Sign up with GoogleI have a 4mbps ADSL, and a 4mbps uncapped ISP account, both through Telkom. I'm in Pinelands, Cape Town.
The internet service has been working very well since it was installed a couple of months ago, and I was able to watch online videos, listen to online radio, and download large files like app updates. However the quality of the service started degrading around the beginning of September, becoming noticeably slower, and less usable.
At first the speed drop was only noticeable in the evenings, and only occasionally was it slow. This has progressively worsened until now the connection is all but useless. Just posting on this forum required multiple attempts at reloading the page.
The connection is not only slow, but also seems to be losing data. Web pages seem to load half way, youtube videos load partially and then stop.
The connection is not consistently bad. There are periods where it seems to be working again, and then it goes slow again. The bad periods are becoming longer, and the good times becoming shorter.
I have tried the ookla speed tests, but the results seem inconsistent. Sometimes it shows 3mbps throughput. At the moment the speed test page does not even load. Previously when it did load it indicated 600kbps download, and 400kbps upload. At that time even the Telkom web site wasn't loading, putting the speed closer to 0kbps in reality.
I have tried resetting the router, which used to to result in decent performance for a few hours before needing another reset. Doing this now has no effect, and when the connection comes back the performance is still bad.
I also tried changing the SSID and password on the router, in case someone else was using the wifi. This had no effect so unless there is some other intrusion I'm unaware of, the connection is only being used by me.
I also ran a virus scanner, just to be sure. However, the performance is the same no matter if it's on the Mac, Windows laptop, iPad, iPhone, or Android phone or tablet. They all perform poorly.
I have reported the fault to Telkom, but based on the dearth of scorn on MyBroadband and other places, I have little confidence that they will actually respond effectively.
So the basic question is, what to do now?
I have considered:
- Buying a new router - will this help?
- Replacing the filter and connection wire with a known good one.
- Switch ISP, but to who? Will an ISP help if the problem is with Telkom's infrastructure?
- Upgrade to 10mbps - which is fine, if the problem is throughput and not infrastructure.
- How can I tell if the problem is congestion, and if it is, what can be done about it?
Lastly, in searching for clues, I came across many other posts which describe similar problems, great service at first which steadily declines until being unusable. Is this a tactic used by Telkom, or is it just a very common problem?
The internet service has been working very well since it was installed a couple of months ago, and I was able to watch online videos, listen to online radio, and download large files like app updates. However the quality of the service started degrading around the beginning of September, becoming noticeably slower, and less usable.
At first the speed drop was only noticeable in the evenings, and only occasionally was it slow. This has progressively worsened until now the connection is all but useless. Just posting on this forum required multiple attempts at reloading the page.
The connection is not only slow, but also seems to be losing data. Web pages seem to load half way, youtube videos load partially and then stop.
The connection is not consistently bad. There are periods where it seems to be working again, and then it goes slow again. The bad periods are becoming longer, and the good times becoming shorter.
I have tried the ookla speed tests, but the results seem inconsistent. Sometimes it shows 3mbps throughput. At the moment the speed test page does not even load. Previously when it did load it indicated 600kbps download, and 400kbps upload. At that time even the Telkom web site wasn't loading, putting the speed closer to 0kbps in reality.
I have tried resetting the router, which used to to result in decent performance for a few hours before needing another reset. Doing this now has no effect, and when the connection comes back the performance is still bad.
I also tried changing the SSID and password on the router, in case someone else was using the wifi. This had no effect so unless there is some other intrusion I'm unaware of, the connection is only being used by me.
I also ran a virus scanner, just to be sure. However, the performance is the same no matter if it's on the Mac, Windows laptop, iPad, iPhone, or Android phone or tablet. They all perform poorly.
I have reported the fault to Telkom, but based on the dearth of scorn on MyBroadband and other places, I have little confidence that they will actually respond effectively.
So the basic question is, what to do now?
I have considered:
- Buying a new router - will this help?
- Replacing the filter and connection wire with a known good one.
- Switch ISP, but to who? Will an ISP help if the problem is with Telkom's infrastructure?
- Upgrade to 10mbps - which is fine, if the problem is throughput and not infrastructure.
- How can I tell if the problem is congestion, and if it is, what can be done about it?
Lastly, in searching for clues, I came across many other posts which describe similar problems, great service at first which steadily declines until being unusable. Is this a tactic used by Telkom, or is it just a very common problem?
