3 Real Streams Drop after 1 minute 44 seconds - Sufferers please post here

Bluefrog · 19-01-2008 06:04PM #1

I'm trying to collect everyone who is having this issue in one thread to show 3 that this is not an issue isolated to one person. It has been 6 months since this issue I first reported this issue to them on their network and I'd like to try and get it resolved for all of us so help me out. Thanks.

jimmycrackcorm · 19-01-2008 10:49PM

what are you streaming and is it with X-Series?

I did have this problem a while back but it suddenly got fixed one day and has been fine ever since. I still get the odd disconnect and some buffering but happy enough with it.

Bluefrog · 20-01-2008 12:59PM

I have X-Series Gold - can stream from Orb fine - the issue is only with 3rd party streams like those from the BBC, RTE etc

apollodjs · 20-01-2008 01:16PM

im also having this problem disconnects every time no matter where I am in the country.

foggy_lad · 20-01-2008 02:22PM

surely this is the way three have set this up to save bandwidth?

Terrontress · 20-01-2008 03:09PM

Yes, yes, yes!

I have sent a letter to 3 Customer Care this week.

I'll see what they come back with.

Bluefrog · 21-01-2008 12:18AM

Called them saturday - told them that I had alerted them to this issue in September, wanted a resolution. they gave me the usual we'll contact you in 24/48 hours so we'll see. Also posted on the official X-Series blog again and will post everywhere else I can think of over the next week if I don't get a resolution citing their unusable customer care and technical support as well as their seeming inability to address this issue.

x in the city · 21-01-2008 01:16AM

just take your business else where and leave three.

problem solved.

Bluefrog · 21-01-2008 10:08AM

It would have been nice X if you had been more respectful of the purpose of the thread (perhaps you work for 3

) but since you raise the topic let me briefly address it...

First I am in a contract for my voice service with them - if I leave I would have the ridiculous situation where I ended up paying them for their incompetence while sparing them the headache of actually sorting out this issue. Secondly why should I change instead of them providing the service they advertise and I pay for. I am aware a lot of people left 3 over the issues with the broadband modem during the summer and I think 3 got off very lightly.

Why should Irish broadband consumers accept any old level of service a telco decides to supply - even if it contravenes their own contract and advertising? If consumers don't complain how can they expect service levels to ever improve here. On September 13th last, I wrote an open letter to Robert Finnegan, the Managing Director of 3 here in Ireland alerting him to several issues with the X-Series product as it stood at that time (you should be able to find it using a search here on Boards). One of the issues I highlighted was a problem with Real streams which, at the time, they denied any knowledge of. Over 5 months later this matter has still not been resolved nor have I recieved any meaningful response from Three as to why.

To be fair, I also have to say that apart from the Real streams issue the 3 service works pretty well for me but I do want to see this issue sorted as it directly contravenes the advertised goals of X-Series.

Terrontress · 21-01-2008 02:50PM

Just got a call off them there. Asked me to check my settings for Real Player, told me all is in order and have said they'll escalate it.

In relation to X, I think if this issue was sorted, I'd be over the moon with the service. I am happy with all other aspects. Broadband, roaming, call quality, pricing. If you can't say anything constructive then don't say anything at all.

jimmycrackcorm · 21-01-2008 11:25PM

Bluefrog wrote: »

I have X-Series Gold - can stream from Orb fine - the issue is only with 3rd party streams like those from the BBC, RTE etc

I remember getting the 1 min 44 sec type problems with Orb initially. since then they must have fixed the Orb streaming to give it priority over other traffic because ordinary web browsing can be jumpy at times but one the ORB streaming starts then it works really well.

Even stranger is that I had my orb streaming set at the recommended fixed 100kbs but it then forgot the setting and now check the speed. At 960kbs the Orb streaming is crystal clear and streams much better.

Bluefrog · 22-01-2008 02:03AM

It is certainly odd that Orb real streams work fine 99% of the time. Every so often the site automatically does a speed test for me and readjusts itself to suit current coverage.

Thinking that since Orb was working so well I might be able to circumvent the 3rd party streams issue by passing them through Orb I set up a couple of BBC stations in my favourites but bizarrely even with this setup the streams die after 1 minute 44 seconds.

If I were a cynical man I might think that 3 were deliberately messing with the BBC streams but neither customer service or tech support has admitted that to me. In any case they are due to contact me tomorrow at some point so we'll see where we are then.

This streaming problem is NOT an issue over wi-fi so it's definitely something on the 3 network.

Bluefrog · 22-01-2008 11:21AM

Came accross this this morning - http://www.3g.co.uk/3GForum/showthread.php?t=71609. Looks like Three X-Series users in the UK are doing no better in this regard than we are.

x in the city · 22-01-2008 01:36PM

OP i sympathise with you....¬!

serious, but I simply cannot tolerate three I mean i have been there and done that with them but they are an absolute shambles.

I suggest you ask to talk to a manger (for all the good this will do.) tell them your woes and you want to cancel your dealings ASAP, because three are not providing a service they are outlined to do, (ie false advertising).

if you bought a new car and some mornings it wouldnt start, would you accept it?
hardly.

three fall into the same boat, their service is just not acceptable. and I for one cannot understang how they get away with all this, they are milking Irish consumers for all they are worth.

Bluefrog · 23-01-2008 01:00AM

A three customer service rep told me on Saturday they would get back to me by today with an update on the streaming issue - another lie to add to the list.

Bluefrog · 24-01-2008 08:05PM

I did an interesting little experiement today. Using Orb I added a couple of the BBC streams to my favourites and tried accessing them via Orb - I got the same disconnect issue relaiblly after 1 minute and 44 seconds.

I then changed the streaming protocol within the Orb settings to use 3gp rather than a rtsp stream and sure enough, no disconnection so it is a workaround even if a clunky one. It would seem that there is something about the way Three are handling the RTSP streams that the Real Player doesn't like

Real streams originating from Orb work fine for me - I can stream both music and video from my home pc without issues over rtsp - it is only thrid party rtsp streams that disconnect so between that and the fact that streaming works fine from these sources over wi-fi I believe there should be enough information there for the network engineers in Three to narrow down the problem if they are interested in doing so.

Bluefrog · 18-02-2008 10:23AM

An interesting point that has come to light on the sister thread on 3g.co.uk is that the 'listen again' streams work fine - haven't confirmed this myself yet but it would go some way to explain how Orb streams are working. Though both streams are RTSP, there must be some difference between them. It does rule out the horrible vista that Three were somehow prioritising or filtering non-three streams.

3 Real Streams Drop after 1 minute 44 seconds - Sufferers please post here

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