View Full Version : Did somebody forget to change the "STM clock"
I started my downloads after 9pm tonight and I am now under STM, WTF.
Is it just me or is anybody else experiencing this?
I wondering if it's something to do with DST.
1) What package you on?
2) How much are you actually downloading?
I know it's the STM because I've suffered under it before so my package and download quantity are irrelevant.
i didnt get STM'd last night i downlaoded rather more than the STM allows, maybe its your area or some other factor
zing_deleted
02-04-2008, 10:20
I know it's the STM because I've suffered under it before so my package and download quantity are irrelevant.
when someone replys to a post requesting something they are actually here trying to help. Getting responds like yours will only make people not want to help. If you do want help here you might wat to try to be a little more gracious to those trying to
I know it's the STM because I've suffered under it before so my package and download quantity are irrelevant.
It sounds like the same problem I had the other night. Started downloading at 9.05, when I checked it 10.00 to see how it was going I was down to 1mb :(
xspeedyx
02-04-2008, 11:32
I know it's the STM because I've suffered under it before so my package and download quantity are irrelevant.
You might wanna check your upload speed and see if its at stm level if not then you need explore what might be the problem
@zingle well said
Steve-o||[^]
02-04-2008, 18:41
I started my downloads after 9pm tonight and I am now under STM, WTF.
Is it just me or is anybody else experiencing this?
I wondering if it's something to do with DST.
How does that work? The clocks went forward, so if the STM time is UTC/GMT then the STM window is 3pm till 8pm BST, if they've wound forward then it's 4pm till 9pm BST, right?
STM (http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php) "peak time" is 4pm to 9pm.
The clocks went forward so what is now 9pm used to be 8pm.
Any unadjusted clock would be 1hr behind.
STM (http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php) "peak time" is 4pm to 9pm.
The clocks went forward so what is now 9pm used to be 8pm.
Any unadjusted clock would be 1hr behind.
the it would affect all users surely, yes?
About an hour ago I was downloading at 20mbit no problem, now it appears that STM has kicked in, but it is only 12.12pm. This is the 2nd day in a row that this has happend.
https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2008/04/45.png (http://www.speedtest.net)
Have they changed the STM policy? Is anyone else getting STM kicking in during the day time?
Super_LEEDS
03-04-2008, 12:46
Samething happened to me last night and that was at 1am!
Nothing on main site about this either :mad:
i went over my limit round 4:30 .... 21:30 came i was uncapped again...works fine here..4mb package - birmingham.
Shin Gouki
03-04-2008, 13:35
VM have blatantly been capping me and many others users any time they want.
They've STM'd me every other sunday bang on 16:00pm for over 2 months now.
It's like clock work.
CS will not admit they are doing it though.
Believe me I've tried to get them to speak the truth but all i get is "we'll send an engineer out etc etc" nonsense. :rolleyes:
They would rather send an engineer out knowing full well thatsthere is nothing wrong at my end or theirs.
It's blatantly obvious they are capping people any time they want to.
Every other sunday no matter what they put my 4mb connection at 1 mb DL/128k UL BANG ON 16:00pm until 21:00!
I'm not an idiot. I know full well they are capping me.
It's not rocket science to know wether you are being STM'd or just have a fault.
Faults are random!
Its hardley a fault when you have have your 4 mb connection set to 1md DL/128K UL bang on 16:00pm every other sunday for over 2 months straight is it?
I getting sick of the people who don't believe those who KNOW they are being STM'd out of hours.
I will say this again. Its not rockect science finding out wether you are being STM'd or its just a fault.
I know it's the STM because I've suffered under it before so my package and download quantity are irrelevant.
Well, all you know is that the connection has slowed and it is slowed to the same amount that STM slows it down to.
You don't know the cause.
Shin Gouki
03-04-2008, 14:43
Well, all you know is that the connection has slowed and it is slowed to the same amount that STM slows it down to.
You don't know the cause.
:rolleyes:
weesteev
03-04-2008, 15:09
Hey guys
The STM policy remains as before, 4-9pm. This may be a coincidence or there may well be high utilisation on your uBR's which is causing the slow speeds.
If you would like me to check your area then drop me a PM with your details and I will gladly chase this up for you.
:rolleyes:
You can roll your eyes all you want, but it is the truth.
My connection went from maxing out at 4Mb to pretty much dead on 1Mb and didn't recover until 5+ hrs later as it has done in the past when I have confirm being under STM with Virgin techs.
Yes it is possible that it was a coincidence but not very probable.
The only difference to normal STM conditions in this case was the fact that it happened outside "peak time".
Shin Gouki
03-04-2008, 20:15
You can roll your eyes all you want, but it is the truth.
The TRUTH is that for over 2 months now i have been STM'd every other sunday BANG ON 16:00 until 21:00.
What a coincidence. :rolleyes:
@weesteev,
I'm living proof that VM are breaking their own rules.
This is not random. It's like clockwork.
There is no point PMing you!
You are STMing me out of hours like clockwork!
I'm a Bit Torrent user so i know full well that i'm being STM'd.
When my rate drops to bang on 1mb DL/128k UL, bang on 16:00 to 21:00 every second sunday for over 2 months it's not hard to figure out what's going on is it? It's quite a coincidence is it?
I'm not a bloody idiot!
Please dont insult my intelligence.
dilli-theclaw
03-04-2008, 20:26
You need to calm down and show some respect for people that are offering to help you in their own time.
Please dont insult my intelligence.
No insult was intended. However, surely if it was STM, instead of (say) just excessive network load at peak hours due to an oversubscribed UBR (which would produce a similar slowdown), it would happen every Sunday?
I am not saying it isn't STM, just saying that until it is confirmed by Virgin, we don't know either way.
Paulbula
03-04-2008, 21:46
I've also noticed this.
The same thing has been happening to me all week - if I start a download at 9pm, as soon as I hit ~300MB my speed is reduced from 2MB to 1MB. Up until the weekend all was fine.
I would be very grateful if someone could look into this.
Thanks!
weesteev
04-04-2008, 00:22
When my rate drops to bang on 1mb DL/128k UL, bang on 16:00 to 21:00 every second sunday for over 2 months it's not hard to figure out what's going on is it? It's quite a coincidence is it?
Shin, it seems you are being restricted during the correct times, 7 days a week the STM works between 4-9pm. With a 2mb connection (depending where you are downloading from) you could hit 300mb pretty quickly.
The Cisco CMTS have built in STM, its a standard feature with Cisco kit and Virgin has decided to implement it. The routers work on GMT times and no caps come into effect until 4pm and then end at 9pm in every area.
That is the technical and official side to how it works...
If there are issues with the STM timings then its doesnt appear to common knowledge within tech support at Virgin, this has never been announced as even something they are investigating or logged as any kind of internal fault ticket. I will bring this to their attention, and thanks to the guys who have PM'd me, I have some examples if accounts experiencing this.
If there is an issue then the company will have a fault ticket opened and then I can give you more information, but at the moment, I would reccomend anyone with an issue to call tech support when you feel you are STM'd outside of the STM timeframe and report this, it will be easy for tech support to check if you are traffic shaped and then we have more evidence that there is some kind of a glitch.
This must affect certain areas only, after testing on the Glenrothes, Uddingston, Edinburgh and Dundee CMTS i can confirm these issues dont exhibit themselves here, all the examples I have are West Midlands and Midlands so far.
Hope this information is ok for you guys, shout me if you need anything else and I will keep you posted about any further news I receive!
Shin Gouki
04-04-2008, 00:33
No insult was intended. However, surely if it was STM, instead of (say) just excessive network load at peak hours due to an oversubscribed UBR (which would produce a similar slowdown), it would happen every Sunday?
I am not saying it isn't STM, just saying that until it is confirmed by Virgin, we don't know either way.
Mate let's be real, please.
I know the score.
VM are hardley going to confirm it are they? lol
Thye are blatantly STMing me out of hours like clockwork and that's all there is to it.
---------- Post added at 00:33 ---------- Previous post was at 00:24 ----------
Shin, it seems you are being restricted during the correct times, 7 days a week the STM works between 4-9pm. With a 2mb connection (depending where you are downloading from) you could hit 300mb pretty quickly.
The Cisco CMTS have built in STM, its a standard feature with Cisco kit and Virgin has decided to implement it. The routers work on GMT times and no caps come into effect until 4pm and then end at 9pm in every area.
That is the technical and official side to how it works...
If there are issues with the STM timings then its doesnt appear to common knowledge within tech support at Virgin, this has never been announced as even something they are investigating or logged as any kind of internal fault ticket. I will bring this to their attention, and thanks to the guys who have PM'd me, I have some examples if accounts experiencing this.
If there is an issue then the company will have a fault ticket opened and then I can give you more information, but at the moment, I would reccomend anyone with an issue to call tech support when you feel you are STM'd outside of the STM timeframe and report this, it will be easy for tech support to check if you are traffic shaped and then we have more evidence that there is some kind of a glitch.
This must affect certain areas only, after testing on the Glenrothes, Uddingston, Edinburgh and Dundee CMTS i can confirm these issues dont exhibit themselves here, all the examples I have are West Midlands and Midlands so far.
Hope this information is ok for you guys, shout me if you need anything else and I will keep you posted about any further news I receive!
I am in the west midlands and i am being restricted before i've even dl/ul a single byte.
If i turned my PC on every second sunday at 16:00 my 4 mb connection is 1mb DL/128 k upload because thats the rate VM have set. :rolleyes:
I don't need to upload or download a single byte. My rate is STM'd a 16:00 and that's it.
I could leve my PC off the whole week and if i turn it on on the sunday at 16:00 my rate is 1mb DL/128k UL until 21:00. :lol:
I'm a Bit Torrent user so i know full well that i'm being STM'd.
I'm not a bloody idiot!
Please dont insult my intelligence.
Are you going by spends that are coming off your torrent software? If so then I think people have the right to say otherwise. It's a known fact that you won't get your full speeds using torrents...
drummerboy
04-04-2008, 01:31
Just started a download @ MIDNIGHT (downloaded nothing all day) and I'm instantly capped @ 1Mb on what is supposed to be a 4Mb connection. What's going on??? Is this going to last 5 hours? This is crazy!
It's a known fact that you won't get your full speeds using torrents...
not true ;)
downloading PIRATE material from a PUBLIC tracker that may bee some what true however legit content you can usually max out your downstreme (as legit content such as game patches etc are usually seeded by the gamepublisher using several webseeders ;))
also pirate material from the correct sources (usually private) will also max out your connection of cause i know nothing about pirate downloads :angel:
Shin Gouki
04-04-2008, 08:45
Are you going by spends that are coming off your torrent software? If so then I think people have the right to say otherwise. It's a known fact that you won't get your full speeds using torrents...
I'm going off many different tests mate.
I know my Bit Torrent clients very well and know full well when my rate is being STM'd.
I know full well when my Ul rate should be maxed out.
When I'm the only seeder on a file with MANY, MANY leechers and my maxed out UL drops to 128k BANG on 16:00 pm every second sunday for over 2months I know when im being capped.
I'm not a casual or new internet user who does'nt know how to measure his connection speed.
I've been at this game for years. ;)
EDIT
Im suprised so many peope do not believe me.
I've been here for nearly 2 years with only 56 posts.
I'm not a troll who makes stuff up.
I've been with Telewest BB since day one and know exactly how to measure my connection at all times.
It's blatantly obvious what they are up to.
Next time I am the only seeder, have 200 leechers leeching from me and my upload rate is solid and maxed out on a sunday, I'll youtube my rate dropping bang on 16:00 so you can see for yourselves.
lostandconfused
04-04-2008, 09:00
Ok easy way to see if you have been STM'd
Check the Modem Configuration:
go to 192.168.100.1
use login details root & root
go to operation configuration and post the maximum upstream and downstream.
Using speed tests (from whatever source) are not going to show if you have been STM'd because there are so many different reasons for a decreased download speed.
AFAIK that will only work with ex-ntl
Shin, it seems you are being restricted during the correct times, 7 days a week the STM works between 4-9pm. With a 2mb connection (depending where you are downloading from) you could hit 300mb pretty quickly.
The Cisco CMTS have built in STM, its a standard feature with Cisco kit and Virgin has decided to implement it. The routers work on GMT times and no caps come into effect until 4pm and then end at 9pm in every area.
That is the technical and official side to how it works...
If there are issues with the STM timings then its doesnt appear to common knowledge within tech support at Virgin, this has never been announced as even something they are investigating or logged as any kind of internal fault ticket. I will bring this to their attention, and thanks to the guys who have PM'd me, I have some examples if accounts experiencing this.
If there is an issue then the company will have a fault ticket opened and then I can give you more information, but at the moment, I would reccomend anyone with an issue to call tech support when you feel you are STM'd outside of the STM timeframe and report this, it will be easy for tech support to check if you are traffic shaped and then we have more evidence that there is some kind of a glitch.
This must affect certain areas only, after testing on the Glenrothes, Uddingston, Edinburgh and Dundee CMTS i can confirm these issues dont exhibit themselves here, all the examples I have are West Midlands and Midlands so far.
Hope this information is ok for you guys, shout me if you need anything else and I will keep you posted about any further news I receive!
So are you saying that people in the midlands who have contacted you are having problems with getting their speed dropped outside of the stm times? Would explain what happened to me then.
Mate let's be real, please.
I know the score.
VM are hardley going to confirm it are they? lol
Thye are blatantly STMing me out of hours like clockwork and that's all there is to it.
I am being real. VM have been fairly open about using STM (unlike NTL), so I don't see they would change that policy now.
Shin Gouki
04-04-2008, 09:56
Ok easy way to see if you have been STM'd
Check the Modem Configuration:
go to 192.168.100.1
use login details root & root
go to operation configuration and post the maximum upstream and downstream.
Using speed tests (from whatever source) are not going to show if you have been STM'd because there are so many different reasons for a decreased download speed.
AFAIK that will only work with ex-ntl
If you can tell me how to do this on an EX Telewest i'll prove it to you next time bang oin 16:00.
My decreased speeds happen ONLY every other sunday bang on 16:00 and they match the 1mb dl 128k speeds exactly for exactly 5 hours.
Im actually in west midlands (aston) myself was capped yesterday till 2am although i dont remember downloading over 700mb to get capped..i wasnt in a rush to download anything so it was fine...day before yesterday was fine i didnt get capped..like i stated in my previous post here..lately i have been capped though...i'll check today and report back..
Shin Gouki
04-04-2008, 10:02
I am being real. VM have been fairly open about using STM (unlike NTL), so I don't see they would change that policy now.
I'm living proof and will prove it.
Do you want to bet a tenner on this one, my friend?
In fact anyone who doubts me can bet a tenner then i'll be quids in when i prove to you that VM are breaking their STM policy.
I'm more than happy to take your money if you really do doubt me over a company who wants to work with Phorm.
I'm living proof and will prove it.
Do you want to bet a tenner on this one, my friend?
In fact anyone who doubts me can bet a tenner then i'll be quids in when i prove to you that VM are breaking their STM policy.
I'm more than happy to take your money if you really do doubt me over a company who wants to work with Phorm.
I haven't actually said they aren't using STM on you. All I have said is that there may be other reasons.
Shin Gouki
04-04-2008, 10:29
I haven't actually said they aren't using STM on you. All I have said is that there may be other reasons.
lol How can it be anything other than STM?
This is not a random thing. The times and speed of my connection does'nt fluctuate.
It's perfect.
Perfect to the point where you would have to be in complete denial or a total and utter idiot to not realise what they are STMing you. lol
---------- Post added at 10:29 ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 ----------
Ok easy way to see if you have been STM'd
Check the Modem Configuration:
go to 192.168.100.1
use login details root & root
go to operation configuration and post the maximum upstream and downstream.
Using speed tests (from whatever source) are not going to show if you have been STM'd because there are so many different reasons for a decreased download speed.
AFAIK that will only work with ex-ntl
I've checked my logs with this and all it say's is SW Download INIT - Via Config file cm-4096-384
http://www.speedtest.net/result/254984954.png
ok, just went down all of a sudden again was fine for a few hours :\ thats supposed to be 4 meg... :\..so there is a defo problem in west midlands...
Shin Gouki
04-04-2008, 10:51
speedtest.net is unreliable mate.
bigsanta11
06-04-2008, 08:04
Just thought i would join so i can let you know that as of this morning ,just after 7.20am my connection has dropped to just under 100KBs ,and i noticed there was a problem with my connection speeds due to my web radio programme having constant drop outs,which is what happens when the traffic management kicks in during normal stm hours.
I was also using utorrent and after downloading the amount virgin allow for a 2mbit line,(properly set up to 20% less than what my 2 mbit connection is capable of) that also reports a big nose dive in up/download speeds ,just as what happens when stm kicks in,and online speed tests show the same below 1mbit connection i'm now knocked down to ,ijust don't know how many hours until i'm going to be back on a normal connection,as this new stm isn't in the t&c.
fraser.:dozey:
I'm fully in support of Shin and all the others attempting to report irregular STM operation despite scepticism here and generally within VM. No wonder they feel frustrated by the response they're receiving!
I've posted numerous (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34512223-post1.html) documented (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34513231-post66.html) examples (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/34514128-post87.html) where Tech Support agree that STM has been operating outside of the published hours!
And I've got ten more cases that I've noted from the newsgroup over the last week or so where TS have actually *confirmed* that particular users had been STM'd 'out of hours', apparently as part of blind (ie. secret) trials!
(The affected users that I've been able to contact were in NE8, TA5, OL4 and Preston.)
I urge all those who believe they may be currently hit by STM outside of the 4pm-9pm window to download a couple of files simultaneously from the VM demo games server (http://gamefiles.virginmedia.com/blueyondergames/demos/) and/or Zen test files (http://fuller.zen.co.uk/test) to confirm that your *upload* speed is either 128kbps (15kB/s) if on the M (2Mb) and L (4Mb) services or 192kbps (24kB/s) for the XL (20Mb).
Then post a request to the TS newsgroup that they check if you'd been hit by STM.
It's very important to note that TS can only check your *current* real-time status and have no idea what was happening to your connection even an hour ago!
It would also be helpful if you could mention the first half of your postcode in such posts (there and here too!).
(And why not copy TS's response back here to dispel any further doubts?)
:angel:
---------- Post added at 10:11 ---------- Previous post was at 10:07 ----------
Ok easy way to see if you have been STM'd
Check the Modem Configuration:
go to 192.168.100.1
use login details root & root
go to operation configuration and post the maximum upstream and downstream.
Using speed tests (from whatever source) are not going to show if you have been STM'd because there are so many different reasons for a decreased download speed.
AFAIK that will only work with ex-ntl
Please could somebody confirm that STM operation will show up as reduced connection speeds in ex-NTL modem configs?
If so, check if something similar can assist ex-TW customers?
---------- Post added at 10:12 ---------- Previous post was at 10:11 ----------
I am being real. VM have been fairly open about using STM (unlike NTL), so I don't see they would change that policy now.
The policy hasn't changed.
The operation of that policy has changed.
hey, i've heard a few different people complaining of stm affecting them outside of standard stm hours.
Shin Gouki, if it is affecting you at bang on four, have you tried contacting tech support at bang on 4, as we can check the modem configuration to see if it is under stm, and obviously at that time you wouldn't have been able to reach the threshhold.
i have heard a few people saying that if under stm outside of the hours, a reboot of the modem allows it to go back to full speed, dont know if any of you have tried that but if no-one has then give it a go next time it happens to you and report back to let us know if it works, though i am myself very doubtful.
tbh, if you are sure you are under stm, it is best to contact ts when it is happening to you, as ive said we can easily see whether or not the modem has been restricted on our system, and if you are we can escalate it on to our second line team.
gd luck to everyone on getting your probs sorted.
bigsanta11
06-04-2008, 20:17
I haven't a clue how to use or get to the newsgroups,so i could report that the 100mb test file i'm downloading now is getting a speed of 117KBs ,on a 2mbit line ,and since my first post this morning,i have not done any downloading what so ever.
ubr05.newy.blueyonder
I haven't a clue how to use or get to the newsgroups
Sorry, bigsanta.
If you use Outlook Express, read VM's step-by-step guide (http://www.virginmedia.com/customers/newsgroups/setting-up.php).
And VM's Tech Support group is 'virginmedia.support.broadband.cable' on news.virginmedia.com or text.news.virginmedia.com.
(The more of those tests I listed above that you do, the easier it'll be for TS to help you. And don't forget to disconnect your router before doing them.)
Good luck!
bigsanta11
06-04-2008, 21:33
Thanks,i'll do that ,as i usually use mozillas' software,and it's just the cm i use ,no router.
Steve-o||[^]
06-04-2008, 23:26
STM (http://www.virginmedia.com/help/traffic-management.php) "peak time" is 4pm to 9pm.
The clocks went forward so what is now 9pm used to be 8pm.
Any unadjusted clock would be 1hr behind.
Yes. One hour behind our current time. But it doesn't mean that because the time is one hour 'behind' our time, that doesn't mean it'll keep logging for an additional hour.
The local [device] time is calculated using the UTC reference plus, or minus, the time zone offset..so, lets say it wasn't updated - what is 8pm to us is actually 9pm to that particular device - so we should've had a 'free hour' that day.
Shin Gouki
13-04-2008, 16:23
They hav'nt STM'd me today, ffs. lol
See you next sunday.
I know that this is also the case in some areas, whereby uBR's haven't been sync'ed by CTMS (cable modems.) Great!
Shin Gouki
20-04-2008, 22:26
They hit me again today bang on 16:00 when i was maxing out my upload rate. Bang on 21:00 i was back at full speed.
So now they're hitting me every 3rd sunday instead of every second sunday.
Well at least they aren't doing it as often.
They're just trying to keep us guessing, mate.
Next thing they'll try is starting it on Sunday morning...
:)
chamelion
21-04-2008, 12:27
hey guys,
i just got hit with STM, its 12:27pm and i downloaded 3 gigs in the past 2 hours. speed has been chopped down to 5mbit. wtf? i'm no where near the traffic shaping time period, what's going on?
hey guys,
i just got hit with STM, its 12:27pm and i downloaded 3 gigs in the past 2 hours. speed has been chopped down to 5mbit. wtf? i'm no where near the traffic shaping time period, what's going on?
If you are in one of the following areas: Preston, Wigan, Blackpool, Camden, Dalston, Enfield and Haringey
then you need to read VM's statement on STM trials (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33631495-stm-statement.html).
If you are not, I'd recommend you report it to Tech Support.
Need help getting onto VM's Tech Support newsgroup? (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=34527446&postcount=6)
chamelion
21-04-2008, 13:28
If you are in one of the following areas: Preston, Wigan, Blackpool, Camden, Dalston, Enfield and Haringey
then you need to read VM's statement on STM trials (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/12/33631495-stm-statement.html).
If you are not, I'd recommend you report it to Tech Support.
Need help getting onto VM's Tech Support newsgroup? (http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/showpost.php?p=34527446&postcount=6)
angel/ islington. don't think we're in the camden exchange, are we?
---------- Post added at 13:28 ---------- Previous post was at 12:40 ----------
ah, VM are saying i'm part of the dalston exchange. well. that just sucks now doesn't it.
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