HFC (FibreX) Node Problems?

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Ulairi

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#306760 18-Aug-2023 20:35

We are on the FibreX network in Wellington. We've been with this network for the last 12 years. Yes - I know that the cable network is 'old technology'. But apart from two instances of flakiness it has been very good for us and it is keenly priced by OneNZ. It's just their tech support that sucks.

A couple of months ago we had recurring problems with the Internet dropping out. It got progressively worse until the point of being unusable, which was a real PITA for internet access, streaming TV and working from home.

After numerous calls to OneNZ and them getting me to reboot numerous times and report each time on the light status on the cable modem (not the UltraHub) it was elevated to their next tier of tech support. Their subsequent communication with me was abysmal (i.e. I never heard back) but the problem magically disappeared a couple of days later. We've been rock solid ever since (almost three months later). Despite me asking their tech support to let me know what was going on, OneNZ have never had the courtesy to follow up with me nor offer to reimburse me for the considerable inconvenience (about eight phone calls and over three hours of wasted time in total).

A similar thing happened to us a few years earlier. Again, it was only for a relatively short period of time and the service returned to rock solid afterwards. I think that Vodafone (as they were then) confirmed with me at the time that is was a local Node problem.

If I recall correctly, a few years ago I remember seeing threads where knowledgeable folk suggest that imbalances somewhere on a local Node (e.g. if a modem or a line to a house is is disconnected without the ISP being made aware) can cause flakiness at the Node which affects other customers on the same Node. Is this the case? If so, it suggests that FibreX customers are vulnerable to the behavior of people elsewhere in their local area (who can't really be blamed, because this is not well known or advertised by OneNZ).

I have been offered a $300 gift card by Chorus to switch to UFB. FibreX is cheaper but the $300 credit buys me quite a time of the difference. Before I make the call the switch, I want to get a better idea of the risk of the problem recurring.

Is it true that the cable network Nodes are vulnerable to imbalances? What causes these sort of issues?
Is there any way to identify the root cause yourself?
What are the 'magic words' that get you through to the right tech support in OneNZ swiftly (rather than the understandable, but time-sucking noddy diagnostics that they force you to go through before elevating (reboot router, reboot modem, etc) - I'd already done that ...

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#3117864 18-Aug-2023 21:48

Found with Vodafone you get terrible service unless you are a business customer so if you have a GST registered business it helps. Otherwise physical store is your only option for good service.

Drop outs can occur on HFC usually its a noisy neighbor but given how many people use it now its unlikely that's the case.

Sadly it seems to be voting with the wallet is the only way to get attention but i understand why people take the cheaper HFC for slower speeds

[URL=https://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3558175835][IMG]https://www.speedtest.net/result/3558175835.png[/IMG][/URL]

Aucklandjafa

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#3117894 19-Aug-2023 06:53

CNZ:
Found with Vodafone you get terrible service unless you are a business customer so if you have a GST registered business it helps. Otherwise physical store is your only option for good service.

Drop outs can occur on HFC usually its a noisy neighbor but given how many people use it now its unlikely that's the case.

Sadly it seems to be voting with the wallet is the only way to get attention but i understand why people take the cheaper HFC for slower speeds

I’m getting 940 down on my connection, wouldn’t call that exactly ‘slower speed’, can’t even recall if I ever got that on gigabit fibre

cyril7

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#3117895 19-Aug-2023 07:25

Aucklandjafa:
CNZ:
Found with Vodafone you get terrible service unless you are a business customer so if you have a GST registered business it helps. Otherwise physical store is your only option for good service.

Drop outs can occur on HFC usually its a noisy neighbor but given how many people use it now its unlikely that's the case.

Sadly it seems to be voting with the wallet is the only way to get attention but i understand why people take the cheaper HFC for slower speeds

I’m getting 940 down on my connection, wouldn’t call that exactly ‘slower speed’, can’t even recall if I ever got that on gigabit fibre

But what's your upload speed, I doubt it's anywhere near my 480Mb/s.

Cyril

antoniosk

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#3117898 19-Aug-2023 08:28

Ulairi:

Is it true that the cable network Nodes are vulnerable to imbalances? What causes these sort of issues?
Is there any way to identify the root cause yourself?
What are the 'magic words' that get you through to the right tech support in OneNZ swiftly (rather than the understandable, but time-sucking noddy diagnostics that they force you to go through before elevating (reboot router, reboot modem, etc) - I'd already done that ...

1/ Cable is an analog based broadcast tv technology (think tv transmitters but encapsulated inside a cable). Its 45 year old tech, upgraded over time to offer better speeds etc but still bound to those design decisions of the late 70's.

Things like split cable allowing water in, poorly terminated connections around you (neighbours disconnecting etc), and a general level of DGAF from TelstraSaturnVodaClearCelloOne.nz for maintenance means yes, individual nodes can deteriorate noticeably.

2/ Hard experience such as what you're having now

3/ I dont think this will work. Its a small network now, and the level of field expertise inside one.nz or Downer must be tiny. Less of 'what do I say' and more 'is there anyone left who knows what to do'

Switch to fibre. Its becoming like electricity, where you can swap providers based on price and personal deal.

But always be prepared for the CONSISTENT and REGULAR price rises on fibre - it's been about 10% this year on average - from Chorus and the others, which is passed on to you inside a rounded up increase.

You'll get a $300 prezzy card from Chorus, which is tiresome but adequate.

________

Antoniosk

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#3117901 19-Aug-2023 08:52

I used to be on the Vodafone HFC network in Wellington, before "real fibre" became available.

Before moving to Wellington I had used fibre, so HFC was a major downgrade. Numerous outages, unpredictable speeds.

I switched to "real fibre" [leaving Vodafone] at the first opportunity, and have not regretted doing so. No outages in the last 3 years. Totally reliable.

If you have experienced fibre, you would not be tempted to stay with an antique technology like HFC.

HFC is cheaper for a reason.

Just switch. 😉

Sideface

Aucklandjafa

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#3117902 19-Aug-2023 08:59

100mb/s, have no idea what I’d need that for, but for $53/month I’m really not complaining

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CNZ

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#3117914 19-Aug-2023 09:53

Aucklandjafa: 100mb/s, have no idea what I’d need that for, but for $53/month I’m really not complaining

Some areas with higher users speed go down to the 600 mark as it's a shared line sounds like you might be the only user on that cabinet hence why you get consistent speeds but yes disconnections are common on dosis when it's congested

[URL=https://www.speedtest.net/my-result/3558175835][IMG]https://www.speedtest.net/result/3558175835.png[/IMG][/URL]

quickymart

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#3117919 19-Aug-2023 10:32

As someone who's used both technologies, if you offered me the choice of cable or fibre again, fibre would win every time - yes, even if it is more expensive.

I also used to work for what was Telstra Clear, and I know that while the network was good in its day (everyone I knew wanted to be on cable once upon a time and it was a source of jealousy for those who couldn't get it), those days are now long gone.

Aucklandjafa

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#3117950 19-Aug-2023 12:22

Sideface:
I used to be on the Vodafone HFC network in Wellington, before "real fibre" became available.

Before moving to Wellington I had used fibre, so HFC was a major downgrade. Numerous outages, unpredictable speeds.

I switched to "real fibre" [leaving Vodafone] at the first opportunity, and have not regretted doing so. No outages in the last 3 years. Totally reliable.

If you have experienced fibre, you would not be tempted to stay with an antique technology like HFC.

HFC is cheaper for a reason.

Just switch. 😉

It’s cheaper because Voda isn’t paying Chorus $50+ per month.

DjShadow

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#3117952 19-Aug-2023 12:31

quickymart:

As someone who's used both technologies, if you offered me the choice of cable or fibre again, fibre would win every time - yes, even if it is more expensive.

I also used to work for what was Telstra Clear, and I know that while the network was good in its day (everyone I knew wanted to be on cable once upon a time and it was a source of jealousy for those who couldn't get it), those days are now long gone.

I think in its heyday it was one of the things that made the Wellington region cool where there was faster broadband available, and the rest of NZ only had ADSL with its own share of problems. RIP Paradise Net.

lurker

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#3117955 19-Aug-2023 12:53

I had similar issues but one of the OneNZ techs here checked my modem, did an update, and I have been trouble free ever since. Will PM you details

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Fog

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#3117974 19-Aug-2023 15:50

Ulairi,

I am finding this interesting. We have been on HFC Fibre X for many years on the Kapiti Coast. Getting download speeds of around 280 (never above 300) and upload speeds of 100 and

I am wondering if this is all I can expect. My tech knowledge isn't that great and your comments regarding the Node are a bit concerning. I dread ringing ONE for advice and would

welcome your comments.

SomeoneSomewhere

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#3117993 19-Aug-2023 17:06

First thing is to make sure it's actually an HFC/One problem, not something internal to your network. I.e. gigabit ethernet, not wifi, test multiple PCs, and check that you're actually on a 1000Mb/s plan, not some legacy 300/100 plan if they ever did them.

Generally, you expect HFC issues to either be

Capacity constraint - at peak times, speeds decrease because you're sharing a limited pool with a bunch of other users, or
Stability issues - connections drop out etc.

I don't think sustained low speeds is really a common failure mode for HFC.

cyril7

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#3118052 20-Aug-2023 08:37

Hi I think it's fair to say the greatest negative for HFC is congestion as mentioned in a footnote in legal proceedings re the branding as FibreX implying it's fibre, the following footnote was provided by Vodafone.

Cyril

quickymart

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#3118104 20-Aug-2023 09:35

What percentage of people are still left on cable these days anyway? Can't be anywhere near the highs of the early-to-mid 2000s.

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