Neotel network speed degradation update

Wilgeheuwel, Roodepoort, on neotel prime.
my connection improved with the optimisations about 2 weeks ago but have steadily been getting worse since then.

Ran a speedtest while typing this post:
Down: 124kbps
Up: 14kbps

:(
 
kkcheuk said:
Vorna Valley 22:27 - 22:33
Neotel Prime

Download Speed: 280 kbps (35 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 47 kbps (5.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

Download Speed: 884 kbps (110.5 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 80 kbps (10 KB/sec transfer rate)

Download Speed: 450 kbps (56.3 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 53 kbps (6.6 KB/sec transfer rate)

Not Stable!!
Click to expand...

Same as I'm experiencing in Vorna Valley/Kyalami
 
I'm not sure whats going on with Neotel but the tests I do show the connection to be better than it really is. I'll do tests and it shows my download speed to be anything from 36KB/s - 110KB/s but whenever I download something from the net or stream video from youtube I never get anything higher than 35KB/s.

This seems very inconsistent and unacceptable. I do the very same tests at work on a Telkom 512k line and the results are identical to the download speeds I get when downloading a file or streaming from youtube.
 
Venom Rush said:
I'm not sure whats going on with Neotel but the tests I do show the connection to be better than it really is. I'll do tests and it shows my download speed to be anything from 36KB/s - 110KB/s but whenever I download something from the net or stream video from youtube I never get anything higher than 35KB/s.

This seems very inconsistent and unacceptable. I do the very same tests at work on a Telkom 512k line and the results are identical to the download speeds I get when downloading a file or streaming from youtube.
Click to expand...

Use a download manager like Free download manager. Sounds like each download thread is limited to 35KB/s.

Alternatively download multiple items at once.
 
Sunninghill, PN 360, RSSI 89
Neotel Prime
Download Speed: 119 kbps (14.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 24 kbps (3 KB/sec transfer rate)
Still no improvement
 
Neotel = Eskom????

I think they have now resorted to load shedding...

I have no connectivity any more... I have 2 reference numbers and still I have had no feedback. Furthermore there is no ETA of when I will be back online again...

I honestly have lost my patience...
 
Paulshof
NeoFlex
Download Speed: 41 kbps (5.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 24 kbps (3 KB/sec transfer rate)
 
RaD said:
Paulshof
NeoFlex
Download Speed: 41 kbps (5.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 24 kbps (3 KB/sec transfer rate)
Click to expand...

Eina!! That really sucks. Do you know which tower you're connected to (I think it's the PN number in the device configuration settings). I'm also in the Paulshof area and since the last network upgrade, my speeds have consistently been above 600kbps on Neotel Prime.
 
nk1 said:
Sunninghill, PN 360, RSSI 89
Neotel Prime
Download Speed: 119 kbps (14.9 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 24 kbps (3 KB/sec transfer rate)
Still no improvement
Click to expand...

Have you got an external antenna? you're connecting to the Midrand tower with that PN number. There are closer towers to you.
 
Hi all,

I've been a bit quiet, but I've noticed a improvement on my setup as of late.
I've been working at a new job so I haven't really been monitoring Neotel or this thread, but I'll make notes of it tonight and then post later when I get home.

I did see my downloads peaking at 150KB/s now and again.
 
PeteGT said:
Have you got an external antenna? you're connecting to the Midrand tower with that PN number. There are closer towers to you.
Click to expand...

No external antenna
Here's the thing, my computer room faces the Kyalami area and if I move the phone by about 20cm on the desk I'm picking up a completely different tower (PN 160, I think with RSSI around 99) I only get 1 bar of signal and speeds of 40-100kbs so for me the 360 works a bit better.
Strangely if I take to phone upstairs to to side that faces Paulshof, I get PN of 456 and RSSI of 78 with speeds about 200kbs.
 
nk1 said:
No external antenna
Here's the thing, my computer room faces the Kyalami area and if I move the phone by about 20cm on the desk I'm picking up a completely different tower (PN 160, I think with RSSI around 99) I only get 1 bar of signal and speeds of 40-100kbs so for me the 360 works a bit better.
Strangely if I take to phone upstairs to to side that faces Paulshof, I get PN of 456 and RSSI of 78 with speeds about 200kbs.
Click to expand...

My Firend lives in the lonehill area and he was connecting to the Midrand tower, he got an external antenna and connected to the paulshof tower, saw the same increase in speed as you. might be an option.
 
Qwikslver said:
Use a download manager like Free download manager. Sounds like each download thread is limited to 35KB/s.

Alternatively download multiple items at once.
Click to expand...

What about sites that don't allow multiple connections? And streaming audio and video? Why must I accept a connection that is shaped at 35KB/s on a single connection? If i must accept this then I'd rather get a 384K Telkom line where a single connection is a constant 56KB/s shaped.

Why is the connection even shaped in the first place? Neotel states that their services are unshaped yet I get the above.

EDIT: My connection was downloading at 100KB/s - 120KB/s on a single connection before the network overload in February.
 
fail!

Well my connection is now non existent, with neoflex data in excellent covarage in roodepoort i am getting 25kb/s downloads. Wow i pay 700 rand a month for the neoflex technology and it is useless.

Really i cant see why i should stay with neotel.
 
The longer this takes to resolve the more I think that this is a result of Neotel techs not knowing much about CDMA networks. Clearly they are trying to resolve this issue via "trial and error". This is unacceptable and if the issue isn't resolved by the end of this month I'll be contacting ISPA or ICASA to do an investigation into why it is that this issue is taking so long to resolve.

If what I suspect is the case then the Neotel techs need to talk to the appropriate supervisor/manager about having someone from overseas, who's had extensive hands-on experience with CDMA networks, to come to SA and instruct the techs in solving this issue and any other aspects they need to know about.
 
nk1 said:
You are joking!! How did you get the service in the first place without coverage?
Click to expand...

Aha therein lies the beauty of it. Bulleted events below:

  • Early Feb '09: Decide to go with Neotel NeoConnect Lite (EXCELLENT coverage) as there was no Prime coverage in our area
  • Voice quality wasn't bad but trying to connect to the Net was folly
  • End of Feb: Check coverage map and all of a sudden Lite only has Fair coverage and Prime has excellent coverage
  • Lite device starts to consistently drop voice calls. Connect to the Net...What is that?
  • After much consideration decide to go with Prime (Who wouldn't, with the purported connection speeds)
  • 1st week on Prime: No voice calls dropped but Net connection was slow
  • Enquire about connection speeds with "Customer Service" and they say hang in there the "Optimisation" will sort us out.
  • Early March: Check the coverage map to ensure we still have Prime coverage. Indeed we do, we have EXCELLENT Prime coverage. Woop woop.
  • Skip to the end of March: Voice calls start being dropped; connecting to the Net becomes an issue. Let me check our coverage, again:o
  • OH, nice one. We've been "Optimised" alright, optimised right out of the coverage area.:eek: No Prime coverage anymore and only a tiny speck of Lite coverage of the Fair variety.
  • By this stage toys are being thrown out of the cot, and "Customer Service" keep stringing us along saying that they may be able to give us some money back while we wait and/or they'll install an antennae and and and
  • Finally Steven Ligege mans up and tells the truth about our little foray into CDMA. It's not happening anymore, BYE.:p

We're in the process of weighing up our legal options...
 
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