Thinking of switch to Vodafone Cable from Telecom VDSL

Forums › One New Zealand (including Vodafone, WxC, Farmside) › Thinking of switch to Vodafone Cable from Telecom VDSL

BigMal

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#166308 9-Mar-2015 10:23

Hi,

I'd appreciate any feedback from current cable customers in welly.

I'm thinking of making the switch from Telecom VDSL to Vodafone cable. Telecom has been good but since I got VDSL approx 2 years ago my sync rates and speed have slowly got worse. I started out syncing around 45Mbps and now it's down around 25Mbps and my usenet downloads top out at around 2MBs.

The lure of 100Mbps cable on unlimited data is getting too hard to resist

So, my questions:

1. I use a Roku 3, Amazon Fire TV and Android tablets for access Netflix. Do these devices all work on Vodafone? I remember about 6 months ago there were issues with Vodafone's transparent proxy - does this still exist?

2. How's the performance on the unlimited plan? Is gaming ok? Is traffic managed often or at all?

Thanks, Jeremy.

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#1253784 9-Mar-2015 10:23

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.

These links are referral codes: Sharesies | Mighty Ape

Andib

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#1253804 9-Mar-2015 10:29

I can't speak for the cable service itself (I would suggest searching here as there pleanty of Geekzoners on VF Cable) but if good Customer service is a must then you won't want to go anywhere near VF. Just have a look here / on their facebook page for all the complaints about it

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BigMal

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#1253815 9-Mar-2015 10:36

Actually I just skimmed through 8 pages of the cable congestion thread. Sounds like VF cable isn't all it's cracked up to be. Shame. Might look at Big Pipe.

JamesL

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#1253856 9-Mar-2015 11:11

Switching ISP's (for VDSL) wont change sync rate

Your best bet is to figure out why your sync rate is degrading, possibly house wiring, running a splitter etc etc?

mattbush

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#1253858 9-Mar-2015 11:12

BigMal: Actually I just skimmed through 8 pages of the cable congestion thread. Sounds like VF cable isn't all it's cracked up to be. Shame. Might look at Big Pipe.

VF don't deserve new customers these days....

BigMal

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#1253864 9-Mar-2015 11:15

JamesL: Switching ISP's (for VDSL) wont change sync rate

Your best bet is to figure out why your sync rate is degrading, possibly house wiring, running a splitter etc etc?

Good point. I had a master splitter installed by Cyril at the time I got VDSL so I assume it's not my wiring that's an issue?

Andib

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#1253865 9-Mar-2015 11:16

JamesL: Switching ISP's (for VDSL) wont change sync rate

Your best bet is to figure out why your sync rate is degrading, possibly house wiring, running a splitter etc etc?

Most likely noise from all the neighbours getting VDSL

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MileHighKiwi

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#1253897 9-Mar-2015 11:45

We're on VF cable (in Upper Hutt) 50Mbps plan. I have the laptop, PS4 and Roku 3 hardwired and never have trouble streaming content. Tablet is on wifi. The laptop gets speeds consistently high 40s, PS4 and Roku around 18-26.

VF customer services is hopeless but thankfully I don't need to contact them often. I'd recommend them.

Lias

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#1253920 9-Mar-2015 12:10

As others have noted, Vodafone is a great big steaming pile of crap currently, but I'd still chose cable over any form of DSL *shrug*.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

rp1790

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#1253938 9-Mar-2015 12:43

The VF Cable product is very good, however, Vodafone customer service is exceptionally bad. If you can minimise your involvement with them, eg, don't take up VF TV then it might be ok.

nakedmolerat

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#1253946 9-Mar-2015 12:51

If I were in your situation, this is what I'll do.

Keep the VDSL for now.

Request for cable service as a new customer. Once up and running see how it goes. If everything is good then cancel vdsl.

If isn't good, cancel the connection - as it does not meet your expectation.

In all honesty, if you don't need those extra speed, might as well stick with vdsl. (Save the headache)

Sideface

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#1253970 9-Mar-2015 13:04

rp1790: The VF Cable product is very good, however, Vodafone customer service is exceptionally bad. If you can minimise your involvement with them, eg, don't take up VF TV then it might be ok.

+1

I've been on VF cable in Wellington for two years on various plans, currently 100/10 Mbps unlimited. (fibre is not available here until 2019)
Two years ago cable performance was excellent - within 5% of spec 95% of the time.
There has been a slow deterioration in performance over the last 6 months - I now typically get local speeds of 100/10 at 9am and 30-40/8 at 9pm (peak hour).
Overseas speeds are much lower than this - half of local speeds on a good day.
Despite this downward trend, VF cable still works far better than any VDSL connection that I've ever used.

Customer service is appalling, presumably due to staff shortages/retrenchments.
VF TV is to be avoided - I've just cancelled mine.

My advice - go with VF cable if you can't get fibre, but avoid VF TV.

Sideface

mattbush

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#1253972 9-Mar-2015 13:05

I would personally keep VDSL until you can get fibre....

Maybe..just maybe..VF have decided to let cable slowly die out as UFB takes hold....that doesnt explain their lack of customer service though...hmmm

Sideface

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#1253987 9-Mar-2015 13:21

nakedmolerat: If I were in your situation, this is what I'll do.

Keep the VDSL for now.

Request for cable service as a new customer. Once up and running see how it goes. If everything is good then cancel vdsl.

If isn't good, cancel the connection - as it does not meet your expectation.

In all honesty, if you don't need those extra speed, might as well stick with vdsl. (Save the headache)

VF refuse to supply VDSL if you can get cable, so you would have to use naked VF cable, and keep naked Spark VDSL on the landline.
If you want a landline phone as well, then you would need a second phone line, and things start to get complicated and expensive.

Because cable installation is expensive, there is a $199 early termination fee if you drop cable in the first 12 months of a VF contract.

Sideface

Chrizvi

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#1253999 9-Mar-2015 13:35

Just recently moved with VF cable from ADSL slingshot. as per above, I have moved because we wont have fibre until 2017.
OP's concerned was basically the same as mine.. I was worried that netflix and other streaming site will have issues but yeah, I am very much happy with VF cable 100/10.
I get 100/10 all the time no matter what time (peak or nonpeak hrs) even on wifi (using 5GHz Apple extreme).

all my devices can stream with netflix in 1080 (ATV, PS3, SonyTV, iPad). also I have subscribed with crashplan and uploaded 700GB of data which could take months from my adsl.

So very happy with VF cable... but I know some Kapiti users are having prob atm. btw, Im from Brooklyn Wellington.

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