So, are Slingshot any good?

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nzkiwiman

2231 posts

Uber Geek

# 40143 25-Aug-2009 18:08

My options for an ISP are limited as I am back at home at the moment, and my parents have signed a deal with Telstra for cheap dialup if they use them to provide the phone service (via Telecoms lines)

So, it means that my prefered choice of moving to Telecom's Big Time plan can't happen. I am currently with Orcon on a FS/FS plan, that during most of the peak times I am home + the weekend is slower than the 256k plan I moved from. At this stage im not happy.

As I am a big data user, I was looking at Slingshots FS/FS plan, which costs the same as Orcons, but with the benefit of free data. I have heard some terrible things, so not so good things, and some wonderful things about Slingshot.

I am concerned that if I don't like the speed or the service, then I am locked in for a 6 month contract ...

So, any comments to help me out?

hellonearthisman

1819 posts

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# 250522 25-Aug-2009 21:57

If you have joined them, then you should already be on a 6 month contract.

I find the speeds good for my needs, I know that some bulk downloading sites are shaped but the free data period makes up for that.

richms

22346 posts

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# 251116 27-Aug-2009 22:02

Looking at the 5.2kB/sec on rapidshare when going direct, and the 140kB/s via a ssh tunnel to a UK based internet connection and the same rapidshare server, I would at the moment say not recommended.

edit - ssh tunnel down to 40kB/sec, but the direct one is in the 3's now, strangly enough, ustream still working perfect

Richard rich.ms

Detruire

1272 posts

Uber Geek

# 251155 28-Aug-2009 01:43

Peak-time speeds are rubbish again (~70kBps from 6PM [it's like hitting a wall] to ~12AM), off-peak isn't much better for the first 3 hours, and OK for the rest.

Daytime speeds aren't as good anymore, either. (~20% lower than two months ago. Seem to max out at 400kBps rather than 500kBps.)

Also, it appears that they've tinkered with the priorities again, and secure connections seem to become lower than Bittorrent (!) if they're open for more than a few minutes. (I used to be able to download "hard-out" and, as long as I wasn't maxing out upstream bandwidth, browse or use vi over SSH without any interruptions.)

rm *

richms

22346 posts

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# 251275 28-Aug-2009 12:27

Anyone know a way to get the tracker updates in utorrent to go via socks? It seems that I am unable to update trackers on slingshot, yet the actual transfer sockets are being unmolested by whatever it is they are doing.

Richard rich.ms

Detruire

1272 posts

Uber Geek

# 251297 28-Aug-2009 13:58

Isn't that the default behaviour for a proxy server in uTorrent?

rm *

thomaz113

1 post

Wannabe Geek

# 251459 29-Aug-2009 00:02

I don't recommend anyone to join Slingshot. The speed aren't fantastic during both peak and off-peak. On top of that, it's barely downloadable during off peak with pathetic 15kb/sec http speed. If slingshot don't fix up their bandwidth issue, they will start loosing royal customers.

Telecom Big Time looks attractive. Better speed than slingshot and on top of that free unlimited downlaod 24/7

Detruire

1272 posts

Uber Geek

# 251462 29-Aug-2009 00:17

As much as I hate the speeds I've been getting (from 5PM yesterday [friday] to a few minutes ago speeds averaged just over 50kBps with a fair bit of the time spent at under 30kBps)...

To be fair, if you're only joining for the free off-peak traffic, and you want to get ~60GB free traffic in a month (if you work for it by doing a fair bit of queuing) you'll be fine.

As long as you merely browse on-peak.

(ie: I'd only recommend them if you can't afford the $60/mth you'd need to get on Telecom's plan)

rm *

rvangelder

352 posts

Ultimate Geek

# 251790 30-Aug-2009 20:00

I helped out configuring my sister in law's adsl router this weekend.
Part of the configuration meant reseting her router to factory defaults, and while she knew her e-mail address, she didn't know what was supposed to be put in the router user/password boxes.

A call to their helpdesk meant waiting in queue for 15-20 minutes. she was slightly frustrating, but i come to expect wait times from any isp. In my experience, 15-20 is typical.

Their support person (Kathaline) took the call. After authenticating my sister-in-law, the call was passed to me.
She was competent, well mannered, and didn't make assumptions. She used specific questions to probe the status of the link layers.
They have access to tools at their end to see what's going on at their end of the connection.
It wasn't long before I got the router going, and internet access up.

Obviously, one story does not make it so, but there you go... one man's experience.

kgold

1 post

Wannabe Geek

# 252414 1-Sep-2009 21:52

Worked at slingshot, customer service is completely useless, but then again orcons isnt 2 hot either.
Orcons speeds are much, much better for me than slingshots ever were, but that could just be my exchange rocks with orcon.

Slingshots best benefit is the pricing, they are defanitly one of the cheapest companies out there.. i prefer orcon because im a very high user and go through about 200gigs a month (4 of us constantly using computers online) our speeds are always very decent on and off peak.

Now work at telecom and there prices are pretty bad, decent customer service, nice speeds on and off peak.

So i guess in the end all companies have thier own ups and downs.. guess u should just take ur pick! :)

Orcon - Good speeds, average pricing, average customer service. (best for high users in my oppinion)

Slingshot - Average speeds, good pricing, below average customer service.

Telecom - Above average speeds, below average pricing, good customer service.

Telstra Clear - Decent speeds, below average pricing, decent customer service.

hope this helps (all from personal experience)

ZollyMonsta

2753 posts

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# 252418 1-Sep-2009 22:06

From what I've seen (my sister has Slingshot ADSL) The answer is no. Slow traffic/Intermittent traffic.

And, if their sales techniques are anything to go by (see last weeks Fair Go Programme) I wouldn't go near them with a bargepole!

Check out my LPFM Radio Station at www.thecheese.co.nz