*All* Speed Increases Discussion In here. (Part 5)

[zag]

I hate it when support deal with the same type of call differently

I have tried the manual upgrade many times & i keep getting this error:


Error looking up cable modem details for 00:d0:??:??:??:?? (no SMS details). For further help, contact customer support on 0800 052 2000 If you need further help, please contact our customer support (0800 052 2000).
** MAC ADDRESS CHANGED **
When you call customer support, you may be asked for the following information: Applicationntl: Broadband Internet - Connection Speed UpgradeDate & Time18/05/2005 at 16:21Your username????Your Cable Modem Mac Address00:d0:??:??:??:?? **Your SurnameYour Postcode

Anyone else got this one????

What is more annoying is that some of you guys seem to have called NTL & they have done it over the phone!

I was told to wait grrrr

[Dghoshal]

Thanks very much for your answers, it is much appreciated.

DG

[Ignition]

Originally Posted by chilin_dude

Don't think I've had the auto-speed increase yet... I'm on the STB, and these are my speeds:
Wed, 18 May 2005 14:38:37 GMT
1st 128K took 4438 ms = 29534 Bytes/sec = approx 246 kbits/sec
2nd 128K took 2765 ms = 47404 Bytes/sec = approx 394 kbits/sec
3rd 128K took 3797 ms = 34520 Bytes/sec = approx 287 kbits/sec
4th 128K took 3813 ms = 34375 Bytes/sec = approx 286 kbits/sec

If on 300k you have to ask for the upgrade as the upgrade to 1Mbps comes with extra conditions (a hard transfer cap).

[purenuman]

Originally Posted by zovat

The CAP is currently soft, but there are trials going on of software to make it a hard cap....

........ for 1mb but not 2mb & 3mb. They will continue to have no hard cap........

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.......... for now

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by purenuman

........ for 1mb but not 2mb & 3mb. They will continue to have no hard cap........

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.......... for now

As, I believe, NTL are currently reviewing the situation...

[purenuman]

Originally Posted by scastle

As, I believe, NTL are currently reviewing the situation...

They are constantly reviewing the situation and will strive to beat (on service and price) BT et al........

They are just as likely to remove any restrictions for 2&3mb as they are to cap them.

It all depends on what the mainstream competition offer (not the low volume high speed ISPs)...

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by purenuman

They are constantly reviewing the situation and will strive to beat (on service and price) BT et al........

That's what I meant..

[purenuman]

Originally Posted by scastle

That's what I meant..

[richardw]

Leicester seems to have been auto-upgraded

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by purenuman

They are constantly reviewing the situation and will strive to beat (on service and price) BT et al........

They are just as likely to remove any restrictions for 2&3mb as they are to cap them.

It all depends on what the mainstream competition offer (not the low volume high speed ISPs)...

Can you imagine what the situation would be if NTL decided to beat an 8Mb offering from a mainstream ADSL ISP and offer an uncapped service? Not possible in my view without massive investment on the existing infrastructure. That is with the existing customer base and without new customers being taken on because of the higher speed, lack of capping and cheaper price.

[Paddy1]

I was auto upgraded last week to the 2 Mb tier. As one who originally bought their cm and paying £20 per month I decided to wait for the auto upgrade so as not to lose my £5 discount but yesterday I got a letter saying that NTL are delighted to inform me that my line has been upgraded and that, as a result, they are removing the £5 discount in August. They even pointed out that if my cm should ever fail they will replace it free of charge... so just like everyone else thats paying £25. I feel an irate phone call coming on. I'm currently paying 13 quid for phone and tv and another 2 for international call discount. I don't use the tv as I have $ky so I'm going to cancel this and go back to BT paying £10.50 a month. Net result, a £10 loss for ntl.

[ian@huth]

Originally Posted by Paddy1

I was auto upgraded last week to the 2 Mb tier. As one who originally bought their cm and paying £20 per month I decided to wait for the auto upgrade so as not to lose my £5 discount but yesterday I got a letter saying that NTL are delighted to inform me that my line has been upgraded and that, as a result, they are removing the £5 discount in August. They even pointed out that if my cm should ever fail they will replace it free of charge... so just like everyone else thats paying £25. I feel an irate phone call coming on. I'm currently paying 13 quid for phone and tv and another 2 for international call discount. I don't use the tv as I have $ky so I'm going to cancel this and go back to BT paying £10.50 a month. Net result, a £10 loss for ntl.

Just how long did you expect to get that discount for? You have paid far less on average taking the purchase price into account per month for your broadband service than those who didn't have to buy. If there was an option now to buy your own modem and get a discounted monthly payment it certainly wouldn't be anything like £5 per month. NTL should really have looked at pricing on a regular basis and reduced that discount at regular intervals.

[GuestUK]

Ok, I know this may sound stupid, but is there any way to tell if I've been upgraded?

I accidentally clicked on a favourite of the NTL speed test and was shocked to see the speed reported as 2000kb/s. I retried and got the same results:

1st 128K took 531 ms = 246840 Bytes/sec = approx 2054 kbits/sec
2nd 128K took 531 ms = 246840 Bytes/sec = approx 2054 kbits/sec
3rd 128K took 532 ms = 246376 Bytes/sec = approx 2050 kbits/sec
4th 128K took 546 ms = 240059 Bytes/sec = approx 1997 kbits/sec

I then tried 3 more different speed tests I could find, and this is where I got confused.

1 of them reported my speed as 2 megabits - the other 2 reported my speed as 750kb/s (what I used to be/still am?)

741.8 Kbps - You 741.8 kbps

Loaded 754,928 bytes in
7.406 seconds =

815 Kb

Your speed is: 1923 Kb

Kind of misleading, as my speed used to be 750kb/s - but if I was upgraded, it'd be 2megabits?

I didnt do any upgrade myself (auto upgrade?). If it helps, I'm in the luton/bedfordshire area

Is there any way to find out if I've been upgraded? As I said, I know it sounds stupid, it's just peaked my curiosity

[purenuman]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

Can you imagine what the situation would be if NTL decided to beat an 8Mb offering from a mainstream ADSL ISP and offer an uncapped service? Not possible in my view without massive investment on the existing infrastructure. That is with the existing customer base and without new customers being taken on because of the higher speed, lack of capping and cheaper price.

I totally understand and respect your opinion but regardless of the cost etc IF BT (or other large mainstream ISP) did then NTL will (plus a little extra) I've no doubt.

I doubt BT or any other large mainstream BB ISP will though as they are in a worse position than NTL regarding their networks as a whole.....

__________________

Originally Posted by ian@huth

Just how long did you expect to get that discount for? You have paid far less on average taking the purchase price into account per month for your broadband service than those who didn't have to buy. If there was an option now to buy your own modem and get a discounted monthly payment it certainly wouldn't be anything like £5 per month. NTL should really have looked at pricing on a regular basis and reduced that discount at regular intervals.

[Paddy1]

Originally Posted by ian@huth

Just how long did you expect to get that discount for? You have paid far less on average taking the purchase price into account per month for your broadband service than those who didn't have to buy. If there was an option now to buy your own modem and get a discounted monthly payment it certainly wouldn't be anything like £5 per month. NTL should really have looked at pricing on a regular basis and reduced that discount at regular intervals.

If I'm honest, for the life of the cm. If it dies and I have to pay an extra £5 to rent one then that's fine and dandy. What annoyed me was the fact that they are "delighted" to inform me that they're charging me a 25% increase in price for an upgrade I didn't ask for and, frankly, could do without. I was perfectly happy on 750k.

How long has the broadband service been available without being tied to the tv/phone package? 2 years? I could have taken my custom elsewhere and saved £5 but chose not to and to give NTL my custom, even though I don't use the tv service. Now that they are charging me more I am taking my custom to a cheaper provider. Simple economics.