Globalfreeway's 70,000 customers are unable to log onto the Internet for the fifth week in a row, as the operator ditches Telstra for rival carrier UUNet.
However, with negotiations of the deal still underway, it's unclear as to when the ISP will be up and running again.
"We couldn't control the uptake, so we had to turn Telstra's service off," Globalfreeway.com.au Marketing Manager Doug Gorske said.
The free ISP was using a backend service from Telstra called Dial Connect. The service - using a single dial up number for all areas outside Sydney and Melbourne - had a capacity to connect up to 40,000 customers.
However, Globalfreeway's Internet service filled up its carrier quota, with around 70,000 customers registering with the company.
Globalfreeway.com.au has been out of operation to areas outside Sydney and Melbourne for over five weeks, and with negotiations still underway with alternative Internet service provider UUNet to provide backend solutions, customers outside of the two major cities are still disconnected from the Internet.
"It's taken much longer than expected, we're trying to be as transparent as we can to our customers," Gorske said.
Gorske told ZDNet, a final date as to when the service will be operational again is unclear.
"We're still testing the service," he said. "We're working really hard to fix the situation, so customers get a reliable and fast service."
Gorske predicts that the company may have lost up to 30 percent of its 70,000 customers as a result of the continuing technical problems.
Customers in Sydney and Melbourne, who've been able to access their emails through a seperate service with the company, suffered an outage at the weekend, where they were left without access to email for up to four days.
Gorske said the service was disrupted due to technical and carrier issues.
Customers can contact the system call centre on 13 43 43 or log on to the Web site at www.globalfreeway.com.au to receive a progress report on the outage.
Globalfreeway.com.au has released the list of 90 local dial-up numbers on the Web site around Australia that will be available once the service is operational again.
Stay well clear of Global Freeway , the only traffic you will see on this freeway stops and starts and ends up in traffic jams...that is if you ever get connected.