Updated Telecom Broadband plans

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Updated Telecom Broadband plans

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cokemaster

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#170900 13-Oct-2008 17:23

Go Large had 'managed' data, and was a fullspeed-128kbps plan. Most of these plans are non managed (always have been) and are full speed-full speed.

That means that the TCP limitation that applied due to the limited upload is no longer there for most plans. This has been discussed countless times on the forums.

Also with DSL2+, you've got to have a DSL2+ capable modem and be connected to an exchange or cabinet that is DSL2+ enabled. Distance is also a factor here, if you are too far away, you won't get all the benefits of DSL2+.

My torrent experience on the Business Advanced plan has been good. No improvement for me as I was already DSL2+ enabled, and on a FS-FS line... except now I can download much more for less and not be worried too much about the excess.

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cbrpilot

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#170902 13-Oct-2008 17:32

nunz: I'm really confused.

Previously with Xtra.
"The Go Large plan was supposed to be a non-cap, max speed DSL plan, with managed bandwidth."

Now we are being offered a new plan with (and I quote from Xtra) "no artificial speed caps and throttling" that allows us more data. If go-large failed how do they hope to implement this without failure?

Faster speeds, more data, no throttling - pay less - Maybe I am paranoid but when offered something that looks too good to betrue with the only catch having to be tied in for 24 months, then I get suspicious.

Previously on some of the plans you speed was restricted to 128kbit upstream while being unrestricted downstream. The change that is being referred to are a removal of this (artificial) upstream speed limit. I'm not sure at all where you are quoting from. The Telecom websites says: "This plan's upload and download speeds are not capped - this means we don't place an artificial cap on the download or upload speed on your plan (unless you go over your monthly data allowance). " The speed changes and data cap changes were in no way meant to introduce a "Go Large" type plan. All plans that were previously "throttle on cap" are still throttle plans. The overage plans are still overage plans (at the same cost).

nunz:

Currently i have told World Communications "the people hounding me on xtra's behalf" that I will not change my customers over yet. I have adsl2 compatible routers in all my sites now, none of them makes better connection than before - despite xtra supposedly upgrading stuff.

You have to be within 2km of a telecom exchange or (new) cabinet to get increased speeds. Until your area has been cabinetised its unlikely you'll get faster speeds. You can check when here:

http://www.telecom.co.nz/broadband/speed/adsl2

nunz:

Gripes aside - here is the funny bit -

"We're giving you an extra 25GB on your plan for free" (from 15 to 40GB)
"....you will receive 40GB.... for the same price you're paying now. That's more than three times the amount of data you currently receive, for the same money"

I don't know where they went to school but when I was young 40GB was not more than three times 15GB. Any number over 45Gb might count as three times more but not 40.

And people wonder why I am paranoid about xtra as my isp - offering more for less - their maths is differnt to mine so maybe I'll end up with less for more?

Not sure what letter got sent to you? Mine says "that's almost three times the amount of data ...".

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

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#170958 13-Oct-2008 21:39

cbrpilot:

Not sure what letter got sent to you? Mine says "that's almost three times the amount of data ...".

mine too. maybe they did a special one-off letter for nunz.

Masada

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#170989 13-Oct-2008 22:53

Folks... adjusting upstream vs. downstream bandwidth is not about "keeping the users down." Any piece of cable can only handle so many electrons. If you use half the capacity for uplink and half for downlink then you're not "capping" the upstream at 50%. It has been configured that way to achieve a balanced service offering. ADSL is not a full-duplex technology and it doesn't need to be. While a certain percentage of consumers will want a lot of uplink, 95% of consumers want phat downloads. ISPs tend to optimise for downstream. Upstream capacity is almost always in surplus--no one "rate limits" it purely for the sake keeping speeds down. You shape your capacity to handle the greatest number of consumers over the greatest number of applications. No mystery. No dark objective. No conspiracy.

My posts reflect my best attempt at understanding and do not represent the views of my employer.

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#171004 14-Oct-2008 06:07

Masada: While a certain percentage of consumers will want a lot of uplink, 95% of consumers want phat downloads. ISPs tend to optimise for downstream. Upstream capacity is almost always in surplus--no one "rate limits" it purely for the sake keeping speeds down. You shape your capacity to handle the greatest number of consumers over the greatest number of applications. No mystery. No dark objective. No conspiracy.

No credibility.

It has been explained before in this forum why you can't exploit the maximum download capability without an uncapped upload.

pjamieson

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#171968 18-Oct-2008 16:28

I'm on Pro Ultra ($150 for 50GB) - Now defunct. Does anyone have any idea what will happen to me? My new month ticked over as normal on the 7th Oct and I have not received any info from Telecom. Do I have to ask to be moved, and if so, how? I'd prefer to move to the Advanced Business Plan - $110 for 60GB and lower overage and static IP, right?

Any info anyone can pass on would be greatly appreciated.

PJ.

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nzbnw

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#171972 18-Oct-2008 16:46

You won't be moved automatically as these customers still have the option to remain on this plan (unless they move away from it).

You are free to move to the Business Advanced plan, just call 123, visit a Telecom Store or Dealer or order it online at the Telecom Business Hub. Note there is a 24month term with a $149 disconnection fee, althrough it does include a 2Wire Gateway (Stores do not carry the modem, so 126 will send it out).

nzbnw

Kyro

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#172063 19-Oct-2008 13:17

I'm currently with xNet but their speeds have become worse and worse and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I've been with Xtra before (GoLarge) and am hesitant to switch, because I know how bad it has been in the past. Could someone on the new plans post some actual speeds (International speeds) at different times of the day or even better if they were with xNet give an indication of how much better/worse Xtra is?Currently with xNet its around 400-1000kbits/s to international servers during 11am -> 10pm.

Its Xtra managing better than this?

cokemaster

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#172072 19-Oct-2008 13:52

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Nizan

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#172087 19-Oct-2008 16:31

Kyro: I'm currently with xNet but their speeds have become worse and worse and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I've been with Xtra before (GoLarge) and am hesitant to switch, because I know how bad it has been in the past. Could someone on the new plans post some actual speeds (International speeds) at different times of the day or even better if they were with xNet give an indication of how much better/worse Xtra is?Currently with xNet its around 400-1000kbits/s to international servers during 11am -> 10pm. Its Xtra managing better than this?

Go Large in general has been great for some, but not so great for others. The plan itself is longer available for new customers (if you didn't know this already) so if you decide to connect with Telecom, you can only choose Basic, Explorer, Adventure, Pro etc. All Telecom plans do not have any specific 'shaping' regardless of what time or day you use your connection. Xnet had introduced the 'after 12pam' policy so this has not been very well recieved by a portion of their customers. Telecom does not have any 'after hours' policy on any of the current plans.

Your speeds will vary and switching to a Telecom plan (or any other ISP's 'unshapped' plan) will be dependent on what exchange your connected to etc. What are your connect rates at the moment? This will give you some indication of what speeds you should achieve.

My situation is a little different however. I'm reasonably distant from the exchange and only reach a 1mb connection rate. However I will usually achieve 800kpbs from the connection which is fine for me.

So good way to start, is what is your connection rate, what plan are you on, and what do you achieve when your perform a speed test?

Kyro

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#172104 19-Oct-2008 17:55

Nizan your telling me things I already know. I know speeds are dependant on factors such as distance from exchange, if the exchange has been upgraded and congestion. However the information I want is what speeds are people experiencing during different periods of the day, because xNet's problem is they do not have enough international bandwidth and as such speeds are reduced (not by shaping but by lack of bandwidth).
I do not want to switch to Xtra if its the same problems that GoLarge plan had (No im not talking about the throttling), which was that Xtra did not have enough bandwidth (same as what xNet are having now) to supply usable speeds to the pool of people. I would like to know what speeds people are actually getting and if they are consistent throughout the 24 hour day.
For example:I can sync at ~8000 / 1000 (our exchange is schedueled to upgrade in late 2009, so its not ADSL2+), and can experience real world speeds of 6000-7000kbps downloads. However during times such as mid day to 9pm actual real world speeds can drop to less than 400kbps to international servers (Australia/US) because of xnet's lack of international bandwidth, resulting in one minute videos to take over 4 minutes to buffer.

So again, what I'm after is what are peoples experieces with the actual speeds throughout a 24 hour day. aka do Xtra have the international bandwidth avaliable to provide decent (doesnt have to be mind boggling, but atleast better than sub-1000kbps) speeds to all their customers?
(Oh and yes I know if i switch I will not get the up to 24Mbps speeds that ADSL2+ provides, it will be ADSL speeds.)

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pjamieson

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#172110 19-Oct-2008 18:23

nzbnw: You won't be moved automatically as these customers still have the option to remain on this plan (unless they move away from it).

You are free to move to the Business Advanced plan, just call 123, visit a Telecom Store or Dealer or order it online at the Telecom Business Hub. Note there is a 24month term with a $149 disconnection fee, althrough it does include a 2Wire Gateway (Stores do not carry the modem, so 126 will send it out).

nzbnw

Thanks for the info. I'm not keen on the 24 month contract, that's a long time in this current landscape and after having been a Telecom Broadband customer for 9 years I don't see why I should have to sign up for another 24 months just because the top tier of residential plans has been removed (and I don't want to stay on this current expensive plan). I'm not worried about a new modem or Static IP either. I think they should just move Pro Ultra customers direct to the Advanced plan without the term, or create a 60 Gig Residential Plan.

cokemaster

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#172125 19-Oct-2008 20:17

You have a choice... switch to the pro plan (40gb), stay on the existing plan, use another provider, or switch over to the Business broadband plan.

I was personally was on the Pro Ultra plan, I use about 40-50gb... so the business broadband plan makes sense ($149.95 vs approx $109.95 a month).

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nunz

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#172467 21-Oct-2008 10:31

nunz:

Gripes aside - here is the funny bit -

"We're giving you an extra 25GB on your plan for free" (from 15 to 40GB)
"....you will receive 40GB.... for the same price you're paying now. That's more than three times the amount of data you currently receive, for the same money"

I don't know where they went to school but when I was young 40GB was not more than three times 15GB. Any number over 45Gb might count as three times more but not 40.

And people wonder why I am paranoid about xtra as my isp - offering more for less - their maths is differnt to mine so maybe I'll end up with less for more?

Not sure what letter got sent to you? Mine says "that's almost three times the amount of data ...".

I double checked - that is what it says :)

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