My problem with greentreefrog.net.au and Mark Russell
Menu
- Click here for Greentreefrog index page.
- Click here to read the sequence of events.
- Click here to read the emails between myself and Mark Russell.
- The TIO issued a preliminary order against green tree frog. Click here to read it.
- The TIO issued a final order against green tree frog. Click here to read it.
- If you would like to read the thread about GTF on the Whirlpool Forum. Please click here.
After giving some thought to this, I decided that I'd put up this site concerning an Australian ISP that I had the misfortune of signing up with.
These pages are here to show everyone that you don't have to be intimidated by ISP's. If you have a problem with your ISP, then check your "Terms of Service" (TOS) and if you're in the right then make a complaint with your telecomummications ombudsman (or whatever equivalent you have in your country). In Australia we have a Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO), which is an independant body which investigates complaints against ISP's.
It may take months to get a result, but there's a great deal of satisfaction in knocking these arrogant people down a peg or two.
I have decided to rewrite pages of this site because of a request by Mark Russell on the Whirlpool Forum. On Tuesday May 21st 2008 at 7.46am Mark Russell stated on the Whirlpool Forum (his post is still there but hidden by a moderator) [Whirlpool Link Here] that "my web site was doing wonders for his business" and "at least one person a day that signs up mentions it" and he also asked me to "keep up the good work".
Whether his statements were meant as sarcasm or are untrue is quite irrelevant. He has given his approval for my website and as per his request I will continue expanding this site.
This site is here with the sole pupose of advising as many people as possible about the shabby treatment I received from Mark Russell as one of his customers. He is a person who I would most strongly advise everyone to keep well clear of.
The information I am providing on this website is the same type that is said by thousands of people on the Whirlpool Forum in the form of "threads". The only difference is that on this site I am not subject to the personal preferences or whims of any "moderators" and I do not need to endure the petty personal insults and sarcasm from the many small minded people who inhabit the Forum.
FACTS ABOUT GREEN TREE FROG and MARK RUSSELL:
- On December 10 2007 when I requested an explanation of why I was getting slow speeds Mark Russell did not reply to my email.
- When he finally replied to my second email he stated that they were "near capacity" on their DSL1 link. Apparently he did not feel the need to notify paying customers that there would be a loss of bandwidth.
- When I later questioned the slow speeds, his help was that he "couldn't see a problem", because I was the highest user on my plan (even though I was only using what I was paying for!).
- On the Whirlpool Forum on Thursday 10th Jan 2008 he agreed to mutually terminate our contract at the end of my next billing period with no penalty. The same day he went back on his word and refused to honour our agreement.
- Later the same day on the Whirlpool Forum Mark Russell resorted to using profanic language towards me and his post was duly removed by a moderator.
- The download speeds I was getting from greentreefrog.net.au each day were about 50% below what I was paying for. IE I was paying for realistic download speeds of 51-54kB/s and was receiving less than 27kB/s on average.
6 reasons NOT to sign up with green tree frog
- Mark Russell "hangs up" the telephone on his own customers. (Forum Link here). And also hung up on me 4 times when I rang on 21 Feb 2008. (The day he disconnected me).
- Mark Russell breaches his owm "terms of service". (After I contacted the Telecomunications Ombudsman about him, he disconnected me from the internet without prior notice and in breach of our legally binding 6 month contract).
- Mark Russell keeps money that doesn't belong to him. (After breaching our contract, he kept $58.00, which is the amount he should have refunded me covering the unused portion of my prepaid monthly use).
- Mark Russell resorts to obscenities and personal insults instead of discussing matters as a mature adult. (On the Whirlpool Forum he called me an "**hole" and said with the intention of belittling me", Its ok everybody, David is still suffering from shell shock and the effects of agent orange).
(I am a Vietnam Veteran and suffer from PTSD and possibly the effects of Agent Orange and other toxic chemicals. Because of this I live on a disability pension from the Dept of Veterans Affairs as I cannot work and rarely leave home. Because of this, Mark Russell thinks it's OK to ridicule me.) - Mark Russell breaches his own TOS, keeps money that he should refund and then wants more money by sending an"Early Cancellation Fee" invoice of $88.00, even after he was the one who cancelled the service.
- Mark Russell ignores orders issued by the TIO (Australian Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman) and seems to think that he doesn't have to abide by the regulations that all other ISP's abide by!
Wanna see Greentreefrogs "premises"?
Mark Russell was considerate enough to provide his business (home?) address on his website, so I did a search on Google Earth and interestingly enough I found a street view of his premises. Since these images are publicly available on Google Earth, I thought I might post the images here so that everyone can see exactly where Green Tree Frog Pty Ltd is located. Looking at the state of the premises and one can perhaps see why greentreefrog refuses to pay the TIO and me. (Although the bottom image has the number 58, the centered gray building is 57 Douglas St, Redfern. NSW. - greentreefrog).
Click here to see the top image of greentreefrog Pty Ltd business office.Click here to see the bottom image of greentreefrog Pty Ltd business office.
You can download Google Earth and enter Greentreefrog's address (available on the GTF website). Just enter Douglas St, Redfern, NSW and then click on the camera at 58 Douglas St and there you are - you can look up and down the street and GTF's building.
Classy place, huh!
All of the information on this site is either the truth or a "fair comment" by me.