Don't need Chorus tech visit for new VDSL install??

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Don't need Chorus tech visit for new VDSL install??

old3eyes

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#206218 14-Dec-2016 19:52

Just order VDSL for my Morrinsville place which we move into in January and was told that they no longer have to send a Chorus tech on site any longer to install a filter. The CSR made some mention of a "super filter" that they are now supplying. Anyone know what this is?? There is already a filter at the house I suspect in the demark box as there is a separate phone and "DSL" jacks in the office but I suspect it will be just ADSL2..

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Old3eyes

hio77

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#1687928 14-Dec-2016 20:18

Without getting into the nitty gritty of it, Spark nolonger do master filter installations by default as of the 7th November.

While a move i personally dont agree with regardless of the RSP, this is more of a change from chorus's side and how they advise the RSP's to present the product essentially (paraphrased fyi)

If you can, i'd check in the ETP to see what sort of filter it is, Easy way to tell is ADSL filters have 2 pairs VDSL filters have 3.

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sbiddle

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#1688928 14-Dec-2016 21:32

Most big RSP's had opted for VDSL installs without wiring due to price pressures over the last 6 months or so. This has lead Chorus to make this the default.

You can still get one, but obviously the RSP pays more for this.

Linux

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#1688933 14-Dec-2016 21:37

Get @coffeebaron to check out the house wiring, Best man for the job

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old3eyes

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#1689094 15-Dec-2016 08:55

So the new VDSL filter is just a VDSL variant of the old parallel ADSL filter??

Regards,

Old3eyes

bales

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#1689102 15-Dec-2016 09:11

yes the new ones cover all the bases.

old3eyes

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#1689106 15-Dec-2016 09:13

bales:

yes the new ones cover all the bases.

Thanx. When I move in during January I'll open the demark box and see what's there. If it's a ADSL one I'll replace it with a VDSL one..

Regards,

Old3eyes

BarTender

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#1689273 15-Dec-2016 11:33

My understanding was Spark was $10 more expensive than everyone else after Chorus had dropped the price. So Spark dropped the manditory Master Filter install and dropped the $10 price.

You can still pay $199 to have it done by Chorus, but @CoffeeBaron is cheaper and will do a better job.

Then again, you are more than capable of doing your own install. Just need to find some scotchlocs and pick up a VDSL filter.

No one sells ADSL filters anymore they are all VDSL.

The other thing I noticed when I recently unboxed a HG659 and there is no ADSL Splitter included, the HG630 does include a filter which is the router sent out for VDSL installs these days.

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hio77

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#1689278 15-Dec-2016 11:38

BarTender:

My understanding was Spark was $10 more expensive than everyone else after Chorus had dropped the price. So Spark dropped the manditory Master Filter install and dropped the $10 price.

You can still pay $199 to have it done by Chorus, but @CoffeeBaron is cheaper and will do a better job.

Then again, you are more than capable of doing your own install. Just need to find some scotchlocs and pick up a VDSL filter.

No one sells ADSL filters anymore they are all VDSL.

The other thing I noticed when I recently unboxed a HG659 and there is no ADSL Splitter included, the HG630 does include a filter which is the router sent out for VDSL installs these days.

Exactly, minor things...

$298 through spark actually as of now.

Spark do the HG531s for ADSL now, which does come with one.

Seems silly to do a inline filter for VDSL, but... eh... Thats how chorus want to try to push now.

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code15

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#1697067 1-Jan-2017 11:06

Yep was surprised to get an email from Spark saying "you will be automatically be switch to VDSL within 5 working days".

On VDSL now and seeing significant improvement in download speeds. Went from 13Mbps to 28Mbps! Although upload is slightly worse than ADSL and that's where I was hoping for an improvement, even 2Mbps would been nice.

Line standard

VDSL2

Downstream line rate (kbit/s)

28789

Upstream line rate (kbit/s)

992

Downstream SNR (dB)

9.1

Upstream SNR (dB)

9.7

Downstream line attenuation (dB)

23.2

Upstream line attenuation (dB)

11.1

Downstream output power (dBmV)

16.8

Upstream output power (dBmV)

Downstream CRC

1619

Upstream CRC

Downstream FEC

41302

Upstream FEC

Anyone know if these line stats means upload is as good as it's going to get? I thought that given the download seems to be really good the upload sync seems a bit on the low side? Cheers!

hio77

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#1697113 1-Jan-2017 12:36

Based on the sync rate and errors there, i would still recommend a master filter installation.

Upstream power level within US0 is lower than on adsl, so adsl to vdsl upstream will not totally match/better. Generally though Due to the access of the US1 band, overall you get a higher upstream.

Based off the linestats, your line could be pushing the edge of VDSL however too.

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code15

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#1697230 1-Jan-2017 15:54

Thanks for that info! Yeah I think we are on the edge for VDSL as this time last year we booked in an install but were told we were too far away.

Since fibre isn't going to make its way here for at least another 2 or 3 years the master splitter might be a good investment, I just wish I knew what difference it'd make before forking out for the installation.

Although, I did a speed test on my mobile yesterday over Spark 4G (inside the house )and got 140Mbps down 45Mbps up, so maybe fixed wireless is the way to go...

BarTender

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#1697240 1-Jan-2017 16:47

If you use less than 120gb then fixed wireless is good. But I used 300+GB on a 14mbit connection so never going to work for me.

Jase2985

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#1697269 1-Jan-2017 17:20

BarTender: If you use less than 120gb then fixed wireless is good. But I used 300+GB on a 14mbit connection so never going to work for me.

and thats the crux, speed vs unlimited data

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#1697285 1-Jan-2017 18:04

The other rub is when you go onto wireless broadband video streams at a higher bitrate. So if you previously only used 40gb with a bit of YouTube. Now it's HD YouTube your usage will go up a bit.

hio77

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#1697287 1-Jan-2017 18:05

code15:

Thanks for that info! Yeah I think we are on the edge for VDSL as this time last year we booked in an install but were told we were too far away.

Since fibre isn't going to make its way here for at least another 2 or 3 years the master splitter might be a good investment, I just wish I knew what difference it'd make before forking out for the installation.

Although, I did a speed test on my mobile yesterday over Spark 4G (inside the house )and got 140Mbps down 45Mbps up, so maybe fixed wireless is the way to go...

Personally have found sparks network to be hit and miss, in most areas Vodafone's footprint is far greater (this is based of testing with my LG V20, switching between 4G modes for the Dual sims)

however, outside work.. i do note the "4G+" which i'm not totally sure what it is implying as of yet, likely CA 4G or "4.5G" as spark are calling it. Upstream was rather poor here, i'm not quite sure why... May have simply been a bad test, When dropping back to "4G" 36mbit up was hit straight away.

Okay, outside work isn't exactly a fair test but anyway.. - Ignore the carrier, This is a speedtest bug with dualsim it seems. External IP is definately reported as the 122.57.201.0/24 range.

Test finished doing downstream before it finished ramping, I fully expect it would have gone even higher however didn't really wanna blow my second cap!

Fastest i have hit is 142/30 on Vodafone on my previous device(HTC M8) but that was in the bottom of CBD where there is Ample spectrum to do anything down there!

Definitely wireless is an option, Depending on your usage patterns!

I'm kinda keen to see Spark push actual fixed installations with their 4G network for performance/reliability reasons..

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