[Merged] BB Speed Upgrades

[mrm1]

Had our upgrade today in the SN3 Swindon area.

[BBKing]

It's certainly true that I don't announce weeks in advance if I know something's going to happen - 1) it might not happen and I don't want to get people's hopes up and 2) I'm almost certain it wouldn't go down very well.

And I'm on ADSL - have been for four years come November - number of free speed upgrades in that time = 0

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Mark B

We now have several people threatening to cancel and go to ADSL because they can't have their FREE speed upgrade right NOW!

Ok, I'd say go to ADSL and demand they upgrade you to a higher speed at no extra cost...see the answer you get!

The problem is, as far as I am concerned, that NTL is now providing two different speeds (1 Meg and 1.5 Meg) for the same price. That is what I am moaning about. Show me an ADSL provider that does that.

I would be grateful for the extra speed (if I had it), and working with a relatively large computer network, I do have some idea of what can go wrong, but would appreciate some sort of idea of when STBs will be upgraded.

I should, however, make it clear that if and when I do cancel the service, the Broadband speed would not be the only reason.

[scrotnig]

Well, for my part, ntl broadband is the best product on the market.

OK, I would say that wouldn't I? Perhaps, but in actual fact, if I had an issue with the service, I would say so, it's as simple as that.

I had 1mb broadband via Set Top Box (Pace) for over two years. It never failed once. During Euro 2004 I deliberately made heavy use of the interactive services WHILST downloading MP3s, in truth I was trying to see at what point the box would crash...but it never did.

I had a Samsung put in soon afterwards ready for the 1mb, and that was just as good. I still have two Pace boxes as well, and they don't crash either.

When I moved house in August I decided to put the broadband through a SACM, for no other reason than I wanted to experience the SACM product from the customer's angle rather than as staff. And that's spot on as well.

I thought, well maybe I was just on a decent node at my old house, but no, it's just as good at my new one. The actual transfer of service was perfect and done very competently, and no the technician did not know who I worked for.

This isn't to pretend that people don't have problems....I spend a lot of my time sorting them out....just to say it isn't ALWAYS like that.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Mark B

....just to say it isn't ALWAYS like that.

True, and for the most part I have been very happy with my service. I have noticed problems with the TV picture stuttering when it's extremely hot or windy, but these have been MINOR problems.

That's not to say I have had no other problems (I have documented other problems on this site) but generally, NTL has fixed problems quickly.

Originally Posted by Mark B

This isn't to pretend that people don't have problems....I spend a lot of my time sorting them out....just to say it isn't ALWAYS like that.

No it isn't, and hundreds of thousands of ntl customers are happy with their service.

However, the simple fact is that most people who register here do so because they have a problem, so the view is always going to be heavily biased against ntl. That's just the way it is.

[LostintheNW]

Mark B seeing as you are on a SACM the fact that the upgrade has not been done doesn't seem to affect you. As stated I am paying £37.99 for a service which at the moment for me is 1mb, yet others are paying the same price and getting a 1.5mb service. Thats the unfair part in all this. Not arsed that ADSL have given no free upgrades, the fact is if it was to happen on ADSL I could quite easily get it, or switch companies to one who has given an upgrade.

At the end of the day this is yet another typical NTL shambles, NTL trying to play catch up with the competition.

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by Paul M

No it isn't, and hundreds of thousands of ntl customers are happy with their service.

However, the simple fact is that most people who register here do so because they have a problem, so the view is always going to be heavily biased against ntl. That's just the way it is.

You are right of course, and where that criticism is justified I'll support it. But where it is not, I'll always make that clear too.

[scrotnig]

Originally Posted by LostintheNW

Mark B seeing as you are on a SACM the fact that the upgrade has not been done doesn't seem to affect you. As stated I am paying £37.99 for a service which at the moment for me is 1mb, yet others are paying the same price and getting a 1.5mb service. Thats the unfair part in all this. Not arsed that ADSL have given no free upgrades, the fact is if it was to happen on ADSL I could quite easily get it, or switch companies to one who has given an upgrade.

At the end of the day this is yet another typical NTL shambles, NTL trying to play catch up with the competition.

It's not unfair, it's simply logistical. A company of ntl's size cannot simply upgrade the entire network flawleessly in one fell swoop, it has to be planned and done properly.

Honestly, if I thought the company were acting incompetently with this, or stalling and fobbing us off, I'd be furious and would say so, but I *know* that's not happening, I *know* a lot of good people are working damned hard to get the upgrades through.

A huge number of customers have already had their upgrades. Yes mine's been done as I'm now on a SACM, but that's coincidental, it doesn't bother me either way, I was on STT until 3 weeks ago so didn't have it then.

This upgrade WILL happen, but NOT until everyone is confident it's ready to go and isn't going to mess up everyone's service. That's the responsible way to play it, and I'd be annoyed if it was rushed and got messed up.

[Nikko]

You are paying £37.99 for the 1MB service you subscribed to.

Some users have been upgraded at no extra cost, apparently you have not - yet.

At the end of the day, its another typical whining git shambles, whining gits trying to play catch up with the competition.

Originally Posted by LostintheNW

Mark B seeing as you are on a SACM the fact that the upgrade has not been done doesn't seem to affect you. As stated I am paying £37.99 for a service which at the moment for me is 1mb, yet others are paying the same price and getting a 1.5mb service. Thats the unfair part in all this. Not arsed that ADSL have given no free upgrades, the fact is if it was to happen on ADSL I could quite easily get it, or switch companies to one who has given an upgrade.

At the end of the day this is yet another typical NTL shambles, NTL trying to play catch up with the competition.

[Reddevil63]

At long last.....upgraded in the SN3 (Swindon) area and didn't need a modem re-boot! Mucho happy!!!

Wed, 22 Sep 2004 00:51:56 UTC
1st 128K took 1370 ms = 95673 Bytes/sec = approx 796 kbits/sec
2nd 128K took 1490 ms = 87968 Bytes/sec = approx 732 kbits/sec
3rd 128K took 1430 ms = 91659 Bytes/sec = approx 763 kbits/sec
4th 128K took 1530 ms = 85668 Bytes/sec = approx 713 kbits/sec

[BBKing]

NTL trying to play catch up with the competition.

Remind me when the ADSL companies launched their 750k and 1.5Mb services. They're catching up with Telewest, true, but TW aren't the competition.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by BBKing

Remind me when the ADSL companies launched their 750k and 1.5Mb services. They're catching up with Telewest, true, but TW aren't the competition.

What about the ADSL companies who are already supplying 2Mb and starting to supply 4 in some areas (ie Bulldog in Central London)?

Admittedly, Bulldog is only an option for certain ADSL customers, and the 4 Meg connection is only an option for those in Central London (at the moment), but with Cable & Wireless currently pumping £85 million into them, they are looking to expand.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Mark B

It's not unfair, it's simply logistical. A company of ntl's size cannot simply upgrade the entire network flawleessly in one fell swoop, it has to be planned and done properly.

<snip>

I understand the need to test things thoroughly on a network the size of NTL's. I also understand about the logistics. However, unless there are supply problems with the Samsung boxes, I don't see why NTL don't appear to be following the plan they outlined in the letter I got that said I would have to have my box replaced. Basically, they haven't published a cut-off date beyond which those who haven't had their Pace boxes replaced will drop to 750K.

Even if there are supply problems with these boxes, surely NTL knew how many boxes would need to be replaced well in advance? I supposed it is possible that Samsung had problems, or there has been a higher than anticipated failure rate for these boxes.

And, admittedly, I don't know an awful lot about NTL's provisioning systems, but I am surprised that they can provision SACMs on an area-by-area basis, but can't provision STBs the same way (especially as, and I know this is seperate, but they can change the channel line up from area-to-area). So they can change the configuration of the network locally.

I am not expecting the network to upgrade flawlessly. If you start changing things, there is always the chance they will break. However, I would appreciate an idea of how long I have to wait.

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by scastle

I am surprised that they can provision SACMs on an area-by-area basis, but can't provision STBs the same way (especially as, and I know this is seperate, but they can change the channel line up from area-to-area). So they can change the configuration of the network locally.

I am not expecting the network to upgrade flawlessly. If you start changing things, there is always the chance they will break. However, I would appreciate an idea of how long I have to wait.

Well put!