Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Because ntl take 1 step forward (speed increase), & 2 steps back (price increase & capped service) that's why.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

For an extra £36 a year 1mb users now get 50% more or alternatively can downgrade to 750 and pay £10 less - sounds like a fair deal to me - apart from the upload speed being pants at the 750 level.


cant see where you have commented on this previously??? so do you have it on authority that NTL will improve the upload speed to ADSL levels? or is this just you speculating?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

The move is not negative for sure, but is it positive enough. This was just a comparrison to 1 adsl isp.
The 300k increase could be construed as giving nothing but a speed increase as permitted usage has not increased, which was my point. £1.50 imo is way better to pay over NTL's price for the entry band service for no restriction.
the new 750k has yes still the same permitted usage and lesser upstream speed.
adsl still offer a 1mb service @ considerably reduced cost in comparrison to NTL, with no usage maximum.
The adsl 2mb service is considerably lower than NTL's 1.5mb also with no maximum usage.
As ntl have recently started sending usage letters this has and will probably become more of an issue than it has been since the cap was introduced.
There are other adsl providers offering lower prices for restriced services similar to NTL's and/or out of hours service, ie bulldog primetime.
NTL would have been far better off just doubling all packages and increasing the cap, with maybe a small fee increase of £2-3 on each the higher tiers, which they have done on the 1mb.

When comparing you have to look at all aspects of the service comparrison.

price speed what restrictions/caps

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Hmmmm.....they are running a business after all.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Fair enough if the cap was introduced AFTER the speed change, but it wasn't. It has been here for a year + now.

They haven't announced the cap after the speed increase so therefore ntl has taken a step back... then one forward?!

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

This is my marketing dept. telling me that it is being looked into. That's enough of an authority for me at the moment. I am not saying they will up the cap but that they are looking into the possibility.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

The speed increases can only be seen as a positive measure by NTL as its broadband customers will have up to 100% extra download speed.

I see that their press releases do mention doubling of speed but you have to look further to see that this only applies to 150k customers and as far as I know those that are getting their broadband through the STB already get up to 256k so 300k isn't that much of an increase.

What does this increase in speed actually mean to users and what does it cost NTL to give it?

The vast majority of users will still continue to do the same things at the same time and will hardly notice that their speed has been increased. Most users do not continually download large files so they will notice that any such download is quicker and they will take up the available download bandwidth for a shorter period of time.

It is largely game players who want to host games that should benefit along with users who want to download files 24/7 for whatever reason. Also households with more than one computer networked to use the one connection should benefit where the users are all online at the same time and using bandwidth hungry applications.

It will probably cost NTL very little to implement these new speeds and they may recoup what it does cost by retaining users that may have thought of leaving or recruiting new users. If I was an AOL customer using their broadband via the NTL network I would certainly think about going direct to NTL for it and save £3 a month and have a potentially faster service.

The one big question that needs answering is that of the alleged cap. Will NTL suddenly start enforcing this more in order to throttle back the heavy users who will have more bandwidth available. Will they use this speed increase as an opportunity to admit that the "cap" was not thought out very well and to adjust it more in line with suggestions made through these forums.

As with most things in life, we will have to wait and see what transpires, only time will tell.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

It's not that I'm ungrateful for NTL's gesture in increasing download speeds, but from my point of view an improvement in upstream speed would have been more beneficial.

Given the choice between a 750/128 service or a 600/256 option I would take the latter, every time.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

But they haven't (in true ntl style) addressed the issue of the cap. :dozey:

All they have effectively done, is increase the time in which their users can exceed the cap-great move (not)

I would say that is two steps back on it's own-not forgetting that TW charge £35.00 for 1MB (1.5MB soon), & ntl charge........ £38.00. :rolleyes:

Another step back methinks.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

LOL, what would we do without you to dampen our joy eh Neil ;)

Didn't I read somewhere in here that if a TW customer only takes BB then they have to pay a bit extra so there price difference disappears ?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

the only sort of speed problem I ever had with NTL was the stopped kind.
it never went just slowly it always had to stop working :LOL:

but having said that if they do increase the speed and sort a few other things out as well, like, billing,telephone wait times, capped services,email servers, news servers, proxy servers, general reliability of the network, have I missed anything? I may consider having just the broadband service off them again ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Agreed.

PR BS I'm afraid-I personally find it insulting to ntl customers that they emphasise the 100% increase, when that will apply to very very few customers.

It means that customers will be able to hit/exceed the cap faster.

I don't know how much it actually costs ntl.

Again, agreed. :)

Not really, as it is upload that is important to those people you have descrbed above, & that appears to be staying the same.

The AOL service hasn't been running long enough for customers to be able to get out of their 1 year contract I don't think, & why opt into a new

It's not an 'alledged' cap at all Ian, it's very real.

ntl will not admit what a c0ck up they made with the cap IMHO, & they will continue to treat their customers poorly as that is their attitude at the top.
Agreed-again!!

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Yes, it does indeed. :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Can you realisticly say this will affect the "average" user? The majority of 150k (300k) use it because it is comparable on price with dial up, but they get a faster service that doesn't tie the phone up. The cap is irrelivant as, not only would it be difficlut to hit the 1GB limit, but also very unlikley!
If it's your opinion, i'm not arguing with it, I am not saying you are wrong i'm just pointing out that when you add some figures to the equasion, the number of people it would have a detrimental effect to or make worthwhile to go to adsl is quite small.


Again, this will not affect the avarage user who tend to use the 600k service for DOWNLOADING.

These are the people it does effect.. i've already admitted that!!!


As ntl have recently started sending usage letters this has and will probably become more of an issue than it has been since the cap was introduced.

Bulldog....ÂÂƚ£15.99 a month for 150K?? why not pay £2 more and get double the speed??? To me, at least IMO, it doesn't seem logical that somebody would do that.

I have already mentioned my marketing dept. has told me the cap will be reviewed in line with the speed upgrades so I have looked a the picture.

We only have 3 teirs... why should they double the 600k for example to 1.2meg and only charge £25-28 when the other cable co's charge £35?
They have doubled the lower end and not increased the price.
You seem happy with what they have done with the 1mb, but are unhappy with the cap. But, with greatest respect, this isn't a discussion about the cap, it's about the increase in the speeds.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

But it isn't. I have already posted on here that 66% (approx.) of ntl's customers are on the 150k (soon to be 300k) service, so in fact a MAJORITY of the customers will get a 100% increase.

66% of 1million... 660,000.... that isn't a few!!!! (haha I still needed a calculator to work that out ;) )

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Which makes a total mockery of ntl's claims that they have 1 million broadband customers (they have always been very tight lipped about how many are on 150k, but now we know thanks to you!!)

So according to you (& Oftel/Com), ntl only actually have 330,000 high speed broadband customers (I.E over 512k)?

Not a very good showing really is it? & you have just confirmed my 'ntl PR BS' comment by admitting their statement of 1m BB customers is in fact little more than BS.

Thanks! :D

[Edit]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/03..._1m_broadband/

Not quite Mr Duffy-660,000 150k customers & (therefore) 330,000 600k/1MB customers does not equate to 1m BB customers I'm afraid. :nono:

What a complete joke/load of BS-ntl are nowhere near the standard bearer they make out to be-if that were the case then they would have announced the speed increases & TW would have copied them out of panic (not the other way round ;) )

With good reason too.

It isn't.

Thanks for ending the speculation behind ntl's BS tho 'HC', much appreciated. :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Which is a pretty significant increase - 5-6 times faster than dial up (lets face it you normally connect at about 52k). I would imagine there are users who will downgrade from 600k to this and others that now will not upgrade.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Not quite Neil.....

As per the Ofcom ruling, 150k is not highspeed bb, but it is indeed bb... :angel:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

/gets chair and popcorn :D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Don't forget how you wasted your popcorn last time... ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

To be fair, this isn't about whether ntl have 1mill HIGHSPEED broadband customers is it?!?

But as ob stated, 150k is recognised as broadband, and for certain 300k will be so the claim is valid. the satement says 1mill broadband customers, not once does it state "1 million high speed broadband customers"

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

1. I would have thought NTL wasnt just after keeping customers but gaining more and hopefully some from adsl.
2. Bulldog primetime was an example directed at the higher tiers not the lowend package. remember theres a lot more adsl providers than there are cable. You can get unrestricted 256k ADSL from other providers @ £1.50 over NTL's future 300k.
3. Obviously everyone will look forward to increased cap and increased upstream but till theres any official announcement they are just nothing more than maybe we would get them.
4. As for the 600k sorry, Iv allways known it as 512 even though I allways had 600k when I was on that tier. so to double it I meant double 512.
5. I fail to see why NTL should be comparing against other cable providers, who currently bear no competition against NTL. ADSL is your competition and so you need to be looking @ what adsl is offering.

As I said its a move in the right direction, but I had 1mb before I dropped to back to the middle tier. I see now after looking that I can get adsl 1mb for £26 no restriction. And as I can hook up for 3 months contract with line activation at £29 it may well be worth me trying it. And then as long as my line can take it I can get 2mb later when I need it at less £'s than NTL's 1.5mb. Then theres the potential of the 4mb and 6mb tiers thats becoming available, although currently only in central london. We of course hope this spreads further afield and look forward to a future lowest tier of 500k from both cable and ADSL.
So despite this increase ADSL seems to remain ahead of cable.

as for announcing any raise in the cap how long does it take to work out that as downstream speed has increased by 25%-100% that the guidance cap should also be increased with in the same region at least. meaning at max you would increase the guidance cap to 2GB. The cap is NTL's worst point and therefore they should have kicked the increase round the table of ideas at the same time. The whole threads response would have been far more positive if they had.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

ok, cheers, thanks for claritying that.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Because although they are not the competition the blueyonder has done a lot to market BB takeup in the UK and innovation on their network promotes questions from NTL users as to why NTL cannot offer the same.

Similar I suppose to comparing an American Airlines flight from LHR to NY to a Thai Airways flight from LHR to Bankok. You cannot use the alternate carrier, but you can compare the service you get for your money.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

OK first off I'll get the appologies out of the way :)

appologies for replying to my own post.

appologies if this is off topic and should go somewhere else (please move it as appropriate)

appologies if this is of no interest to anyone.

I was thinking some more about ways to explain the idea that higher speed connections generally can support higher contention ratio. I think I have a way that helps make the point clearer (and some other about contention) - that uses my favourite tool - an analogy (analogy warning - analogy are not exact comparisions but ones designed to highlight a particular aspect only. Outside of that aspect they usualy break down horribly).

So in the analogy imagine that

The shared resource of a contented data pipe (where ever that contetion might be - first/last mile, middle mile or external connectivity) is a public toilet.

A users connection speed relates to how quickly they can 'evacuate' themselves. A 1mbs users takes half the time to 'evacuate' as a 512kbs user.

Contention then becomes when you go to use the toilet and it is already in use and you have to wait.

Once you do this then the point (that the more you increase a users speed the more contention you can stand) becomes (I hope) much clearer. Because people spend less time doing their doings (as their connection/ evacuation speed increases) they are in and out of the toilet quicker and thus the chance that when you go to use the toilet it is already occupied is lower. Thus you can increase the number of people sharing the toilet when you increase their evacuation speed. This of course has the implicit assumption that just because people can now evacuate quicker they do not decide to evacuate more.

This analogy (imo) is also useful a looking at some other contention ideas. Like the idea that contending more people on a larger pipe has less impact on users than less people on a small pipe at the same contention ratio.

If you imagine a public toilet with a single bowl being shared by say 20 people - giving a TCR (toilet contention ratio) of 20:1
and then imagine a public toilet with 10 bowls being shared by say 200 people - giving the same TCR of 20:1

In the first example a single indivdual that takes ages and ages to evacuate is all it takes to cause severe blockage (possibly not the right term given the anaology used). In the second example it would take 20 such 'long time' evacuators - all evacuating at the same time, which is a lot less likely than there being one. Thus in general terms the bigger the shared pipe, shared by more users is, at constant contention ratios the less impact (relative to small pipe with less users at same contetion)

The analogy can also be used to look at the CAP and heavy / abusive users as well.

In this analogy data volumes downloaded (or uploaded) relate to amount evacuated.

NTL currently define toliet abuse as being based on the amount people evacuate. However there may be a user that whilst they evacuate 10 or even 100 times more than the 'average' user they always do so between the hours of midnight and 5am in a massive evacuation session, and in a public toilet of say 20 bowls shared between 400 people (TCR 20:1). This user NEVER causes another persons usage of the public toilet to be blocked - yet by NTL's definition they are an toilet abuser. This then is the most basic (but not only) flaw with the NTL cap as it currently exists.

I hope that this 'toilet' approach to some issues surrounding contention makes the issues both easier to understand and a little less 'dry'

:)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

There once was a time when Cable was cheaper than ADSL. Now it just claims a better speed to £ ratio.....

Money talks...It seems that they think that speed is more desirable to the majority than cost. I think that they are wrong.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

But how many of the 660,000 customers are getting their service via the STB and are already getting 256k?

Changing subject slightly, has anyone noticed that on Pipex's capped services the bandwidth per month allowed includes both downloads and uploads combined.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

:notopic: Yep it's becoming common place with these introductory services that the caps are now data transfer based, not just one way traffic. ispreview.co.uk has recently done quite a good analysis on the creeping introduction of basic capped services.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Great news that NTL are going to upgrade my 600K to 750K for nothing. I know several people on 512K ADSL who are now looking at moving to NTL for the faster connection for similar money. For me the upload speed doesn't matter, I'm not fussed how long it takes me to upload to my webspace or VPN. If I wanted a 1M service I would have to go to NTL as I'm too far from an ADSL exchange for anything higher than 512K. Well done NTL

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I have one stupid question if ntl struggles now to keep up speed and leases bandwith to AOL and sometimes its impossible to play online games to bad pings. Wheres all this bandwith comming from???????

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

i ment bandwidth sorry

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

sometimes it is impossible to play onlne , i honestly havent had any major problems with ntl , i wonder if it is dependant on where you live :confused:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

well at least someone is pleased this will happen - :welcome: to the forum bazza :) I mainly only download on my 600k connection - and the extra 150k will help with sharing it with my son using a router :tu:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Fair enough on the 150kbps and 600kbps tiers, but for me as a 1Mbps user I'm being made to pay £3 more (£36 a year) for a service I don't want or need, or pay £10 less for a lesser service (slightly slower download and very much slower upload). That's why I'm unhappy, especially when they claim it's something for nothing, which it is not.

If they kept the 1Mbps as well as an option at £35 I'd be happy (but happier still with 600/256 :D)

If I was a Telewest customer I wouldn't be paying any more.

I refer to my comment above ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

has there been any official announcement by NTL yet as to when this speed increase will happen?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Most customers will not use any more bandwidth than they do at the moment even though more is available to them.

The ones that do use the extra bandwidth may find themselves being talked to by NTL for breach of the AUP.

It is very easy to give something away whilst you are restricting its use.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Yes-the answer has been posted several times in this thread.

Re: NTL to up speed for free?
 

you will automatically go to 1.5Mb

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

If you are married and have kids or whatever and you network a few pcs and they all share the same broadband connection you have. The xtra bandwidth will be used. There goes the AUP. But there again thats another matter. With families like this and I can Name a few the xtra Bandwidth will help sort out slow browseing ect .But as for the Newsgroups being sorted out thats a joke

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

remembering of course that you agreed in the t&cs that you would only use 3 devices (excluding router/ hardware firewall) on your BB connection. ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Of course .... :erm:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

like 1 pc 1 monitor and 1 keyboard and the mouse. Id better disconnect my printer lol

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I'm still confused. I reckon I'm 99% of the way to being the Average Broadband User. I surf the web. I send e-mails. I use instant messengers. I play XBox Live, and even the occasional game of Counter-Strike on the PC. I download MP3s (legal of course), video files and game demos. I can honestly say that the oh-so-terrible cap has never crossed my mind.

Please could somebody explain to me how NTL's announcement is a bad thing for me? Because for all I can see, it's positive. And yet here we are, with 17 pages of people complaining. I just don't get it.

NTL Broadband 50% faster free for everyone
 

Incase people didnt know.

Everyones Broadband connection will be getting a 50% speed increase this summer free of charge.....

please click on the link for more information.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04...est_broadband/

;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

:nono: not everyone is complaining ....

Re: NTL Broadband 50% faster free for everyone
 

Incase anyone hadn't noticed 50% isn't being given.

150K goes to 300K yes 100% extra. double....

600K goes to 750K if my maths is right you are not getting 50% more.. this needed to be 900K so come on NTL are 600K getting 50% more or is this the short change..

1mb goes to 1.5mb ==== 50% more...

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

No one here complains???????

You get offered something for free
You pay for it
Then your told you cant use it to its fully potentional

No one here complains

No Never

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

But to use it to it's full potential (24/7 downloading) you either have to have very deep pockets or be infringing copyright laws all the time. Lets take a wild guess at which of those two options is most likely to be occurring :pp . You are, in effect, saying that people should be bitching because they are not being allowed to break the law as much as they would like to :D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

:tu: , nuff said , rep is on its way for that :D :D :D :D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Did I say That!!!!!!!!!! .Or did I could it be a few game demos a few movie trailers maybe some anti virus update maybe windows update and then maybe some online gameing or perhaps new drivers for me 5950 ultra card . This is going off the topic lets get back on it.

Its good to have a increase in bandwidth whether you use it or not or how you use it. The xtra speed might help when your on ebay and put in that final bid 15 secs before it finishes

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Mmmmmm...I can see that....I must have been mistaken ;) :D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

!perhaps! the experiance of downloading from the NTL binary Newsgroups at 187.5kb/s will be fun :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Oh please not this old chestnut again.

Yes many people infringe copyright with their BB conncetions but to state this is the _only_ reasons why a user might have large downlaod volumes is ridiculous.

In addition to all the standard legal uses so often given as examples I will add a couple of new(ish) ones.

I want to use my BB connection to recieve or send videostreams from my own privately owned cameras (in porpery of mine in other locations, to my families house etc etx).

I want to use my BB connection to set up a VPN between my friends and family, where I can share their data and files and they mine as if we were on an office LAN.

You presumably are of the view that such legal applications and uses (along with 1000s of others) should be prohibited because some people steal movies and music?

Increase average usage of BB is probably the single most important 'metric' in terms of promoting BB and its usage (as government policy says it widhes to do) and building a BB britain.

You do not limit crime that invovles the use of postal services by limiting how many letters people can send. You do not limit crimes that involve cars by limiting how much people can drive. So can we end this ridiculous idea that we should limit crimes that use the internet by limiting internet usage - once and for all? Please !

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Add new reasons all you want. It will not change my mind i know why i have 1 meg and dont mind being truthfull about it. :Yikes: I use it to download lots of stuff of the net :Yikes: there i gone and done it now :LOL:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I think people on 600k BB should get a 50% speed boost so its 900k and not 750k...

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Oh has this denigrated to the usual those for a cap because of the nasty people downloading more than their fair share versus those who think that if they are not downloading 24/7 they are being cheated with the online gamers carping from the sidelines because they have too many pingpongs.Why do we end up going down the same road over and over again?

Come on it's nice to have something positive from NTL for once.What ever their reasons for doing so,I for one,am not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Just as long as the 'coming soon' really does mean coming soon.As they are trying to keep up with Telewest in this I think there is a good chance that it does.

So lets us :handshake and try to :argue: a little less

Incog :kiss:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I'm on 600k and I kind of agree, but as someone mentioned earlier, this would probably mean that loads of people who are on 1 meg now would simply downgrade (unless they need the higher upload). This would cost NTL a lot of revenue. Like it or not, I can understand why they don't boost the 600k service by 50%.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I did state that I accept that many people use their BB connections to download copyrighted material.

My (main) points were

1. This is not the ONLY high volume useage
2. Limiting usage is NOT a valid way to reduce such illegal acts (or a valid justifaction for limits)

Hope thats a bit clearer now?

(PS the RIAA are on their way to you right now) ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

1. It may not be the ONLY high volume useage but I bet it accounts for most of the high volume useage.

2. Since when has any ISP introduced a cap to reduce illegal use of bandwidth?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...2&postcount=67 :wavey:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

never (never say never so I'll change that to nerver ish) - but many users have tried to justify a cap in such terms and it was that I was 'contesting'

(ie the 'argument' than anyone affected by cap must be doing something illegal therefore cap is 'justified')

anyway this is all off topic so I'll shut up for now :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

That was one of the strong, but unproven, rumours when the ntl cap was first started. The British Phongraphic Industry (the UKs equivalent of the RIAA) declined to comment to AntiCap, in reference to a BBC online news article that had implied just such a connection.

As a staunch AntiCapper, I have to agree that in this instance, the cap is not the real issue, although in it's current ntl precsribed form, it does reduce the advantage of the speed increase. Ultimately the free speed increase is an interesting development for the broadband industry, one which the ADSL ISPs may have difficulty in following. The differences between cable and ADSL will now be quite marked in terms of speed, price and use limits, which will make customer choice less than straightforward. Time will tell whether the subscribers whether price or speed is the more important (where customers have a choice).

If ntl cannot implement, this in their "Summer" timescale, they could find themselves without any real advantage, as the ADSL industry will have time to develop it's answer.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I didn't state that this is the only reason :)

mmmmm....happens a lot.....I see your point :D
GET REAL....those are of course valid uses but they do not solidly tie up a connnection 24/7.
...and in any event...the video streaming would probably be against the t&c's or be covered under business use...

Of course not :confused: I am just bemused that somepeople (read 'warezmonkeys') sometimes complain that cablecos are restricting them in the pursuit of their probably nefarious activities. :rolleyes:
If you commit a crime by post then you still have to pay for the postage--if you commit more crimes by post then you have to pay more postage....similarily....If you want to download a lot more over the 'cap' then the the cabelcos are probably thinking about charging you more for it....fair enough, they have a business to run....and I want to keep my nice low ping as well. As for the car analogy---of course you would limit car crime by limiting the amount of time people spend in cars--they would be driving less...doh!Thank you!Absabloodylutely! :tu: :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Well personally I think it does nothing for either the gamers or the users.

NTL use another cheap ploy to make their none so clued up customers think they are giving them something for nothing.

Increasing speeds will do nothing more than flood an already saturated network.

Increasing speeds will do nothing to help the gamers as speed increase will have no bearing on pings.

As you mention the gamers carping on the sidelines and quite rightly they are too - they are forever ignored by NTL who refuse to acknowledge them and sweep their issues under the carpet.

Rather than address the issue the gamers have by a saturated network NTL choose to offer sweetners to the others hoping their feelings will outweigh the gamers complaints.

To me another **** poor attempt from NTL to rob Peter to pay Paul.

I am willing to put money on the fact after these speeds are increased NTL will be quick off the mark to start actually enforcing the Cap now that the speeds can reach it quicker.

And am also willing to put money on the fact that they will do nothing to assist the gamers and improve the network or mail servers or newsgroups.

I agree we should all unite and :handshake and try to :argue: a little less.

I doubt many gamers will agree with the above as by now they have all ditched NTL and found a decent ISP for pings and no longer need to carp.

:D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I do hope you're not suggesting I should have gone back and dig that post out? It was/is a very valid point though. That's why I remembered :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Just a thought (which might have been covered before, but this threads long enough to have forgotten the early posts :dozey: ), How many users currently on 600k, will look at the new 300k teir and think, that might just be enough for me so saving a few quid. Whereas they wern't attracted to the 150k service which would have been too slow. So ntl find themselves making thier 150k customers really happy with more service for nothing, and also running the risk of seeing less revenue as some 600k customers see an achievable downgrade.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

The ntl press release says that they are linking with Openwave and Highwinds (never heard of them myself but presumably they are big industry leaders in their fields) to enhance the email and newsgroups.

\Decides not to hold his breath for another "coming soon" implementation ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

OK - so some 260+ contributions into the thread, with some diverse conjecture, speculation and numerous responses thereto, it remains that ntl are giving a free speed increase across the 3 BB platforms.

Given that if you continue to subscribe to 1MB at the (post June 1 increase) its still a free increase in speed. If you are on 600K or 150K, its unconditionally a free increase in speed.

In the same announcement, they have stated they are actively working on email and newsgroups, with a projected completion in May.

Whether or not they (ntl) choose to amend, pursue or ignore the cap, it is up to the individual to utilise their connection appropriately, and should they seek a combination of UL/DL ratio beyond the remit/perceived value of these new speeds, then its a free market.

I am on a 1MB connection. It is £3 a month more from 01/06/04. It remains to be seen if the projected newsgroups/email improvements occur by then - and how long we have to wait for the free speed increase.

I will be keeping an eye on it - but I am happy to sit back and give them the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.

Coming Soon - just maybe it is.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Good point. I don't know, but I'm sure it must have been discussed (at the NTL meeting). But I suppose higher speeds (and caps apparently) is the way broadband is progressing at the moment. 600k has served me fine for the past couple of years, so I might decide to drop down at some point. But then again, online tele looks very enticing, so my bandwidth hunger my grow exponentially :shrug:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Free upgrade?

Come on, who are they kidding?
A bit like going to mcdonalds and asking for a big mac, and the assistant asks you for £1 more than you paid last time you bought one, and when you question the increase they reply " Oh well, we're giving you a quarter of burger free ".
If NTL want to show they are serious, let them get shut of the 1gb limit.
As somebody said, you will just reach the limit quicker.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

They are not kidding anyone - as I'm sure you know, it's free for the two lower speed services (which is 95% of ntl customers).

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Dontcha pay your NTL subscription 1 month in advance (someone who works for NTL nodoubt will correct me if i'm wrong) therefore NTL customers will be paying the price increase in May on whatever date their billing period is.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Not all NTL BB customers pay in advance, some, including me, pay in arrears.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

That's the issue though. It's not free on all 3. It's free for 150kbps and 600kbps, but it's £3 more for 1Mbps.

Okay, I know they're making the price rise before the "upgrade" so they can get round that little legal point, but we all know really that the plain fact is...

to get 1.5Mbps it will cost £3 more than it does currently for 1Mbps

There's no way they'd be able to justify the price increase if it was just left at 1Mbps, so the price increase and speed increase are definitely linked.

Therefore, not free

Small though it may seem, it's still £3 I'd rather not be paying, especially as I don't need the extra 500kbps. Thus I'll downgrade.

I would like NTL to clear up their claims though by being accurate about the percentage increases for each tier and amending the "free" claim.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

They are being accurate. The price rise was announced over two weeks ago. The FREE upgrade was announced two days ago and is just that, FREE. :rolleyes:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

:nono: Come now, I know you're not blinded by spin :D

Ntl are legally correct in calling the upgrade 'free'. 1mb costs £3 extra as of your next bill, whereas the speed increases will not kick in until later in the summer (whatever that means - sounds like 'coming soon' to me ;) ).

However I cannot believe anyone would doubt that the price increase in the 1mb service is a competely bizarre business decision on ntl's part, unless it is understood as pre-empting the speed increase. If you compare 600k at £24.99 and 1mb at £37.99, then the 1mb service is poorer value for money than the lesser service. This goes against all the received wisdom of selling more by charging less, and encouraging people to upgrade.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Did you think the speed increase was a reaction to Telewests announcement?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I'm seeing double ... :spin: which thread would you prefer me to answer that in?

OK this one, seeing as I've started :D

All I've said about Telewest on this subject is earlier in this thread: http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/sh...ad.php?t=11564

If ntl is interested in ensuring a merger with Telewest is smoother, then that would be a good reason to change the speed of services on offer. But accepting that as an explanation for the speed increase does not preclude the possibility (downright certainty IMO) that the price increase in the 1mb service has been made in preparation for the speed increase.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I got the impression that NTL knew in advance (probably about the time the price rise was announced).

P.S. Where is my letter telling me about the price rise? As far as I'm concerned, if they charge me more on the next bill, that's illegal :nono:

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

When did you receive your last bill?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

From what I have heard, the speed increase was not a reaction to TW, but had been planned for a while.

This being the case it begs the question(s).

1. Does this show a "close working relationship" between TW and NTL ?
2. Whether (1) is true or not, was the announcement of the changes a reaction to the TW announcement ?

NTL's PR machine must be kicking themselves (again) as the way in which it has been handled will do nothing to convince the customer base.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

They are sending out the June Price changes info with your current/next bill. I got mine last week.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

1. There has been a close relationship for the past couple of years... nothing new there - especially when both companies are owned by the same consort...
   
   Quote:

   Whether (1) is true or not, was the announcement of the changes a reaction to the TW announcement ?

   If it was a reaction, then the theory of ntl only increasing to speed to justify the price increase is a load of cr4p.
   

Why should they???? One measly price increase (and yes, I do beleive it's measly - do you have to question whether or not you can really afford another £3 a month for a luxury service?...) and higher speeds on BB services. What, pray tell is wrong with any of that?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Well if the two worked together on the move, which seems sensible, it would look very odd to make a join announcement. Both announcements were made pretty close together, which I would guess is a close as two separate companies could get it.

As for whether it is free or not: Well it would make sense as to why they have introduced the additional cost, as I am sure that it will cost slightly more to provide (what is in effect) an additional 1/2mb of bandwidth, which would explain why the move was taken.

It would be highly irregular to say that the 1mb service no longer exists, but you can move go to 1.5mb for another £3.

It would also explain why 600k customers are only being taken to 750k, as any closer to 1mb would be likely to drive many current 1mb users DOWN to the lower tariff.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Ok, understood, but ...

Agreed

I'm not arguing about the price increase ... just the timing of everything.

It hasn't been very well planned, what with the price increase ... which will always be argued about, followed by TW speed increase ... which makes NTL users start thinking, followed by what appears to be an NTL reactive announcement about speed increases.

It would have made more sense (especially as both companies are owned by the same consort) to have made a joint announcement about the speed increases, even if it was spearately, but at the same time ;)

It also beggars belief that they announce the speed increases not long after the price increases ... sometimes timing of this type of announcement is key to customer appreciation and retention, I just feel that they have handled the PR of the last two weeks extremely badly.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I really don't like this assumption that all 1Mbps users will obviously love to pay NTL £3 more. £35 a month is still a hell of a lot in the first place!

If I look at it the way some are blindly doing and take the £3 rise as a rise on the 1Mbps service ignoring the "free" upgrade later, then being asked to pay £3 more for 1Mbps when everyone else isn't being asked for more money and neither are Telewest customers, then it's an outrage! In that case, what am I getting for my extra £3 (again, ignoring the free upgrade later... assume we don't know about that yet)?... nothing :(

Either way, it's £3 a month (£36 a year) more I'd rather not be paying.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

or to put it into perspective - £36 per year for 50% more and if it's that much of a problem then for £120 less a year you can reduce your bandwidth from 1mb to 750.

I dont believe it's measly but when you allow for the 'extra' it's acceptable.

perhaps it would have been more sensible to continue to offer a 1mb product at £35 - and then when 90% of 1mb users decide it's not worth paying £3 a month for a third less... then end the 1mb service.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

You have this back-to-front. I'm not saying they introduced the speed increase to justify the price increase. I'm saying they increased the price because they already knew they were going to increase the speed (for whatever reason) and by making the price announcement first, they can legitimately claim that the speed increase is 'free'.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I was planning to jump ship and get 1mbit ADSL rather than pay the extra £3 for NTL's service, I'll now stick with NTL unless 2mbit ADSL becomes availible at a decient price. NTL can still stick that 1gb/day cap where the sun dont shine though!

have they given any indication on when/if theyre going to provide a 2/3mbit tier?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

What would most of you post if it wasn't for fantastic conspiracy theories... :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

it is not obvious looking at ntl.com that anything is about to change could you please provide a link

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

http://www.ntl.com/mediacentre/press/display.asp?id=702

Without looking through the entire thread, is that what you're after?

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

The usual:

1. Macs are better than PCs
2. Bleeding-heart liberals are ruining this country
3. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life

But all that's :notopic: and anyway, I love a good conspiracy. They're impossible to prove wrong. :D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

:LOL: Would've repped you, but need to spread it around a bit first... :)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

These are some of the biggest conspiracy theories ... ;) :D

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

I suspect people would have complained even more if the speed had been increased and then after this it was followed by a price increase.

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

thanks thats almost it, is there an official date yet? have I missed that some where as well

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

late summer *





* year not specified.



http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/04...west_broadband

"NTL's gear-shift will take place in the summer, a little later than Telewest, which upgrades in May."

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

No, no official date yet. Just 'late summer'. I think this was all decided rather quickly to have firm dates yet... ;)

Re: [Merged] NTL Increasing BB Speeds
 

Adsl is still faster & is still an attractive option...


Probably rejoice that NTL employees might have had a decent wage rise.