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137 posts

Master Geek


Topic # 112855 23-Dec-2012 22:18 Send private message

I have a new install of Orcon's Unlimited $99 plan which has voice over ip via their auto-configuring genius unit.

I have moved towns and was previously on Slingshots unlimited plan and thought I would share my experiences.

So far ....
Data ...

Ok performance overall.
I get about half my line speed here at non-peak times.

Previously I could max my line out with Slingshots plan most of the time but sometimes it would be much slower.

On slingshot however my line rate was around 10 Mbps and at the new place on orcon it is around 18 Mbps.

As I didn't have as quick a dsl circuit previously I don't know if Slingshots would max that connection speed or not but Orcon certainly doesn't.

Voice ...

Hollow sounding with some echo but not too distracting.
Seems stable, not had any cut off like some cell providers do(yes I'm talking about you Telecom).

Compared to Slingshots normal phone line it's far less quality.

Price ...

Here Orcon shines. $99 vs $121 (here)(no Slingshot better network at this address .. I used to pay $111).

Overall ... If slingshot was cheaper I'd jump back in a heartbeat. But as I'm a student now(or at least next year) I'll stick out this lesser connection.


Contemplation before I hit the submit button ....
Maybe some orcon dude will read this and see some room for improvement ,,, ;)
Anyone else considering these types of plans may be a little more informed anyways. 


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2367 posts

Uber Geek

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  Reply # 736780 24-Dec-2012 09:28 Send private message

Thanks for the review. It's a changing world when Slingshot is ranked ahead of Orcon.





272 posts

Ultimate Geek


  Reply # 736921 24-Dec-2012 17:54 Send private message

Seems we have differing opinions :) After Orcon fixed our line we're now syncing at 14mbit (up from 1.5-2mbit) and have no difficulties maxing our line with P2P and usenet at all times of the day. HTTP speeds have been fine, single threaded HTTP downloads aren't sluggish by any measure however I haven't done testing to see if it's just a slow server.

With Slingshot (12mbit sync, different house & area, both are unbundled exchange conenctions) P2P struggled during their peak throttled times and I struggled with usenet speeds too.




World famous Twitter hacker.

213 posts

Master Geek

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  Reply # 738714 30-Dec-2012 21:21 Send private message

TrueNet has almost sufficient volunteers with unlimited Orcon services to provide a comparison, but not quite. Any Orcon customer interested in getting involved to provide a bit of your unlimited plan for testing will be very welcome.

Testing is commissioned by the Commerce Commission and is used to provide feedback to the public as well as the industry about their performance.

See our website for some of the recent reports, especially the last two months where we have discussed unlimited plans, but have only enough Slingshot volunteers to publish results.

www.truenet.co.nz




www.truenet.co.nz

We are seeking more volunteers here :-)

59 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 739910 3-Jan-2013 20:49 Send private message

Thanks for the review lostangel - any chance of a speedtest.net screen capture of your current speeds? I'm considering signing up for the $99 package too and would like to get some idea of what speeds another user such as youself is typically experiencing.

Would be keen for any other subscribers to this particular package to share their speeds too please!!

Cheers,

JED



137 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 741023 7-Jan-2013 13:21 Send private message

For torrents i've been getting around 1.2 MiB downloads which a converter says is 9.6 Mbps

Heres a couple of local tests:

test1

test 2

And a couple of international ones:

int1
int2


213 posts

Master Geek

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  Reply # 741067 7-Jan-2013 13:59 Send private message

Speedtest.net measures the speed from the Speedtest server to your computer. This has a few major problems when trying to compare performances:
• Performances from Speedtest.net are often prioritised and may not represent the speed through an ISPs network to any popular site, they are intended to help debug issues.
• They are dependent on the quality of the interconnection to the ISP serving the test. eg if you are testing to Wellington Actrix server, then an Orcon test will depend on the Orcon to Actrix connection
• A single test is not a sample worth considering, the test may have simply been competing with traffic on the line

TrueNet tests hourly, using a probe that avoids the use of an overloaded computer, to a server that is considered well connected to all ISPs, using similar test methodology to speedtest.net. Hourly testing enables some understanding of the level of overload on an ISPs network by comparing maximum with minimum results. Testing hourly, every day enables a test that depends on 720 tests per probe, considerably more useful than 1.

Orcon's Unlimited service is new, so TrueNet has yet to gather sufficient probes using that service - While some have responded to our request above;

We welcome further volunteers with Orcon Unlimited service.




www.truenet.co.nz

We are seeking more volunteers here :-)

59 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 741280 7-Jan-2013 20:30 Send private message

Thanks for taking the time to take/post those stats lostangel, appreciate your time.

Definitely keen to hear what TrueNet would show some wide spectrum tests to return as...

213 posts

Master Geek

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  Reply # 741295 7-Jan-2013 21:32 Send private message

"Definitely keen to hear what TrueNet would show some wide spectrum tests to return as.."

Not sure what you mean. Can you interpret for me please? ;)




www.truenet.co.nz

We are seeking more volunteers here :-)

59 posts

Master Geek


  Reply # 741297 7-Jan-2013 21:41 Send private message

Holy crap... I would do well to read my own words before I click "post reply"... Can't even blame this one on being drunk... ;)

what I was trying to say was that I'd be really keen to see the results of some further TrueNet research on the Orcon Unlimited offering... Would be super-useful for the likes of me to help with the decision making process...

Sheesh.. imma go reed me some books... mebbe something by Alexandre Dumbass...;)

213 posts

Master Geek

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  Reply # 741323 7-Jan-2013 22:29 Send private message

LOL. No problem. I would like to see Orcon unlimited comparison also though

I was doing the December report analysis today and we still don't have enough Orcon unlimited probes - just 4 or 5, and the variations are too large to be confident of the results, so we are going to have to wait for more volunteers.

I'll be contacting capped Orcon and Slingshot volunteers to check on their settings in case more have changed. Unfortunately we cannot tell unless volunteers inform us.

Here's hoping I have read my post well :)




www.truenet.co.nz

We are seeking more volunteers here :-)

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