Vodacom Problems: Slow Throughput, trying to Connect, DNS, High Latency

[vodacom3g]

Sounds like a viable explanation, but it be rubbished by V3G. The problem is that one will rarely know the real reason why things happen.

Just wondering why my connection magically improved after 6pm ?

Something probably 'unbroke'. I can arrange to have it broken again, if it'll make you feel better?

As said before, there is no distinction on the network between pre-paid, contract, types of data, etc. One IP packet is exactly the same as the next. So it's physically impossible to give different levels of service. (Don't even start giving the product guys ideas...)

The current problems are just that, technical problems of various systems.

I do agree that they are 'load related' but not in the normal sense. With the massive uptake of HSDPA we keep on running into scenarios not seen anywhere else, so we seem to be the vendor's Guinea pig....

The pre-paid SIM's do go through a different log-on process and we are seeing problems here. The symptoms are that you battle more to connect with pre-paid than contract. But it's not very widespread.

We've got one specific problem I'm not going to mention as it might be considered finger-pointing. But sometimes excessive jitter on copper plays havoc with sync signals....

 

[vodacom3g]

IOW Vodacom does not appear to make network-level distinctions based on pre-paid or contract.

We don't. Except at logon, when you get authenticated differently. But at packet level we don't.

There's the problem right there - copper - no wait it's Telkodemonopolies that should be using fibre instead of copper...

 

[Syndyre]

Been getting disconnects, no throughput etc the whole morning here still.

 

[devnull]

The pre-paid SIM's do go through a different log-on process and we are seeing problems here. The symptoms are that you battle more to connect with pre-paid than contract. But it's not very widespread.

i'll dissagree with the wide spread part after reading this thread, p.e, cape, pta, jhb, dbn is pretty widespread.

how often are you authenticated on the network? once per session? once per request? is there an idle or general timeout?

 

[DION786]

Traffic is Traffic,..

Great replies guys,.. thanks for the input,..

So the story goes,.. Moerse nuwe clients,.. Backed up traffic to Botswanna en terug,... No point in harassing the fellas,.. Just have to wait an see,...


Ok,.. Another tip re getting ure line dropped all the time,..
I am using my Msn,.. although any other pingy type app should do,...
But yeah,.. the only way i can hold a line nowaday is to Run MSN in the rear,.. it constantly checks things etc pings an all,.. an this seems to keep the trashy line up an running,.. I am online all day with voda as opposed to going back to virgin,..

Aslo handy,.. Set your redial to like 100 or so,.. heheh,... then when the line does drop,.. bobs your auntie,.. auto voda harass mode enabled,.. like im gonna get a line here buddy!! heh,...

cool,. so local measures to beat the issue,..
Thanks for the wraps,...

 

[BFK]

But yeah,.. the only way i can hold a line nowaday is to Run MSN in the rear,.. it constantly checks things etc pings an all,.. an this seems to keep the trashy line up an running,..

How much data does MSN use just checking throughout the day?

 

[3g usr]

Hmmm... haven't checked the exact usage, but its very little.

I never turn mine off, as long as you don't start chatting!

 

[d0b33]

Here's my conspiracy theory regarding the unreliable service at present:

VC being the most wide spread, fast and cheapest mobile broadband provider in SA is currently being inundated with Prepaid subscriptions
causing a huge load on their network, which it cannot deal with.
So contract subscribers get preference and the prepayers "fight" over the scraps ie connectivity.

I have been using both contract and prepaid for 3G, and have been getting problems on both, no distinction here.

The contract is a Nashua mobile contract though

 

[internaut]

I have been using both contract and prepaid for 3G, and have been getting problems on both, no distinction here.

The contract is a Nashua mobile contract though

That's right sufferwell, it's affecting both contract and prepaid but to far greater
degree on prepaid because prepaid's authentication process is seperate from contract's which explains why there is so much 619s for prepaid subscribers.
As soon as prepayer tries to connect, the server refuses them and a 619 pops up. Too congested, too much downing going on.

 

[Beri]

yep it is 19:20 and i cannot use vodacom. cannot do a speed test. took me 3min to get to this page.Vodacom you need to do something. or at least tell us that you are working on it.
How long will this go on.
i pitty the person that just bought a 2 year contract.

 

[3g usr]

yep it is 19:20 and i cannot use vodacom. cannot do a speed test. took me 3min to get to this page.Vodacom you need to do something. or at least tell us that you are working on it.
How long will this go on.
i pitty the person that just bought a 2 year contract.

same here took forever to get here even with bm's... wait wait... the operator just answered my call... he says that I struggle after 17h00 due to network congestion... uhm, this is the only time i connect via 3G ??? He might have a fix... put my SIM in my phone, take the battery out without switching off the phone... the sim card will think there is a problem and next time i put it in a datacard it will look for a new base station and will work, but if someone closer than me connects its gonna drop me again why oh why did i just upgrade

 

[MyDraadloos]

There is no equality between contract and PPDB

Well I can surf on the TyTN, but my data card that is 1m away can't connect.

How does that figure.

so now I will swop the sim's and see what happens.

 

[MyDraadloos]

Well I can surf on the TyTN, but my data card that is 1m away can't connect.

How does that figure.

so now I will swop the sim's and see what happens.

OK so now I have put my contract sim in the data card .......... guess what ...... boom ! It connects first time and I am able to post.

Even POP and SMTP kicked in ........ not to happy about that as I only have 75MB for my PPC per month.

Gonna log off and try the TyTn with the PP PPDB.

 

[MyDraadloos]

Network discrimination ...........

OK so now I have put my contract sim in the data card .......... guess what ...... boom ! It connects first time and I am able to post.

Even POP and SMTP kicked in ........ not to happy about that as I only have 75MB for my PPC per month.

Gonna log off and try the TyTn with the PP PPDB.

Made the initial connection to MyADSL via HSDPA on TyTN using PP sim and I was able to click on reply etc.

While I was typing the message the connection reset and reverted back to GPRS. Not running Auto profile on TyTn so this was the network, not device related. Connections are locked down using Bandswitch.

Tried to force the HSDPA & GPRS connection using Bandswitch, but none would connect using the PP sim.

So in short .......... yes there is something wrong with PPDB on VC and from my view the different authentication systems used for contract and PP might very well be inadvertently discriminating against PP users.

 

[MyDraadloos]

Made the initial connection to MyADSL via HSDPA on TyTN using PP sim and I was able to click on reply etc.

While I was typing the message the connection reset and reverted back to GPRS. Not running Auto profile on TyTn so this was the network, not device related. Connections are locked down using Bandswitch.

Tried to force the HSDPA & GPRS connection using Bandswitch, but none would connect using the PP sim.

So in short .......... yes there is something wrong with PPDB on VC and from my view the different authentication systems used for contract and PP might very well be inadvertently discriminating against PP users.

OK, so now I have the PP sim back in the data card, and for the first time this morning it seems to work.

Getting some weird errors on SMTP from Gmail and my private domain.

Seems the network engineers are clueless to fixing the problems and they mainly wait for the network to "unbreak" itself ....... as V3G put it.

 

[3g usr]

OK, so now I have the PP sim back in the data card, and for the first time this morning it seems to work.

Getting some weird errors on SMTP from Gmail and my private domain.

Seems the network engineers are clueless to fixing the problems and they mainly wait for the network to "unbreak" itself ....... as V3G put it.

LOL, had my office ADSL and phone lines die on me just now, popped my 3G datacard in and it worked like a charm again. I fear my for blood pressure at home again tonight though

 

[gypsy]

really struggling to stay connected today .. and yesterday for that matter .. requests timing out regularly .. have been trying to keep the connection warm by constant pinging .. still no luck .. really hope 3G unbreaks itself soon.

Resorting to dial-up in Plumstead, CT to check the forums and send this message.

 

[JimM]

Still got problems here in Stilbaai.

Three to six attempts before you get a valid connection.

Link dies for no reason and usually in the middle of a 30MB download!

If you leave the connection unused for 20 or 30 minutes, you also have to log off and go through the multiple logon routine again.

I hope Mr Alan Knott-Craig pops down for a vacation here to see how bad this service is!

P P D B
i o a u
s o t n
s r a d l e s

 

[d0b33]

That's right sufferwell, it's affecting both contract and prepaid but to far greater
degree on prepaid because prepaid's authentication process is seperate from contract's which explains why there is so much 619s for prepaid subscribers.
As soon as prepayer tries to connect, the server refuses them and a 619 pops up. Too congested, too much downing going on.

For me I see no distinction... today I've been getting 619s all day trying to connect via 3G on my contract sim, on the prepaid sim it usually works within 3-4 attempts.

I'm using GPRS right now on my contract sim, since I'm unable to make a 3G connection

 

[3g usr]

Well, officially weekend for me, omw home to enjoy 2 hours of working 3G before i start kicking my birds cage