Throttling on Unlimited BB Plans?

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Throttling on Unlimited BB Plans?

MikeAqua

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#164320 5-Feb-2015 12:07

We just switched from 150GB to unlimited broadband. We are with Telecom.

Since then I've noticed a significant drop in internet speed, across a number of device/websites/services.

Is it possible that unlimited plans are slower?

Mike

PeterReader

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#1231662 5-Feb-2015 12:07

Hello... Our robot found some keywords in your post, so here is an automated reply with some important things to note regarding broadband speeds.

If you are posting regarding DSL speeds please check that

- you have reset your modem and router

- your PC (or other PCs in your LAN) is not downloading large files when you are testing

- you are not being throttled by your ISP due to going over the monthly cap

- your tests are always done on an ethernet connection to the router - do not use wireless for testing

- you read this topic and follow the instructions there.

Make sure you provide information for other users to help you. If you have not already done it, please EDIT your post and add this now:

- Your ISP and plan

- Type of connection (ADSL, ADSL2, VDSL)

- Your modem DSL stats (do not worry about posting Speedtest, we need sync rate, attenuation and noise margin)

- Your general location (or street)

- If you are rural or urban

- If you know your connection is to an exchange, cabinet or conklin

- If your connection is to a ULL or wholesale service

- If you have done an isolation test as per the link above

Most of the problems with speed are likely to be related to internal wiring issues. Read this discussion to find out more about this. Your ISP is not intentionally slowing you down today (unless you are on a managed plan). Also if this is the school holidays it's likely you will notice slower than usual speed due to more users online.

A master splitter is required for VDSL2 and in most cases will improve speeds on DSL connections. Regular disconnections can be a monitored alarm or a set top box trying to connect. If there's an alarm connected to your line even if you don't have an alarm contract it may still try to connect so it's worth checking.

I recommend you read these two blog posts:

- Is your premises phone wiring impacting your broadband performance? (very technical)

- Are you receiving a substandard ULL ADSL2+ connection from your ISP?

I am the Geekzone Robot and I am here to help. I am from the Internet. I do not interact. Do not expect other replies from me.

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Jase2985

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#1231676 5-Feb-2015 12:12

no not in the slightest

did the same thing 4 weeks ago and have seen no difference with any form of internet browsing P2P youtube skygo lightbox

SPARK ARE NOT CURRENTLY THROTTLING UNLIMITED BROADBAND PLANS

look at the many other threads on this and you will see this

Jase2985

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#1231691 5-Feb-2015 12:14

why is it as soon as someone sees a slight degradation in their service they automatically think throttling?

there are many many other things it could be

cbrpilot

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Spark NZ

#1231693 5-Feb-2015 12:16

To put this another way, our network doesn't know which plan you are on.

My views are my own, and may not necessarily represent those of my employer.

nakedmolerat

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#1231696 5-Feb-2015 12:17

Jase2985: why is it as soon as someone sees a slight degradation in their service they automatically think throttling?

there are many many other things it could be

It is because of the past history...

Inphinity

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#1231711 5-Feb-2015 12:50

I am on the unlimited fibre plan, and have never noticed anything that would suggest there is any throttling to me.

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SparkNZ

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Spark NZ

#1231726 5-Feb-2015 13:32

MikeAqua: We just switched from 150GB to unlimited broadband. We are with Telecom.

Since then I've noticed a significant drop in internet speed, across a number of device/websites/services.

Is it possible that unlimited plans are slower?

Hi MikeAqua - as per above, a categoric no to throttling/shaping/management of traffic.

To be prudent, when we (re-)released unlimited, we put an advisory that we reserved the right to manage traffic. The intention was to use it as a last resort if huge downloads began to affect time-sensitive traffic, but the reality is it was always extremely unlikely that we would have to, because we're a long way from the bad old days and we've been spend massive amounts on our network to increase capacity and performance.

We announced last year that we were dropping the policy and the clause from the conditions, essentially that went into effect immediately because we weren't doing it anyway. The policy was removed from the website a couple of days ago in a suite of other changes.

But that doesn't explain why you're experiencing poor speeds, and it'd be good to get to the bottom of that. If you're able to contact us in one of the links below that would be great. We're still getting our processes sorted out for Geekzone so that'd be the quickest and easiest way to get it looked into!

Cheers! ^Sam

We are Spark. We're about delivering what our customers want: Mobility, data, music, internet TV, cloud services, and much more.

Web: spark.co.nz | sparknz.co.nz
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MikeAqua

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#1234091 10-Feb-2015 13:21

OK, thanks for the replies. Must be a coincidence. I'm used to poor speeds at peak times in our neighbourhood but they became unusually bad as soon as we switched to unlimited.

Mike

MikeAqua

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#1234102 10-Feb-2015 13:42

Other threads I found were either dated [information may no longer be applicable]; or not easily identifiable as relevant

And also Spark T&Cs on their website still say they may choose to adopt a traffic management policy. This advisory note (according on Sam's post) is out of date.

What made me curious: Lightbox is the one service that hasn't been affected (other things were still slow on the same devices when LB wasn't being used), and LB happens to be offered by Spark.

Jase2985: no not in the slightest

did the same thing 4 weeks ago and have seen no difference with any form of internet browsing P2P youtube skygo lightbox

SPARK ARE NOT CURRENTLY THROTTLING UNLIMITED BROADBAND PLANS

look at the many other threads on this and you will see this

Mike

Jase2985

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#1234362 10-Feb-2015 21:57

may choose to adopt a policy, meaning they dont currently have a policy to implement traffic management, which would mean before they could implement it they would have to change their t&c's to add the policy back in

there is no conspiracy here

ive made a similar move to you, from 500gb to unlimited and have noticed 0 difference

MikeAqua

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#1234551 11-Feb-2015 10:58

Sparks T&Cs for unlimited BB already allow them to undertake traffic management.

I didn't imply or state that there was conspiracy. Implementation of a publically disclosed condition, wouldn't be a very good conspiracy though would it? Conspiracies are supposed to be secret. Only those involved in the conspiracy or wearing a tinfoil hat are supposed to know about it.

Jase2985: may choose to adopt a policy, meaning they dont currently have a policy to implement traffic management, which would mean before they could implement it they would have to change their t&c's to add the policy back in

there is no conspiracy here

ive made a similar move to you, from 500gb to unlimited and have noticed 0 difference

Mike

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Jase2985

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#1234574 11-Feb-2015 11:06

but your first assumption when you noticed a drop of speed was "throttling"

there is many many threads on here questioning is spark "throttling", all come back the same and even spark comes out and says they are not.

BarTender

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#1235847 11-Feb-2015 17:31

Jase2985: but your first assumption when you noticed a drop of speed was "throttling"

there is many many threads on here questioning is spark "throttling", all come back the same and even spark comes out and says they are not.

And almost all those threads come down to people with poor internal wiring that need to get a Master Filter installed to sort out their wiring. Or they are rural folks on a Conklin and there isn't much that can be done for those poor souls, apart from suggesting they move.

Jase2985

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#1236090 11-Feb-2015 21:57

or wifi issues