do I need UFB??

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › do I need UFB??

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MikeAqua

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#1553630 16-May-2016 16:26

I appreciate the extent to which members here who are also spark employees help users for time to time. However, I simply don't see this as an appropriate (or even safe) way to access support.

I'll probably try the website chat one day, might be faster (and more intelligible) than phone help.

Talkiet:

This is NOT an official support forum, we are not required to be here or to action any individual post etc... BUT because of the typically higher acumen of the users here, it's often a useful early warning beacon for problems that might affect more than just one person, and sometimes there are individual issues that aren't serious but can give us indications of possible future problems.

The official support channel is via phone or the website. If you wanted to take the time to properly frame your issue however in a PM to cbrpilot

Mike

richms

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#1553632 16-May-2016 16:27

Im not sure of the level of automation that spark have on their web chat, but I always assume I am just typing to a script when dealing with those things.

Richard rich.ms

MikeAqua

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#1553638 16-May-2016 16:42

Phone help is similar, but with a human between the script and the phone. My problem is my hearing isn't that great, so talking to someone on the phone for whom English is a second language can be difficult for me.

richms:

Im not sure of the level of automation that spark have on their web chat, but I always assume I am just typing to a script when dealing with those things.

Mike

Batman

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#1553667 16-May-2016 18:26

MikeAqua:

I appreciate the extent to which members here who are also spark employees help users for time to time. However, I simply don't see this as an appropriate (or even safe) way to access support.

I'll probably try the website chat one day, might be faster (and more intelligible) than phone help.

Talkiet:

This is NOT an official support forum, we are not required to be here or to action any individual post etc... BUT because of the typically higher acumen of the users here, it's often a useful early warning beacon for problems that might affect more than just one person, and sometimes there are individual issues that aren't serious but can give us indications of possible future problems.

The official support channel is via phone or the website. If you wanted to take the time to properly frame your issue however in a PM to cbrpilot

Think of official support as business, and Geekzone as phone a friend/mate - whether the ISPs endorse it, ethically, professionally, etc - I don't know. It's not like your mate is getting you freebies or upgrades you're not entitled to.

MadEngineer

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#1554094 17-May-2016 12:42

It's in the ISP's best interest to monitor public forums or popular media for feedback and to be seen actively helping customers. As such it's a great medium to publically state that you're not getting the expected service and support through the usual channels while also collaborating any widespread issues that can come up from time to time.

You're not on Atlantis anymore, Duncan Idaho.

jonoashton

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#1554891 18-May-2016 15:30

I think that fibre is the future so am wanting to up grade but..... With who?? I see all these graphs about speed etc and hear mostly bad reviews. Is there a clear cut winner of speed and customer service.

The below graph makes Voyager look pretty good. I would stay with Flip but they have been "talking" about fibre for a long while now but have seen no action.

Any comment on a good provider?? I am sure that there are plenty not mentioned in the below graph

Sideface:

MikeAqua:

Yes I'm testing over Ethernet, with nothing else connected.

When the connection was provisioned, the tech checked and it was running at 100. I tested the next day and got somewhere in the 30s.

<snip>

Not that long until the end of our contract and I'll shop around then.

TrueNet March 2016 Urban Broadband Report March 2016

Chart 7: Fibre & Cable Performance as Percentage of Advertised Speed

Spark UFB is the blue line running along the 100% line.

This is what you should expect.

Are you telling us that you have tolerated less than 50% performance since the day of installation almost a year ago because of long delays at the Spark helpdesk?

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

richms

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#1554899 18-May-2016 15:38

You will be fine with anyone except my republic.

I would personally avoid orcon based on their horrific billing cockups, any of the others are good. Bigpipe is good since you dont have to call them and be on a phone call. 2degrees have a technically good service but I have not had to interact with their customer service in a long time so may have gone bad with them being bought by 2 degrees, have heard a few negative things about failed call backs etc.

Richard rich.ms

quickymart

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#1555008 18-May-2016 16:48

Steer clear of Vodafone too.

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#1555025 18-May-2016 17:24

How accurate would those graphed numbers be?

richms

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#1555029 18-May-2016 17:30

quickymart: Steer clear of Vodafone too.

Their UFB on actual UFB is fine tho, I dont know whats happened with those graphs but people I know on vodafone UFB have fine speeds.

Richard rich.ms

quickymart

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#1555042 18-May-2016 17:50

I would still avoid them like the plague for any landline/broadband service (I have no issues with their mobile service).

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Sideface

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#1555072 18-May-2016 19:01

joker97:

How accurate would those graphed numbers be?

First, read this: See How we test

I am a TrueNet volunteer.

TrueNet run multiple hourly tests on my (cable) connection, 24/7 - about 10,000 tests per week.

The statistical problem is that there is a limited number of volunteers scattered all over New Zealand - it's like doing a survey of any small group of people - they may or may not be "typical".

Overall the TrueNet reports are very good at showing trends and making comparisons.

Sideface

JohnButt

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#1557379 22-May-2016 16:50

Sideface:

joker97:

How accurate would those graphed numbers be?

First, read this: See How we test

I am a TrueNet volunteer.

TrueNet run multiple hourly tests on my (cable) connection, 24/7 - about 10,000 tests per week.

The statistical problem is that there is a limited number of volunteers scattered all over New Zealand - it's like doing a survey of any small group of people - they may or may not be "typical".

Overall the TrueNet reports are very good at showing trends and making comparisons.

Thanks Sideface :-) That is how I would put it.

One point worth noting that may explain some common misconceptions about our data is that we measure speed from the panelists modem to an internet exchange (WIX, APE, Dallas and Sydney) ie we avoid the servers located within the ISPs, such as Speedtest and Ookla, these overstate speed because the tests avoid potential traffic, latency and/or packetloss through the ISP internal network. We believe our tests are more true to experience.

We also measure time taken to download websites, a far better performance metric than speed in most applications, you can see those results on our webpage. However, the reports currently show little difference between ISPs, most of the difference is between ADSL and other technologies.

So upgrading is the most important decision, which ISP may be a lot less important.

Our latest report was just published bit.ly/TN_Apr16

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