4MB line running slower than 384k

[Hiro ZA]

Telkom recently installed a new line at my place. they had to physically install some new cabling in order to get it done. The line is meant to be a 4MB line. if i check router stats, it says 4096 downstream with 512 upstream. SNR is fine and the TD-Link reckons that i could get up to 9megs (based on the line stats).

but here is the kicker. its DONKEY slow! often unusable. although it never drops sync and router stats show that everything is fine, speedtest results show downstream speeds around 0.15 to 0.35 with downstream pretty consistent at 0.5

techie came out today and reckons the problem is definately with exchange. he plugged directly into line (i.e. bypassing router/ISP). but he says it looks like congestion with other DSL users at the ancient exchange. he said not sure if they can do anything about it. this is total BS!! what can/should i do ??

 

[FNfal]

Ask him if he can move you to another DSLAM preferably IMAX
Most exchanges have multiple DSLAMS .when the ports are full they put a new DSAM in the exchange and so it goes on,they dont take the old DSAMs out.

 

[Chevron]

Telkom recently installed a new line at my place. they had to physically install some new cabling in order to get it done. The line is meant to be a 4MB line. if i check router stats, it says 4096 downstream with 512 upstream. SNR is fine and the TD-Link reckons that i could get up to 9megs (based on the line stats).

but here is the kicker. its DONKEY slow! often unusable. although it never drops sync and router stats show that everything is fine, speedtest results show downstream speeds around 0.15 to 0.35 with downstream pretty consistent at 0.5

techie came out today and reckons the problem is definately with exchange. he plugged directly into line (i.e. bypassing router/ISP). but he says it looks like congestion with other DSL users at the ancient exchange. he said not sure if they can do anything about it. this is total BS!! what can/should i do ??

What ISP are you with? First thing I'd do is try another ISP.

 

[sybertiger]

i have the say prob getting the same speeds,but i have a 1mbps,if u get if fixed plz tell me how u did it

 

[Chevron]

i have the say prob getting the same speeds,but i have a 1mbps,if u get if fixed plz tell me how u did it

This is an English speaking forum. Please avoid foreign languages.

 

[InTheCube]

Ask him if he can move you to another DSLAM preferably IMAX
Most exchanges have multiple DSLAMS .when the ports are full they put a new DSAM in the exchange and so it goes on,they dont take the old DSAMs out.

This won't make a difference. If the exchange is over-loaded, it means the backhaul from the exchange onto Telkom's network does not have sufficient capacity to cater for all the users. His line stats are good, there is no need to change ports or be put on a different DSLAM.

The only time you'd want to change your DSLAM, is if your exchange has ADSL2+ enabled DSLAMs, and the exchange is backhauled with metro-ethernet fibre. Then you will be able to enjoy (up to) 10mbps speeds.

 

[Pada]

+1 to what Saaijid said.

You can read up on the Congested Exchanges thread, but I don't think you'll be able to do anything about it, except perhaps moving to another suburb/city that does not use that Exchange OR you'll just have to wait till Telkom upgrades their backhaul.

I think the only thing that you can do is to log faults and to get as many people in your area to do the same.

 

[Hiro ZA]

saajid and pada are on the money. the techie mentioned the congestion on the exchange as being the primary culprit. line stats are tops and no dropping of sync. this is madness! i am going to be forced to relocate simply to get a basic service like ADSL ?? thanks a lot telskum :-(

 

[Wolfy]

**** Hiro thats fudged up!!! I feel your pain bro, same thing happened to me as well. Asked for a 4MB line and at the end of the day my line only synced at 2MB.. And when I phoned to lodge a complaint some skanky b**** told me "Telkom cant gaurantee the speeds you applied for.. Even if you sync at Speed X which is lower than 4MB you still pay the 4MB price"

So I cursed her out of her skin and hanged up LIKE A BOSS.

Bitches...

 

[InTheCube]

**** Hiro thats fudged up!!! I feel your pain bro, same thing happened to me as well. Asked for a 4MB line and at the end of the day my line only synced at 2MB.. And when I phoned to lodge a complaint some skanky b**** told me "Telkom cant gaurantee the speeds you applied for.. Even if you sync at Speed X which is lower than 4MB you still pay the 4MB price"

So I cursed her out of her skin and hanged up LIKE A BOSS.

Bitches...

Well she's right. No need to get pissed off with the call center agents, coz there's nothing they can do. It's Telkom policy which comes from the top and is steered by government (as majority shareholder) and political intervention that drives such decisions. So come next elections, you can steer telecoms decisions in the country with your vote.

That said, if you are able to sync at at stable 2mbps, you will be able to downgrade from your current 4mbps product to a 2mbps product soon, and pay less. Telkom will be upgrading customers on the 1mbps product up to a new 2mbps product, for free. This will be the ideal product to match your line stats, and will be cheaper than the price of a 4mbps product.

I use the term product and line as 2 distinct items here, because that's what they are. Currently the 4mbps product only guarantees line speeds (or rather line sync rates) of between 1mbps and 10mbps. The new 2mbps product will probably guarantee line speeds of between 1mbps and 2mbps, and the 1mbps product, will guarantee line speeds of between 384kbps and 1mbps.

 

[dee4dog]

I Had similar problems, had telkom on site reset ports a few times, no luck my 4mbps line could only get 300kbbs at most. After reading up on this forum decided to reset ports once more and limit sync speed. PROBLEM Solved!!! Use to sync @ 7mbps, limited it to 5mbps and now get stable rates of 4mbps.