Hey Dravenza - I've forwarded this feedback to the IS management as well. It would be pretty damning if it were true... however, in their defense we are running several accounts here in the office and at employee's homes and they have just noticed the terrible and variable speeds and not speed changes at certain levels. Again, i've passed this on and also we're now looking in to it. As we are also trying to use/abuse the system to find the wholes we should have picked this up before now.
There are potentially a number of reasons for the bursts - IPC overload, DSLAM overload, network overload, shaping changes and issues, throttling, exchange issues etc. etc... PM me your ADSL line number and username and we'll try and loko in to it from this side. We are lucky to have the infrastructure we do to be able to check things quite extensively before passing on the problem. I'm off hom in 20 minute and then appeasing my gf for lack of contact this evening - so please copy in the helpdesk at imagine.co.za as well and I'll try and follow it up tonight/tomorrow.
RE: The level of service and sustainability
I do honestly believe that ADSL provision can be maintained at this price. What I also believe is that we have the wrong pricing models, infrastructure models and business practises in place to sustain it within 'old business'... This has to change. Maybe a gradual change could have been better but the pent up constriction of this market could only really lead to the massive tidal wave of usage we are now seeing. From now on it's all about what we do with it....
We were asked yesterday if IS released a 'decent' product on to the market for R200 more would we sell it and people buy it... despite contradicts from others I said 'yes!'... people are so desperate that they will pay more for quality... however, it is not the answer and these short-term business fixes are not the way to be looking at this.
What does seem to have been seriously lacking in SA, and its very likely a result of the millions of small businesses, is proper business modelling and planning. The small scale businesses that buy from the larger companies can not insist on streamlining and QoS and the large companies get fat and complacent ebcause they aren't pushed compeitively or economically... again... good 'ol MWeb... this might make some changes that can only start a chain reaction in this country. I intend to do my part to help that.
Cheers P.