Hi all.
Having said more than once on here I've been pleased with Tiscali -- I've now got a whinge.
I went with their all in phone line rental package (i.e. come off BT altogether, to Tiscali) Ever since, connecting to the net has gone from pretty instantaneous to taking several attempts, spanning anything from three or four minutes to no joy for considerably longer.
Anyone else had this ? If you move away, do BT have a special set of furred up connectors they use to make a point ? Joking aside, any thoughts welcome.
Mike.
Full Version Slow Tiscali Connection
I have one of those free anytime calls broadband packages with Supanet, and up to 8mb connection speed.
I used to get around 5mb (average), but recently it dropped to 576kb, that's 0.5mb (I think).
I complained to Supanet, and they said it depends on the connection speed of the line in the area, and gave me a BT number to call.
BT said that it was dependent on my internet providers wholesale connection speed.
This is the only information either party is willing to provide. They flatly refuse to give any other information.
My conclusion is that the connection speed is dependent on how much your internet provider pays BT for using their lines.
The obvious answer to the problem is to go to another provider, the problem is, they never tell you the true connection speed. So you don't get to find out until you're commited to a 12 or 18 month contract.
I'd think cable is probably the best way to go but unfortunately we havn't got it in 21 century Yorkshire yet
I used to get around 5mb (average), but recently it dropped to 576kb, that's 0.5mb (I think).
I complained to Supanet, and they said it depends on the connection speed of the line in the area, and gave me a BT number to call.
BT said that it was dependent on my internet providers wholesale connection speed.
This is the only information either party is willing to provide. They flatly refuse to give any other information.
My conclusion is that the connection speed is dependent on how much your internet provider pays BT for using their lines.
The obvious answer to the problem is to go to another provider, the problem is, they never tell you the true connection speed. So you don't get to find out until you're commited to a 12 or 18 month contract.
I'd think cable is probably the best way to go but unfortunately we havn't got it in 21 century Yorkshire yet
Hi Mike
Have you got Vista? I have and every time I get an update it gets slower to connect, the page refresh rate has also gone up from almost instantanious to about 10- 15 seconds which seems an age when you are waiting, it also crashes quite regularly. I am seriously thinking of going back to XP.
Peter.
Have you got Vista? I have and every time I get an update it gets slower to connect, the page refresh rate has also gone up from almost instantanious to about 10- 15 seconds which seems an age when you are waiting, it also crashes quite regularly. I am seriously thinking of going back to XP.
Peter.
Your connection speed will depend on a number of things. The main ones are:
1) Line quality/length (so Supanet are telling part of the story to minjet) but this should not change over time - at least not to go down. If it does change then it is a fault on the line. However, your internal telephone wiring also affects this. If you change anything or one of you telephone wires gets damaged then it could cause problems and is YOUR problem to fix.
2) The capacity of the ISP in your area (so BT are telling minijet part of the story) - basically the ISP buys a certain amount of connection to the internet at large (the same is true if it is BT or anyone else). Depending how many people are using the ISP in your area they share this pool. A good ISP will have more capacity than is needed even at peak times. A bad ISP will not have enough capacity.
3) Your PC/Hardware
You want to rule out your end of things - your PC, your hardware (router/modem) and your wiring.
Rule out the wiring by plugging the router/modem straight into the master socket with nothing else connected to any other telephone socket including any extension leads etc, and then check the condition of any wiring.
Rule out the PC by trying a different PC if you can. Can you get a friend round with theirs?
Rule out the router/modem by trying another - do you have an old one that you got free with a previous ISP?
The ISPs are starting to quote real speeds that you will get from them - it is part of a new (voluntary) code of conduct. That may help in changing your ISP.
You can check how other people find the ISP by looking at the foums on thinkbroadband (www.thinkbroadband.com). That will often show loads of people saying how slow they are if it is the ISP.
1) Line quality/length (so Supanet are telling part of the story to minjet) but this should not change over time - at least not to go down. If it does change then it is a fault on the line. However, your internal telephone wiring also affects this. If you change anything or one of you telephone wires gets damaged then it could cause problems and is YOUR problem to fix.
2) The capacity of the ISP in your area (so BT are telling minijet part of the story) - basically the ISP buys a certain amount of connection to the internet at large (the same is true if it is BT or anyone else). Depending how many people are using the ISP in your area they share this pool. A good ISP will have more capacity than is needed even at peak times. A bad ISP will not have enough capacity.
3) Your PC/Hardware
You want to rule out your end of things - your PC, your hardware (router/modem) and your wiring.
Rule out the wiring by plugging the router/modem straight into the master socket with nothing else connected to any other telephone socket including any extension leads etc, and then check the condition of any wiring.
Rule out the PC by trying a different PC if you can. Can you get a friend round with theirs?
Rule out the router/modem by trying another - do you have an old one that you got free with a previous ISP?
The ISPs are starting to quote real speeds that you will get from them - it is part of a new (voluntary) code of conduct. That may help in changing your ISP.
You can check how other people find the ISP by looking at the foums on thinkbroadband (www.thinkbroadband.com). That will often show loads of people saying how slow they are if it is the ISP.
Hi Guys.
Thanks for your thoughts. What makes me suspicious is that absolutely nothing else has changed other than the handover of the line. No difference or alterations whatsoever to my kit or programs. Just seems very coincidental. Once it's on, the speed (according to their box) is still OK (6. something to 7. something out of 8).
Peter --- when I had to replace my PC last year, I specifically went for XP, having already heard nasties about Vista. XP does seem reasonably stable.
Mike.
Thanks for your thoughts. What makes me suspicious is that absolutely nothing else has changed other than the handover of the line. No difference or alterations whatsoever to my kit or programs. Just seems very coincidental. Once it's on, the speed (according to their box) is still OK (6. something to 7. something out of 8).
Peter --- when I had to replace my PC last year, I specifically went for XP, having already heard nasties about Vista. XP does seem reasonably stable.
Mike.
Mike, I would see what Tiscali say about it. It is rather a coincidence which would suggest it is a problem at their end. Let us know what they say.
Hi Mike,
What way is your connection running, do you have a router, or an old USB modem?
The modems which must dial up using Windows dialup networking, can be prone to a variety of problems, not all of which are line related.
That said, what you're experiencing, doesn't sound specifically like a line problem, more a capacity one. Namely, the exchange, their (Tiscali's) DSLAM, or authentication server, wherever the bottleneck may be, possibly can't cope with the demand, you're jostling for a free slot along with everyone else, hence the eventual connection after repeated attempts. Line / exchange issues usually manifest themselves as a total inability to connect, or even get a DSL signal.
Basically, when they sell service to customers, they do so on a contended ratio, meaning there are far more subscribers than the network has the ability to support at any one time. The ISP banks on the fact that a fair proportion of those customers, won't all want to use the network at once. Naturally, this juggling of limited supply and estimated demand, results in them sailing close to the wind from a capacity point of view, meaning you sometimes get situations (like that which I suspect you're experiencing), where demand exceeds supply, be that at your local exchange, or centrally on Tiscali's network. What's supposed to happen when these thresholds are hit, is that they realise its time to invest in additional network capacity and do so. Unfortunately that tends not to happen even in the best of economic climates, let alone in the current financial clusterfuck they, and numerous other providers now find themselves in, along with everyone else.
The other issue with Tiscali is that they never really existed as themselves in the UK market, and are generally made up from a mishmash of the dozens of other ISPs they purchased and took over down the years. This results in an inconsistent level of service for Tiscali customers between one area and the next, depending on the infrastructure of the previous ISP they happen to be using.
Its just a hunch, but the fact that your setup hasn't changed, the connection is fine once (eventually) established, and you're able to get on after repeated attempts, I would wager that its the old capacity problem, rather than your line or modem.
Ciarán
What way is your connection running, do you have a router, or an old USB modem?
The modems which must dial up using Windows dialup networking, can be prone to a variety of problems, not all of which are line related.
That said, what you're experiencing, doesn't sound specifically like a line problem, more a capacity one. Namely, the exchange, their (Tiscali's) DSLAM, or authentication server, wherever the bottleneck may be, possibly can't cope with the demand, you're jostling for a free slot along with everyone else, hence the eventual connection after repeated attempts. Line / exchange issues usually manifest themselves as a total inability to connect, or even get a DSL signal.
Basically, when they sell service to customers, they do so on a contended ratio, meaning there are far more subscribers than the network has the ability to support at any one time. The ISP banks on the fact that a fair proportion of those customers, won't all want to use the network at once. Naturally, this juggling of limited supply and estimated demand, results in them sailing close to the wind from a capacity point of view, meaning you sometimes get situations (like that which I suspect you're experiencing), where demand exceeds supply, be that at your local exchange, or centrally on Tiscali's network. What's supposed to happen when these thresholds are hit, is that they realise its time to invest in additional network capacity and do so. Unfortunately that tends not to happen even in the best of economic climates, let alone in the current financial clusterfuck they, and numerous other providers now find themselves in, along with everyone else.
The other issue with Tiscali is that they never really existed as themselves in the UK market, and are generally made up from a mishmash of the dozens of other ISPs they purchased and took over down the years. This results in an inconsistent level of service for Tiscali customers between one area and the next, depending on the infrastructure of the previous ISP they happen to be using.
Its just a hunch, but the fact that your setup hasn't changed, the connection is fine once (eventually) established, and you're able to get on after repeated attempts, I would wager that its the old capacity problem, rather than your line or modem.
Ciarán
It is quite possible that on changing to their all-in-one package you are going to a different system for the authentication. So whereas you were on one that was fine, you are now on one that is struggling to cope. I'm not sure how Tiscali are set up in terms of their internet only and all-in-one offerings, but I wouldn't be surprised if there is a difference.
That does not mean that they have the option to switch you back and keep the all-in-one package, but it may be an explanation.
That does not mean that they have the option to switch you back and keep the all-in-one package, but it may be an explanation.
Hi Guys.
Will certainly be contacting them --- will post their reply as and when it arrives.
Mike.
Will certainly be contacting them --- will post their reply as and when it arrives.
Mike.
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