[Merged] Virgin National ADSL speed/congestion issues

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Thomas T

What is the point in changing if (as is the case here in potton) there isn't anything better.

There's quite a lot of services that don't go down to sub-0.5Mbit at peak periods.

http://www.plus.net/
http://www.zen.co.uk/
http://www.xilo.net/adsl_broadband/
http://www.titan-adsl.co.uk/broadband.html
http://www.ukfsn.org/home/internet/adsl/

Etc.

So yes, there's plenty that's better.

I'm guessing the issue is affecting LLU as well given BenMCR has been around but has not commented on this thread - Ben?

---------- Post added at 17:32 ---------- Previous post was at 17:29 ----------

Originally Posted by Chris

Because it's cheap and I'm broke.

See above, http://www.plus.net for example. There's a few options that have large unmetered usage periods.

[Thomas T]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

There's quite a lot of services that don't go down to sub-0.5Mbit at peak periods.

http://www.plus.net/
http://www.zen.co.uk/
http://www.xilo.net/adsl_broadband/
http://www.titan-adsl.co.uk/broadband.html
http://www.ukfsn.org/home/internet/adsl/

Etc.

So yes, there's plenty that's better.

I'm guessing the issue is affecting LLU as well given BenMCR has been around but has not commented on this thread - Ben?

---------- Post added at 17:32 ---------- Previous post was at 17:29 ----------



See above, http://www.plus.net for example. There's a few options that have large unmetered usage periods.

I just looked at all your links and they all say I either can't get them here OR they are not unlimited (ie have a usage cap). But it was an interesting read - thank you.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Thomas T

I just looked at all your links and they all say I either can't get them here OR they are not unlimited (ie have a usage cap). But it was an interesting read - thank you.

Those are all, without exception, available to all ADSLMax exchanges - I checked that bit before I provided them. None are LLU only all should be IPStream and LLU though some will have LLU-only options.

I'm aware they have usage caps. Sadly if you demand 'unlimited' service, are out in the sticks, and don't want to pay too much you're going to be stuck with a service that's spotty at best and at worst, well, your speed tests tell the story. Those on O2 Access and Sky Connect are in the same situation.

Do consider at least checking out your usage - you may find it's either largely off peak or below the usage caps for some of those services.

[Thomas T]

I realise I'm in danger of taking over Chris' thread hear but a quick reply before I move on.

I do get my full estimated speed 6.2mb during the day and off peak, midnight till 4pm. I schedule ALL my downloads to be done during this time so in theory I shouldn't be shaped outside this time.

Most of my usage wouldn't exceed 150gb say in a month.

Still I will no doubt have another look when my current 12months are up . Mind you I am also looking at moving back into Sandy or Biggleswade where I will be able to get cable so I guess it's just a case of seeing which happens first.

Cheers - Dilli

[danielf]

Further to Ig's post, it might be worth looking at some of the Entanet resellers. When I was with ADSL24 some 18 months ago, the standard ADSL package had a peak allowance of 30GB, and unlimited off peak usage. Now I'm not a heavy downloader, but I'd say those are pretty generous allowances. Only reason I left them was because Be LLU became available at my exchange.

[Swipe]

Ever since early January I've been experiencing awful download speeds on evenings. In comparison, at 6am I can download a podcast at 800kb/s but in the evening it appears to max out at around 70kb/s. this prevents me from watching youtube vids at anything higher than 360 and makes live streaming video almost impossible. I signed up to the skyplayer (web based) and had to cancel as it wouldn't play without buffering every 30 secs even on the low quality setting.

At first I thought it was down to traffic management but it still happens from 7pm even if I've been out all day with the PC switched off. I figured it might be down to my local rural (non LLU) BT exchange being over subscribed but my parents live just down the road and are with BT broadband and theirs is fine all evening. I'm not sure what I can do aside from waiting in a queue for 60min on an 0845 number and then speaking to someone who will go through a script asking me to reboot my router etc. It appears to me that my ADSL route into VM is probably oversubscribed. Could someone point me in the direct of a VM support newsgroup where maybe someone could look into this?

[danielf]

Have a look here. It appears you're not alone.

[Ignitionnet]

There is no support newsgroup for the National service, there's a link in the thread above to the ongoing thread on the official VM forums.

[Swipe]

Thank guys, glad I'm not alone

[ezay]

@Swipe

I work for Virgin Media Swansea - There is an issue on the IPSTREAM Network at the moment which we are trying to tackle.

“During 2009 the Virgin Media network was not able to support enough customers streaming video content such as iPlayer and YouTube. To address this we have re-engineered the network to support a much greater volume of customers using video streaming. While the volume of streaming traffic now supported at peak times has increased dramatically there is still more work to be done to address the peak time experience. We have started to deploy new functionality that starts to address this and aim to deploy more improvements over the coming weeks”.

Thanks,

Ezay
Swansea National Tech Support

[Chris]

I've seen that statement doing the rounds ezay ... the ominous thing about it is the one thing that it doesn't say. Namely, no promise of improved capacity, which is the one and only sure-fire means of solving the problem.

---------- Post added at 16:43 ---------- Previous post was at 16:41 ----------

Originally Posted by Swipe

Thank guys, glad I'm not alone

You're definitely not alone. Here's what I'm getting right now:

[ezay]

Originally Posted by Chris

I've seen that statement doing the rounds ezay ... the ominous thing about it is the one thing that it doesn't say. Namely, no promise of improved capacity, which is the one and only sure-fire means of solving the problem.

---------- Post added at 16:43 ---------- Previous post was at 16:41 ----------



You're definitely not alone. Here's what I'm getting right now:

Unfortunatley that is all we have been given to feedback to the customers, We are trying to fix this problem ASAP. I am a frontline agent who has to take calls from people with this problem everyday.

Thanks,
Ezay
National Technical Support

[Kellargh]

Originally Posted by ezay

Unfortunatley that is all we have been given to feedback to the customers, We are trying to fix this problem ASAP. I am a frontline agent who has to take calls from people with this problem everyday.

Thanks,
Ezay
National Technical Support

The issue is that they haven't purchased enough bandwidth to cover, not this meaningless stuff you're having to say. The statement is another way to cover up the big mistake that they made. I would really advise anyone who isn't happy to move to another supplier, Virgin National is a terrible service with no process or experience...and very little support for the guys who have to speak to the extremely irate customers caused by this mess.

[Cobbydaler]

Guess I must be one of the lucky ones (touch wood!), haven't had any problems over the last 3 months. Steady 5 - 6 Mb/s...

[ezay]

Originally Posted by Cobbydaler

Guess I must be one of the lucky ones (touch wood!), haven't had any problems over the last 3 months. Steady 5 - 6 Mb/s...

You are more than likley on the LLU SMPF Network.