MWEB Uncapped ADSL - Official Q & A

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@ MWEB

Are you even listening to yourself?

1. You are saying that the ONLY way us lower end-users to enjoy the service is to have 4MB services?
2. Why did MWEB not tell us that we cannot expect much from 384k?

My understanding is that I am to expect the same service as the 4MB dude but except my downloads take a LITTLE bit longer to download cos of my line speed BUT not at dialup speed

In essense, I would think that the 4MB service dudes are the ones you should be keeping an eye on cos not all of them are businesses and most of them run 24x7 download managers.

Again ....blah...blah...fish paste!
 
It is interesting to note that since the SEACOM maintenance started and Mweb switched over to their "backup" backbone, downloads have been flying. (faster than normal, still not 100%) With no official response from the MWEB rep, who has point blank ignored my questions, this seems to make the possibility that all of the uncapped accounts, or all of the "non prioritised BW" are/is shunted over to a separate, smaller pipe from normal traffic and then that bandwidth is subdivided amongst the uncapped users, in the 384k : 512k : 4mbps ratios. I'm guessing this backup pipe they're currently running on doesn't have all these rules in place, so their software is subdividing all of the available bandwidth, which is why we're seeing improved speeds?
 
Man it's been a long time since I've heard blah blah fishpaste. Weird :D

Anyhoo.

1. No, they seem to be saying that one of the ways (short of waiting for more capacity to be put in) is to run a 4096 account which will more than compensate for your line speed.
2.
2.14 Shaped means that traffic is prioritised and channeled in a specific order, for example web browsing and email traffic will be prioritised;
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So if your service is shaped and you have an issue with the fact that it's shaped (downloading via p2p is slow) then you need to find an unshaped package.
Everyone has always said (for all of the new uncapped services) that if your intention is to suck down the whole internet - this service is probably not for you.

Where I do agree is that having an uncapped service on which you can't theoretically download 24/7 is pretty crappy - but everyone knew that when they signed up unless they did no research at all or didn't read the T&C so it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

So far Mweb have done a pretty good job of not alienating their customers besides a few - everyone else (see the "How many gigs" thread) is managing just fine and some have even run out of stuff to download. They haven't even hinted at the beginning of labelling people abusers.

It is interesting to note that since the SEACOM maintenance started and Mweb switched over to their "backup" backbone, downloads have been flying. (faster than normal, still not 100%) With no official response from the MWEB rep, who has point blank ignored my questions, this seems to make the possibility that all of the uncapped accounts, or all of the "non prioritised BW" are/is shunted over to a separate, smaller pipe from normal traffic and then that bandwidth is subdivided amongst the uncapped users, in the 384k : 512k : 4mbps ratios. I'm guessing this backup pipe they're currently running on doesn't have all these rules in place, so their software is subdividing all of the available bandwidth, which is why we're seeing improved speeds?
Click to expand...

Or it's Saturday morning, half the users are asleep and chunks of them aren't downloading in anticipation of SEACOM maintenance? I could be wrong but I think that's the simplest answer. Same goes for MWEB not answering your questions - chances are they were missed in the flurry. If it's important, PM MWEB or MWEB Operations. Personal vendettas are unlikely.
 
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I was wondering what the purpose of a 4Meg account was. I for one can’t read websites that fast. So now I know, it’s to download at 384 speeds. Should put that in your adverts.

Have to add that right now Rapidshare is running nicely, thank you.
 
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Playing said:
I was wondering what the purpose of a 4Meg account was. I for one can’t read websites that fast. So now I know, it’s to download at 384 speeds. Should put that in your adverts.
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I want your 384k line if it gets speeds of 450k. Please? :D
 
AntiThesis said:
Man it's been a long time since I've heard blah blah fishpaste. Weird :D

Or it's Saturday morning, half the users are asleep and chunks of them aren't downloading in anticipation of SEACOM maintenance? I could be wrong but I think that's the simplest answer. Same goes for MWEB not answering your questions - chances are they were missed in the flurry. If it's important, PM MWEB or MWEB Operations. Personal vendettas are unlikely.
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You clearly don't know downloaders. If the account you had only allowed you to download between 2-7am, that's when you'd schedule your downloads. Mweb also sent out an email stating quite clearly that they had backup plans in place and there would be no interruption in service.

If it's all the same to you, I'd rather the official MWEB rep responded. Your blind faith in MWEB is painfully obvious and not helpful.
 
Man....you guys are funny!

its like selling someone a Beetle and telling him it can actually go as fast as an F1 car!!! WOW! do they really think we that stupid? do they think we a bl@@dy agent? ...LOL
 
Playing said:
I was wondering what the purpose of a 4Meg account was. I for one can’t read websites that fast. So now I know, it’s to download at 384 speeds. Should put that in your adverts.
Click to expand...

Not every 'download' is low priority. I look at satellite image animations via HTTP, and downloading 20X300KB Jpeg images takes quite a while. (And no they can't be scheduled offline, since the user has to click on each image, each having a unique URL).

I don't need 4Mbps 24/7, but when I want an image, I don't want to wait excessively long. This kind of 'bursty' activity on a 4Mbps (capped) package works far better for me than 384K (uncapped) ever would.

There does seem to be a 'gap' between my (existing) 4Mbps (capped) package, and the new packages offered by MWeb: 384K capped, 384K uncapped, and 4Mbps uncapped. (512K uncapped seems bad value IMO, due to Telkom ADSL line pricing).
 
Here is another point to ponder: If it’s the evil down loaders that are the problem, why are things running at full speed at 4am? Those using download managers are not likely to stop them at that time. So what percentage of total data is actually downloads?

Note: None of my posts are meant to be cynical, so take them with a pinch of salt:)
 
Spoke too soon, speed just plummeted. MWEB - could you explain how now, on a weekend, and after hours in general during the week - download speeds for "non priority bw" are just as crap as they are during primetime?
 
Seeyou said:
Your blind faith in MWEB is painfully obvious and not helpful.
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Actually, I am a downloader. And I've downloaded a fair amount - first on my 384k account and then on my 4mb account when I upgraded. I don't have blind faith in MWEB - I've said all along that there are things about their service which suck and I stand by that. I still don't think that they (or any ISP) has adequately wrapped their minds around the concept of true uncapped. What I do feel though is that Mweb have made the best go of it. They came prepared with their own network (rather than reselling IS like everyone else) and their customers are by and large the happiest.

So unless you've got solid proof to the contrary (are you even a customer of mweb? edit: I see you are, disregard :) ) I don't see where Mweb have broken a single bit of their T&C or their promised service. And just for the record "my stuff is slower" is not proof.
 
Seeyou said:
Spoke too soon, speed just plummeted. MWEB - could you explain how now, on a weekend, and after hours in general during the week - download speeds for "non priority bw" are just as crap as they are during primetime?
Click to expand...

Mine has just dropped from about 35k to 11k and its been constant at that speed since about 9am....so much for no "throttling" and "BW Management"....

@MWEB ...what say you?

btw.... the same MWEB Rep answering all these queries 24x7?
 
The problem with the 384 kbps users is a ratio-related one. A 4Mbps (500 kB/s) that is running downloads in a non-priority pool that is cut down to 20% is still running at 100kB/s, while a 384 kbps link (48 kB/s) in the same situation is cut down to 9.6 kB/s. Both are penalised in exactly the same way, which is fair, but the 384 kbps user will feel this a lot more than the 4Mbps user will. This is not something MWEB can control, unless they prioritise 384 kbps users above 4Mbps users by reducing their line speeds less. This will reduce the 4Mbps users' speeds a lot more, while they pay more for the service.

bradlesliect said:
Mine has just dropped from about 35k to 11k and its been constant at that speed since about 9am....so much for no "throttling" and "BW Management"....
Click to expand...

You are aware that there is SEACOM maintenance being performed, starting at 9am? Also, 9am sounds about right, when people wake up, had a cup of coffee and is starting to browse the net, resulting in a higher load.
 
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Nah I'm not a customer, I'm just sucking these figures out of my thumb whenever I need to. Get over yourself, I stated earlier that I signed up. "My stuff is slower" is proof when it's backed up by hundreds of complainants offering the same story. If you could stop your incessant "human shield" antics for MWEB and let him respond to the question, that would be great. You'll notice my biggest gripe with the service is that there is little to no discernible difference in download speeds after hours and on weekends, which according to the MWEB rep should be when we would see a big increase as the majority of the country goes offline. (not everyone has ADSL, and even less have uncapped accounts, and Mweb have a LOT of bandwidth)

I'd simply like a response to that, and you cannot provide it, so please stop trying.
 
@AnthThesis

I think you may be taking the statement out of context. MWEB has only just redesigned their T&C which will come into effect 30/04 so....chillax on that one.

If you were back on 384k and getting the same download speeds we getting, how would you feel?

Proof? You want proof? This thread and others are filled with it.
 
Time based shaping are definitely at work here!

@MWEB, you guys are doing a great job, thanks for that. I think we all can agree that the service have deteriorated because of all the new subscribers (you see what happens when you deliver the goods?), so as long as you plan to put more bandwidth in the pipe and keep delivering a good service I am very happy.
 
@ Seeyou ..... CHILLAX!! Emotions getting the betta of us is not going to solve the problem(s) we having.

Its evidently clear that only users with <1MB line speeds and subs are the ones feeling the pain....the boys with lines >1MB dont really care cos they are at least getting 50k speeds. Its always been the policy in the business the business for them to after clients that are higher up in the food chain needless to say that the bulk of your revenue is at actuall the dudes at the lower end of scale...

We can bicker, whine and moan all we want....it aint gonna change...that's unfortunately the reality of it. Only thing left to do is try a diff ISP?
 
@farimir

ditto that ...this is exactly what I have been saying, MWEB KNOW that they are OVER subscribed but continue to sign on more instead of trying to expand the existing...where's the business planning? I say they should hold off on any new subs until they have enough capacity to handle more.... agree?
 
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