Broadband Provider problems.....

[Janitor Tzap]

I've had DSL for 4 years now.
And I have had no problems until the last 6 to 3 months.
I've been seeing my download speed drop.
Was 2600kbps now at the best of times it will be 2200kbps.

I have Frontier/Verizon as my provider. Since they are the only ones in my area that even offer it.
But from the adds that they are running of late.
More people are connecting up to get the DSL/Phone/Dish Network Television bundle deals.
This is straining the system that is already at or near full capacity.

So during the day my Download rates may go as low as 56kbps.
ARGH!

Anyone else having problems with their ISP Broadband Provider.


Signed: Janitor Tzap

[SETEC_Astronomy]

I've never had a problem with slow downs from the two broadband providers I've used. The only time I get slow speeds is when the remote server doesn't have the bandwidth available.

I would think a phone call could help the situation but if they're the only provider in the area anything you could say would be a bluff.

DSL Reports comes to mind as a good place for you to maybe find others users suffering from slow access.

[Externet]

Hi. If of any reference, I received on the mail an 'award' of $2 from ATT losing a suit for not supplying their ISP data rate as specified to millions of customers.
So it seems that happens, cutting corners to their clients.

Part of the problem is the stupid marketing wording of "high speed internet", which means f%$#@ nothing. "High" means nothing, and consumers get screwed for it. Advertise/give me a real Kb/s figure, to know what am getting into.

Another stupid term is 'broadband'. Means nothing... 1MB/s 10MB/s 100MB/s... ¿?

Miguel

[SETEC_Astronomy]

Hi. If of any reference, I received on the mail an 'award' of $2 from ATT losing a suit for not supplying their ISP data rate as specified to millions of customers.
So it seems that happens, cutting corners to their clients.

Part of the problem is the stupid marketing wording of "high speed internet", which means f%$#@ nothing. "High" means nothing, and consumers get screwed for it. Advertise/give me a real Kb/s figure, to know what am getting into.

It could be due to where I live but I actually get higher than advertised speeds. I pay for 5mbps, my ISP recently freely upgraded everyone so I'm now supposed to get 8mbps. In reality I get 11mbps. If it should ever dip far below what I really pay for I would be very upset though. Notice most ads say "Up To" before the speed. How lovely...

I don't really want to mention the company because as a whole I don't like their prices or practices but am stuck with them as there isn't really an option where I live. However I can't complain much about their speeds. If you're really wanting to know it's Char //ter.

[haklesup]

It could be the weather. Things get pretty wet this time of year after a season of freeze thaw. You may be experiencing a degradation of the wire to your home. The best way to deal with this is to call your ISP and complain that the datarate is falling and sometimes very slow as you said. They should be able to do a modem test from their end. They may also have an explanation, there may have been local hardware changes. Keep complaining, you're paying them for aproduct and you should get all of it.

I get my internet over cable but I have certainly seen my phone wire go bad at least twice. Once they had to dig and pull a new wire, another time the tech just did something in the junction box at the end of the street.

You may also want to turn the modem off for a minute and when you reconnect, the modem should automatically go through an optimization with the network.

Even if it is due to heavy user traffic in your area, the ISP should be able to reroute bandwidth once they are made aware of a bottleneck.

[Janitor Tzap]

Update:

Well....
I was able to get a hold of the local office manager for my area.
And by working with one of the linemen.
I found that the line coming out to the DSLAM is an old copper line that was laid some 20 years ago.
So, for now the lineman has changed the port that I was on, to another.
And at the main office, rerouted the line to another node.
This has helped a bit, but I still see slow downs, and not as bad as before.

From what I learned from the manager, they weren't planning on replacing the copper line any time soon.
So, I don't know how long this situation is going to continue.

I'm hoping that because of they're continued campaign to get more customers hooked up.
They will at least replace that copper with fiber optical cable.
So that it can support all the bandwidth that is going to be needed for all the video that is being streamed.


Signed: Janitor Tzap