Eircom Broadband Speed

axer

Hi All,

I am still on a continuing fight for a 2Mb line. I am paying for the Home plus package so I should be on a 2Mb line. I am/was getting 832Kb downstream and 128Kb upstream. Today my router reset and now it is showing downstream connection @ 832Kb and upstream @ 256Kb. What is the upstream that you are supposed to get with home plus? is it 256 or 128?

Thanks,
Noel.

Giblet

BE QUIET!

You are probably Rate Adapted, and they decided to give you 256 up instead.

If you are a gamer, I'd keep it

axer

Hi Giblet,

Nope am not a gamer. So you think its my line that cant take 2Mb?
I'd definitely prefer 2Mb download than a 256Kb upload.
Not a gamer on PC, just XBOX and dont really fancy playing online!!
Is it supposed to be a 128Kb upload then do you know?

Thanks,
Noel.

Giblet

2048/128 it's supposed. Believe me, some people would rather your connection than 2mb

julius

axer,

Keep the 1024k/256k line as you will rarely need 2MBit downloads.

The 256k upload will be of far more benefit!!!!

AdMMM

julius wrote:

axer,

Keep the 1024k/256k line as you will rarely need 2MBit downloads.

The 256k upload will be of far more benefit!!!!

But not if he isn't a gamer or doesnt use bittorrent

axer

I only use DC++ & Limewire (for my legal downloads of course). So I dont think that 256Kb upload is of any use to me. Although I took advantage of an offer at the begining in that I get Home plus package for 45 euro a month instead of 55 euro so it might be worth keeping for the 16GB download cap, so I suppose 5 euro a month is not that much extra.

julius

Are you sure you pay €45 a month???

As
€45 excl.VAT (Eircoms BB+ charge on the Bill)

would be includeing VAT:
€45 x 1.21 = €54.45
in other words what everyone gets charged.

Getting back to what you are saying about the increased upload speed...what data do you get when you try out that irishspeedtest page???

Im on BT and only getting ~65k/sec for some stupid reason with a 1.72mbit download(so my line/connection is v.good) meaning that the problem is at the exchange/isp site.

So if you get 200k or more on that test for upload then you are on 256k upload.

axer

julius wrote:

Are you sure you pay €45 a month???

As
€45 excl.VAT (Eircoms BB+ charge on the Bill)

would be includeing VAT:
€45 x 1.21 = €54.45
in other words what everyone gets charged.

Your right - was talking to a customer service rep and they said that we are getting 10 euro off a month - special offer. Lazy me never checked.

julius wrote:

Getting back to what you are saying about the increased upload speed...what data do you get when you try out that irishspeedtest page???

Im on BT and only getting ~65k/sec for some stupid reason with a 1.72mbit download(so my line/connection is v.good) meaning that the problem is at the exchange/isp site.

So if yo[u get 200k or more on that test for upload then you are on 256k upload.

Am getting 206Kb upload speed accoring to Irishisptest.com and 699Kb download speed. Everytime I check that download speed it seems to be getting lower and lower. Guess its just time of day etc.
Downloading @ 85-88KB/sec from heanet.

axer

Today an eircom technition called me and said that he tested the line and that the line is perfect. No problem with the line at all. He advised me to call eircom back check with them that maybe I am still set to being on a 1Mb line or something like that.

I called eircom and advised them of all this and they asked me my connection speeds etc. Then the operator told me that that speed was perfect for the package i am on and he asked me why i was calling with a problem. So i explained everything to him. No use.
Called back again and spoke to another operator and explained all again, she said the same thing. 832Kb connection is perfectly fine for a 2Mb line.

Am i missing something here or is that acceptable for a 2Mb line?

Anarchist

Not acceptable as far as I can see.

Blaster99

If your router says 832kbps then the line is the limiting factor. Do you have the SNR etc numbers? If you can only get 832kbps, then there's no point in paying for 2Mbps (obviously).

leche solara

Ive just tested my 1024/1287 line on irishisp test and got 859/101 with UTV. (it can fluctuate quite a bit though) They say that the most you will ever get is 87% so you should be getting at least 1700 from a 2MB line. Eircom have some cheek to say 832 is acceptable. Why pay the premium when youre not getting it?

axer

Here are my line stats:

Downstream Upstream

---

---

SNR Margin: 12.42 18.00 dB
Line Attenuation: 34.76 22.00 dB
Output Power: 17.14 11.97 dB
Errored Seconds: 0 0
Loss of Signal: 0 0
Loss of Frame: 0 0
CRC Errors: 0 0
Data Rate: 832 256
ATM port status : Up
Rx data rate (bps) : 832
Tx data rate (bps) : 256

The SNR margin, line attenuation all seem fine to me.
Anyone see any problem with these?

Giblet

How long is the line between the modem and the phonebox.

axer

I'd say less than a foot (v short wire).

PixelTrawler

leche solara wrote:

Ive just tested my 1024/1287 line on irishisp test and got 859/101 with UTV. (it can fluctuate quite a bit though) They say that the most you will ever get is 87% so you should be getting at least 1700 from a 2MB line. Eircom have some cheek to say 832 is acceptable. Why pay the premium when youre not getting it?

exactly what im getting 1.71 constant on the 2 meg line, 105 up ( tested at irishisptest )

axer

Ok a strange thing just happened.
The speed now showing on my router after i restarted it is now exactly 1024Kb downstream.

The last time when the line speed went up from 512Kb(or whatever it was) to 832Kb it happened at about this time at night - 10.30pm ish.

Maybe someone is working on it now BUT 1024Kb connection is still not really a 2Mb.

860Kb connection on IrishISPtest.com

What should it show on your router for a 1Mb or a 2Mb or what should it show (Downstream/Upstream)?

Thanks.

PixelTrawler

my router shows 2048\128 but you see above it tests at 1710\105, also try this

http://us.mcafee.com/root/speedometer/default.asp - run it twice to get the real speed, first pass is always slower for somereason, after first pass the test will be always more or less the same shows 1695 versus 1710 on irishisptest

axer

1st pass: 299.6 Kbps (37.45 KBps)
2nd pass: 403.52 Kbps (50.44 KBps)
3rd pass: 419.04 Kbps (52.38 KBps)
4th pass: 420.48 Kbps (52.56 KBps)
5th pass: 868.32 Kbps (108.54 KBps)
6th pass: 406.24 Kbps (50.78 KBps)

axer

It came back down to 800Kb now. I dont know. Guess i will have to leave it a day or 2 and see what happens

PixelTrawler

be careful asking eircom to fix anything, a friend of mine asked eircom to check his line to see why he as failing the test for broadband, not only did they not fix it they managed to break the line altogether and he doesnt even have phone service currently!

Blaster99

You can run speed tests until you're blue, if your router says 800kbps that's what you're going to get, less overheads. Your SNR and attenuation look good to me, but if the router doesn't like to sync at higher speeds then something is wrong somewhere. Have you considered borrowing another router off somebody? Have you unplugged everything else connected to phone lines in the house to see if that makes a difference? Do you have a Phonewatch Alarm? Is it properly filtered?

Incidently if you get 1024kbps best case, I wouldn't be surprised if you're setup on the 1Mbps service. But you've obviously tried to argue that point with Eircom already...

julius

Those customer service reps. are a technically clueles bunch and are probable trained to put the blame on you or say everything is fine when confronted with a problem they cant fix.

IMHO most people who ring up complaining never ring back again about the same issue after being treated like sh!t by one of those azzhole reps!!!

axer

Yipee, after many many many (did I mention many?!) calls to tech support and my father (retired-eircom) contacting one of the guys over broadband they have finally managed to get up off their asses and make the long and arduous journey to the local exchange whereby they found that I was only setup there for a 1Mb line - what a shock!!
I have just checked my connection speed and it now says 2048!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But they have brought my upload speed down to 128 - which doesnt really effect me so I dont really care.
Now next up is to get refunds since april and refunds of all the calls I made to their 1890 number - constantly telling the "tech" support operators what the problem is. Even if they only owe me 2 euro for the calls - i'm making them pay!!! I wonder can I ask for some sort of compensation or free months for stress caused and my time wasted trying to investigate the problem on my end when it was really on theirs.

Eircom tech support guy (x10): "Its rate adaptable, its rate adaptable - thats all your line supports"
Eircom complaints callcentre agent: "I'm sorry, the speed you are getting is within the terms of the agreement, you cannot make a complaint about it"
<BANG><BANG><BANG><BANG> (the sounds made by a phone slapping them across the face)

mang87

axer wrote:

I'd definitely prefer 2Mb download than a 256Kb upload.

Haha, when this upgrade first hit, I recall most of the forum saying the exact opposite


Including myself.. I'd kill for 256 up

dub45

axer wrote:

Yipee, after many many many (did I mention many?!) calls

---

Now next up is to get refunds since april and refunds of all the calls I made to their 1890 number - constantly telling the "tech" support operators what the problem is. Even if they only owe me 2 euro for the calls - i'm making them pay!!! I wonder can I ask for some sort of compensation or free months for stress caused and my time wasted trying to investigate the problem on my end when it was really on theirs.

Eircom tech support guy (x10): "Its rate adaptable, its rate adaptable - thats all your line supports"
Eircom complaints callcentre agent: "I'm sorry, the speed you are getting is within the terms of the agreement, you cannot make a complaint about it"
<BANG><BANG><BANG><BANG> (the sounds made by a phone slapping them across the face)

If they were charging you for the plus product and only supplying you with the basic product then you should report it to the Director of Consumer Affairs and Comreg. They were charging you for something they were not supplying.