GWISA=SCREAMER

[rebel998]

Okay im going to say this because none of you seem to have the ability to see it youselves.

Wireless and more specifically screamer in this case is like an abusive spouse, secretly deep down inside you know they wont change. You want to believe that it will change but you know its not going to.

Stop spending your life hoping the connection is going to get better because it isnt. Just get over it, accept your mistake and move on to ADSL or even 3G. You guys moan about being slow or not even connected at all so often and I think to myself every time, weird im on my dsl line at the moment reading this and having no problems at all.

Its just my 2c, use it - dont use it.

Fine, then come and put up copper at my house and make sure it stays up.

 

[Rocket-Boy]

Yeah, until your cable gets stolen and you sit without a connection for 3 months while Telkom decide to even listen to your complaints, or a lightning strike hits your line and takes out your equipment, or any electrical storm makes your connection flaky, or your 1mG service becomes a 128kbps one, thats assuming you ever got 1Mg, etc. Screamer is by no means perfect but then neither are ANY of the service providers but at least when I have an issue they get someone out to me within 8 hors if they can't fix it over the "air".

And finally, as I have said many times on this forum, it takes guts to take on the incumbent suppliers and try and provide competition which drives service levels up and prices down. Just look what has happened in the last 12 months. I am not saying it is all because of Screamer but the very fact that certain ISP's are prepared to deploy their own networks and provide alternatives makes the monopolies sit up and take notice.

Imagine a world of Neotel and Telkom ONLY and then decide if you want to try and stand on the independents before they have had a chance to blossom.




There is a fairly big difference between a network that is used by a couple of mates to play games and share files and an industrial strength network providing internet and voice connections to clients, some of whom have only just learnt to switch on a computer.

One day the Wuggers will accept that there is space in the telecoms market for both types of network without looking at the licenced ones with professional jealousy.

blah blah blah.
The wuggers non-industrial strength network as you put it is way more reliable despite not being the expensive stuff with amps on.

If you want reliability and SLA's on lines get diginet and get over it.
If you want to mess with things like wireless instead then its your loss. You cant say screamer is new because they are a renamed GWISA which was around for a long time.
The fact that you can ping basestations when its down just shows you that their backhauls(possibly interconnects) are often down which makes them fairly sucky.

I would still rather opt for ADSL and then have 3G as a backup for if and when your lines are down.

The argument of lines being stolen etc is an old tired one. I have 32 sites I monitor and manage servers on and all of them are in outlying areas and sometimes industrial ones with bad power and worse lines. If its down then the 3G kicks in and life goes on, the lines are never down for very long.

 

[rebel998]

The argument of lines being stolen etc is an old tired one.

But still a very REAL one.

If one follows this thread back you'll see we've already established that copper/fibre certaily beats Wireless hands down.

The reality is, copper cables are being stolen and saying they're never down long is BS. We have had the cables stolen so often Telkom simply refuses to put up new cables.

Yes 3G is nice and blah.blah but expensive if you're a heavy bandwidth user. So this leaves you with few other options.

As far as Screamer is concerned, yes they are'nt new but being a client since they were GWI, it really does seem that their level of service has improved since becoming Screamer!

Monitor this thread back a little and see how little I have been bitching about Screamer lately. This ought to say something about their service. (In my area anyway)

I have not had major issues for a long time now. Thanks Screamer, hope you can keep it up!

 

[Playoff]

blah blah blah.
The wuggers non-industrial strength network as you put it is way more reliable despite not being the expensive stuff with amps on.

If you want reliability and SLA's on lines get diginet and get over it.
If you want to mess with things like wireless instead then its your loss. You cant say screamer is new because they are a renamed GWISA which was around for a long time.
The fact that you can ping basestations when its down just shows you that their backhauls(possibly interconnects) are often down which makes them fairly sucky.

I would still rather opt for ADSL and then have 3G as a backup for if and when your lines are down.

The argument of lines being stolen etc is an old tired one. I have 32 sites I monitor and manage servers on and all of them are in outlying areas and sometimes industrial ones with bad power and worse lines. If its down then the 3G kicks in and life goes on, the lines are never down for very long.

"blah blah blah"....a really purile response and one which has really raised your image in all of our eyes and sets the tone for the rest of your response.

"The wuggers non-industrial strength network as you put it is way more reliable despite not being the expensive stuff with amps on."....You of course have first hand experience with Screamer's network being based in East London, where as far as I know Screamer does not operate.
Maybe it's heresay you picked up from another of your Wugger mates while swopping recipes.

"I would still rather opt for ADSL and then have 3G as a backup for if and when your lines are down.".....Brilliant!!!! Lets all have two or three redundant backup's in case our first line goes down and then boast about how resilient our network is, no matter how much it costs us.

I am not going to dignify the rest of your response with an answer.

 

[rebel998]

all have two or three redundant backup's in case our first line goes down and then boast about how resilient our network is, no matter how much it costs us

Always good to have a backup. And yes even I have a 3G datacard as backup, thankfully have not used it for some time.

 

[Kraai2009]

Some of us, have no other choice as to use screamer, as they are the only provider in our area. Not even 3G is working here in the bundus where I am.

I must say, although there is problems now and then with connections here where I am, I get very good support from our local branch in Harrismith. They are always willing to sort out whatever may be wrong. Even on this forum, on this topic, Howzit offers regular support to who ever have a problem here. Now, this is what I call personal attention to me, the client, and that counts more in my books than having to wait for hours with ADSL line issues to get resolved, not knowing what is going on, and not even getting your call for support answered.

I understand that the hardware upgrade in Harrismith is going to take place on this coming Monday, and that the connection may be down due to that between certain hours of the day. Now, I can live with that too, because I know beforehand about it, due to the notice send by screamer to this region's clients, and I can plan my online activities around it.

As far as latency to overseas servers, I must say, it is most of the times better than when I had ADSL.

 

[rebel998]

There are glitches sometimes but considering the availabillity and price its a fair deal overall.

And true, howzit is very helpful.

 

[Kraai2009]

........... and price its a fair deal overall.

[/QUOTE

Uhmmm, there I have to disagree, as far as the price goes. ADSL line and bandwidth is much more cheaper, I still cannot get over it to pay in the region of R 90.00 something per Gig. Then again, because I am a bandwidth eater, they did negotiated a special needs deal with me, although ADSL would still be costing me less, using the same kind of bandwidth, even with this special deal.

I think if screamer could reduce there bandwidth charges to be market related with ISP's like Axxess, they might even draw clients with no problem ADSL lines.

 

[rebel998]

How many other ISPs will make a special deal with a heavy bandwidth user?

Stick it out with them a while, I did and am now glad I did.

 

[Kraai2009]

Oh yes, I will stick it out with them. This topic has a lot of negative for screamer, I read every reply on here before I joined them, and still joined because I had to give them the benefit of doubt as I have no other choice.

Right now, I am uploading songs to my radio station at a speed of 69 KB/s , I am broadcasting a radio program (also upstream at 56 KB/s), and surfing the web, all at once, without any problems.

 

[rebel998]

Well even if some say they are overpriced I still won't use anyone else.

My connection has been running like a charm for the past few months without any major hassles. They have silenced prbably their worst critic, go Screamer!

 

[toolboysa]

Does anyone here use thier screamer connection for online game playing on a PS3? Is it possiable with the 512k line or do I have to do the 25% extra to upgrade to the faster speed

 

[Rocket-Boy]

Speed has very little to do with gaming. The biggest thing you are looking for is latency. Latency on wireless is a joke so I wouldnt even bother. When it comes to gaming depending on game 3G doesnt even work properly.

 

[toolboysa]

How can I test latency. Cause Ive got to put in anyway so that I can internet at my house. 3G is very unreliable here.

 

[buffalobill]

How can I test latency. Cause Ive got to put in anyway so that I can internet at my house. 3G is very unreliable here.

Rocket-boy is right. Wireless and latency go together. You can give it a go, though, and see how you fare. But you'll probably be dropped from the server a lot and have to give up.

For latency, I always used VE Network Catcher Lite. I'm not saying it's the best, but it's what I used, and it's free.

EDIT: It's nice and visual, so you see how your latency goes all over the place.

 

[toolboysa]

Thanks. Ill check it out. Screamer is coming to install on monday

Quite impressed with thier service only sent my app yesterday and installation on Monday

 

[Playoff]

Speed has very little to do with gaming. The biggest thing you are looking for is latency. Latency on wireless is a joke so I wouldnt even bother. When it comes to gaming depending on game 3G doesnt even work properly.

I suppose you are right when dealing with the small time wireless ISP's but my latency on Screamer is great.
In fact I'll bet my wireless connection has a better ping than your wired connection

http://www.speedtest.net/result/503029399.png

 

[rebel998]

I suppose you are right when dealing with the small time wireless ISP's but my latency on Screamer is great.
In fact I'll bet my wireless connection has a better ping than your wired connection

SoI would be able to play BF2?

 

[Rocket-Boy]

No rebel you wouldnt. I can assure you that if you did you would find yourself freezing often and me knifing you when you did
Not to say I wont be knifing you anyways but yeah.
Playoff those results mean nothing. See it tell you a latency figure sure thats well and good but we all know that it differs according to how many people are on the node/proximity to towers and a number of other factors.

Do you know how heavily contented your connection is? if you were to introduce any other users at the time then it would change drastically.
My diginet connection at work doesnt even get those figures.

 

[Playoff]

No rebel you wouldnt. I can assure you that if you did you would find yourself freezing often and me knifing you when you did
Not to say I wont be knifing you anyways but yeah.
Playoff those results mean nothing. See it tell you a latency figure sure thats well and good but we all know that it differs according to how many people are on the node/proximity to towers and a number of other factors.

Do you know how heavily contented your connection is? if you were to introduce any other users at the time then it would change drastically.
My diginet connection at work doesnt even get those figures.

Hi there R-B

I contend the connection at home with my 2 sons. They are the gamers and they assure me that the ping never goes above 30ms to speedtest.

I am not the technician but I know my boys are happy.