fibre. Recommended over braais. Sworn by in WhatsApp groups. But this sort of saga – where a paying customer is left without internet for four full days, despite asking every day for real help – chips away at that reputation.
We first wrote about this in “No Signal, No Cool Ideas, And No Support – Why Do Some ISPs Go AWOL On Sundays?” The Sunday silence was bad enough. But the four days of delay that followed? That’s the part that really stings.
This isn’t just about bad service – it’s about being cut off from modern life. And increasingly, that’s something that’s being recognised on a global level.
In 2016, the United Nations declared internet access a human right, stating that “the same rights that people have offline must also be protected online.” Several countries – including Finland and Estonia – already enshrine internet access in law as a basic utility, alongside water and electricity.
In South Africa, where connectivity is central to how we work, study, bank, and live, downtime like this has real-world consequences.
“It’s not just frustrating, it’s isolating. It affects my work. It affects my life. And the worst part is, it’s avoidable. They just need to send someone.”
It’s Day Four. Still no technician. Still no fix. Let’s see what Day Five brings – if anything.
More reader stories, real-life rants, and digital-age drama at 2oceansvibe.com
