BS from ihug/telecom

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#33326 18-Apr-2006 20:21

1.8Mbps on the 2Mbps plan. Thats fine with me. A big improvement over 256kbps. Only problem - I blew my 1GB data cap in one day. Only 1.5 weeks more of 56k :(

I would like to be able to purchase another 1GB at high speed to tie me over but no such option...If TCL go 100mbps I may have to jump ship, the TCL cables are at the door.

juha

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#33327 18-Apr-2006 20:31

Jama: 1.8Mbps on the 2Mbps plan. Thats fine with me. A big improvement over 256kbps. Only problem - I blew my 1GB data cap in one day. Only 1.5 weeks more of 56k :(

Don't worry, it's actually 64k...

Juha

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#33328 18-Apr-2006 20:45

I've gone back to 256kbps and a 40GB data cap.

Telecom's 3.5Mbps offerings are mandarins not oranges. (The data caps leave a sour taste in your mouth too!) In my book, if you're selling an orange - you should get an orange.

ADSL2 and unbundling, anyone?

nzbnw

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#33524 20-Apr-2006 22:39

centaurianz: I've gone back to 256kbps and a 40GB data cap.

Telecom's 3.5Mbps offerings are mandarins not oranges. (The data caps leave a sour taste in your mouth too!) In my book, if you're selling an orange - you should get an orange.

ADSL2 and unbundling, anyone?

ADSL2 Yes, Unbundling NO WAY.

Unbundling will not solve New Zealand’s problems, and besides why should Telecom have to give into the government on an issue that is really not their problem. Telecom as with all other businesses are here for one reason and one reason only, and it's not to make an operating loss. They way I see it is Telecom owns the lines end of story. And it is only because Telecom is doing well out of broadband that other ISPs want in. Telecom represents free business and the ideals of a free market, and those who say otherwise are merely communists. That’s my take anyways and I guess most of you would disagree, but before you do, think about this.

What would you do if you where Telecom. And don’t say unbundle the local loop.

Regards

Ben

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#33525 20-Apr-2006 22:46

nzbnw: Telecom represents free business and the ideals of a free market, and those who say otherwise are merely communists.

Remember people: You are either with us, or you are with the terrorists! No middle ground!

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Jama

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#33527 20-Apr-2006 22:52

Interesting comments by NZBNW. After all, are all those Aussie banks here because they love us?

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#33528 20-Apr-2006 23:00

Well, we know how friendly and good sports those aussies are....

Humor aside, one of the primary purpose of any corporation is to make a profit and return part of that profit to its shareholders. I think any corporation in the same position as Telecom would act the same way. Good for business, bad for consumers.

He does make some decent points, however I feel the 'you are with us or you are with them' logic is a bit overused.

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#33530 20-Apr-2006 23:33

Well as far as I’m concerned you lot are doing well see my speed test results.

Results (as per: http://www.jetstreamgames.co.nz/speed/500KB.html)

Below is the data used to calculate your download speed:
• Download time: 19.672 seconds
• Size of file: 520 Kilobytes
• Estimated line speed: 215.7 (kilobits/second)
• Estimated line speed: 26.4 (kilobytes/second)

-This is what I get (approx) all day everyday.
-I am supposed to be on a 3.5/128 plan
-I live a 5-10 min walk from Auckland city centre

I have had a technician out to test line/wiring etc, he got the same speed, It turns out It’s a known throughput issue at the exchange. (Which they failed to mention when I called to sign up)

After numerous calls to the xtra helpdesk and a lot of false promises of service restoration I still get the same results 2 weeks later.

My favorite line from one of the xtra customer service reps was:

“Xtra do not guarantee line speeds due to the nature of the internet, you’d know this if you’d bothered to read the terms and conditions before signing up.”

What a joke…….that’s about all I can say.

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#33532 20-Apr-2006 23:50

“Xtra do not guarantee line speeds due to the nature of the internet, you’d know this if you’d bothered to read the terms and conditions before signing up.”

Since Xtra does not guarantee line speeds, perhaps they can stop bs'ing and stop the magic 'buzz word' - 3.5mbps connection speed that they use in various advertisements on tv and the internet.

Of course the ISP's have wildcards - blame Telecom (alternative: blame the lines, the exchanges... perhaps we can get them to blame it on the car traffic problems in Auckland).... and then in return Telecom flips it back at the ISP - its a really fun game, the blame game is.

And perhaps they can fix the users who were getting reasonable speeds on the 2mbps plans and strangely now on the 3mbps plans go slower than what they were getting on their 2mbps plans, they'd know this if they'd bothered to listen to those pesky little things called customers (commonly referred to as sheep or cash cows).

It sounds like they are trying to turn this into another 56k case.

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NokiaRocks

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#33544 21-Apr-2006 07:56

Anything to stop VOIP taking off.

JellyWeb

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#33553 21-Apr-2006 09:18

Like alot of you here, i am having the same issue. only 2.2M on the 3.5M plan
It's telecoms fault for not having the equipment/bandwidth to deal with the demand. Something that can be resolved if the government forces the greedy giants to open up the local loop to competition!?
for some more bitc#ing check out my reply to this post:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=49&TopicId=7508

DKS1DR

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#33688 23-Apr-2006 10:47

Hold on a minute. When Telecom's wiring network was put in, were they not owned by the Govt? If so, then the wiring was paid for by us tax payers. Why should telecom now be able to say that those who payed for it, US, not have access to make it better?

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#33694 23-Apr-2006 12:15

Because they 'brought' it. Which makes its Telecoms, even though we tax payers probably didn't get our investment back due to the price that it was sold for.

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SilentOne

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#33705 23-Apr-2006 14:43

Lots of good comments being bandied around, yet alot is opinions based on others peoples opinions so here's my factual 2c worth.

In terms of Local loop unbundling from where I'm sitting its near insane to unbundle the local loop... as it is now at least.

A real crass look at the reason why some of you guys are getting worse speeds than before.... heres an enalogy for you.

You have a 40 Gal drum full of water with 20 holes punched in the sides, each 2cm in diameter. It takes a certain amount of time for that data (read:water) to pour out of the drum.

Now if all 20 of those holes increased to 3.5cm holes, the data disappears faster because its the same amount of data and same size container yet a higher throughput.

All your broadband speeds are directly relational to the area (read 40 Gal Drum) your in and the number of users on at the one time. Obviously its in Telecoms best interest to regulate it a little so the "phat pipe" serving each area through their backhaul network is spread as far as it can in that area.
You guys may have been getting top speeds on your old plans but remember when they opened up the throughput a little more, they still had the same infrastructure behind it.

I'm just guessing here but Telecom hasn't upgraded much of their gear, and won't until the ADSL2+ gear starts rolling out Mid year and becomes avail sometime at the end of 06 or start of 07 @ speeds of 24Mbps.

Its a tide over... thats all there is to it.... people are shouting for more speed so Telecom deduces its feasible to open the flood gates a little more with the systems they have while they go ahead and spend just a a triffle 1.4 BILLION dollars upgrading the network in the meantime.....

People throw around the "last mile" argument of Local loop unbundling saying we should be getting the max speeds that the phone lines can handle (up around 7Mbps) and that Telecom is stopping it, yet with the current infratructure, can you imagine the say 50 odd people willing to pay the top plan leeching away while the other users, again pooling from the same backhaul, what speeds they'll get?

Then theres the argument of service. If you have every ISP availible having access to the last mile of copper to your house (read : Unbundling), whos responsible for which cabinet, and which strech of line... if theres a fault on your phone line.. who are you going to ring.. who's responsible for that?.... here starts a new era of "Pass the buck please!"

Theres still ongoing distputes in london after THREE years of LLU (local loop unbundling)......

The other point I want to make is that at the moment Telecom charges the same amount for ADSL throughout New Zealand, regardless of where you live. I'm assuming this is in relation to the "Kiwi Share" agreement (if your a little fuzzy, google it with Telecom in front).

In most other countries the world over, the prices are set by the companies themselves and based on simple economics would make it MUCH cheaper to service customer in densely populated areas. So in New Zealand, to a small extent this basically means the people in cities are subsidising the rural community.

Me personally, along with the author of a peice titled "Unbundling the Local Loop in New Zealand is Insanity", Ivestigate Magazine, May 2006, C.Hanlon.... that the partial subsidising is a GOOD thing. Sure I want faster speeds and want it yesterday but check out our population and how big each city is and how far they are spread apart..... its a very expenive venture.

What LLU COULD lead to in NZ is disbanding this partial sunsidy and meaning provers like Telstra, Slingshot, iHug etc servicing only the built up profitable areas and leaving the rural community to the wayside... not very Kiwi.

Anyways thats my drop in the stormy seas. Granted I don't like aspects of how Telecom works, but if they weren't here with the KiwShare agreement with the Government.. it really would be an offshore country looking after Our... My interests and that doesn't bode well.

juha

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#33707 23-Apr-2006 15:11

Oh well, it's all great and good then.

In fact, do we need broadband? Seems such a contentious issue that we should perhaps all drop it. Those who want broadband can move overseas and not stay in NZ kvetching about how slow and expensive it is, and what little choice we have here.

Your post reminded me of this one in fact. Bronwyn Howell said the same in 2003, when an earlier report highlighted the poor broadband uptake:

8 Dec 2003
Victoria University researcher Bronwyn Howell reckons New Zealanders shouldn't be overly concerned by international studies indicating a comparatively low take-up of broadband Internet services.

(Article itself long gone from Stuff, unfortunately.)

Want to bet there will be similar stories the next few years?

Juha

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