DHI Telecom Group

Dear [redacted] :My name is Heath [redacted] with DHII am in receipt of your Revdex.com Complaint # [redacted] Your feedback is important to usFirst and foremost, I would like to personally apologize our services have fallen short of your expectationsWe are aware our service reflects on our business as a whole and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to your issue promptly, openly, completely and in a fully responsive manner.Your specific complaint centered around slower than advertised maximum speedsAfter being on the ground myself in Iraq and Afghanistan the better part of the last decade, I can understand your frustrationI see we have responded and have tried to visit you to learn and solve your issue several times at two different locations (Marmal, Dwyer) via the below trouble tickets.# 904500# 903767# [redacted] # 900062# 899480# 899477# 899317# 688723According to our records, we did not receive a response after nearly two (2) weeks and ticket # [redacted] as closed.If I may, I'd like to address the points raised in your complaintYou're absolutely correct, cost to provide service in Afghanistan is higher than just about anywhere else in the worldPrices are higher and speeds are slower, especially compared to the USWithout questionSatellite-based networks and networks with limited or non-advanced fiber optic infrastructure are not designed for speedTraditional network designs are not applicable to a combat zone or in countries with inferior, unstable, or obsolete telecommunications infrastructure such as Afghanistan’sWith limited bandwidth and 200+ millisecond average latency on the terrestrial fiber infrastructure in Afghanistan (and over milliseconds on satellite), the experience is not the same as back homeRegardless of what network you're on or where you're at in Afghanistan, the inherent latency, even on a terrestrial fiber optic backbone, causes lagThe plans we offer and the prices charged have been set by the terms of our contract with the [redacted] Exchange Service (The Exchange) HQsIn the ten years our internet concessions have been operating in OIF, OIR, OEF and Resolute Support, we have never raised prices, but we have lowered them and have increased speeds and have featured specials and promotions and have added features or capabilities such as free streaming of [redacted] Based on posted prices and speeds in Afghanistan from providers like: E [redacted] (to name a few), DHI is far and away the most competitiveThis has been widely confirmed by Combatant Commanders, customer feedback and family members back homeAlso, a portion of proceeds from our services are returned to the customer base at every [redacted] Base through a variety of programs designed to improve quality of life, morale and welfareThis is not true for any other ISP in AfghanistanMonitored Performance: bandwidth tests are recorded from [redacted] machines that are configured to login and act exactly as an authorized subscriber (to provide results consistent with the enduser’s experience.)The machines are connected to customer VLANs on the network at every site, including [redacted] and every base you logged in with us in theatreThe tests run every ten minutes from perl scripts running on dedicated test servers at each location.Test machines are logged into the network using unmodified user accounts and the tests are run to a central test server in the USThe machines run both an uplink and downlink TCP and UDP test once every ten minutes hours a day, days week, days a year.Both TCP and UDP protocols are tested in both directions and capture the data rate, round trip time, retransmissions, and lost packets (for UDP).The test results are reviewed by the Level-Global Operations Center (GOC) staff and DoD engineers to verify and ensure the quality of the customer's experience and provide a recorded history of overall performance.Other performance requirements in the contract include: fully documented network infrastructure, SNMP manageable network elements, broadcast domains limited to users (or less), bandwidth utilization on trunks not to exceed 95% of capacity, and contention ratio not to exceed 18.5%There are many other performance based requirementsTechnical rollups (including the every-10-minute test results) as well as every troubleticket including yours, from submission to resolution for every location are provided weekly to the DoD Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), The Exchange HQs, Advanced Telecommunications DirectorateThe COR is responsible to the Contracting Officer (KO) for oversight of DHI’s contract with DoDHis US government staff is concerned with every aspect of DHI's business, from contract award to service delivery and daily operationsDoD receives and reviews all data every week, looking for excessive numbers of troubletickets or unusual patternsIn addition, DoD has a network engineer dedicated to the task of monitoring and overseeing network performance at every siteHe validates DHI's network performance by conducting his own independent testsIf needed, he acts as the customer’s advocate in resolving any issues with DHIThe DHI network is monitored 24/7, II hope this information has been helpful, am grateful your letter was brought to my attention and am hopeful we can restore your confidence in our servicePlease feel free to contact me directly at + [redacted] or at heath[redacted] @dhitelecom.com if there is anything else we can do or if you have any further questions.Sincerely,-- Heath [redacted] SrVice President, Global Development[redacted] | E 20th St | Houston, TX www.dhitelecom.com

Dear [redacted]:My name is Heath [redacted] with DHI. I am in receipt of your Revdex.com Complaint #[redacted]. Your feedback is important to us. First and foremost, I would like to personally apologize our services have fallen short of your expectations. We are aware our service reflects on...

our business as a whole and we appreciate the opportunity to respond to your issue promptly, openly, completely and in a fully responsive manner.Your specific complaint centered around slower than advertised maximum speeds. After being on the ground myself in Iraq and Afghanistan the better part of the last decade, I can understand your frustration. I see we have responded and have tried to visit you to learn and solve your issue several times at two different locations (Marmal, Dwyer) via the below trouble tickets.# 904500# 903767# [redacted]# 900062# 899480# 899477# 899317# 688723According to our records, we did not receive a response after nearly two (2) weeks and ticket #[redacted] as closed.If I may, I'd like to address the points raised in your complaint.1. You're absolutely correct, cost to provide service in Afghanistan is higher than just about anywhere else in the world. Prices are higher and speeds are slower, especially compared to the US. Without question. Satellite-based networks and networks with limited or non-advanced fiber optic infrastructure are not designed for speed. Traditional network designs are not applicable to a combat zone or in countries with inferior, unstable, or obsolete telecommunications infrastructure such as Afghanistan’s. With limited bandwidth and 200+ millisecond average latency on the terrestrial fiber infrastructure in Afghanistan (and over 600 milliseconds on satellite), the experience is not the same as back home. Regardless of what network you're on or where you're at in Afghanistan, the inherent latency, even on a terrestrial fiber optic backbone, causes lag.2. The plans we offer and the prices charged have been set by the terms of our contract with the [redacted] [redacted] Exchange Service (The Exchange) HQs. In the ten years our internet concessions have been operating in OIF, OIR, OEF and Resolute Support, we have never raised prices, but we have lowered them and have increased speeds and have featured specials and promotions and have added features or capabilities such as free streaming of [redacted]Based on posted prices and speeds in Afghanistan from providers like: E[redacted] (to name a few), DHI is far and away the most competitive. This has been widely confirmed by Combatant Commanders, customer feedback and family members back home. Also, a portion of proceeds from our services are returned to the customer base at every [redacted] Base through a variety of programs designed to improve quality of life, morale and welfare. This is not true for any other ISP in Afghanistan.3. Monitored Performance: bandwidth tests are recorded from [redacted] machines that are configured to login and act exactly as an authorized subscriber (to provide results consistent with the enduser’s experience.)The machines are connected to customer VLANs on the network at every site, including [redacted] and every base you logged in with us in theatre. The tests run every ten minutes from perl scripts running on dedicated test servers at each location.Test machines are logged into the network using unmodified user accounts and the tests are run to a central test server in the US. The machines run both an uplink and downlink TCP and UDP test once every ten minutes 24 hours a day, 7 days week, 365 days a year.Both TCP and UDP protocols are tested in both directions and capture the data rate, round trip time, retransmissions, and lost packets (for UDP).The test results are reviewed by the Level-2 Global Operations Center (GOC) staff and DoD engineers to verify and ensure the quality of the customer's experience and provide a recorded history of overall performance.Other performance requirements in the contract include: fully documented network infrastructure, SNMP manageable network elements, broadcast domains limited to 400 users (or less), bandwidth utilization on trunks not to exceed 95% of capacity, and contention ratio not to exceed 18.5%. There are many other performance based requirements.4. Technical rollups (including the every-10-minute test results) as well as every troubleticket including yours, from submission to resolution for every location are provided weekly to the DoD Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), The Exchange HQs, Advanced Telecommunications Directorate. The COR is responsible to the Contracting Officer (KO) for oversight of DHI’s contract with DoD. His US government staff is concerned with every aspect of DHI's business, from contract award to service delivery and daily operations.5. DoD receives and reviews all data every week, looking for excessive numbers of troubletickets or unusual patterns. In addition, DoD has a network engineer dedicated to the task of monitoring and overseeing network performance at every site. He validates DHI's network performance by conducting his own independent tests. If needed, he acts as the customer’s advocate in resolving any issues with DHI. The DHI network is monitored 24/7, 365. II hope this information has been helpful, am grateful your letter was brought to my attention and am hopeful we can restore your confidence in our service. Please feel free to contact me directly at +[redacted] or at heath.[redacted]@dhitelecom.com if there is anything else we can do or if you have any further questions.Sincerely,-- Heath [redacted]Sr. Vice President, Global Development713.[redacted]1  |  711 E 20th St  |  Houston, TX 77008 www.dhitelecom.com