Trusted
nitrotech: I have heard these comments from multiple people but surely there needs to be some minimum standard of performance from a 'broadband' plan.
If telecom want to sell it as broadband for local traffic and dialup for international then that would more accurately describe the plan.
Yep your correct you can go to another plan but remember the cost of the 40gb plan on telecom is +20 over big time, doesn't quite seem fair when people are downloading terrabytes of data per month on big time for the cheaper price and therefore creating slower speeds for all on the plan.
Lots of people who only use small amounts of data are on the plan because they know that even when the family comes to visit they are not going to be stung with overage fees, these people deserve better from this plan.
Telecom is obviously happy with the performance of the plan, likely none of their staff have actually used it, the only way I can see this being sorted is for CC to provide a minimum performance level for a plan to be called 'broadband.
I believe robust discussion in forums such as these is a catalyst for change, just my 2c.
I enjoy reasonable debate :-)
First of all, there are lots of Telecom staff on the plan - and no, before anyone asks, they get exactly the same experience as any other Telecom Retail customer. There is no special treatment given to staff members on Bigtime. I'm sure most people here know it, but in the interests of full disclosure I am a Telecom staff member and I am on Bigtime. While I am personally happy with the performance, I also have a second ADSL line (on a non-shaped plan) because I like to download heaps, and I also like to have the fastest possible connection at any time of the day or night. Currently I don't believe there's a single plan (from any NZ ISP) that satisfies both requirements until you start talking many $$$
Telecom do fairly advertise the plan. We got bitten with Go Large, and the marketing material has always been very up front on Bigtime about the traffic shaping.
For the case where someone who "only use small amounts of data are on the plan because they know that even when the family comes to visit they are not going to be stung with overage fees", there are other plans available form many ISPs... In fact, The Telecom Adventure plan has 20GB monthly allowance, and if you hit the cap, then the speeds drops to dialup speed but there is no overage to be stung with. Other ISPs have plans with lower overage options as well.
Absolutely no-one has a gun to their head and are being MADE to get Bigtime. If the CC came in and dropped some requirements for a plan to be called Broadband, and those requirements weren't being met by Bigtime, then Telecoms alternatives would be to either raise the price of the plan to fund improvements, or to stop calling it Broadband. (Note I am nothing to do with Product Management - this is just personal opinion)
People need to remember that Telecom isn't a charity - we have shareholders to answer to, as do most other ISPs. Plans need to be profitable or else they won't get offered, or won't last long in the market.
Bigtime really suits some people very very well, and others, not so much. The only real problem seems to be where some customers seem to want to have an unlimited all you can eat plan, and also have all (or most) of the benefits of a non-shaped plan - but don't want to pay any extra. (And those that say "Well, I'd pay $10/month extra to have shaping disabled" etc are just dreaming... If an unshaped, unlimited broadband plan made economic sense in New Zealand , don't you think all ISPs would offer it?)
How many ISPs off unlimited use plans? How many of those don't have shaping?
Unfortunately, No ISP can afford to run Broadband plans at huge losses. Telecom is no exception - sorry.
Cheers - N
Slowed down to <200k? I don't think so; it'd give an awful impression of their service.
