Fiber or VDSL for me

Forums › New Zealand Broadband › Fiber or VDSL for me

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#248432 26-Mar-2019 10:48

Finally, 7 years after being told fiber was "due very soon", its actually available to me :)

Do I switch ?

Currently on VDSL 70/30.

My situation is this : I run a few servers at home (Plex/Email/FTP), so having higher outbound is of use.

If I switch to Fiber 100/20, I lose some outbound bandwidth..... I have run the services on lower but obviously would like to avoid it if I can ;)

But the fiber would probably be more stable (get the odd drop out on VDSL) and slightly faster download would be nice.......

Im happy with my current provider (Voyager) and their pricing, but they don't appear to be looking at offering a better upload rate plan without going to the Max plan.......

WWYD ? :)

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

1 | 2 | 3

751 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 177

Lifetime subscriber

#2205051 26-Mar-2019 11:23

Bigpipe have a 100/100 "Expert" fibre plan for $89. And, yes, you always want fibre over even the best VDSL connection :-)

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#2205054 26-Mar-2019 11:32

Yes switch. go for 100/100 if costs dont stack up for other plans

Voyager might be able to be twisted to offer you 100/50 (BS2 not BS2a fyi)

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

Lias

5655 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3978

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2205057 26-Mar-2019 11:42

Always fibre..

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

dt

1152 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 371
Inactive user

#2205062 26-Mar-2019 11:59

I do hear they are a terrific ISP so perhaps check with them if you can twist their arm as hio suggested

100/50 is such a good sweet spot

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2205066 26-Mar-2019 12:02

hio77:

Yes switch. go for 100/100 if costs dont stack up for other plans

Voyager might be able to be twisted to offer you 100/50 (BS2 not BS2a fyi)

Hehe that'd be handy too :)

How about it Voyager ? ;)

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

dc2daylight

88 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 25

#2205070 26-Mar-2019 12:16

My thinking would be - when there's another big storm, Fibre won't be the one with capacitance issues from water ingress somewhere along the copper loop.

Either can be backed up on your end with a UPS also.

As it happens, I've just switched 3 family properties (in the last 2 weeks) over to Voyager fibre with one on VDSL, and couldn't be happier so far. I'm glad I researched around here, and read lots of opinions first. The VDSL sync on Chorus gear has wildly exceeded my best expectations, though I chose to disconnect all the old analogue phone wiring after testing the new connection on both an inline filter, a master filter, and none at all. The VOIP component is fine so far, though I might switch to an ATA at at least one residence. I've been told by voyager that they won't support a third party VOIP device other than their own router.

Does anyone know what exactly their definition of support means in this context? Can I call them if I can't get my SIP account on my own gear to authorize for example? Do the SIP servers support ICMP if I want to ping them for a checkup?

I used a connector block instead of scotchlock connectors, because it's always given me the best connection in the past. I theorised this is due to the surface conduction properties of metal preferring more surface-area for high frequency signals, and I seem to be right. Scotchlock might be the industry standard, but I think it's for convenience of fast installs, and for keeping water out more than enhancing frequency response and conductivity. My re-wiring was inside a very hot and dry indoor patchbay, so moisture will never be an issue.

New World

Shop on-line at New World now for your groceries (affiliate link).

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#2205077 26-Mar-2019 13:08

dt:

I do hear they are a terrific ISP so perhaps check with them if you can twist their arm as hio suggested

100/50 is such a good sweet spot

i wont name providers, but i'm aware of a few that will do 100/50 if it's asked for specifically but charge as 200/200.

As noted above, it's important to remember it's BS2 not BS2a (so you have 100/50 at the pipe rather than over provisioning done for BS2a that ensures your capable getting a speedtestable speed that you have ordered)

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

atomeara

324 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 152

#2205098 26-Mar-2019 13:44

Yes

If you want more bandwidth get 100/50 or faster

allio

895 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 528

#2205133 26-Mar-2019 15:09

Maybe your VDSL is different to mine, but over the last year my sync speed has been anything from 70/30 to 5/1. Right now it is 63/6. Yesterday it was 65/11.

I have placed my order for fibre and can't wait for the copper to be ripped out of my property.

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2205147 26-Mar-2019 15:42

atomeara:

Yes

If you want more bandwidth get 100/50 or faster

No dispute there, its just convincing my ISP to let me have it, or find someone who will at around same price as current :)

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

xpd

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2205149 26-Mar-2019 15:43

allio:

Maybe your VDSL is different to mine, but over the last year my sync speed has been anything from 70/30 to 5/1. Right now it is 63/6. Yesterday it was 65/11.

I have placed my order for fibre and can't wait for the copper to be ripped out of my property.

Sounds like youve had a bad line. My speed has been steady overall, but was getting a lot of drop outs. Swapped out the router and the drop outs have almost vanished.

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

dfnt

1553 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 1036

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2205151 26-Mar-2019 15:44

On the subject of Voyager, why don't they have a subforum here?

Jase2985

13730 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 6202

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#2205169 26-Mar-2019 16:02

dfnt:

On the subject of Voyager, why don't they have a subforum here?

guessing not enough topics to justify

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#2205180 26-Mar-2019 16:40

Just grab 100/100. Moooaaarrrr is always better!! Especially with that Bigpipe deal being so cheap.

Not sure if anyone would still bother with the 100/50 plan with 100/20 being sooo super cheap, and the jump to 100/100 being negligible.

dt

1152 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 371
Inactive user

#2205181 26-Mar-2019 16:41

xpd:

No dispute there, its just convincing my ISP to let me have it, or find someone who will at around same price as current :)

If you dont mind changing there are a few isps that do 100/100 for $10 more than what Voyager pay.. but then you may as well jump up to gig for $99 a month ;-)

1 | 2 | 3