Vodafone broadband speed incredibly slow

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OnceBitten

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#64023 6-Jul-2010 10:37

We have a 5gig 'easy'? home phone and broadband plan with Vodafone, and for the last few months our internet speed has been very slow - slower than Dial up I think.

We got 'geeks on wheels' out to give the PC a W.O.F a couple of weeks ago - they did several speed tests, tested the modem / router and put new filters on the lines...etc... but the download speed was always 64kbps - he could not believe it and said it should be well into the thousands. He wrote down his findings and said we need to phone Vodafone and tell them about the internet speed and the test results and ask them to do a 'port reset' at the exchange - that should fix the problem. Vodafone have done this and there has been no change in internet speed at all.

I phoned Vodafone a week ago to tell them this and the guy on the technical help desk sent me a 'template' asking me to do several speed tests at different times of the day an to do a 'tracert? to several websites.

The speed tests were the same (64kbps download speed) and the tracert timed out several times. I documented the findings and e-mailed them back to Vodafone & I am awaiting their reply

The guy at Vodafone said the next step is to get a technician to come out to the exchange and check that and if no problems they will come to our house to check the lines...etc... and if the problem is 'internal' (at our house) they will charge us upwards of $200+.

I am paranoid that they will come to our house and find a fault and we will be left with a hefty bill - so is there anything I could or should check just to be double sure there's not a problem at our place?

We have the phone plugged into one jack point and the broadband modem / router into another - all other jack points at the house are unused.
Also we live in Heathcote, Christchurch if that makes a difference.

any help / advise would be much appreciated!

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#348343 6-Jul-2010 11:28

Hi James, I assume the phone is connected via a filter. Can you post the line stats from the modem. I also presume you have tried with the phone disconnected, ie no phones connected anywhere.

Cyril

OnceBitten

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Ultimate Geek

#348353 6-Jul-2010 11:58

thanks for your reply

Line stats from the modem? I'm not sure if he wrote those down at all - I'll have to have a look at the stuff he wrote down when I get home tonight. He did say he was confident the modem was not the problem
I know the speed tests were
Ping - 135
Download - 0.06
Upload 0.13
pretty sure these were the results - and I did them through speedtest.net and on vodafone's website
we tested the speed with and without the phone being plugged in and got the same result.
I will double check results tonight.

jsauni

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#348370 6-Jul-2010 12:35

I had a similar issue with Vodafone. After a month or so of back n forth communication and several technicians coming to the house and exchange/cabinet the issue was finally sorted.

To this day I still don't know what the issue was but was not charged the $200 fee so assume it was nothing internal. If you've run all the tests they've mentioned I think you should be fine. Plus isn't there a line insurance/fee so if there is a problem you don't pay? If you don't pay that (like me) then you'll have to flip that bill.

Jaxar

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Ultimate Geek

#348449 6-Jul-2010 16:15

jsauni: I had a similar issue with Vodafone. After a month or so of back n forth communication and several technicians coming to the house and exchange/cabinet the issue was finally sorted.

To this day I still don't know what the issue was but was not charged the $200 fee so assume it was nothing internal. If you've run all the tests they've mentioned I think you should be fine. Plus isn't there a line insurance/fee so if there is a problem you don't pay? If you don't pay that (like me) then you'll have to flip that bill.

I think you will find the wiring and maintenance fee covers when the issue actually relates to wiring and maintenance. If the fault is with a customers equipment or something they have done themselves then there is a fee.

Please note: I have a professional bias towards Vodafone.

xpd

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#348452 6-Jul-2010 16:19

Even try another router on your line if possible, just to eliminate it out of the problem.
Or take your router to a friends and try it on their line.

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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inarush

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#348457 6-Jul-2010 16:27

Have you posted on the Vodafone Forums maybe you can get one of the guys there to pick it up?

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz/

freitasm

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#348480 6-Jul-2010 17:18

The obvious question, not asked yet... Have you used up your 5GB allowance and been put in the speed capped pool?

Didn't the Vodafone CSR ask you this, or checked it for you?

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OnceBitten

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#348530 6-Jul-2010 19:32

that was the first thing the 'geeks on wheels' guy checked. I had ever checked it myself and we were well under the 5 gig limit...

johnr

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#348557 6-Jul-2010 21:23

Check out the top 3 threads this should help you

http://forum.vodafone.co.nz/forum/20-home-phone-and-broadband/

John

OnceBitten

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Ultimate Geek

#348601 6-Jul-2010 23:31

thanks for that link - the IT guy did most of the tests, but the vodafone website says to do an isolation test by unplugging everything from the phone sockets and plugging the modem into every phone socket - but it says he modem does not need to be plugged into the computer unless you are testing speed problems (which I am) and that is not possible because there are phone jacks in all the rooms in our house (3 yrs old) and the computer is in the lounge!
I will see if I can get hold of an old 'plug in corded' phone and try that on all the jacks here - see if that makes a difference.

will register on the Vodafone forums and ask in there too (I didn't even know the Vodafone forums existed)

cyril7

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#348632 7-Jul-2010 08:41

Hi james, just get the line stats, I dont think there is anything unique about a vodafone conneciton that would be an issue or if it is its very unexpected. You line stats I suspect are important so if you can log in to the web admin of the modem and get the line stats.

Cyril

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#348638 7-Jul-2010 09:21

Also do you have an alarm system?, you say its a newish house so very likely, if so then DSL performance can be compromised.

If however its stuck on 64kb/s then I would strongly suspect that the port config needs resetting, but first clear the line performance by posting line stats.

Cyril

OnceBitten

535 posts

Ultimate Geek

#348697 7-Jul-2010 11:51

Yes, we do have a security system, but that has nothing to do with the phone line as far as I am aware...

I will try to do an isolation test and will try to get the data stats from the modem.

thanks

dukezoid

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#349699 10-Jul-2010 00:04

Vodafone helpdesk and 'geeks on wheels' have let you down here, no surprise sadly..

A 64kbps downstream statistic is a classic indication of interference on the line; caused by one or more of

- Faulty filter
- Modem connected to incorrect side of filter
- Phone extension cable in use between modem and jackpoint

As with any ADSL connectivity/speed issue first step is to perform ISOLATION test; that is modem as ONLY device connected directly to (working) jackpoint via short cable - no filters, no extension cables, no phones. This should eliminate interference sources on customer end. If still sow then possible modem faulty, line/exchange or ISP issue.

With a little luck once correctly isolated your downstream attainable will look much healthier (hopefully ~8,000 -15,000kbps if cabinetised and on good copper).

Tips:

If modem only device connected to jackpoint it does not require filter, in fact your modem is better off plugged directly in on its own. Any phones/faxes connected elsewhere must be filtered (less the better, save $$ and port to VOIP anyway)

Not all filters are created equal (cheap = crap)

Use as short a phone cable as possible between jackpoint and modem

Monitored alarm system (talks to alarm company by itself via phoneline) OR just want easiest best speeds - ask ISP about splitter install by Chorus $149

Call ISP helpdesk and biitch about poor support until credited apropriately if CSR unhelpful request/demand escalation to supervisor

It's really disappointing that given the prevalence and long history of ADSL in NZ the troubleshooting abilities of ISPs and commercial technicians is so shiite. Telecom actually now run a very fine network its the customer end which continues to be poorly managed/supported by ISPs.

CYaBro

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#349708 10-Jul-2010 07:31

I would say the problem is with Vodafone.
I've had 3 or 4 clients, who are all with vodafone, in the last few days with the exact same problem as the OP.
They are all businesses and all have a master splitter installed.
Vodafone confirmed yesterday that some customers are having problems and they are working on fixing it.

Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer.

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