Slow Broadband? - join the club
Discussion
We're with Virgin Media and having paid for an 8MB connection, it has never seemed much quicker than dial up. Tonight I found an on line tool to measure the speed and it records 0.11MB which sounds about right.
I've written to Virgin twice to no avail and finally sent in a complaint via Recorded Delivery. It's been tracked as delivered 6 weeks ago but we've heard nothing from them.
I'm tempted to stop paying them, but is it Vrgin who are likely to be the problem or our phone line? We actually live in a 15 years old house (so modern wiring) behind a BT exchange building (50 metres), so I wouldn't have thought this would be a problem.
Has anyone had a similar dire performance issue and got a better speed by changing provider?
"http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/speed-test.asp?partner=bc~cu"
I've written to Virgin twice to no avail and finally sent in a complaint via Recorded Delivery. It's been tracked as delivered 6 weeks ago but we've heard nothing from them.
I'm tempted to stop paying them, but is it Vrgin who are likely to be the problem or our phone line? We actually live in a 15 years old house (so modern wiring) behind a BT exchange building (50 metres), so I wouldn't have thought this would be a problem.
Has anyone had a similar dire performance issue and got a better speed by changing provider?
"http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/speed-test.asp?partner=bc~cu"
Edited by CIS121 on Monday 24th September 22:21
what type of cable are you using to connect
modem > pc/router?
If your using usb, switch it for rj45 cat 5e.
You might want to go to www.cablehell.co.uk for extra help
modem > pc/router?
If your using usb, switch it for rj45 cat 5e.
You might want to go to www.cablehell.co.uk for extra help
MrTom said:
what type of cable are you using to connect
modem > pc/router?
If your using usb, switch it for rj45 cat 5e.
You might want to go to www.cablehell.co.uk for extra help
Hi, THanks Tom. We're on 100MB RJ45 direct cable to the router/modem (combined unit). The phone line to the router is approx 3 metres long and network cable approx 5.modem > pc/router?
If your using usb, switch it for rj45 cat 5e.
You might want to go to www.cablehell.co.uk for extra help
Hang on just a second there
Phone line? 8 meg? Through cable? Unless you've signed up for a deal through Virgin using an existing BT line, the exchange means nothing to you.
Assuming you dont use a BT phone line for your broadband, look out the front for a little brown or green box, thats where you want to start venting
There's a few modems they do, with all the mergers and other stuff thats happened recently you may just have an old modem that hasnt been upgraded to take the higher speeds
Or I could be talking bo
ocks
Phone line? 8 meg? Through cable? Unless you've signed up for a deal through Virgin using an existing BT line, the exchange means nothing to you.
Assuming you dont use a BT phone line for your broadband, look out the front for a little brown or green box, thats where you want to start venting
There's a few modems they do, with all the mergers and other stuff thats happened recently you may just have an old modem that hasnt been upgraded to take the higher speeds
Or I could be talking bo
ocks- edit - I've been with them since the NTHell days, and to be honest other than a few DNS problems I've never needed to call them. The problem I had was that I wasnt going through the local core routers, instead I was hopping to somewhere down south, so it was screwing "stuff" up. Got fixed within a day or so
Edited by andy_quantum on Monday 24th September 22:36
I think im right in saying that 8MB line isnt your personal connection its shared between several houses in your neighbourhood... which is why you never get the max speed advertised.
But 0.11MB is rather slow.. do they have a call centre? If its like BT's then they should have a ring back option rather than having to wait in a cue.
But 0.11MB is rather slow.. do they have a call centre? If its like BT's then they should have a ring back option rather than having to wait in a cue.
Edited by TigerDan on Monday 24th September 22:36
andy_quantum said:
Hang on just a second there
Phone line? 8 meg? Through cable? Unless you've signed up for a deal through Virgin using an existing BT line, the exchange means nothing to you.
Hi,Phone line? 8 meg? Through cable? Unless you've signed up for a deal through Virgin using an existing BT line, the exchange means nothing to you.
We're getting our Broadband over a BT phone line. The cable lengths I refer to are both the cable from the phone line splitter to modem and also the RJ45 network cable from the modem to the PC. I was pre-empting the question "are your cables connecting the kit too long" etc
Theres a few things going on with internet connections...
First you can buy whatever speed broadband you like but if your phone line is junk or your miles from the exchange it'll be slow.
Second theres contention ratio, your supplier kindly sells your bandwidth to multiple people, 20 to 50 other people. If its a busy time tor your on a dslam with some heavy users your stuffed.
Try http://www.speedtest.net/ at a quiet time of day/night and in the evenings.
First you can buy whatever speed broadband you like but if your phone line is junk or your miles from the exchange it'll be slow.
Second theres contention ratio, your supplier kindly sells your bandwidth to multiple people, 20 to 50 other people. If its a busy time tor your on a dslam with some heavy users your stuffed.
Try http://www.speedtest.net/ at a quiet time of day/night and in the evenings.
I dont think the cabling would be the problem. Assuming you're not using a crossover, it sounds more like you've got the joy of pointing the finger at either or both BT or Virgin, neither of whom will agree it's their fault.
Bandwithplace.net do tests, but if you're residential there's no agreed minimum limit or confirmed contention ratio. Most of the time they'll say it's something client side as in malware so they dont have to do anything.
Make sure you dont have loads of malware on your machines! Can you do tests or logs off the router?
Bandwithplace.net do tests, but if you're residential there's no agreed minimum limit or confirmed contention ratio. Most of the time they'll say it's something client side as in malware so they dont have to do anything.
Make sure you dont have loads of malware on your machines! Can you do tests or logs off the router?
I am going to be exceptionally unpopular here. You get. What you pay for.
You've paid for a home user account, it has an SLA (Service Level Agreement) which basically states "if it sync's we're done". No minimum speed, no uptime guarantee and so on. Obviously, this is fine for most people and they roll their eyes and/or crap themselves when they see how much the business version of the same product costs.
But. It has an SLA, if it doesn't work... they hand you cash (not a lot, but) if it's not within the speed tollerance they fix it (or again, they're handing you cash). And because it's a business class product, you won't be dealing with low cost call centers for the most part (no guarantee, but business don't generally tolerate speaking to hard-wired script monkeys in Bangalore when their ADSL links st itself).
Now. Because you're on ADSL you can do the sensible thing, shove two fingers up to Virgin, buy yourself out the contract and ring up BT's Business ADSL sales line. If you were on cable, you'd just be screwed.
You've paid for a home user account, it has an SLA (Service Level Agreement) which basically states "if it sync's we're done". No minimum speed, no uptime guarantee and so on. Obviously, this is fine for most people and they roll their eyes and/or crap themselves when they see how much the business version of the same product costs.
But. It has an SLA, if it doesn't work... they hand you cash (not a lot, but) if it's not within the speed tollerance they fix it (or again, they're handing you cash). And because it's a business class product, you won't be dealing with low cost call centers for the most part (no guarantee, but business don't generally tolerate speaking to hard-wired script monkeys in Bangalore when their ADSL links s
t itself). Now. Because you're on ADSL you can do the sensible thing, shove two fingers up to Virgin, buy yourself out the contract and ring up BT's Business ADSL sales line. If you were on cable, you'd just be screwed.
TheLearner said:
I am going to be exceptionally unpopular here. You get. What you pay for.
To some extent yes, but if he's on the same dslam as a dozen heavy users who are abusing their connection (in the eyes of the ISP) he'll be getting a poorer service than many. Ask VM to look at his conenction & possibly move it onto a quieter dslam is there is one on that exchange, I'm sure they'll do that as opposed to loose a customer (uhh...).Woa I missed this thread!
I have been having the worst experience of my life with Virgin. Used to be the best when it was Telewest but now that beardy has got hold of it its utter rubbish. Used to get 10meg d/l all day no problem - now I get an alleged 20mbit for £29 (with a bit of arguing) and for the last three weeks it has got steadily worse. Today I get dial up speed...
I have given up with the Delhi call centre and the Indians that keep saying "We are surely dealing with the problem for you sir"
Today I have written to the Customer Care 
Director - His name is Steve Stewart MD, and you get hold of him by using the contact us page for general enquiries and ask for his attnetion. The 'team' at Virgin were most helpful once they saw his name on the form although I am yet to hear from him.. I will update this page as soon as I get a reply.
My gripes?
1) Speed - I pay for 20mbit and today I get 39kb/s - thats bloody disgusting.
2) 25p per minute technical help.. If I rent equipment from someone and it fails to work, when I ring them up to tell them that THEIR equipment doesn't work, I do not expect to have to pay 25 pence per bloody minute for the priveledge, and have Mr Magoo from Tim-Buck_bloody_Too telling me that "Surely he is being very sorry" aaaaaaghhhh This REALLY S ME OFF!
3) Unlimted Broad band right? NO - its been capped recently. Now apparently those that abuse the limit (5gig d/l between 5pm and 10pm) will cause the routers to cap everyone on that router.
4) The Supervisor told me today that they are over-subscribed and that they do not have the resources to role out that much broadband.
I want my money back and I am quite happy to go back to my trusty 2x64k=128k ISDN line until something better comes along.
VIRGIN MEDIA - DON'T DO IT!
I have been having the worst experience of my life with Virgin. Used to be the best when it was Telewest but now that beardy has got hold of it its utter rubbish. Used to get 10meg d/l all day no problem - now I get an alleged 20mbit for £29 (with a bit of arguing) and for the last three weeks it has got steadily worse. Today I get dial up speed...
I have given up with the Delhi call centre and the Indians that keep saying "We are surely dealing with the problem for you sir"
Today I have written to the Customer Care Director - His name is Steve Stewart MD, and you get hold of him by using the contact us page for general enquiries and ask for his attnetion. The 'team' at Virgin were most helpful once they saw his name on the form although I am yet to hear from him.. I will update this page as soon as I get a reply.My gripes?
1) Speed - I pay for 20mbit and today I get 39kb/s - thats bloody disgusting.
2) 25p per minute technical help.. If I rent equipment from someone and it fails to work, when I ring them up to tell them that THEIR equipment doesn't work, I do not expect to have to pay 25 pence per bloody minute for the priveledge, and have Mr Magoo from Tim-Buck_bloody_Too telling me that "Surely he is being very sorry"
aaaaaaghhhh This REALLY S ME OFF!3) Unlimted Broad band right? NO - its been capped recently. Now apparently those that abuse the limit (5gig d/l between 5pm and 10pm) will cause the routers to cap everyone on that router.
4) The Supervisor told me today that they are over-subscribed and that they do not have the resources to role out that much broadband.
I want my money back and I am quite happy to go back to my trusty 2x64k=128k ISDN line until something better comes along.
VIRGIN MEDIA - DON'T DO IT!
TheLearner said:
I am going to be exceptionally unpopular here. You get. What you pay for.
You've paid for a home user account, it has an SLA (Service Level Agreement) which basically states "if it sync's we're done". No minimum speed, no uptime guarantee and so on. Obviously, this is fine for most people and they roll their eyes and/or crap themselves when they see how much the business version of the same product costs.
But. It has an SLA, if it doesn't work... they hand you cash (not a lot, but) if it's not within the speed tollerance they fix it (or again, they're handing you cash). And because it's a business class product, you won't be dealing with low cost call centers for the most part (no guarantee, but business don't generally tolerate speaking to hard-wired script monkeys in Bangalore when their ADSL links st itself).
Now. Because you're on ADSL you can do the sensible thing, shove two fingers up to Virgin, buy yourself out the contract and ring up BT's Business ADSL sales line. If you were on cable, you'd just be screwed.
0.11Mbps is twice dialup speed is it not? I seem to recall that BT can only shrug if your connection is above 400K, which this isn't. It's below even their miserable SLA (I think). In any event it's a diabolical speed for broadband, assuming it's accurate. You've paid for a home user account, it has an SLA (Service Level Agreement) which basically states "if it sync's we're done". No minimum speed, no uptime guarantee and so on. Obviously, this is fine for most people and they roll their eyes and/or crap themselves when they see how much the business version of the same product costs.
But. It has an SLA, if it doesn't work... they hand you cash (not a lot, but) if it's not within the speed tollerance they fix it (or again, they're handing you cash). And because it's a business class product, you won't be dealing with low cost call centers for the most part (no guarantee, but business don't generally tolerate speaking to hard-wired script monkeys in Bangalore when their ADSL links s
t itself). Now. Because you're on ADSL you can do the sensible thing, shove two fingers up to Virgin, buy yourself out the contract and ring up BT's Business ADSL sales line. If you were on cable, you'd just be screwed.
It could be down to your kit, or a line fault, or lack of capacity within the ISP's network. From the sound of it I'd bet on one of the latter two. If the ISP isn't being helpful I'd jump ship to one that is and who will push to have the poor performance investigated. My ISP IDNet had a brief networking issue today - I rang to ask them if they were aware and after 3 rings a real person picked up and said yes there was a problem being worked on, and would I like them to phone me and let me know when it was resolved? That's customer service. Normal home user account too.
An ISP can't directly resolve a problem with BT's infrastructure, but they can certainly shake a few trees if they have your satisfaction in mind.
Edited by minimoog on Monday 24th September 23:33
TheLearner said:
Now. Because you're on ADSL you can do the sensible thing, shove two fingers up to Virgin, buy yourself out the contract and ring up BT's Business ADSL sales line. If you were on cable, you'd just be screwed.
I have BT Business at home, 2mb, and it's mostly ok - but their support staff are still foreign and crap. Apparently my router is the cause of all problems.
Just ditched BT and signed up to Be...
10 times faster and cheaper to boot.........
http://www.be-broadband.info/
10 times faster and cheaper to boot.........
http://www.be-broadband.info/
Edited by Wacky Racer on Monday 24th September 23:37
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