My Glasgow speed problem
 

I would have updated the original Glasgow thread but it was closed - seemed a pity as all the info was in the one place.

However as those who followed that know, I was having speed problems in the evenings where my 20Mb connection would drop to anywhere from 1.5Mb to 5Mb. This has been ongoing since at least 8th December and quite probable before that.

Anyway last night Virgin Tech support replied to a post;

Hello jem,

We have been advised by our network teams that fault reference F001139854
has now been resolved. However, I can see from our diagnostic tools that
there have been downstream utilisation spikes on your uBR during the past
couple of evenings and we will continue to monitor this with a view to
escalating to our network teams if the pattern continues.

--

Kind Regards

Ray
Virgin Media Technical Support


This did seem a bit strange as the previous night a manager assure me it was being looked into already.

About an hour later the manager phoned me back and told me that the problem had now been fixed and that everything should be fine and to try it. As this was around 5pm I told him it would be fine anyway as it always is at that time. He said that the problem was that all the lines in my connection were going into one and that was causing the slowdown. Now it had been fixed.

Well all seemed well. Speed tests showed;

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2009/12/24.png

Throughout last night they varied from around 18Mb to around 11Mb.

Not so good around 10pm though as speeds dropped;

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2009/12/25.png

and

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2009/12/26.png

I am grateful for the technician who called on Monday as he obviously got something moving and also to the manager who did phone on Tuesday & Wednesday. What they have done has helped.

However I still believe Virgin has a capacity problem and the system is just not coping in my area. I shall monitor this over the next few weeks.

I'm still seriously considering O2 as it will be much cheaper for me.

Admin Edit (Stuart): Surname removed, please do not publish personal details of other people without their express permission.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Hello, Jem.

I had a couple of mates up last night for a wee swally and some PS3 so it was late when I had a chance to check but I too seemed to have a faster connection in comparision with the last couple of weeks 10 to 17 over the 10 minutes or so I looked. Obviously not scientific or conclusive but I'll be much happier if that proves to be consistent - well, compared to 238Kb who wouldn't be happier! (",)

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Hi Jem,

After my PM to your self being all happy that our broadband was back to normal I was wrong. At 12midnight last night before I Went to bed I ran a test and was hovering above 1mb.

The slowness kicked in a lot later than usual. I just feel like I am with BT and not virgin no more.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Sorry I didn't realise - the post was taken from the newsgroup so presumed it was ok to publish.

---------- Post added at 12:24 ---------- Previous post was at 12:23 ----------

I agree.

The slowness used to kick in around 8pm - last night it was around 9.30pm. Now it could have been thet everyone was out Christmas shopping or partying.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

What did he mean by that (the stuff in red)?

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

It mean's BS

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Good question!

I tried to get him to elaborate but he wouldn't say any more, really just kept repeating it and was quite keen to get off the phone.

Cynical me took it to mean - we've moved your connection line into one less crowded so you won't moan or leave us. ;)

However I don't know if this is even possible.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

It makes sense that he moved you to a less congested UBR. The rest, as Broadbandking says, is bullsh*t.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Any way of finding out if I have been moved?

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

If you had hit the Connection button in the panel above before and you hot it now, and if the CMTSs recorded are different, they switched you.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

You haven't been.

Your newsgroup post from 15th was posted from cpc1-ruth2-0-0-custxxx.renf.cable.ntl.com, your post from today was posted from the same address.

Perhaps a load of customers had been piled onto Rutherglen 2 with you, and now customers have been split between Rutherglen 2 and others, so even though you haven't been moved other people have been.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Yes I looked at that last night and it was the same - however wasn't sure if something else told me.

I will probably not know.

However all it appears to have done is moved the slowdown to later on. I'll check again tonight.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Heh, wish I'd spotted Broadbandings' post before I went checking our own post records ... :D our record of where you're posting from tallies exactly with what he has said (as you'd expect) - you haven't moved anywhere. You were on Rutherglen 2 last week and you're still on Rutherglen 2 tonight.

Incidentally, someone from VM may correct me but from what the CF team could see last week, the routing fault that hit part of Glasgow last week was affecting people connected to several of the Broomhill cards, not Rutherglen. This is one of the reasons the original thread was closed - area fault threads like that tend to make people assume that everyone in the area has the same fault. That's not normally the case, and it brings more confusion than clarity, especially when the area fault has been repaired and there are still other people suffering unconnected issues.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Not so, if there was a routing issue then the dumbed down explanation could be


Highlighted in bold would be the cause of your intermittent speeds.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

I agree. This is exactly what the engineer who called on Monday to check out my problem was told when he phoned network support in my house. He also asked for a timescale for a fix and was told, "how long is a piece of string". In other words VM know all about it and have no plans to do anything about it.

Utilisation = too many people using it at the same time????

All that they have done (whatever that is) is move the problem from one time slot to another.

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2009/12/22.png

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Utilisation means that Jem. You would also have to consider is it simply to many users or an expectable amount of users on the network, with a small amount downloading to cause such slow speeds at peak times.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

I think what it has shown me is that during the times when I use the internet most I am often not getting the speed I am paying to get. It has also shown me that nowadays, with my two sons having left home, I don't need the speed and it has hasn't hampered what I mainly now use my connection for.

Basically if I neither need the speed nor actually get the speed, why pay a premium price for it?

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Hey Jem,

Hows your internet been? I have not been online in a few days and not tested.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Low speed times have basically shifted time slots to after 10pm instead of after 8pm. I don't normally use it that late so from that point of view it has got better.

I spoke to a Complaints manager on Saturday about my refund - I have been given a credit of £30 so that will give me a month to see if O2 come up with their 3 months free offer again.

I haven't tested much over the weekend - too busy shifting a few telephone extensions off Virgin and onto BT in preparation for dumping at least the phone. Then we'll have a chat about what deal, if any, they would be prepared to pay for 10Mb BB only - the Complaints manager said it would cost £20pm but did suggest speaking to customer relations as he wasn't able to offer anything as that wasn't his job.

I did tell him that if £20pm was the cost of 10Mb BB I'd be leaving to go to O2 at £7.34 for 7Mb.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Well my bill came through today from virgin with no credit from last month.

Gonna call up today when I get home from work to see what the hell is going on.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Sounds like typical Virgin efficiency.

My actual bill is not due for another week so I shall check carefully. However the complaints manager I spoke to on Saturday gave me his full name, telephone number and extension number should I need to contact him.

Let us know what they say.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

A few of you might be interested to hear my update.

Decided to get O2 BB as it was £7.50 for 12 months with 2 months free and £75 cashback from Quidco making it £0 for the whole year. I was estimated at 7Mb and it was activated on 8th January. First week was perfect and averaging around 6/6.5Mb on sync speed - speed test were around 5.5Mb, sometimes closer to 6Mb. Did have to clean up my wiring a bit with removal of bell wire - adsl sure is different from cable.

Last weekend seem to experience dropped connections and ended up with around 5 in a 24 hour time frame. Talked to O2 CS who confirmed line was fine and stable - couldn't explain drop outs. Each time router rebooted it caused speed to lower until at one point I was getting less than 5Mb. Anyway on Sunday I changed the wireless settings on router to use Channel 11 as opposed to Auto - not had a dropped connection since. I have no idea why this may be as I wasn't actually using wireless although it was switched on as I occasionally use it with my iphone.

So to Virgin. I had phoned them around 2 weeks ago and discussed the possibility of leaving and what they could do. Not a lot was the answer - best deal was £17 for 10Mb BB alone or a fee options for BB and phone - all of which were dearer. They were not moved by my telling them that O2 would be £7.50 - of course they would quote deal with BB and phone which didn't interest me as i wanted the rpice down.

So last Monday I phoned up to actually cancel my services. Of course I was asked why and I told them it was cheaper to leave. Again nothing offered but what was already discussed so cancellation booked for 17th February.

From Wednesday of this week Virgin have been phoning me every day although only spoke to them last night. This was their "real" retentions department - only an outbound department I am told. As a loyal customer of 13 years they didn't want me to leave. Realising that I wouldn't get anywhere with the, " I already have a BT line so it will only cost me £7.50 to have O2" statement I changed tact.

I told them that for BT and O2 together it would cost me £11.54pm as the O2 deal was £7.50pm with 2 free months and £75 cashback so this was why I was leaving. She asked if she could look to see what they could do so I said why not.

First offer was £14 for 6 months followed by £18 for 6 months for 10Mb BB. However she could do 10Mb BB with L phone ( evening & weekend calls) for £15.95. I started to tell he that that was still too dear when she said my manager wants to speak to me. Came back with a £30 goodwill credit authorised by manager. Plus a free wireless router to replace the one I already have from them which has never worked with my modem - keeps dropping the connection every couple of minutes. I asked for time to think it over - she said she would phone today.

Before she could phone someone else from the same department phoned - they are keen! He confirmed from the notes the deal I had been offered. I told him I was still unsure as Virgin was still £10 dearer over the year. He said he would get the original person to phone me.

20 minutes later she phoned. After a bit of friendly negotiation she agreed that I could have Anytime calls for the same price as the deal last night - price seemed to have changed to £14.95 but I wasn't arguing!

So basically I have 10Mb BB, XL phone for what amounts to £11.45pm for 12 months. I decided to accept their offer as it has basically reduced my Virgin bill by £20pm and I'm not paying anything for O2 BB. Yes I could have also saved the £11.45pm with Virgin and dropped it altogether but I figured it would let me see how the O2 6Mb package and the Virgin 10Mb package compare side by side for a year. Then I can decide what to do next year. It will also give me a good backup for both phone and BB should one go down.

My O2 speedtest;

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/01/45.png

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Virgin really are pathetic some times in their desperation to keep customers aren't they? Their retentions department needs to be reminded that VM are in business to make money at some point and not to match loss-making deals from other operators.

Still all power to you, typical Scot :p:

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

You mean only the Scots know how to look after their money? ;)

Surely not.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

It's thanks to the prudence of Scottish chancellors that our nation is so financially sound...... oh hang on :o:

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Would we have been better off with English chancellors? ;)

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

Unfortunately Virgin are true to form re speeds.

Virgin 10Mb connection;

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/01/38.png

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/01/39.png

O2 5.7Mb connection

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/01/40.png

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...2010/01/41.png

Looks like Virgin are so far making the decision easy for next year.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

I have to say I have been pleasantly surprised with Virgin of late - my speeds have been consistently just under 9.5Mb day, evening and weekend for the last couple of weeks. Sometimes I have even reached 10.13Mb on my 10Mb connection.

Has someone from Virgin been reading my posts and finally got it together?

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2010/02/3.png

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/local/2010/02/4.png

Anyway nice to see and long may it continue - or at least up until next January when my 12 months offer is up.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

It's a common mistake with that wretched speedtest.net for peops to move around the servers. The ONLY server we can sort of trust for results is the LONDON server. The MAIDENHEAD server is notoriously under-bandwidthed and nothiong counts from that location if the results are low.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

I find I get awful pings from London. Milton Keynes always works best for me. Mind you, I'm using VM's ADSL product and the routing on that is a law unto itself, so there may not be any direct correlation with the reliability of Speedtest.net for cable users.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

I'm not quite sure I understand the point you are making. All my previous tests when I was having a problem were with the London server.

Re: My Glasgow speed problem
 

You lobbed in a MAIDENHEAD test and I wanted to make the point that Maidenhead is a bad speedtest server (see elsewhere on the forum - it's a well accepted fact amongst those who know) and also the point that sticking with one proven server is best so that there is always a basis for accepting what you say about your speed.