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Thread ID: 69216	2006-05-25 21:03:00	NZHerald Report on Slow Broadband Speeds	pctek (84)	PC World Chat

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
457719	2006-05-25 21:03:00	InBox NZ Herald Friday May 26, 2006 By Don McAllister Our call for reader complaints about their broadband connections met with an overwhelming response. The most common complaint Inbox received was about readers' inability to get the advertised download speed of 3.5 megabits per second, or anything near. Telecom's main system is fully capable of 3.5 megabits, but subscribers have problems the further they are away from a telephone exchange. To service broadband customers that are more than 4km away from an exchange, Telecom uses a cost-effective Conklin or Mini DSLAM connection device. In a perfect scenario these devices are providing speeds of up to 1.9 megabits, the company says. In effect, customers more than 4km away from an exchange cannot currently get speeds higher than 2 megabits. All the advertising for the 3.5 megabit speeds contains the provision that the customer must be in a capable location, so be sure to get an assurance - preferably in writing - with your internet service provider before you sign up. Readers are also complaining of speeds slowing down during peak evening hours. Once again the problem doesn't seem to be with the main system. Variables such as how many users are on a single DSLAM can be fixed, but only after a connection-by-connection check. An Xtra spokesperson said a check is under way for all the ISPs' peak-time broadband connections. The process will take about two months and should resolve most speed issues experienced by customers, she said. All other providers will have access to these figures, though several say they have not yet begun to receive them. If slowdown is an issue for you, call your ISP help desk for an explanation. They will identify a reason or solution. Andrew supplied some very slow test results - a download speed of 116 kilobits and an upload of 82 kilobits. That would probably be the result of a poor contention ratio - or how many users are sharing one connection - which Telecom says it has been addressing with urgency. The company says its new way of evening out the flow among users, which should be implemented soon, will be a better way to manage traffic and should result in more reliable speeds for all users. In Andrew's case, a call to the help desk should help put some priority on getting his connection analysed. Jason says his Quicksilver account, which offers an upload speed of 512 kilobits, is running at only 128 kilobits. He was getting more than 400 kilobits for the first two weeks, but it has slowed down since. Call the ISP and ask the provisioning team to double check the connection. It sounds like the system connection has mistakenly been reset to the standard 128 kilobit option. Almost all broadband issues can be resolved. New plans bringing new users online are exaggerating problems temporarily and patience is needed while each problem is resolved by the ISP provisioning teams. Outlandish claims of New Zealand having a third-world system are grandstanding - the system works for the most part and it reaches almost every home in the nation, albeit a little slow for some. Telecom says it is installing a fibre cable down the centre of the North Island, which should soon help many localities in the centre and lower parts. It also says many projects have recently been completed around Auckland to strengthen future systems. Current frustration is a speed bump on the internet highway that will last a short time in the big picture. Upgrading systems to ADSL2+, which will provide top speeds of 24 megabits, will be the next hurdle and customer expectations are likely to once again far exceed system capabilities for a time.	pctek (84)
457720	2006-05-25 21:05:00	He asked for my input too. But this explanation doesn't cover the speed problemeveryone in Wyndham has. Its always slow, not peak times, and I for one am only 400 metres from the exchnage. No-one is over 1 Km. Telecom have told me they don't think its the contention ratios in our case...	pctek (84)
457721	2006-05-25 21:21:00	If you're going to be on a mini DSLAM Telecom have stated that you would be told of the limitations and only offered plans higher than 2M if you wanted a data cap that went with a 3.5M plan. Whether that has filtered down to the frontline is another matter. How can iHug offer only "Full Speed" plans under those conditions? Sounds like confusion at work. pctek, have you ever checked your line speed? Are you connecting at 4.2mbps and only getting low throughput or can't your modem even get a decent rate to start with?	PaulD (232)
457722	2006-05-25 22:09:00	pctek, have you ever checked your line speed? Are you connecting at 4.2mbps and only getting low throughput or can't your modem even get a decent rate to start with? The problem with everyone here off our exchange is throughput. And only since the speed increases. And we don't have a mini DSLAM.	pctek (84)
457723	2006-05-25 22:58:00	If the problem is throughput and only after speed increases how can Telecom say it isn't contention rate? Maybe they are looking at records of what backbone links should be in place for that exchange without checking that the configuring was done correctly.	PaulD (232)
457724	2006-05-26 00:40:00	If the problem is throughput and only after speed increases how can Telecom say it isn't contention rate?. Haha, think about it......	pctek (84)
457725	2006-05-26 00:51:00	Link?	stu161204 (123)
457726	2006-05-26 01:49:00	In effect, customers more than 4km away from an exchange cannot currently get speeds higher than 2 megabits. isn't an ISP selling high speed plans to those people they know can never get those speeds breaking some consumer law? a customer who is paying more to get higher speed when they know they can never get the service they are paying for.	tweak'e (69)
457727	2006-05-26 02:20:00	The ISP probably won't know anything about the line but the Telecom people should point it out.	PaulD (232)
457728	2006-05-26 02:44:00	* Sigh * Thousands of people everyday can't reach the advertised speed limit on the North-Western motorway either, but there doesn't seem to be the same sort of urgency and theeth-gnashing being applied there. :-(	Antmannz (6583)
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