Email Watchdog

[dev]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

because you cant even download at half the speed and still not get throtled

the only way not to get throtled while using your always on bb is to stay under the speed recognised as being bb


its not that hard to follow

when you're throttled the connection still functions at a rate that is considered to be twice the minimum for broadband, where's the problem?

[LiamTG]

I can't believe I am reading some of the replies in here!

If you paid to have some work done on your car and it wasn't done properly, what would you do?

If you paid for some work on your house and it wasn't done correctly, what woud you do?

You would most certainly complain and demand that it's upto scratch.

Why on earth then should these people who are not getting near on full speed not complain about a service they are paying for? Most people I know on VM internet don't get anywhere near their full speed, unless they are dl via newsgroups and tbh of late I am only maxing out at 7mb not 10 on newsgroups too.

We pay good money for this service. Complain away.

L

** EDIT ** And my speeds have dropped to the levels mentioned without being traffic shaped.

[dev]

Originally Posted by LiamTG

I can't believe I am reading some of the replies in here!

If you paid to have some work done on your car and it wasn't done properly, what would you do?

If you paid for some work on your house and it wasn't done correctly, what woud you do?

You would most certainly complain and demand that it's upto scratch.

Why on earth then should these people who are not getting near on full speed not complain about a service they are paying for? Most people I know on VM internet don't get anywhere near their full speed, unless they are dl via newsgroups and tbh of late I am only maxing out at 7mb not 10 on newsgroups too.

We pay good money for this service. Complain away.

L

** EDIT ** And my speeds have dropped to the levels mentioned without being traffic shaped.

as said several times, you pay for a shared service. you pay penuts compared to what it costs for your connection compared to what it can cost to provide the dedicated bandwidth for you

[rogermevans]

Originally Posted by homealone

can you explain more about your final paragraph, sorry, I'm not taking the micky, but shouldn't it be 5 meg not 2?

- However I'd agree with you, in principle, if your advert had an 'during peak times' disclaimer, at the end

lol wont argue over the 5 or 2 and i would be fine with your disclaimer

but the point is that what they advertise or how they BOLDLY advertise it now is not what we get


most of us who moan would shut up if they advertised it fairly and i think if everyone just put up with what compinies try to get away with this country would be far worse of than it is

consumer should be king and it shouldnt be that thier only choice is to leave

---------- Post added at 12:26 ---------- Previous post was at 12:25 ----------

Originally Posted by dev

when you're throttled the connection still functions at a rate that is considered to be twice the minimum for broadband, where's the problem?

see privious posts to see why

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

see privious posts to see why

You mean "see previous posts for a completely stupid explanation that has no real world basis and would get laughed at by ofcom, watchdog, and just about everyone else"

[rogermevans]

Originally Posted by TheDon

You mean "see previous posts for a completely stupid explanation that has no real world basis and would get laughed at by ofcom, watchdog, and just about everyone else"

ofcom may laugh at but thats mainly because they are useless as a watchdog

they advertise an always on faster than anyone else, and are at pains to point out this is the case no matter how far from an exchange you are and that you have complete freedom to down load what you want i could go on

but don't point out you cant do this in the normal hours that most people get to use their computer and that if you have the teremitty to try you will be capped in real terms in the amount you can download in that period to less than what you can on a 512 line

however if your happy with that bully for you but why do seem to think we all should be

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

in real terms in the amount you can download in that period to less than what you can on a 512 line

Seeing as your connection IS NEVER LIMITED TO LESS THAN 512K how can you "in real terms" download less than you can on a 512k line? It IS NOT a hard cap, you can download as much as you like, just after so long, you can only do it at 512k (on the lowest package) at no point do you ever need to drop below 512k.

I like how everyone bitches about virgin making false claims and yet here people are doing exactly the same. But I guess it's ok for them to, the customer is always right!

[jcardiff]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

ofcom may laugh at but thats mainly because they are useless as a watchdog

since they were given oftels roles combined with their own they have become some what useless and only take action when they are told to, they generally take little action when something is reported in regards to phone and internet and when they do its only when mass problems are recognised or the papers get involved

[rogermevans]

Originally Posted by TheDon

Seeing as your connection IS NEVER LIMITED TO LESS THAN 512K how can you "in real terms" download less than you can on a 512k line? It IS NOT a hard cap, you can download as much as you like, just after so long, you can only do it at 512k (on the lowest package) at no point do you ever need to drop below 512k.

I like how everyone bitches about virgin making false claims and yet here people are doing exactly the same. But I guess it's ok for them to, the customer is always right!

the only way to avoid being capped is to stay under that limit we are not saying your speed is reduced below but effectivly if you want a 20 meg conection you cant have it between 4pm and 12pm / 4am to keep the posibilty of even using 20meg during those periods youi need to stay below broadband speeds for the rest of the time

as i said and even one of those posting the other way agreed
if they advertised a "5meg service with a 30 minute 20meg boost during peek periods" then fair enough

but they dont

they advertise as faster than any one else no mater how far from the exchange unlimited downloads with total freedom

quotes

We're proud to announce super fast 20Mb broadband rolling out this summer!

• No download limits†
  (unlike some of our competitors)
• Download a music track◊ in under 2 seconds

Fun

• Space to create your own website (55Mb, in fact!)

Great for:

• Downloading music albums◊
• Downloading movies
• Music and video live streaming
• TV live streaming
• Uploading photos
• Podcasts
• Online gaming

Total freedom

Unlike some of our competitors, you get unlimited° downloads as a basic right so you can load up on music, films...whatever you're into.


unquote

[PDM]

Why on earth did VM change the 10mb service, customers were happy with a great service, But no VM has to say “look at us, we offer a 20mb service, aren’t we great�. So customers become excited over this and are happy to pay £37 per month for this service. This is good because most people use the Internet to download their entertainment, be it video, music, podcasts etc.
We need service providers to realize this and look to the future, this is the way entertainment is going to go, i.e. video on demand which will include High Definition TV and Movies, there is already High Def Podcasts out there, by capping us all we feel we are going back to the dark ages. VM say there is a downloadable limit of 3GB between 16: 00 and midnight, as most people have found this seems to be untrue, as soon as 16:00 come the speed dramatically drops, it seems that you might as well use a dial up service.

Why can’t VM just admit they can’t provide a 20MB service and go back to the very stable 10MB speed? People just feel they a being ripped off. OK VM will say “we do provide a 20MB service�, true, but not at the time of day when most people want to use the Internet.

[lakeybloke]

As I posted on another thread:

I just had an engineer around who was completely frustrated (as much as I was!). I felt sorry for him really. He got on the phone to another engineer asking why the customers aren't being told that there are Network issues. (He was quite angry!) He said he had been to 5 houses in the area complaining about speeds after 6pm and all weekends (thay are also all patched into Bromley incidentally) and people are really angry and that he completely understands why.

VM aren't admitting that there are any issues aside from the posting on the web site (http://status-cable.virginmedia.com/vmstatus/summary.do). He said its only affecting ex-NTL customers.

Doesn't look like its going to be resolved any time soon if VM aren't even admitting that the network isn't over-subscribed!. Disgusting behaviour I reckon when they can't even explain to their engineers what the hell is going on!

[homealone]

Originally Posted by rogermevans

lol wont argue over the 5 or 2 and i would be fine with your disclaimer

but the point is that what they advertise or how they BOLDLY advertise it now is not what we get


most of us who moan would shut up if they advertised it fairly and i think if everyone just put up with what compinies try to get away with this country would be far worse of than it is

consumer should be king and it shouldnt be that thier only choice is to leave <snip>

I don't disagree, however, although the 'caveat emptor' homily always applies, I think we have become too used to taking advertising at face value & not looking at the 'small print'?

Having said that the use of the term 'unlimited' is, obviously, the most contentious, and I agree they haven't really spelled out how that sits, vis a vis the shaping during peak times, or even defined what it means in any form, beyond the 'acceptable use' policy?