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Thread ID: 71073	2006-07-25 21:55:00	Latest Broadband News Today, Telecom to Pay	pctek (84)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
473539	2006-07-25 21:55:00	Telecom is offering to refund customers whose Internet connections are not up to the speed they are paying for. The chief operating officer, technology and enterprises, Mark Ratcliffe, said its retail units were identifying retail customers with this problem and offering two choices: to go to a lower-priced plan with a guaranteed lower average speed and a refund, or to remain on the existing plan and get the best speed possible. Alcatel estimates 23 per cent of high-speed Internet customers who upgraded to the 2Mbps and 3.5 Mbps are not achieving the top speeds. In October Telecom will move to new plans with "unconstrained" connection speeds, in which the speed is whatever the network is capable of delivering at the time. If unconstrained speeds are implemented nationally under current network conditions, the impact will be wider. Instead of being marketed according to specific maximum line rates, “unconstrained broadband” plans would deliver whatever the network was capable of delivering to that place, at that time. Alcatel advises that 46 per cent of customers are unlikely to achieve the current rates of 2Mbps and 3.5Mbps. Telecom estimated that speeds would vary between households so that 4 per cent would achieve speeds between 8-10 megabits per second, 51 per cent would get speeds of 6-8 megabits per second, 20 per cent would get speeds between 4-6 megabits per second, and 16 per cent would achieve speeds between 2-4 megabits per second. Telecom said broadband services and speeds were affected by several factors: the distance of the home from the exchange, the length of copper wire transmitting data, the quality of modems customers used and the quality of wiring in their homes. The company intended to establish a line checker in October giving customers the ability to see what peak speeds their lines were capable of delivering. Telecom estimated that speeds would vary between households so that 4 per cent would achieve speeds between 8-10 megabits per second, 51 per cent would get speeds of 6-8 megabits per second, 20 per cent would get speeds between 4-6 megabits per second, and 16 per cent would achieve speeds between 2-4 megabits per second. Telecom said to achieve the unconstrained speeds, it would invest in network upgrades-shorter copper loops through placing equipment in street cabinets rather than telephone exchanges, and would target Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin first. The problems were occurring because of copper loop performance, modem behaviour, external noise services, and concentration of ADSL services within a cable binder. Telecom would continue to provide quarterly updates on its website on the performance of its network and its future plans.	pctek (84)
473540	2006-07-25 21:58:00	I have a couple of problems with that. They aren't fixing the problem - they're telling you to take a lame plan, 256k for instance. How helpful is that? Then they start on the new speeds - claiming at least 2-4 if not 10Mbps. And how is that likely? Which is why the new marketing small print: "the speed is whatever the network is capable of delivering at the time." What a cop-out. No doubt I'll still be getting 600k but without my ongoing refund.	pctek (84)
473541	2006-07-25 23:45:00	link?	stu161204 (123)
473542	2006-07-26 00:15:00	www.nzherald.co.nz	snoopy (74)
473543	2006-07-26 00:22:00	I have a couple of problems with that. They aren't fixing the problem - they're telling you to take a lame plan, 256k for instance. How helpful is that?Yeah but DSL is not a guaranteed speed. Regardless of network congetsion, if you're a long way from an exchange it's likely to be slower etc, they can't move your house or build an exchange in you front yard. At least getting you to downgrade is a reasonably logical step both for the customer and Telecom. I hate Telecom as much as the next guy, but this largely makes sense.	ninja (1671)
473544	2006-07-26 00:27:00	Yeah but DSL is not a guaranteed speed. Regardless of network congetsion, if you're a long way from an exchange it's likely to be slower etc, they can't move your house or build an exchange in you front yard. At least getting you to downgrade is a reasonably logical step both for the customer and Telecom. I hate Telecom as much as the next guy, but this largely makes sense. Absolutely. the speed is whatever the network is capable of delivering at the time.	Greg (193)
473545	2006-07-26 00:36:00	I am soooo NOT impressed with this artical. Certainly there is truths and known facts in there, however they are throwing up smoke and mirrors to mask the MAIN performance problems cause. Contention ratios of around 150/1 are the MAIN reason for the poor broadband performance in NZ at the moment. This is verified by other international ISP's that set there ratios closer to 40/1 to avoid performance issues. If you don't know what Contention ratios are...... "basically" you are not the only person that uses your 3.5 MB connection, your share that capacity with 150 other people (contention ratio). The more people the slower your connection get especially during peak times. Why do they have high contention ratios you ask? to squeeze as many people as possible onto the same capacity and make more money, to hell with quality.	Battleneter (60)
473546	2006-07-26 03:00:00	Regardless of network congetsion, if you're a long way from an exchange it's likely to be slower etc, they can't move your house or build an exchange in you front yard. At least getting you to downgrade is a reasonably logical step both for the customer and Telecom. . This enrages me. I am 400 metres from the exchange. I have new phone wiring. I HAD 2Mbps, consistenmtly. Before they increased it to 3.5. Now its ALWAYS about 600. This is the sort of rubbish I used to get told by their helpdesk, you're too far - your wiring sucks. Funny it worked perfectly before then. On the same wiring. At the same 400m distance.	pctek (84)
473547	2006-07-26 03:33:00	This enrages me. I am 400 metres from the exchange. I have new phone wiring. I HAD 2Mbps, consistenmtly. Before they increased it to 3.5. Now its ALWAYS about 600. This is the sort of rubbish I used to get told by their helpdesk, you're too far - your wiring sucks. Funny it worked perfectly before then. On the same wiring. At the same 400m distance. I know that the throughput speed is the only one that counts but did you ever respond to my question about the speed that your modem actually connects to the exchange as shown by your modem diagnostics not some speed test site?	PaulD (232)
473548	2006-07-26 06:14:00	I know that the throughput speed is the only one that counts but did you ever respond to my question about the speed that your modem actually connects to the exchange as shown by your modem diagnostics not some speed test site? What question? Anyway, my router reports 4288. Haha, it wishes...	pctek (84)
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