Mirror claims credit for LibertySurf suspension

LibertySurf has suspended sales of its unmetered Net access software and canned its nation-wide ad campaign after the service was hit by major problems.

Ever since it launched three weeks ago more and more customers have complained about the service. Their frustrations included difficulties signing up to the service, poor network performance and being unable to get
any help.

LibertySurf blamed the problems on "exceptionally high levels of demand", insisting the difficulties centred on demand for its free helpline service.

In a statement issued yesterday, LibertySurf's Paul Myers, said: "We apologise unreservedly for the inconvenience and frustration this has caused to some of our customers."

He blamed the problems fairly and squarely on the number of calls to the LibertySurf's technical support line and denied that the service suffered network problems.

"The service has not degraded," he said. "We've got bundles of capacity... in fact, we're only using half of our IP capacity."

In a bid to ease the problems LibertySurf has increased the number of staff on its technical support line and has removed its CDs from Comet and MVC, although these should be back on sale again within the next couple of weeks.

Existing customers will receive an extra free month's subscription as compensation and if anyone really disenchanted with the service can bail out with a full refund.

Mirror hack Matt Kelly is taking credit for the LibertySurf climbdown. He's devoted his whole column today to the sorry saga topped with the headline: "WE SINK LIBERTYSURF."

Kelly told The Register: "It was our column that drove this issue completely," he said after printing a string of LibertySurf horror stories.

"We were the only ones mentioning it... a lone voice in the wilderness," he said.

A LibertySurf spokeswoman said The Mirror's campaign had no influence on LibertySurf's decision to suspend its the service." ®