Satellite on the NBS - I'm having BIG problems

ToadVine

I've had satellite broadband on the NBS for over a year. My speed is always very steady ... usually bang on 3.5mb with a ping of 700ms. While not ideal, I'm able to work with this. Last week my speeds hit the floor. Effectively I have no broadband during the day ... I can't load a simple page like google or even run a speedtest.

I contacted Satellite BB Ireland (OnWave) who told me this is due to "congestion". They tell me that the minimum spec they are required to provide under the NBS is 1mb with a contention rate of 48:1. They say that this can happen, and that even when a 1mb connection is fully contended (i.e. is shared between 48 users ... giving me an effective speed of 1/48th of 1mb) its still broadband. In short, they are prepared to do nothing as they say I'm being provided with minimum spec under the NBS.

I don't believe my problem is contention for a few reasons. Firstly, when I was getting the satellite installed, Satellite BB Ireland specifically told me that I would always have a ping of 700ms and a speed of around 3mb ... irrespective of congestion. This has been true over the last year ... the connection has always been over 3mb with pings of 700ms ... ALWAYS. Secondly, as soon as 11pm comes, my speeds and pings are back to normal. They stay like this till the following morning, and then I'm back to having virtually nothing all day.

So what could be happening? I suspect I'm being hobbled somehow, but Satellite BB Ireland deny this. They say I'm on a running total of 9gb downloaded over the last 30 days (limit 10gb over 30 days). I'm very frustrated here, and I'm not sure what to do next.

Any opinions or advice on whats causing this and what action I should take would be very welcome.

baords dyslexic

Just an opinion

Onwave have been selling a good bit of bandwidth recently evidenced by 4 installs (not NBS) in the last 4 months near me. All those installs are working fine afaik with good speeds. They have also extended their double data offer so afaik most users are now getting a min of 8GB download as opposed to the previous 4GB.

So maybe Onwave don't really want the NBS customers anymore, particularly if their deal with 3 isn't that good.

Sorry about all the afaik's above as there's no reason to doubt what I've been told about Onwave's service but haven't checked for myself

baords dyslexic

OK so here's some food for thought.

Wonder what will happen next month (July)?

http://www.dcenr.gov.ie/Communications/Communications+Development/National+Broadband+Scheme/NBS+FAQs.htm

Upcoming NBS Satellite Service Specifications
Satellite Upgrade July 2012


Download Speed
1.6Mbps

Upload Speed
256kbps

Maximum contention ratio
48:1

Round-trip latency
800ms

Monthly Data Cap (Uncharged) 11GB (10GB download, 1GB upload)

Sponge Bob

Sat BB Ireland have maxed out their bandwidth I should think OP.

Get your local TD to raise a question to Pat Rabbitte on the matter.

blither

OP I am with 3/Onwave under the NBS too and am having exactly the same issue, right down to the timing - our service was fine till the first week of June, has been terrible since then. Have gone round in circle with 3 and Onwave the past few weeks, and been told the same as you.

Our speeds go back up to normal at exactly 11pm every evening.

Would be very interested to hear if many others are having the same issues. Is there really nobody we can complain to and nothing we can do? As far as I can see, we are of no benefit to 3 or Onwave, so threateneing to leave is music to their ears. Where we live, satellite is the only option