Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Happy New Year, and a big "Thanks" to all of those who have registered as a result of our recent request for potential triallists, the response has been great.

We cannot offer everyone a place on every trial, so we thought it would be worth explaining how we go from here

Sometimes trials are geographically specific which means that we can only invite people to trial in a particular region. Sometimes we have to use completely new Customers (and generally Forum Members aren't completely new Customers). Sometimes we need experienced users (where Forum members may be ideal)

We also need to trial with specific types of service, e.g. Dial Up, or News, and sometimes specific types of Users (for example when we ran the XBOX and PS2 Beta trials).

So please do not feel disappointed if you are not invited on to a specific trial, there will be others which we will continue to announce them, and please be assured that you do remain on our list of willing participants..

Re: Proposal for a "Customer" Panel
 

cheers pointman.

Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Hello All,

This is for anyone involved in the ntl Newsgroups Trial. If you have not received an email from Trials@ntl.com by the end of today with the details, please mail the same address and advise.

thanks

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Seems excellent speedwise so far - nice n' steady!
Then again we will have to wait until peak time to really find out.

Can I be the first to request alt.binaries.dvd/r? :naughty:





What are the retention and completion statistics?

Thx NTL your back on my xmas card list.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

As you say so far so good but dvd/r why not go the whole hog dvd,dvdr & dvd.repost :naughty: :naughty:

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Its a different NTL department that deals with adding groups to the ntl newsgroups.

here is the email adress

newsgroup.requests@ntlworld.com

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

do you think they would ressurect alt.binaries.pictures.erotica.admiralkrag. I never actually managed to get all my fills :D

cheers

big sinky

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Speed fine but binary completion is very poor on a.b.comp

I will inform them of this

Cheers

Andy

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Just had a quick look. First impressions favourable. Retention seems must better and speed is fine.

However haven't yet checked to see if all the groups I usually use are there.

Does anyone know where this is going? Are ntl going to offer a subscrription service or just improve the free one?

Although I'm in the trail I can't remember reading anything about the actual goals of the trials!

Thanks

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

To answer Belnky's question, this is purely an exercise in making improvements to existing services. If this trial is sucessful we will look to a full launch shortly after with no additional charges.

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

thankyou for updating your records, recently, so the email announcing the start of the trial did arrive correctly, for me. :tu:

I won't comment in the forum, other than, to say I have all headers downloaded successfully. :)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Glad to hear it.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Thanks for that. If the trial reflects what the service be like when it rolls out - that it retains its current speed and retention period I think everyone will be well pleased. :)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Speed = great

Retention = satisfactory

Binary Completion = terrible

no point in having good speed and retention if the files aren't complete :(

Edit: I have tried about 10 groups now downloading the most recent 30000 headers from each. 95% of the files aren't complete :(

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I have not received notification of the resumption of the trial, although for me the trial server continued to work, albeit intermittantly, during the suspension. I have e-mailed the trials dept. I assume the settings are the same as before.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I also failed to receive notification that the trial had restarted, but knew about it anyway, because of the notification here. It would be nice if I could be sent an e-mail with a link to the questionnaire agin as the last time the link didn't work. When does the trial end?

Speed seems good and stable so far. Some posts on some of the binary groups are still there even though posted 30 days ago, which is great. Some posted yesterday are also there, but strangely enough many posted just a couple of days ago aren't there at all, which is pretty confusing.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Once again, despite supposedly being on a "problem list" of people who don't receive the blanket E-Mails and are sent details separately - I have received NOTHING, despite sending E-Mail as requested above. So as yet I have NEVER, EVER received details of the trial so am now here waiting like an idiot to be enlightened.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I guess it wont help suggesting emailing trials@ntl.com
again letting them know? (when i had problems i used my hotmail email address)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

No need, we see it,

Bumpy HAS sent all the e-mails but some are bouncing.
THAT IS WHY he set up this thread so that anyone who looked here could see that the trial was on, just in case any e-mail issues occurred again.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

just wondering is there a set limit to how many emails you can send out all in one go?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Yes and consequently they have been sent out in ever decreasing batches but these mails SHOULD have been OK as they were in small amounts.

Still scratching our heads over this.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Doc, there's an internal limit of 50, but we have had the restriction lifted to enable us to mail all the trialist in one or two go's.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Still waiting ....

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Same here, but then again I haven't been able to access my e-mail at all today. All I get is "pop3 server not found" error messages. Ho hum.....

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Everything seems to be okay, my posts are even appearing on the groups I subscribe to which is a start, and being able to disguise my email address is a bonus over the free German News service I have been using, if things carry on as they are at the moment then I won't have any complaints....

One group missing from the ones I normal use but I guess that's just a matter of asking for it to be added...

martin oldgoth
www.insanitorium.co.uk

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Hi Martin

:welcome: to the forum.

if I was you I would keep your free account, as well - I don't think many groups will be being added to the ntl feed, any time yet;) - I hope I'm wrong, but I think their priority is getting it working first:)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Still waiting ...

E-Mails reach me telling me that I have PMs waiting for me on this forum which I have read with interest.

Trouble is they are telling fibs. I have still received NOTHING concerning trials. I have E-Mailed the trials team yet again.

Did I mention that Wireless Broadband has now been launched in our little Market Town. Would it surprise anybody that it is looking more and more attractive to me despite a much higher price.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I think the major issue here is one of completeness of posts. Retention seems to go back as far 12th December but there are a LOT of incomplete threads.

As Ouch has already stated not much point having a good retention window if most of the binary thread are incomplete!

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Can someone just clarify - is there no newsgroup service from NTL at the mo ( apart from trial).
Didn't they used to run a full (?) service on news.ntlworld.com and a text only version on ????

Are they both down at the mo - text only would be fine for me at the mo - but can;t remember server name

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Those were the days when ntl ran a full newsgroup service for their customers :)

news.cable.ntlworld.com
news.ntlword.com
newscache.cable.ntlworld.com
news.tesco.net
news.virgin.net

and

text.news.ntlworld.com

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Cheers for the welcome!

I'm definitely keeping the free account, not only is it handy for cross checking during this trial but it's useful for backup no matter what the outcome of this trial is...

martin oldgoth
www.insanitorium.co.uk

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Thanks - text.news.... is working

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

np
:cool:
glad to read your up & running viewing text

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Is it just me or does the trial questionnaire appear quite poor to other people too?

I've been involved in research for many years and had to learn the basics of compiling and administering questionnaires for my MBA. This leaves me with the distinct feeling that NTL aren't necessarily asking the right questions and therefore won't gain enough information to come to a proper conclusion about this trial.

I understand the need to keep it quite short, so that people can actually be bothered to complete it, but I really do think questions like "did you find the trial better/same/worse" etc is far too simplistic.

For me (and I suspect others too) the key factors are reliability (a stable connection), speed, completion, retention and the fact that the service carries the newsgroups that interest us.

My experience so far has been that the trial is an improvement in some of those areas but not in others. This makes it rather difficult to answer the simplistic questions given and even if I do answer NTL aren't getting the full story.

All IMHO of course.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Fair comment,
Truth is, at this stage, given how fundamentally poor the customer experience has been in the past, the key factor we wish to gauge is "Has your overall customer experience improved as a result of the changes made for Trial?"

Bumpy (who is running this trial) will undoubtedly be looking for further info before the trial ends and will welcome any info you send him via Trials@ntl.com in the meantime.

You are correct that we have to strike a balance between not asking enough, and asking so much that we don't get any feedback.

Cheers

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Bioboy

Our key factors are the same, but this trial is about customer experience and not the technical aspects. At the end of the trial I will be able to identify how stable the service has been, retentions and completion percentages. What I need from trialists is their perception of the service against the existing news service. Please accept my apologies if you thought the trial would be different.

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Okay. Fair enough.

Will you be making public the results of the trial or at least letting the trialists know?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Still Waiting ...

This is getting silly ...

I have received via E-Mail two notifications of Private Messages from Bumpy on the ntlhellworld.co.uk website (This would suggest there is nothing wrong with my E-Mail address!)

These inform me that apparently I should have been sent trial details ...

I have received NOTHING. Not this time, nor the last time the trials were attempted. Only manual E-Mails from Daren Spice last time apologising for not getting details through me, and nothing this time except notification of private messages elsewhere.

What on earth is the problem at NTL? Am I just the latest to be ignored if (supposedly) information is sent but doesn't get through?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I thought the trails got stoped ? not had any email's saying its going again. so I tryd it and yer its still running werried has i got email saying it stoped

any way i tryd it and all incompletes for me so I whent back to Eurofeeds and all headers are they and no incompletes so at least NTL are trying to get a gooden going and if they do I dont mined paying extrx for it when its better
:wavey:

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Loop, the trial has started, if you wish to contact Trials@ntl.com with your email address we can send you the details.

bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

So Loop gets a response, I don't.

Am I to assume that either you consider me to be untruthful in stating I have received no trials details, or that having made an unsuccessful attempt to reach me you won't bother again or try to find out why your E-Mail is so unreliable, or if you ignore me for long enough I might go away.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

RHP

Nothing of the above is true. I have responded to all your mails you have sent to Trials@ntl.com. If you are still not receiving them I do not know the answer. You have already stated you are getting direct mails from me, but then saying mails I am sending you are not getting through.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Bioboy, We do not have a policy of publicising trial results as they are of little interest to most people. However, I do not see any reason why trialists should not be aware of the success of the trial and as such will ensure we issue some comments post trial.

On a slightly separate note, some of you have mailed us to advise you are finding incomplete binaries. We are currently investigating this, but it would be really useful to establish details of dates with incomplete binaries and specific groups. If anyone can let me have this information direct to Trials@ntl.com it would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Ok have now received trial details at last. Thank You. They arrived at 2112 Monday 19 Jan 2004.

Let me please be clear - The only E-Mails prior to this were automated mails telling me there were PMs to read on this site. Prior to that the last mail was on 08 Jan from Daren apologising for the fact that trial details hadn't come through and that everything would be resent once trials restarted. My complaints have been that before and since 08 Jan (until now) none of these details ever reached me despite your assurances that they had been sent.

Right, now I'll go away and play triallist!

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Just to point out that those e-mails would have been generated thanks to this site (which has no official connection to Ntl), so not even those were sent from the trial team! :erm:

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Ah well - just found this thread and the post is 5 days old. Bit late now. Never got an email - strange considering that I've always got emails in the past regarding the trials.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

My view of the trial so far is qute poor. Server is quick. Retention is quite good. Completion is **** poor (which negates the good retention as theres little point retaining half posts).

Also I've found a couple of newsgroups that on the trial server seem to have little activity yet I'm seeing GB's a day on the same groups via ClaraNews.

alt.binaries.multimedia.babylon5 seems particularly poor on the trial server suffering from both extremely poor completion and terrible 'up to dateness'. EG a recent Babylon 5 Season 1 DVD 5 posting is showing as fully complete on Claranews (400 + files) yet there's at best 3 dozen files on the trials server and all bar one are incomplete. Claranews also has a complete posting of Babylon 5 Season 1 DVD 6 (a few incompletes but not many) yet the trials server has no files, only a couple of Par2's.

I'm also disappointed that NTL haven't returned to a full news service with these trials but I understand this isn't a choice made by the trials team.

Looks like I'll be keeping my ClaraNews account for the forseeable future :)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Fully agree with you, its a disapointment and again only half a service like most things with ntl. I'll have to keep my claranews account because my isp is not upto the job. We'll be paying for email servers soon i bet.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Well I already run my own mail services due to the poor NTL service and I take a DNS feed from work due to the DNS problems that have been apparant on NTL. About all NTL provide me with these days is bandwidth and that hasn't been without issue (although my problems did get resolved).

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I thought it was generally accepted earlier that people participating in the trial wouldn't be commenting on it until after it was over - or am I mistaken?

I'm in the trial, I'm using the test servers - and I have an opinion - which I will be more than happy to share with everyone, after the trial is finished.

I don't think it is fair to ntl to critisice them for any problems you're experiencing as a beta tester of a product.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I've read nothing about not commenting and in fact this thread includes comments from quite a few trialists.

As far as criticizing a Beta product - how the hell are they mean't to know of problems if we don't notify them (and yes I did email the details I posted to trials@ntl.com). Feedback is a major part of trialing anything (or at least it is in the IT department I manage).

What I was attempting to provide was constructive criticism with a pointer to a newsgroup particularly affected by problems as per a post from Bumpy earlier in the thread:-

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Yes, I sent an e-mail to the trials team to tell them about the appalling completion rates on many of the binary groups, giving specifics as requested,
but can't say I've noticed any difference at all in the few days since.

Sure some files appear to be on the server about 30 days after posting, but quite often when I've tried to download them some or all of them aren't really there! Then at the same time articles 12 hours old have already disappeared, not to mention the endless posts that exist on easynews but never make it to NTL servers.

Stability is about the only area which has noticeably improved, but then again with only 1,000 trialists maybe that's no real surprise.

I also commented about the groups I'd like to see back and pointed out that the removal of repost groups made it impossible for NTL customers to comply with usenet etiquette, but received no comment back.

I can understand why some say we shouldn't comment on here, but when our feedback seems to go unanswered I see no reason why we can't discuss whether others are experiencing the same problems.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that your feedback, or anyone else's for that matter, was not constructive. It's just that I did see it mentioned by the trials people that all feedback should be directed straight to them rather than posting in public. Either PM'ing them or emailing the address you mentioned above should suffice.

To be fair, they did not specify this when signing people up to the trial, so maybe it's their own fault.

I think that is an important point - if the trials email address is not responding to your feedback, then this is poor and should be addressed here - after all it's the new Usenet servers that are on trial not their ability to use email!!

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

They did respond to my e-mail, but all they said was something along the lines of "thankyou for your e-mail" and didn't answer any of my questions. Then they appear to have done nothing about the incomplete and missing posts I mentioned. Didn't seem much point in my e-mail in that case. May send another e-mail if no improvement in next couple of days, but not holding my breath for them do do anything about it.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I have not received any e-mail about the trial restarting. I have e-mailed the trials team.

On the trial i am unable to get speeds above 30 Kbps, on my dial up connection in work (zoom internet) i am getting double this speed?? Is it something i have done wrong or is the server still not working right?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Been keeping an eye on things during the trial using two different news servers, the trial one and the free one I normally use.

I'm getting a lot of junk/spam on the groups read through the NTL newserver and some posts on the groups I subscribe to are appearing late or reappearing once read as unread days later, I've mailed them about it but no response so far.

Apart from that not bad.....

martin oldgoth
www.insanitorium.co.uk

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

What kind of speeds is everyone getting on the server?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I got an e-mail yesterday announcing that the trial has been suspended for a couple of weeks while they sort out some of the problems highlighted in the feedback they got.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

never got that email either. Anyone else get it?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Yes.. I received notice that the trial was being suspended while the completion and other issues where resolved.

As to your earlier question of speed. I'm getting a Mbit off the server without problem.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Received nothing. Not surprised as I only receive half their e-mails anyway. What's the point of keep suspending the trial every time they get problems?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Bioboy, It was decided it was unreasonable to expect trialists to continue trialling a service which through your feedback has identified specific issues. Surely it makes more sense for us to suspend the trial whilst these are resolved.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Okay. Can you make sure we all get e-mails informing us about what is happening then please?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Here we go again - I've had no E-MAil saying the trials are suspended either.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Ive given up with the trial. Didnt even know it had restarted. Dont get half the emails they send. Have checked my email address with the trials team on a number of occasions and get replies back ok. Last email I got from the trials team was on 8 Jan, no wonder I loose track of the trial status. Can someone confirm if its on or off or still suspended as my last email said.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Sybex

The trial restarted last week and was suspended again this week following the feedback being received indicating we had a problem with incomplete binaries. I am aware many of you have not had the emails before or now. I have numerous rejection messages to go through and this is purely from this weeks update.

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Many thanks for the reply. I will wait to see if I get an email when the trial restarts.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Whatsoftware does everyone use for newgroup access. I have been using newbinpro. but i seem to be getting different results from everyone else (mainly speed)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I use Grabit. Have tried several others but keep coming back. It's free BTW.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Gravity, best newsreader for Windows imho. :)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Got an e-mail about the trial's suspension yesterday. :)

Any of you guys who didn't get e-mails might like to know it is expected to re-start in 2-3 weeks, around 9th February approx.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I use NewsBinPro myself but I have no problem with reported speeds? I was seeing 980Kbps off the trial server?

Other software I use is XNews (for text groups). Speeds I see in XNews concur with NBP.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Message regarding suspension of trials arrived at 22:47 on 27th. If this was part of a bulk E-Mail where the h*ll has it been for the last few days. If it wasn't then Thanks!

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Got an email at last (27 January 2004 22:23:40 GMT) from the trials team giving me the latest information on the trial status. AT LAST.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

RHP, This was part of bulk email, which we managed to track. It would seem it was delayed for a few days and then bounced back to us. I resent all those that bounced back last night. Glad to see we have managed to get mail to you at last.

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Thanks DVS. I have always had the problem of slow newsgroups whether on the test or the old server. I always put it down to a bad service. I have recently signed up for Astraweb and am having the same problem. NTLs tech support gave me no help at all. Anyone know if an NTL fault could be to blame? MY PC has been rebuilt several times over the past year or so and i always have this problem.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Seeing as no one has posted this yet:-

Just received an email, 06/02/04, that the News Server Trial is resuming and will run until Friday the 13th.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Friday the 13th? Excellent.. ;)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Thanks for placing the update. I can confirm the trial has resumed today and you should all have an email on it's way to you with all the details.

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Well hopefully the third time luck syndrome (it is third time?) will counter the Friday the 13th syndrome :D

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Where is my email :no: :no:
Had the email on the trial restart but still no info on the server address even after sending an email to the trials team and a follow up phone call.

Missing emails again !

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Sybex

All mails received yesterday and today have been responded too, apologies if you have not had this yet. If stilll not received by the end of today and you need any further information send me a PM. For the benefit of anyone of who has not got the server address, it is as follows:

newstest.ntli.net

Bumpy (ntl trials team

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Whats everyone think of it since the trial restarted?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Seeing as you ask, it's worse than before the 2 week break to fix the problems with incomplete and missing posts IMHO.:(

Before the two week break the binary groups I use had about 50% incompletes.
After the break to fix the problem it was about 99% incompletes.:banghead:

Fast, stable service, but shame there's nothing much for me to download. :pp

I contacted the trials team about it a couple of days ago, but no improvement. I don't wish to criticise but I do wonder exactly what they did during the two week suspension.:confused:

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Bioboy, you should have received a mail from us today advising there have been some issues identified during the trial, and work has been done to rectify these. Can you send me a pm with the groups you are having problems with, so I can look at the completion rates on them now.

Bumpy (ntl trial team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Just curious who this server is aimed at? Its no good for people who want to use binaries (lack of any usefull groups) and theres already a text only server?

I say you give it a proper test with the old groups back on, the server is useless as it is, we still have to use claranews etc

see how it copes as a real newservice not this useless crap. I try and use it and theres not one good group on it... You want us to give a stress test but theres nothing on it worth looking twice at.

I'll stick to claranews and bittorent i suppose, you should want us on newsgroups rather than bt which uploads and costs you loads on bandwidth.

Unless the groups get put back on the service is still crap imho.

edit: just had a look on a few groups and about 95% of files incomplete

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I will try to take part in the 'stress test' , tomorrow, but I also have a suggestion re: assessing the completion thingy - could we pick a group, say

alt.binaries.e-book.flood

and report on number of headers, oldest header, etc - using the test server - and also any free/paid for accounts we have?

the most headers I am showing in this group is 12709 back to 12/01/04 - how are you guys measuring % completion?

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Less than 3% completion on alt.bin..multimedia.comedy, 21% on alt.bin..sounds.radio.bbc, similar stories on most other groups.
Still.. at least you can connect to the server so I supppose it some sort of improvement. :zzz:

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I have PM'd you. Not much improvement I'm afraid.:(

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Well Last night (1am ish) I had 70K & 8 connections just to see before the stress test.. Tonight it is getting only 55-60K

Oh well it is better than 2K :)

Will have to see what 8pm brings.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Having no access to the trial I hope that the completion is better than what is offered on the usual servers as there is more missing articles than ever!

Probably why you can get access to the servers as there is nothing to download.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Bumpy, tech question time :)

Looking at the DNS for the trial server you appear to operating round robin DNS across 8 IP addresses. Now unless you are running 10GBit net cards or multiple 1GBit cards teamed that's only 8GBit of bandwidth (max). Surely 8,000 simultaneous 1Mbit downloaders will eat up that bandwidth? I'm sure I'm missing something here but I have to ask (and probably look like a fool :) ).

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

DVS, I would like to say I know the answer, but I don't. The key here is to load the servers to ensure they can without 8000 customers usage at one time, giving us growth for the future. In terms of your question I will enquire and release what info I can.

Bumpy (ntl trials team)

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

Homealone, very good idea, however, based on the information of groups your are telling me about. We are monitoring these on a daily basis to review improvements so know real need to expect you guys to do more for us.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

:) :wavey: Well the stress test went well for me, 65K download using 8 connections. I only had a small drop out of about 5 seconds where all 8 connections fell over, but then recovered.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

kay

for alt.binaries.e-book.flood

server name, headers, oldest header date

test, 12709, 12/01/04

teranews, 2846, 05/02/04

bubbanews, 2805 05/02/04

news.cache.cable.ntlworld.com, 8527, 05/02/04

newscache.cable.ntlworld.com, 8527, 05/02/04

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

The "stress test" seemed to work for me apart from when my son accidentally crashed the PC around 8.30.:rolleyes:

However, I'm wondering whether 1,000 users (at most, cos some people seem to be unaware/not getting e-mails?) can really be considered high stress. I have no idea how many ntl customers use newsgroups, but I would've thought it would be measured in tens of thousands at least, so does stability with under 8,000 concurrent connections represent real room for growth? Maybe Bumpy could provide some info on this. Perhaps I'm talking cobblers? :confused:

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

When exactly are we going to be able to use this "new improved service"? The way it stands at the moment the newsgroups are absolutely ridiculous.

Re: Newsgroups Trial Resumes
 

I think to be fair...finally ntl have started to do something about it. It's been awful for a couple of years now but with their financial woes at the time it was obviously not seen as a priorty.

Now they are testing out an improved system, but obviously no-one will be able to say when it will be available to everyone, becuase they are testing it out, seeing if it works.

Personally, having been thoroughly pee'd off for the last two years' of ntl doing naff all about this, that finally there is positive movement in the right direction. Along with all the other bits they're 'working on' on the internet side right now it may even come close to the world class ISP it is always claiming to be...who knows!!