Network Issues since January 1 - Western Cape

[1geoff99]

Are there still issues? Need something urgently in the Parow area (next to Parow Center).

Issues have never gone away. Need something urgently? LOL Don't hold your breath.

 

[xrapidx]

So whats worst case scenario? I can handle slow speeds... but not dialup.

 

[1geoff99]

So whats worst case scenario? I can handle slow speeds... but not dialup.

For me, I get slow speeds most afternoons and evenings (1-2 Mbps), but especially slow upload speeds, often only 0.03 Mbps.

 

[xrapidx]

I'm mainly looking for small amounts of browsing, gmail and gtalk... that's it... currently using vodacom - but my 1.2GB is up and I dont feel like forking out another R300 odd.

 

[1geoff99]

I'm mainly looking for small amounts of browsing, gmail and gtalk... that's it... currently using vodacom - but my 1.2GB is up and I dont feel like forking out another R300 odd.

I have no personal knowledge of the Parow area, but from your requirements, I think you should be OK. And by the way, not everyone is having a problem.

 

[xrapidx]

Yeh... but I have bad luck

 

[dread]

also some issues somerset west side - disconnects , switching to edge etc

 

[allanb]

I contacted Cell C regarding slow connection and repeated disconnects.
Very quick reply. Went through various tests with 'tech rep'. while he was on line managed 4.7Mbb/sec at 15H00 buy 20H00 back to disconnects and slower than adsl 384K
Seems they twiked something as he said they reset some of my services???
Does anyone know how we can get some action out of Cell C.
While trying to register on this forum was again disconnected from network.

 

[UtianG]

When are they going to fix this bloody network ....

Request timed out.
Request timed out.

It's been crap for more than a month now (for me at least).

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

I'm not even going to give more details on the problems I'm having. It's been covered in this thread already.

Request timed out.

And before some smart a$$ responds with, "Have you emailed onlinesupport@cellc.co.za as per this post yet?" YES! I HAVE! AND NOTHING IS HAPPENING.

Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.
PING: transmit failed. General failure.

 

[ajax]

also some issues somerset west side - disconnects , switching to edge etc

IWhile trying to register on this forum was again disconnected from network.

Put the modem on 3G only mode with MDMA (setting is stored on modem). You could also do the ping thing to alleviate the disconnects.

 

[fordguy]

We are in Somerset West and are having absolutely RIDICULOUS connectivity!! WTF???! Is this the same cause? Please tell me they're looking to increase their capacity if congestion is the issue!

 

[Vee]

OK, time for an update on the service level in Brackenfell South, CT:
First a bit of background, in November 2010 I bought the 5gig pre paid with the E1820 modem, downloads of 4.5 megs, uploads of 1.75megs, + signal strength +-80dbm, solidly connecting to tower 45542, HSPA+(ping to the JHB server on speedtest.net +-89ms. Overall very happy - come 1 January 2011 things started going south, 14 February 2011 reached the south pole - currently still lost and feels like Cell C are truly walking in circles.

1) First mail to 'onlinesupport@cellc.co.za' on the 1 January 2011
2) 2nd Mail on the referring to thread on MBD (2 January 2011)
3) Call from helpdesk - check all settings - all OK - speed are usable but still half of what it was
4) 14 February 2011, speed to a basic standstill - mail to 'onlinesupport@cellc.co.za' again - referring to all previous communication
5) Response - double cable break - they are fixing it. (PM ronbo4GS - no response)
6) Service very unstable - again via helpdesk - check all settings, this time a call was logged for the data desk, no improvement (17 February 2011)
7) A call logged for the network team - few days and a few phone calls later no improvement (24 February 2011)
8) A call was logged for a 3rd party agent, apparently the service agents of the towers - something to do with capacity
9) 3rd party came to the home and checked the signal (25 February 2011)
10) Who knows - no response as yet

Current status
Uploads - 0.41
Downloads - 0.04
Ping 205ms
Signal Strength - -79dBm


I use the internet primarily for online gaming, this is now 2 months of very unstable internet - when is CellC going to acknowledge the there is a problem and they don't know what to do.

Still suck!!!
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1216603091.png

 

[ginggs]

I just received a call from advanced data services, based on my email they have logged a query with planning & optimization, I should hear from them in 7-10 working days.

11 working days have passed and I've heard nothing from planning & optimization.

 

[1geoff99]

11 working days have passed and I've heard nothing from planning & optimization.

I'm back to the following 24/7:

D/L: 1.00 Mbps
U/L: 0.03 Mbps

So now I'm using Telkom ADSL 384 kbps with 4x faster uploads.

And when I ask for feedback on my open reference numbers, I get no response.

 

[Gir]

We are in Somerset West and are having absolutely RIDICULOUS connectivity!! WTF???! Is this the same cause? Please tell me they're looking to increase their capacity if congestion is the issue!

Sigh, same here (Also somerset west). Up till about a couple months ago was able to play Battlefield BC 2 online perfectly, now its unplayable, if i'm lucky enough to have it connect to a game. This product is so frustrating, looks like i'm going to go back to a fixed line, i may hate telkom but I've had much better service with them to be honest. I've E-mail support, no reply, and when i did phone tech support on 1st Jan (Looking though this forum found out there was indeed an issue) they we very unhelpful and actually seemed to know very little about the product. [Really hate phoning "tech" support and talking to someone who doesn't sound like they know the tech]

Its got to the point that i should phone or e-mail someone, but just feel its pointless cause they seem to never be able to do anything or even get back to you. Worse support I have ever experienced from a company, and I've had some pretty bad experiences in the past. Pretty sad about it since it worked pretty well at the start, and was even telling my friends what a cool product it is. Now telling them to avoid it.

Sorry about the rant

 

[nolsie1]

Slow speed in Newlands, Cape Town

I bought a new 5GB data package from CellC and I'm trying from my home (Newlands, Cape Town) for the first time. The speed is very poor. It shows 'EDGE' reception and indicates download speed of 48 kbps to about 100 kbps. I live in an area that shows very good reception according to the CellC coverage map. And another Vodacom modem of mine achieves speeds in excess of 2500 kbps. I have used the modem in Cape Town CBD area, and there the download speed is reasonably fast at about 1500 kbps.

Is there a problem in this area?
Is anyone aware of anything I can do from my side to improve the speed?

 

[nolsie1]

Tried it again last night and had EDGE speed again. This morning the speed was pretty good (1500 kbps). What's the story?

 

[ajax]

@nolsie1,
Set the modem to 3G only to prevent it going to EDGE - MDMA is good for that.
Use a short USB extension with cradle to position the modem away from the pc and in a vertical position to improve signal.

 

[BGE]

Last nights network performance was awesome... speedtest.net says it's 96% slower than the rest of SA... haha... so much for whooooosh...

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1228312755.png

I'm at work now, so let's do an 'unfair' comparison... 7.2mbps CellC 4Gs vs. Telkom 4mbps ADSL... yes I said it's unfair, but CellC sell/advertise it as 7.2, so 7.2 is should be...

CellC 7.2 from Vredekloof Brackenfell @ 10am, so there shouldn't be too much network congestion like the evenings, modem in HSPA+ mode, I chose a speedtest server close to my location, Vodacom Cape Town:

CellC 7.2mbps 4Gs:

And again... note how drastically the results vary from one test to the next...


Telkom 4mbsp ADSL via CyberSmart:


From this mini analysis it is clear that they have sold too many devices, the network is overloaded in the evening due to a serious lack of capacity(not sure if it's the tower itself or the backhaul??)... why don't they stop selling modems and increase the capacity to alleviate the congestion? And why don't they just come out and tell us the truth... they've stuffed up! Another thing I cannot understand, your left-over data is cleared at the end of every month, and a 2GB/5GB is loaded at the start... this formula leads to serious congestion on the last 2/3/4 days of the month as everyone attempts to use it, before they loose the remaining data... surely CellC has identified this, to alleviate it, allow a carry-over of 500mb for a 2GB package and 1GB for a 5GB package... that way the network won't grind to a halt at the end of every month!

 

[dread]

My problems lasted about 1 day - was back to normal on 20/03/2011

Don't think i will ever make use of the call center or tell trevor site - get much better notifications and help from forumites ^^