newsgroups completion rate
 

The amount of incomplete posts is about 60-70% on most groups.
Been like this for a few weeks now, anyone else using ntl newsserver see the same.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Yup... I am getting masses of incompletes too.... and it's not just specific posters or groups.

It's not just incompletes either...... loads more "file missing" errors......

On the upside... at least I get a full 4M now (Grabit / 10 threads) and not a 1.5M creep, but of course speed is less important than the actual files being available from the server!

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Seems that it crapped out the same time that the connection problem arose, they fixed that wonder if this will get sorted anytime soon.
Speed ok, as you say, but next to useless if most of the posts are missing or incomplete.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

I use Giganews.

100% all the time.
90 old days posts and still 100%.
Not used a par in months.
Full speed. Euro server.

But it's not free, $24.99 (13.50 uk) per month unlimited.
PM for any help.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Regarding the completion rate, I checked alt.binaries.e-book.flood on NTL & got 86%. I also checked on my free teranews account and it was 97%, so peering does seem to be a problem with NTL, atm :)

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

I see no point in a paid service, ntl server is ok when it works, which to be honest is most of the time, unfortunately when something does go wrong it is difficult to get the fault noted/fixed.
Never managed to get sensible response from cs when the subject is news server.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

For some reason the news server is as slow as treacle. I mentioned the high level of incomplete files last week, but after a bit of testing I see it's down to the speed the posts are appearing. Things that appear within an hour on Easynews can take days to make it to NTL. I wonder if they are doing this deliberately?

DW

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

I use the news server to get games. Since a few weeks ago nearly all files have been incomplete. before that it was ok:dozey:

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Still no change with the newsgroups, tried cs again but still no sense.
Why can't cs understand the problem or at least acknowledge it.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

newsgroups aint a big priority for them they always have been poor as a news server

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Because its low priority.As I keep saying if you want a good newserver then put you hand in your pocket and stop complaining

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

I appreciate it is a low priority but as stated previously i already pay ntl for the newsgroup access and when it works it is sufficient for my needs, therefore i see no need to pay someone else for a service that ntl already provides.
I am just trying to get the message through to whoever that there is a problem with completion rate, i have obviously tried to get cs to note this but they do not understand about "completion rate".

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Are the speeds ok tho? :D

He He!

:D

PS I hope you arent downloading copyrighted software? ;)

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

sorry but you do not pay for the newsgroup server provided by ntl, its free as part of their service, they do not have to offer a usenet service

as its been mentioned its not high priority for them to sort out

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

When i signed up for broadband part of the deal as mentioned on the website was access to newsgroups, therefore i would concur that i pay for the newsgroups as part of the broadband package.

It is not free, ntl are a business and they would not spend money on upgrading the newserver (as they did some time ago) if it was free.
It is as you say "part of their service" therefore it follows that we pay for it.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Unfortunately the way it is phrased is the clue, they offer 'access to newsgroups', but make no promises about completion or which groups are carried. IIRC there was even talk of restricting access to text groups only & not peering with binary groups, at all.

NTL newsgroup access has always been a very low priority service, and I can't see that changing - not for the better, anyway ;)

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

A while back they upgraded or outsourced the news server and also cut the amount of binary groups, this enabled a reasonable service for those that used the few binary groups supported, there was a text only news server for a short while but this went when the upgrade happened.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Heh, only atm ?

NTL's news servers are provided by Highwinds, Highwinds own Newshosting.com, Newshosting.com apparently has become crap, can we see a pattern here ?

It makes no diffference here anyway, after 5pm since about 2 weeks ago speeds drop to almost dialup speed (this on a 20MB connection) during the day its fine, so in this area we now apparently have oversatured UBR's OR we have Traffic shaping (only its shaping all traffic) or bad peering or ALL THREE.

Giganews used to be awful through an NTL connection, I and others wrote to Giganews about it, and were told by them that they had raised it with NTL but were being ignored (AS IF). It was finally fixed about 8 weeks later.

I can't wait to leave, not long now fngers crossed !

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

IIRC the 'text only' server was provided/maintained by an NTL employee, off 'their own back', during the time the main server(s) were out ;)

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

i'll tell you want you can do - use grabit and download all the broken parts. Then pay for the cheapest grabit option at the grabit site, use the browse newsgrp function, delete the broken files on your hard drive and redownload using the server you just paid for - grabit only needs to download the bits that are missing (it should have saved the broken articles in its cache) - you should only have to download a small amount - worked for me.

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Many will argue with me no doubt, but I can’t access NTL’s newsgroup without being an NTL subscriber therefore I do pay for newsgroup access it‘d only be free if I could access it without being aligned to NTL in my mind. Although obviously I realise NTL has never promised to meet any strict guidelines, though it’s a service provided and surely they’re bound to some rule of ‘quality of service’?

I’ve never seen a reason to sign up to Giganews or whatever as I don’t need long retention (Ntl‘s is fairly long though), I can download as much as I want already (Fair usage is fair to me), I don’t need a fancy client, the groups I wanted were covered by NTL so why should I fork out an extra twenty quid a month for something NTL already provide and have provided fantastically while I’ve used it until now, admittedly I’ve only been using it since the start of this year.

This period has been the only time this year I’ve suffered with poor completion, I think last week sometime the completion rate soared I thought it had been fixed, apparently not!

From what I’m understanding all we can do is twiddle our thumbs and wait and hope; a lot?

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

:welcome: I dont argue I just say its a limited service with limited use. I dont know where you get 20 quid from none of the premium servers are so expensive and limited accounts of 20 gig can be had for £1.50 a week with support and 60+ retention .My point is simple pay up and get a good quality service or be happy with the limited poor service and stop moaning (generally not aimed direct at anyone)

---------- Post added at 08:52 ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 ----------

you want the broken files and you then want the par files.I wouldnt entertain a large post without par files and if you do and its broken then more fool whoever

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

[QUOTE=zinglebarb;34157727]:welcome: I dont argue I just say its a limited service with limited use. I dont know where you get 20 quid from none of the premium servers are so expensive and limited accounts of 20 gig can be had for £1.50 a week with support and 60+ retention .My point is simple pay up and get a good quality service or be happy with the limited poor service and stop moaning (generally not aimed direct at anyone)

---------- Post added at 08:52 ---------- Previous post was at 08:49 ----------


Oh come on! If we had nothing to moan at, none of us would truely be happy. ;)

Thanks for the welcome!

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Yeah and me telling you lot not to moan is me just moaning anyway ;)
Hope you enjoy your stay mate :)

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

i know about par files but the posts on the ntl server were really broken - like 50-70% completion on 90% of the files - nobody posts enough pars to fix that.


who does 20gb for £1.50?????

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

if they allowed anyone to access it then you would have to pay for it, because you are on the ntl backbone you get it for nothing

---------- Post added at 13:23 ---------- Previous post was at 13:17 ----------

their service is providing internet access, and then email, webspace and access to the newsgroups are free, they dont have to provide a news service or webspace or email

In their great reasons to join :
All Broadband services include:

• 30 day money back guarantee**
• FREE modem and set-up
• FREE anti-spam & anti-virus
• FREE 15 email addresses
• FREE online support

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

easynews works out @ 1.50 a week its 20 gig over the month so 5 gig for 1.50.Plus you get 2 gig free if you fill in a survey every week

Re: newsgroups completion rate
 

Powerusenet (Giganews reseller)
50 days binary, 180 days text retention
(no posting)
uncapped
unlimited
$14.95 (approx. £8.50 + £1.50 bank conversion fee)

Plus grabit
Plus quickpar
Plus winrar
Plus binsearch.info