My rant to Telecom (xtra)

[kro]

I have sent two emails since this "Go Large" "Full Speed" bullshit went live, complaining that my connection has actually deteriorated quite badly, to the point where once I could get 50-150kbps download speeds, to not having got anything better than 25 since the "improvements"

Both times, I was given this carbon copy bullshit reply, that was intended to placate me, by showing severe corporate arrogance, and generally brush me off with some technical "excuse", and the people who replied to my email would close my enquiry off, and mark it complete, which is clearly wasn't.

This time I went for the jugular, and wrote a spiel that would make a politician cringe, and told them that if I got one of those carbon copy replies, that they use to fob off the pensioners, and non-geek types, that I would terminate all business with them, and this finally got some action, and my complaint has been referred to the "Technical Dept". Apparently I will be contacted in the next few days to try and resolve the issue.

I'll keep you posted.

[Mom]

I Apparently I will be contacted in the next few days to try and resolve the issue.

I'll keep you posted.


Hate to say this but.........:brick: :argue: :brick: :argh: :motu: sorry mate I have been there and done that, it can drive you crazy......good luck!

[ajturbo]

shit!!.. you have phone lines down south now???

[kro]

Yer, it does drive to to insanity, but I pay good coin for something not worth a third of that, so I'm going to stick to them like poo to a blanket (I shudder to think how this saying came about), and damn well get some answers.

[kro]

shit!!.. you have phone lines down south now???

It's state of the art, complete with huge switchboards, with ladies sitting in front of them, plugging plugs into shiny sockets, we're pretty proud of it.

Our power station in Nelson used to be a couple of hamsters running in those excercise wheels with dynamos hooked up to em....true story !!!

[wilber]

I have same problem with speed with telstraclear, seems like as more people sign up the slower it gets,was thinking about changing over but will hold off right now see what happens if they sort there shit out .

[Wasp]

my complaint has been referred to the "Technical Dept". Apparently I will be contacted in the next few days to try and resolve the issue.
Theres a Tui if i ever saw one. even before all the adsl problems this meant "call us back in a few days"

edit: my latest result is 3194/370, im with orcon

[spookytooth]

i actualy got a letter from telicon saying most ppls speeds had increasted but i was one of the unfortunate ones that had slowed.alot of bla bla bla about my distance from how broadband works ect and i get a months credit WOW :) funny thing was i hadnt noticed as i wasn't using it alot so never complained

[Edbear]

Hate to say this but.........:brick: :argue: :brick: :argh: :motu: sorry mate I have been there and done that, it can drive you crazy......good luck!


Yeah, wot she said...!

[Indiana_Jones]

I know ur pain Kro.

I got the go large plan, utter bollocks. The net keeps dying, slow speeds etc.

I knew it would happen when they said they were going fullspeed.

Useless pricks :p

-Indy

[oldguy]

So is there anything we can do about it, at times Im getting dailup speed.

[NighthawkNZ]

I not sure which plan we are on :scratch: been on it for 5 years now and the name keeps changing :scratch:


anyway I have noticed a little increase in speed but nothing major... suppose im one of the lucky ones :yes:

[Gineen]

They tested my Broadband and wrote to me admitting that my download speed was only 2.9 Mbps instead of the 3.5 that I am paying for. (5GB/month)
Does this mean that under the Consumer Guarantees Act that I don't have to pay for a service that I not receiving?

[Karma]

Does this mean that under the Consumer Guarantees Act that I don't have to pay for a service that I not receiving?

No.

(10 chars)

[Gineen]

Geez Weasel, do you work for Telecom?

[gav]

I had some correspondence about this, they wanted me to send details, so did some speed tests and emailed them the results. They replied that they wanted to see results from different times of the day. Told them I'd rather show them the results from the times when I'm actually using the product, and couldnt give a fuck about the speeds when I'm at work etc. Havent actually had a reply now that I think about it......
But lately hasnt been too bad.

Last Result:
Download Speed: 4255 kbps (531.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 121 kbps (15.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

[Sam I Am]

YEP standard service continuse then form Xtra
sorry to say i have been through the same and after being where you are talking to tech dept the F*@&^*s never called me back !!!! God i was livid.
The only way i got any true responce was to calmly call them back and demand to speak to a superviser and make a complant.
I totally know where your at, best of luck

[avgas]

I know ur pain Kro.

I got the go large plan, utter bollocks. The net keeps dying, slow speeds etc.

I knew it would happen when they said they were going fullspeed.

Useless pricks :p

-Indy

Yeh i really enjoy looking at my modem as the ethernet lights stops flashing....then the adsl one goes out. If the average guy used 'Go Large' like this, we'd all have fake ones.
I was better off on dial up many moons ago

[Brian d marge]

Take a good long look at the contract , hidden in there ( page 57668969696~ sub clause 34 , paragraph c ) it will say something like you get what we can provide, and while we do try to provide the advertised rate alot of the time we cant unless we invested bucket loads of money , which we aint going to do just yet, So you are stuck ...

BUT in NZ you do have a fit for purpose act and consumer advocate people ..here in Japan we have the same clause , 2 kanji ( translated means u suki mi dic )

Key points, write/ record everything .( dont be slack on this you will need it )

Keep your mouth shut .let them dig the holes .

Stick to your guns.. and be reasonable if 4.999 is ok then fine
dont try for 5

treat it like a game ..have fun. enjoy playing call my bluff

Good luck
Stephen

[kro]

They tested my Broadband and wrote to me admitting that my download speed was only 2.9 Mbps instead of the 3.5 that I am paying for. (5GB/month)


I think this must have been a while back, because we were on a similar plan, but we were made to shift over to the "go large" plan, because we were told all the old plans with data caps were being phased out completely.

I havent actually read the fine print on the Go Large plan, but everyone seems to still be getting that same bullshit 128-256 upload speeds, which have been prevalent for 6 years+ now. I don't know how they get away with saying it's full speed.

[kro]

So is there anything we can do about it, at times Im getting dailup speed.

Yes there is, I know for a fact that if we present a whole list of names to Xtra, we will get seen to a lot quicker. If you are 100% certain you have a slower connection now, than before the upgrade, then pm me your name and telephone number, and I will make one large complaint email from it, to reinforce the points I made with them, and try to get some action for all concerned.

I am not going to make some bleeding heart crusade out of this, I just think that a group of voices shouting "not good enough" will be heard sooner over the rabble.

If you don't like giving names and numbers to a stranger, I still urge you to pursue it yourself. NZ as a nation puts up with mediocrity too often, and especially in the case of Telecom.

To test your line speed, goto http://www.speedtest.net (Thanks Wasp), and run the test, and include the download, and upload speeds in your pm. I know my connection is slow and I get approx 1400 down, and 124 up. A mate in Auckland is getting 4400 down, and 180 up, and he reckons his plan is good.

[What?]

Well Kro, I reckon you still don't hate Telecon as much as I do.

[MacD]

I think this must have been a while back, because we were on a similar plan, but we were made to shift over to the "go large" plan, because we were told all the old plans with data caps were being phased out completely.


That's odd. I was was given the choice of moving to Go Large, or if I did nothing I would stay on Explorer (5GB cap) but with "unlimited" connection speed? Given that Go Large looked extemely dodgy with the traffic shaping and I didn't need the unlimited cap I stayed on Explorer. The useage monitor still shows my plan as Explorer.

However, having said all that my connection speed has halved recently ! I've been watching it for a while to see if it recovers. I suspect it won't. It could just be a line fault but like everybody else I have no trust in Telecom anymore. I won't bore you with the saga of actually getting ADSL connected in the first place. :shutup:

[Fub@r]

This was my rant to Xtra just before christmas, it resulted in some manager guy ringing me a few times, then told me a way to work the billing system etc by doing constant plan changes etc etc. So in the end I have now gone to Orcon and have a FS/FS flat rate plan for $59 a month and have a far better connection and no excess usage charges

To whom it may concern,

I have been with XTRA now for more years than I care to remember. You have
mucked my bills and connections up so many times but you always in the end fixed
it up. But this Unleashed Internet is just about the final straw for me.

Firstly I was happy with my 2mbit plan and 10 gig cap, even though the cap limit
was quite frankly pathetic in this day and age. Whenever I checked my connection
I always had 1.9mbit/190k. Then one day Xtra Unleashes the internet which I
didn't want to be a part of because even to a lay person like myself even I
could see exactly what was going to happen.

Now after being changed automatically to the Unleashed Go Large plan I now look
forward to speeds of 0.6mbit/128k to 1.8mbit/128k. My usual download speed of
250kb now on a good day is lucky to hit 120kb. My stable gaming ping in New
Zealand has gone from 45 to 130's. This is quite frankly bloody ridiculous.
People in Australia use New Zealand servers and ping around 30!!!!!!!!

Now I complained immediatley as I was involved in a National Gaming tournament
which was about to start and due to you unleashing me I was going to have to
withdraw as a ping of 130 spiking to 800+ is unplayable. Now your helpdesk
switched me to a FS/FS plan and surprise surprise my ping to NZ servers drops
back to 45.

Now from what I can gather is the following:

I was paying $59 a mth for a stable connection and 45 ping in NZ

You Unleash me and now charge me $49 a mth for a completely unstable connection
and a 130+ ping in NZ

I suppose you now expect me to pay $89 a mth to get anything near what I was
getting prior to you Unleashing me?


I have been doing ping traces on my connection tonight and nothing has changed
from when I was last on Go Large, on the 2nd or 3rd hop the connection falls
over and leaps from 45 ping to over 100.

Now my question is, is Xtra going to do anything to rectify this situation? Or
will I get fed the usual contract small print which I never signed on for in the
first place as my plan was "grandfathered" by you. If you are going to come back
to me and say that I need to "upgrade" to a fullspeed/fullspeed plan to get
anything near like I had before, then quite frankly I will take my business
elsewhere. The way I see it if you are prepared to rip me off on the internet
then xtra/telecom must be doing exactly the same to me on my mobile and toll
calls.

Now I would prefer to stay with Xtra even though you are more expensive than
other ISP's. But I will not pay a premium for third world internet through this
countries main provider. If this connection is the best you can give me then I
will be far better off paying for third world internet through another ISP who
charges substantially less than XTRA for a similar product.

Just to finish. I may not be a large Telecom customer but on my calculations I
have spent the following on Telecom/Xtra products over the years.

$4400 Internet (approx)

$5300 Landline (approx)

$6000 Mobile (approx)

It may only be a drop in the bucket in your end of year profits, but it will be
one drop less if all I'm going to get is a substandard service!


I await your reply.

[kro]

That's a very similar rant to mine Fubar, your's is very well written too I might add.

And to clear the matter up, I just rang my wife, and she says we were told we HAD to go onto the full speed deal, as our plan was being "phased out". I would have stayed with my old connection otherwise.

[kro]

Well Kro, I reckon you still don't hate Telecon as much as I do.

I gather you have major issues matey. I don't hate them per se, I just want a decent internet connection, at a reasonable price. Telecom are incapable of supplying me either at the moment.

With the unbundling happening, these guys need to be doing everything bigger, badder and faster, than all these other fledgling companies that already exist, or are emerging.

[Fub@r]

The guy at Xtra admitted to me that they knew the system couldn't handle being "unleashed" but they had to do it due to political pressure. I said to him that was bollocks as they have done more damage to themselves by unleashing than if they had just done away with caps and reduced the price most people would have been happy.

Also with the Xtra traffic shaping on the Go Large plan I heard a rumour that the commerce commission has told telecom that they can't do that as you are placing limits on an unlimited plan.

A mate of mine in Mangere is leeching 24/7 and downloads 120gig + a month on Go Large and has not been placed in the limited pool restriction yet. So maybe there is something to this?

[Lteejay]

Lets all say a big thank you and f*ck you to Ruth Richardson and Roger Douglas then :mad: :Pokey: :motu: We are lucky we dont have the same problems with power - well :shutup: apart from those power cuts a while back. The evil empire (Telecom) were handed their profits on a platter by our illustrious government in the 80's. They really need to be sent to the naughty chair :nono:

[Grahameeboy]

I had an issue with Xtra and told them that they worked for me not themselves....they sent 2 guys over in 30 mins....

[jrandom]

I'd be happy if Xtra DNS just start working at least 99% of the time. It's gotten flaky to the point of major frustration over the last couple of months. I can never guess whether a hostname is going to be 'not found'. I've had to issue general instructions to the family that if at first DNS won't talk, just query again...

I have the exact same problem with our Xtra connections in Auckland and Dargaville, so I don't think it's anything to do with my modems or local [whatever].

I'm seriously considering switching to another provider.

[GR81]

it's not the provider with the unleashed thing, its telecoms network.

altho moving away from xtra in large droves isnt a bad idea haha

[pervert]

I've got the same issue. Used to be great on the Adventure 10G plan, but now I'm on 'Go Large' I get crappy speeds and an unreliable connection (although a restart of the modem usually brings it right again).

Rather than change plans or complain (that didn't get me far). I've decided to rape the connection for all it's worth and see what they say.

I found no download's were going over 30 - 35 kb/s, and my .torrent software wasn't working at all, so I switched to utorrent (encyrypted) and now it gets 30kb/s max. I now leave torrents running at 30kb/s all day, Limewire at 50 - 60kb/s all day, and download all I can.

I found a good bit of software (Fresh Download) that makes 8 connections to a download, and download's in sections rather than from start to finish. A file downloaded through IE that sits on 30kb/s, will get 160 + kb/s through Fresh Download...so I'm using that to download all the 700mb DivX's I can find online.

My month's use started on the 6th, it's now the 12th and I have managed 26 gig of traffic use on their meters. Haha I'm going to see if I can pull a 100 gig month...

[kro]

Good move Pervert, I like the idea of that Fresh Download program, it sort of sounds like a reverse version of a raid array.

[Lias]

I'd be happy if Xtra DNS just start working at least 99% of the time. It's gotten flaky to the point of major frustration over the last couple of months. I can never guess whether a hostname is going to be 'not found'. I've had to issue general instructions to the family that if at first DNS won't talk, just query again...

I have the exact same problem with our Xtra connections in Auckland and Dargaville, so I don't think it's anything to do with my modems or local [whatever].

I'm seriously considering switching to another provider.

I second the whole FUBAR'd DNS. Its been fucking rediculous at times.

[kro]

From memory, there are radiation therapy workers out on strike at present. This is typically how people have tried to force change thru history, by making their collective voices heard, be it by Union, or just random protest, or such like.

What would happen if all NZers using XTRA suddenly said "thats it you bastards, we want our moneys worth". Often the only way to get a decent hearing, is to tackle it en masse.

NZers just seem so damn willing to take mediocrity lying down. They get a bad meal at a restaurant, and don't ask the waiter to have it made again. They sit down, and let it happen to them, which is precisely what Telecom count on imo.

[Wasp]

I found a good bit of software (Fresh Download)
been using that on and off for many years now (3-4+?), great program.

[jrandom]

I'm on hold right now, waiting for Xtra Technical Support so that I can (finally) log the DNS issue.

If I don't get a useful resolution within a few days, I'm changing ADSL providers. A random sampling of a single colleague sitting at the desk next to me who uses ihug at home tells me that other service providers don't have flaky DNS.

[GR81]

i rekon we all RIOT and break stuff!
maybe i just wanna reason to break stuff? *shrug*

[jrandom]

I've logged my issue with Xtra and been assured that it's going straight up the chain to Somebody Important.

At least the call-center guy had the good sense not to push it after I told him not to even think about trying to tell me the problem was at my end.

I'm not usually such a cunt to people, but in this case, I'm just sick of things not working.

Heck, I'll be really glad if somehow I end up with egg on my face, here, just so long as something starts fucking working!

But I don't think I'm going to be the one getting egged.

[Spuds1234]

Why not just use a different DNS server? With my modem, it will either choose to use the one that the isp says to use, or I can enter in my own dns addresses.

You might want to check whether your modem can do this. Saves the hassle of no internet for a week or two.

[riffer]

Strange. Some of us are still doing okay. We use Telecom out of Welly, so maybe its the residential lines that are useless. Ours is a corporate line.

Oh, did I mention I work for their advertising agency? Maybe there's something in that?

[riffer]

However, doing further tests, here's the resutls to Australia and USA.

Perhaps the problem lies in the Southern Cross cable?

[pervert]

Strange. Some of us are still doing okay. We use Telecom out of Welly, so maybe its the residential lines that are useless. Ours is a corporate line.

Oh, did I mention I work for their advertising agency? Maybe there's something in that?

It is also worth testing to an overseas area such as the US. That gives a more accurate speed test as MOST PEOPLES downloaded data doesn't come from within NZ.

I can get 450kb/s easily for an Auckland test at www.speedtest.net , but a test to the US or similar gives less than 50kb/s usually.

Edit...I see you have done that, note the massive decrease is speed. I don't care how fast I can download from NZ sites, I want fast speeds to overseas like I used to!

[jrandom]

Why not just use a different DNS server? With my modem, it will either choose to use the one that the isp says to use, or I can enter in my own dns addresses.

Yes, of course. That's what the helpful helpdesk dude suggested.

My point is that I do not want to have to fuck about entering the IP address of a third-party DNS server. I pay money every month to plug my router in and get my intarwebs fix. I will not settle for having to implement workarounds, particularly not when things were working fine a couple of months back.

Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that my modem (Netgear DG834G) doesn't allow user-entered DNS server addresses.

If you had a car with broken air conditioning, and the workshop dude told you to just wind the window down, would you be satisfied?

[Brian d marge]

you are not the only ones here the test from Japan, remember I pay for a 100 MB/s connection

Stephen

[Fatjim]

Also, I have a sneaking suspicion that my modem (Netgear DG834G) doesn't allow user-entered DNS server addresses.


You could just put the DNS entry on your PC.

[Fatjim]

This test is tcp based, so you tend to get the best results when testing to the closest server.

[Fatjim]

Strange. Some of us are still doing okay. We use Telecom out of Welly, so maybe its the residential lines that are useless. Ours is a corporate line.



Commercial services are better performing because the Telcos want to be able to charge a premium for the service. This gives more markup and better bonus's.

[Ixion]

The reason is the contention ratio. The number of other users you are sharing the line with. When Telescum "unleashed" their ADSL they also (quietly) massively increased that number. The number of users per line is much lower for business lines than residential (of course each "user" on a business line may have lots of "internal users" ).

Non-leased business lines, the ratio is usually about 20:1 (leased lines, of course, there are no other users). Residental is usually about 50:1. Except that Telescum has now put it up to a reputed 148:1.

So they removed the throttle on the line, but put nearly three times as many users on each line. Surprise surprise, connection speed drops for each user.

[Fatjim]

The reason is the contention ratio. The number of other users you are sharing the line with. When Telescum "unleashed" their ADSL they also (quietly) massively increased that number. The number of users per line is much lower for business lines than residential (of course each "user" on a business line may have lots of "internal users" ).

Non-leased business lines, the ratio is usually about 20:1 (leased lines, of course, there are no other users). Residental is usually about 50:1. Except that Telescum has now put it up to a reputed 148:1.

So they removed the throttle on the line, but put nearly three times as many users on each line. Surprise surprise, connection speed drops for each user.

I believe Telecom allocate an amount of B/W per user for ADSL, i don't know about other access methods that would be used for Business users. TelstraClear, supposedly use a subscription ratio of 4:1 for business (n fact it's more like 1:1 in a lot of cases because their network is massively underutilized), and monitor average utilization for res users/international.

If you access over Telcom ADSL, whether it's resold or not, you are going through a rate limiter based on the number of the that ISP subscribers.

[Fub@r]

The reason is the contention ratio. The number of other users you are sharing the line with. When Telescum "unleashed" their ADSL they also (quietly) massively increased that number. The number of users per line is much lower for business lines than residential (of course each "user" on a business line may have lots of "internal users" ).

Non-leased business lines, the ratio is usually about 20:1 (leased lines, of course, there are no other users). Residental is usually about 50:1. Except that Telescum has now put it up to a reputed 148:1.

So they removed the throttle on the line, but put nearly three times as many users on each line. Surprise surprise, connection speed drops for each user.

When I had the Xtra/Telecom guy ringing me to keep my business I brough up the whole issue of the contention rates and fullspeed customers going on to lower contention rate lines hence making the unleashed internet a 2 teir system. He denied that Telecom had changed the ratios, to which I replied BULLSHIT!

Think the guy gave up on me after that :)

[Fatjim]

When I had the Xtra/Telecom guy ringing me to keep my business I brough up the whole issue of the contention rates and fullspeed customers going on to lower contention rate lines hence making the unleashed internet a 2 teir system. He denied that Telecom had changed the ratios, to which I replied BULLSHIT!

Think the guy gave up on me after that :)

I believe they increased them about 50%. But It was before the the new plans by quite some time.

[Spuds1234]

If you had a car with broken air conditioning, and the workshop dude told you to just wind the window down, would you be satisfied?

I can definatly see where your comming from, but if I owned a car, I would probably have to kill myself. I cant even handle sitting in a car and being driven. Its the lack of wind in the face. It doesnt feel right.

[mstriumph]

if it makes you any happier, Australian telecom [telstra] are just as awful .............

however, i DID get a full month's refund from them when i stayed on the phone for over half an hour about my broadband connection recently .... every time the woman [for whom english was, i'm guessing, NOT her first language] gave the 'standard' explaination i countered with "but why? could you explain all that again to me please?" [and variants on that theme]

..... in the end she gave a sort of squawk [she may have been crying] and said "ok lady i give you full credit for december month, yes?"

:sunny: was only $30 - and it cost more than that in my time [was works phone]---- but it felt WONDERFUL

[I]*hugs memory to her, smiling ................*

[Squeak the Rat]

I actually feel quite sorry for the telco call centre staff. It doesn't mean I go easy on them, but they must cop some flak from annoyed customers. Mind you I had a lady from the managed networks division ask if i had a router. No dear, i connect to your network with this twig.

[Karma]

they must cop some flak from annoyed customers.

More than you know.

[jrandom]

You could just put the DNS entry on your PC.

Family and friends tend to visit my place with their laptops and hop onto the 802.11 network. It's bad enough having to remember a WPA password; I'm not going to make them all change their networking configuration as well.

[pervert]

Mind you I had a lady from the managed networks division ask if i had a router. No dear, i connect to your network with this twig.

You could just have an ADSL modem like I do, no router.

[Fub@r]

Mind you I had a lady from the managed networks division ask if i had a router. No dear, i connect to your network with this twig.

I can top that........

Was running traceroutes for the guy at Xtra support whilst I'm on the phone to him giving him the pings etc and he asked me to check that my router was plugged in and turned on :bash:

[kro]

Brian, that 16000/8000 is more like it !!!!, I want what you're having !!!!

[RT527]

However, doing further tests, here's the resutls to Australia and USA.

Perhaps the problem lies in the Southern Cross cable?

no its not the sothern cross cable...aussie gamers quite often ping nz servers between 30-60 ms while we ping theres around 100 ms ..its more than likely telescums equipment that they wont invest in to upgrade to faster better routers servers switches ...etc etc.

Telecom have had a lot of time to get there shit sorted...they could have upgraded 5 yrs ago and bottlenecks and slowdowns wouldnt be the issue that it is now.


As for distance from an exchange...get this , I live 130 metres away from an exchange ...and got told by a telecom adsl tech that i was too close....haha when i explained to him that the serviceman at the exchange told me that was crap and he plugs into the adsl at the exchange and has no problems he quickly said hed have someone there in an hour.

One more thing , If my router reports that the line speed is capable of 7916 kbps down ...shouldnt i be getting that speed instead of 2900-3000 (im on the max down 128 up) upload speed is fine, down is crap.

[Mr. Peanut]

Well that was Xtra helpful.

[Brian d marge]

Brian, that 16000/8000 is more like it !!!!, I want what you're having !!!!

but I am paying for an advertised of 100 mb/s ...( page 3 ..two liitle kanji in the contract ..says Im screwed )

Stephen

ps I live 50 METERS　from the exchange!!!! I can see it from my window !!!

[Fatjim]

no its not the sothern cross cable...aussie gamers quite often ping nz servers between 30-60 ms while we ping theres around 100 ms ..its more than likely telescums equipment that they wont invest in to upgrade to faster better routers servers switches ...etc etc.



The extra 40ms comes from interleaving on the DSL equipment. It's a sneaky way of reducing data loss. They could turn it off but choose not too.

[Toaster]

I know ur pain Kro.

I got the go large plan, utter bollocks. The net keeps dying, slow speeds etc.

I knew it would happen when they said they were going fullspeed.

Useless pricks :p

-Indy

Amen brother. Making millions off us minions and for what? Shit service.

[Toaster]

Well that was Xtra helpful.

Could'a at least put her in a bikini.....

[RT527]

The extra 40ms comes from interleaving on the DSL equipment. It's a sneaky way of reducing data loss. They could turn it off but choose not too.

Interleaving is turned off on my connection!

[Fub@r]

They could turn it off but choose not too.

Orcon with no interleaving gives me a sweet 10 ping :)

[kro]

The whole damn thing went downhill when the buggers "upgraded" their DSLAM's a couple or 3 years back, I remember it very well, as up until then, even on my old DSL connection, I could ping 50 or less to a game server, whilst my wife browsed webpages next to me. Immediately after the upgrade, that all went down the crapper.

I remember contacting the IT editor at the Herald, asking if he knew of it, and he said "no, but I'll check it out". he replied again about 12 hours later thanking me for the heads up, and wrote some huge speil about it, because he found the same thing had happened to his line.

The "upgrades" were being done on the sly, because Telecome knew what they would do...... I got very wary of the company from that day forward.

[What?]

I gather you have major issues matey. I don't hate them per se, I just want a decent internet connection, at a reasonable price. Telecom are incapable of supplying me either at the moment.

With the unbundling happening, these guys need to be doing everything bigger, badder and faster, than all these other fledgling companies that already exist, or are emerging.

A couple of spaghetti cans and a ball of string would be an upgrade for my phone connection. Download of 16 Mbps is about all I can expect, and no improvement on the horizon for at least five years according to the crap Telescum are sending me.

[kro]

Dude, thats epic, I would opt for the spaghetti cans... they would prolly have less line noise too. Seriously though, thats not DSL, that's slightly faster than dial up.

These buggers should be made to have consumer protection clauses on all their plans, whereby maybe the maximum speed of the plan is not reachable on your line for various reasons, but that a minimum speed must be obtained, or the connection is free/heavily subsidised until that minimum level is reached, or exceeded.

[What?]

Whoops - it is dial-up. I meant 16Kbps. And Telescam have no plans to improve things within the next 5 years, even though they could (according to a mate in the know) feed me and 9 neighbours with DSL for as little investment as 2 grand.
See why I hate Telescum??

[Lias]

Dude, thats epic, I would opt for the spaghetti cans... they would prolly have less line noise too. Seriously though, thats not DSL, that's slightly faster than dial up.

These buggers should be made to have consumer protection clauses on all their plans, whereby maybe the maximum speed of the plan is not reachable on your line for various reasons, but that a minimum speed must be obtained, or the connection is free/heavily subsidised until that minimum level is reached, or exceeded.

A colleague of mine just got refunded 6 months DSL, because his line is shit and the new upgrade plans actually downgraded his connection speeds.

[jrandom]

Well, after an keyboard-mashing episode of dead-DNS frustration yesterday, I've booked in a swap to Orcon.

Hopefully things will be better on the Other Side.

[Swoop]

...got a letter from telicon saying ...

Hmm. Would the spelling of this be better with Tell-Lie-com? Sounds closer to the mark.


Having not been swayed by the dark side of tell-lie-com and am happily using Paradise, I feel the need to print this thread off and keep it by the front door for the next visitation from an acne-repository salesperson of the evil empire who "pops by to inform me of telescums latest products".
Good to see the customer service is up to their normal standards. When the customer is bent over with their pants around their ankles, the corporate giant can do a lot of servicing...:shit:

[kro]

Day 4 rolls around, and the service/tech person who was supposed to contact me, has not done so...... am I surprised.... hell no.

[kro]

Just sent to Telecom 2 mins ago....


My original email stated that I did not want my enquiry set to status "closed", until the problem was fixed. The problem is not fixed, and now I have to run around, and do your job for you, noting all the sites I go to, and which ones I experienced slow speeds from. The messsage does not seem to be getting through, irrespective of how many times I say it.......MY CONNECTION IS SLOW ALL THE TIME..................CONSTANTLY...............EVE RYWHERE I GO, EVERY DOWNLOAD I MAKE....................EVERY WEBSITE I VISIT......*IT IS CONSTANT !!!!!!..* How about fixing it?.
Further to this, I asked for the name of the person I needed to contact in order to obtain a credit for nearly 2 months of painfully slow broadband, and everyone seems to be avoiding this like the plague as well. Someone best furnish me with the appropriate name, or just action the credit, or I will escalate this further, and further, until someone in the Telecom company hears me, and actually does something other than supply me with carbon copy responses, which tell me nothing, other than I am a low priority.

Your next reply to this particular email is crucial.

I will not be fobbed off with cut and pasted responses.

[jrandom]

Me, I'm just hanging out for my scheduled swap to Orcon on Sunday.

I had Mrs Fish in convulsions on the phone again today because she couldn't get online to respond to personal emails and place TradeMe bids.

Imagine if our switched voice telephone network was that unreliable. People are far too accepting when it comes to shitty network service, simply because they're conditioned to expect that neither computers nor anything associated with them will ever work properly.

[kro]

I think you're onto something there. I know people like that who just synonymise anything to do with computers as "hard going", and will believe anything any cut and paste helpdesk person will feed them. Don't get me wrong, I dont shoot the messenger, I am trying to point out the sheer arrogance of the Telecom system, and the fact that they treat us Joe Blows like flys sometimes, a minor irritation

[Disco Dan]

Go Woosh? Dont think so!

<a href="http://www.speedtest.net"><img src="http://www.speedtest.net/result/75781787.png"></a>

Telescum is so backwards that they cannot even supply internet through the phone lines in my street let alone broadband speed! As its mostly old fogies on dialup, its even less of a priority to upgrade the lines than famer jones sheep shed in kaitia!

Im stuck with this crap speed....

Good luck with your endevours though!

[Ixion]

...they're conditioned to expect that neither computers nor anything associated with them will ever work properly.

And a damn good thing too. I work HARD at fostering that expectation. It's called job security. It doesn't work propery. and only I can fix it. For a while.

[Switch]

Poor bastard...

http://www.speedtest.net/result/75826203.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[kro]

Go Woosh? Dont think so!

Dude, that's not a whoosh, it's barely a leak. Mate, I thought I had it bad.
I'm really only pursuing this so hard atm, because I am on holiday, and between mountain bike adventures, and shopping for geek stuff, I have a lot of free time, so I'm using it to my advantage.

To be honest, if they credited me for 2 months of more, and promised to fix the problem in a month, I would be happy, but I haven't even been extended the courtesy, so I am now in "rampage" mode.

[notme]

I'd be happy if Xtra DNS just start working at least 99% of the time. It's gotten flaky to the point of major frustration over the last couple of months. I can never guess whether a hostname is going to be 'not found'. I've had to issue general instructions to the family that if at first DNS won't talk, just query again...

I have the exact same problem with our Xtra connections in Auckland and Dargaville, so I don't think it's anything to do with my modems or local [whatever].

I'm seriously considering switching to another provider.

We have noticed the same DNS problems, getting worse and worse over the last few months at work.

I own part of the company I work for.

Xtra no longer has our business - Orcon now has it.

Hopefully more people will speak with their wallets.....home or business users, if you're not happy go to another ISP.

Oh and Xtra - please read the following carefully: :motu:

[magicfairy]

I now work for Telecom (my company was bought my them, not my choice, and I like my job)
They will give us $150 a month towards (Telcom / Sky / Xtra) , Home cell phone, TV and internet.

BUT if you only have Telecom cellphone like I do, but are on Telstra at home - which I have had for 6 years, then I get nothing at all, because as I was told "it was a question of loyalty" just a telecom cellphone was not loyal enough.
It was also confirmed that Telecom could not provide the same connection speed I had on Telstra, thus I would have to degrade my connection, to get the money.

If I only had a Telecom cellphone, and was flatting for example, and the home stuff was in someone elses name, I'd get $50 a month towards cell. But the home stuff is in my name.

So I either get nothing, or switch everything to Telecom and be $150 a month better off.

So what did I do?
KEPT MY TELSTRA CONNECTION cos I have no faith that Telecom can give me anything like the same service or quality (we have cable modem) I get from Telstra

So in effect I am losing $150 a month just to avoid Telecom.

Says it all really.

[ArcherWC]

Telecom is ass, This is our connection

[Sam I Am]

Guys i have been using other DNS No's there old i was given them about two years ago when i was complaning then !!! and i just started to re-use them. not sure where they will work but made a huge difrance to me.
ps dont tell the world PLZ as I dont want the DNS I use to get fucked UP hehe
so keep it close ( yes i know i posted this on the world wide web but hoping only nice biker type would look in here for xtra help )

202.27.184.3
202.27.184.5

[jrandom]

Guys i have been using other DNS No's there old... ps dont tell the world PLZ as I dont want the DNS I use to get fucked UP

Ta muchly. Just switched one of my local machine configs and it seems to be working reliably. Pity I can't force my router to use those servers, but at hopefully this'll be a reasonable workaround in the interim.

Only one more sleep until my Orcon switch...

[kro]

I used those DNS servers, and my connection went thru the roof, and I mean seriously thru the roof.

I used this speed test, which is just a local download, and it shows speeds for small and large downloads, and my large download topped out at 210 !!!!!!!!, before that I could get about 23 out of it.
http://www.jetstreamgames.co.nz/speed/

I have just told my system to obtain a DNS automatically, and it's still fast, so maybe, just maybe, my bleat actually got heard somewhere in the ivory towers.

[jrandom]

I used those DNS servers, and my connection went thru the roof... speeds for small and large downloads

DNS (the Domain Name System) cannot affect your download speed. It's just the protocol that resolves a hostname (like www.kiwibiker.co.nz) to an IP address (like 216.237.127.130) via a network of telephone-directory-like listings on dedicated servers around the world. To talk on the internet, your computer needs to start off knowing one IP address - the address of a DNS server that can perform that look-up when requested.

When you're web surfing or gaming or whatever, once the IP address you're after has been obtained via a DNS query, DNS is no longer involved. Your computer uses the IP address it retrieved to establish a connection to whatever is at the other end, and data transfer begins.

Therefore, changing the DNS server that you use as your Internet 'white pages' to resolve host names to addresses can never affect your download speeds (although it can, of course, affect how long it takes to establish a connection, or whether you can establish connections at all).

[Swoop]

Making millions off us minions and for what? Shit service.
Unfortunately not JUST shit service... Overseas corporate profit is what it is all about. The average Kiwi peasant will be shafted. Tell-lie-com will not invest in the pathetic systems that are here (hardware and software) because that will eat into the profits. They will simply maintain the investment that the kiwi taxpayer provided for them.

[Toaster]

As the average Kiwi peasant, I need a watering can to fart into.....

[kro]

I farted in a watering can once.... true story.

Fish, thanks for that, I don't know a lot about anything in this arena, I just follow the instructions I get given, and pretend I know stuff :P

All that aside, the jetstreamgames speed test was 1500kpbs 2 days ago, and suddenly yesterday it was maxed out. I am waiting for the email from Telecum, to say they have fixed it.

[Sam I Am]

DNS (the Domain Name System) cannot affect your download speed. It's just the protocol that resolves a hostname (like www.kiwibiker.co.nz) to an IP address (like 216.237.127.130) via a network of telephone-directory-like listings on dedicated servers around the world. To talk on the internet, your computer needs to start off knowing one IP address - the address of a DNS server that can perform that look-up when requested.

When you're web surfing or gaming or whatever, once the IP address you're after has been obtained via a DNS query, DNS is no longer involved. Your computer uses the IP address it retrieved to establish a connection to whatever is at the other end, and data transfer begins.

Therefore, changing the DNS server that you use as your Internet 'white pages' to resolve host names to addresses can never affect your download speeds (although it can, of course, affect how long it takes to establish a connection, or whether you can establish connections at all).

No it wont improve conection speed just that horrid lag waiting to find a web address

[Transalper]

I've had enuf of the slow speeds of Xtra's Go Large plan too and have just sighned with these guys... http://www.xnet.co.nz/hsi/
Kinda flipped a coin between them and Orcon. Choose Xnet because you do not need to take your tolls with them and i liked the way their data charging options are set up.
I chose to throttle back with a 6gig international data cap and have max up and down speed. I don't use p2p anymore so should be enough for me. $49.95 base fee +data usage up to 6 gig = $56.09 / month if cap is reached.
Will be interesting to see how it goes.. will take two working days to complete the transfer.

[Wasp]

I got 450 kb/s downloading at around 6-7ish tonight, yay for orcon!

[Quartermile]

Oh-oh We just bought the $50 Telecom Pack(hasn't been set up yet),

You know how it says your connected at say 44.8kbps but only downloads at about 5kbps(Dial-up). How fast does it download on broadband??

[riffer]

You're mixing up your kilobit and your kilobytes.

1 byte = 8 bits.

For some stupid reason they quote line speed as bits per second, and download speed as bytes per second.

Here's how fast my 4Mbps down/2Mbps up Telstra Cable goes at, night or day.

A bit of good news on the horizon. This should speed up the overseas speeds (http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/communications/soa/NZ_Southern_Cross_Cable_plans_cable_upgrade/0,130061791,339273389,00.htm), which are about a quart of my national speeds.

[KLOWN]

xtra seem to be doing well compared to ihug on that speedtest.net my speeds were
download 725kbps
upload 127

and its 12 at night !!!

[kro]

Received from Xtra today ......

Hi Dave

Thanks for your email about the performance of your broadband connection.

We have completed a thorough review of your connection and we did not identify any faults with it.

However, even though there is no fault with your connection, several other factors can affect its performance.

It is important to know when you use the Internet you are sharing it with other users. As a result, the time it takes for your computer to receive or send information will be affected during busy periods.

The Internet is an international network so some of the factors that affect your overall broadband experience are outside our control. For example some websites limit the speed at which they send out information and sites that are further away (i.e. overseas) can be slower to download than sites hosted in New Zealand.

For more information on why broadband speeds can vary, visit xtra.co.nz/speed

If you think another broadband plan might suit you better, check out xtra.co.nz/broadband for information on Xtra’s complete range.

Changing to another plan is easy. You can either change online at xtra.co.nz/changeplan or call us on 0800 CALL XTRA (0800 22 55 98).

If you have any questions about this email please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Thanks
Broadband Team


My response 5 mins ago...........

How does this explain how my server ping went from 40ms on my old 3.5mb plan, to 90-110ms the day after the switch over?. How do you explain AVG antivirus updates downloading in 1 sec on my old plan, to taking 8-10 seconds or more, the day after the "upgrade"?.

My take on the issue is that Telecom have a major problem on their hands with the implementation of "full speed" broadband system, which comes nowhere near the speed of my old plan, let alone looking like its going to perform at "full speed".

I am extremely reluctant to take a look at anymore Xtra plans, with the knowledge that I could be stuck with a bigger lemon than I currently pay for, and be fed patronizing explanations, which completely, and utterly ignore the fact that my previous plan was faster, and the day after the change over, the performance plummets to something akin to a slightly fast dialup connection.
If my old plan could perform well in excess of this full speed nonsense, utilising the same line, then how can you expect me to accept any of these "excuses"?.

I want my enquiry forwarded to the person in Telecom who has the authority to credit my account for the last 10 weeks of non-conforming DSL. If I am directed to read your terms and conditions once more, I will scream. If you cannot deliver a service complying with the advertised stats, then say so, and tell me I can not have DSL. Don't take my DSL money, and give me dialup, and then link me to your terms and conditions, as if that somehow justifies the poor service, and performance.

This is my final request for suitable action.

[jrandom]

This is my final request for suitable action.

Nothing will happen. Telecom will ignore you and continue to take your money.

Save your blood pressure and sign up with Orcon. I've been quite satisfied with my connection's performance since the switch. You'll probably prefer their style of metered bandwidth pricing, too.

[kro]

I'm three quarters there already Fish, I can at least say I gave them a chance to actually show some form of customer care. I wil happily give money to Orcon.

[Wasp]

fyi: ovbiously (i know you know this, id just like to say it) orcon is still ADSL - still the same thing as you have with xtra, changing may not help at all (besides the incredible ping decrease with interleaving)

however I do believe that orcon puts their hands into their pockets and pulls out cash to "supplement" they're customers plans, plus they are with a different international traffic provider than xtra

i am very happy with orcon though, would have preferred paradise/telstra for the 1/10th national traffic and free use of they're servers though but ohh well

[kro]

So in essence, what Telecom did by introducing full speed DSL, was to overload the lines for everyone, and make the switch to another ISP seem pointless because of the log jammed lines, thus making the LLU less painful on their pockets?.

I know people a few house from me who are with other ISP's, who get scorching speeds compared to me.

[Wasp]

pretty much yea, but the problem is the exchanges - when the thing was on Cambell lLive about it they said the exchanges had about 250 people on them - Aussie has about 100 on theirs - they should only have 50 apparently

looking at that makes it pretty ovbiously why it is slow if true

However i think my problem is old wires between the street and the wall socket

also have a look at what orcon plans for 2007 (the broadband section) http://www.orcon.net.nz/index.php?option=com_informme&task=blog&Itemid=252&item=273&category=19

[imdying]

So in essence, what Telecom did by introducing full speed DSL, was to overload the lines for everyone, and make the switch to another ISP seem pointless because of the log jammed lines, thus making the LLU less painful on their pockets?.Yep, they knew that would happen. Their technical guys told us that would happen. The people who lobbied for it, pushing for the change, knew it would happen. This ain't all Telecoms fault. But what's their motivation to invest into the infrastructure now? I'd be telling NZ to go fuck themselves if I were Telecom, and I'd be screwing them for $$$$ harder and faster than ever before. I admit that it's fun to vilify Telecom, but there's plenty of blame to spread around for our current situation.

[Wasp]

completly agree with you there imdying

basically its like sharing a 56k connection between 10 computers..... it just doesnt work

the interesting thing is some areas are fast and others not so; i.e. my workmate lives in a flat in the middle of town and actually gets "full speed" (well way more than me anyway) but i live in a suburb neighbourhood with old people and people who arn't interested in things like adsl yet mine goes slower... you'd think that his exchange would be more clogged than mine.... though i suppose the exchanges are different specs

[kro]

I am still battling it out, but here's the latest.

Dear Dale

We are going to put you on the Pro-Advanced Plan for the next month, free of charge, to see if your line speeds improve.
Please note any times/days that problems may accor to help our techies...blah blah blah.

The pro advanced plan is raping the go large plan by about 3 galaxies this far.

This plan has a 30gb cap, which is fine by me, and I am getting superior speed from it, but by my reckoning, it is matching my old 3.5 in download speed, but the pro-adv' is tonnes quicker on the upload...... some users getting 70-80kbps off me.

We shall see what pans out. Sorry to dredge an old thread, just thought I'd follow this through.

[DemonWolf]

hmmm interesting indeed. Keep us updated... er.. as you were =)

[Fub@r]

I am still battling it out, but here's the latest.

Dear Dale

We are going to put you on the Pro-Advanced Plan for the next month, free of charge, to see if your line speeds improve.
Please note any times/days that problems may accor to help our techies...blah blah blah.

The pro advanced plan is raping the go large plan by about 3 galaxies this far.

This plan has a 30gb cap, which is fine by me, and I am getting superior speed from it, but by my reckoning, it is matching my old 3.5 in download speed, but the pro-adv' is tonnes quicker on the upload...... some users getting 70-80kbps off me.

We shall see what pans out. Sorry to dredge an old thread, just thought I'd follow this through.


They did this for me, after that month was up I switched to Orcon as it was cheaper, with a flatrate plan and no excess usage charges

$69 mth max/max flatrate (zeroshock) plan. Small print states 15gig a month ok don't push too hard above it. Mate at Orcon had to have a chat to one guy on this plan who halfway through the month had already downloaded 120gig!!!

Also just heard through a mate of mine that anyone that was on Go Large plan between the 8th Dec and February will be getting a credit on their accounts as Xtra can't do the shaping properly. The contract states that traffic will be shaped between 4pm and midnight each day but between this period Telecom had 24 hr shaping in place.

Apparently all Go Large plans will now have 24hr shaping

EDIT:

Currently with around 60,000 customers on the Go Large service, the refunds are expected to total $7.5 - $8.5m (incl GST).

Credits will vary depending on how long a customer has been on Go Large. For a customer who has been using the plan since 8 December and is still on the plan the credit is expected to be between $130 - $160.

[riffer]

Fuck you had me worried.

This info has been confidential until 2 hours ago. I've been working on it all week and I've only found out 5 minutes ago that the media release came out at 10.00

Yes, its true. Go Large customers will receive a letter in the post. Full refund of three months internet if you agree to new terms.

[Bend-it]

Hang on, what new terms??

[Fub@r]

Hang on, what new terms??


That Telecom will replace "shaping between 4pm and midnight" with "24/7 traffic shaping"

[Bend-it]

hmmm, and what shape will it be then? 'coz this "shaping" thing could easily be, "We will shape you all down to 56kbps! Muahahaha!!"

Feel free to replace "sh" with "r"

[avgas]

hmmm, and what shape will it be then? 'coz this "shaping" thing could easily be, "We will shape you all down to 56kbps! Muahahaha!!"

Feel free to replace "sh" with "r"

Thats when you put a high freq squeeler on the line and fuck up the 'patchboard'. But you didnt hear that from me.

[Quartermile]

Do we have to agree to these new crap terms as we just got broadband any I am NOT loosing my unlimited downloads as this is part of the reason we got it!!! :angry2:

[Karma]

Do we have to agree to these new crap terms as we just got broadband any I am NOT loosing my unlimited downloads as this is part of the reason we got it!!! :angry2:

No you don't have to agree to the terms, you can change to another plan.

If the govt changes the speed limit you can either take it or move somewhere else unfortunately.

NB. This is not a statement that what is being done is right, or ethical.

[jrandom]

Thats when you put a high freq squeeler on the line...

... shortly followed by a harried Telescum engineer figuring out who fucked the exchange and cursing you up, down and sideways for making his life difficult?

Like it or not, Telecom customers do have to agree not to connect unauthorised equipment to the network. Tut, tut.

In any case, I would have expected that each copper pair would have appropriate filtering and fusing at the exchange end, so that any high-power or high-frequency naughtiness would affect only your own connection.

Although one could be forgiven for feeling the urge to experiment.

[avgas]

... shortly followed by a harried Telescum engineer figuring out who fucked the exchange and cursing you up, down and sideways for making his life difficult?

Like it or not, Telecom customers do have to agree not to connect unauthorised equipment to the network. Tut, tut.

In any case, I would have expected that each copper pair would have appropriate filtering and fusing at the exchange end, so that any high-power or high-frequency naughtiness would affect only your own connection.

Although one could be forgiven for feeling the urge to experiment.
Yes and yes on the filters - but at the end of the day capacitors dont last for ever, nor do MOV's and reg's........right now i have a SMPS on our 19in rack that looks like it will kill anything. Allready killed 2 meters, a gps clock and few other devices....all industrial hardened equipment:shutup:
At the end of the day its not going to piss of that fucken bitch at the top - so whats the point.
On another note - anyone seen the new plans (we have to sign up to 1 of these i imagine). Im fucken pissed - i was better off 2 years ago with slingshot.
http://jetstream.xtra.co.nz/chm/0,8763,203086-202321,00.html?nv=sd

[Sam I Am]

Fuck you had me worried.

Yes, its true. Go Large customers will receive a letter in the post. Full refund of three months internet if you agree to new terms.

Serously Pissed @ Xtra now! So Go Large didnt work but it totally killed my conection speeds on my exchange, But i was never on GO(get fucked)Large plan so i dont get a refund!

:argh: :argh: :argh:

[ravenfeeder]

Good on you, we experienced huge probs with Xtra when we were getting Broadband installed - what a bloody drama - and like you i let it rip. Next thing i had their top negotiator on the line trying to smooth it all over and whalla!! THen things started betting solved(after like 8 hours on the phonem me furious most of them).
Previus to that had to deal with the dickhead of a tech trying to tell my man (who is not at all it savvy) that we didnt need the splitter despite having a monitored alarm and me specifically getting appointment with tech due to needing a splitter GRRRRRRRRRRR then making out to Mr Negotiator he was intimidated and thats why he left, not becuase he was a slackarse.
Told Xtra it wasnt him they should worry about but me! LOL. Think once they realise you are not a dick and do know what you are talking bout - it SOMETIMES works.
Now to top it off we got go large too and we thought it was just us with it not working and going slow!!! So will be interesting to see what happens with the refund etc after their big SORRY spiel on news tonight. Good luck with it mate! :argue: