Web Africa ADSL general feedback

[thiartc]

If you check the WA forums, WA did confirm that you only get 25% of your line speed on uncapped accounts during office hours.

 

[Zewp]

Wow. 25%? That's pretty rough.

 

[Adenoid Hynkel]

We do not have exact figures that you can or cannot use as the system is dynamic. So what ever happened today will not happen tomorrow. All we can advise is that you need to monitor your rating via the DSL console and push majority of your downloads between download plus (DL+) hours (12-6am). This will ensure that you will stay in the green zone and if you see you moving up stars then you will need to do the same so that you can start dropping down again.

You can read our KB Article for more info as well.

Thanks for your answer. But as I said. I dont download. I stream, netflix, hulu etc.. Most my streaming happens after 6PM on a daily basis. So can we safely assume If I stream 4-6GB a night I will drop a star?

 

[Webafrica Helper]

Thanks for your answer. But as I said. I dont download. I stream, netflix, hulu etc.. Most my streaming happens after 6PM on a daily basis. So can we safely assume If I stream 4-6GB a night I will drop a star?

What type of Uncapped account do you have?

 

[Adenoid Hynkel]

What type of Uncapped account do you have?

At the moment none. I cancelled my Afrihost account.
I am not in the mood to sign up any ADSL product that limits my day in day out browsing due to heavy streaming.
I am not sure if IS see's streaming as downloading. I hardly download torrents and the like. If I download things its via HTTP, normal file downloads and uploads.

For me having such a Star system is far worse than having a capped account. At least with a capped account I know where my limit is. Seems with the star system one has to hope and pray that you don't get shaped or throttled, as none of you ISP's actually come forth with what can be used and what not during business hour. Imho, pathetic. Feel like a 6 year old that is being watched...

 

[Plaasjapie]

What's wrong with WA speeds ?

Speeds have gone to hell on WA lately :/

I have to agree. I have 30GB capped account and should NOT experience speed and latency issues. Lately though, especially international, the speeds are horrible. I tested with Afrihost account as back-up and then no issues and good speeds.

Whats up WA ? Please be honest with your customers here or maybe you don't want us as customers anymore ?

 

[Grimspoon]

I was naughty and irresponsibly downloaded 7 GB's of data today (on my 4MB uncapped) and now the WebAfrica school principle gone and took away THREE of my stars

Is anyone else sick of paying for an "uncapped" account that makes you feel bad because you downloaded to much in a single day?

 

[scud]

Is anyone else sick of paying for an "uncapped" account that makes you feel bad because you downloaded to much in a single day?

Yes I'm also not happy. I'm looking to move to a more transparent system now. I've downgraded from 10mb to 4mb uncapped with WA, as there is not much noticeable difference anymore. P2P out of hours is too slow no matter what speed the line is.

 

[Grimspoon]

Yes I'm also not happy. I'm looking to move to a more transparent system now. I've downgraded from 10mb to 4mb uncapped with WA, as there is not much noticeable difference anymore. P2P out of hours is too slow no matter what speed the line is.

Let me know if you find a decent ISP that is not going to smack your hand for downloading to much. I am looking.

 

[Spizz]

Let me know if you find a decent ISP that is not going to smack your hand for downloading to much. I am looking.

Everyone thought I was crazy for saying the old 7 day rolling window was the best system, but you knew exactly where you were with it and could quite easily download 7gb every other day with a little bit of self management. Sure, it's still BS, but it's the environment we have in SA and it's the best way top manage things.

Now the star thing? Well I gave it a couple of months after it was introduced as I was assured over and over on here that it was not the same as the other IS ISPs. Yeah right, give it a new label if you want, but it's IS and they are bandwidth Nazi's and it doesn't change at WAs price points.

 

[Webafrica Helper]

At the moment none. I cancelled my Afrihost account.
I am not in the mood to sign up any ADSL product that limits my day in day out browsing due to heavy streaming.
I am not sure if IS see's streaming as downloading. I hardly download torrents and the like. If I download things its via HTTP, normal file downloads and uploads.

For me having such a Star system is far worse than having a capped account. At least with a capped account I know where my limit is. Seems with the star system one has to hope and pray that you don't get shaped or throttled, as none of you ISP's actually come forth with what can be used and what not during business hour. Imho, pathetic. Feel like a 6 year old that is being watched...

How much data do you expect to use or how much did you average on your old account?

 

[Webafrica Helper]

I have to agree. I have 30GB capped account and should NOT experience speed and latency issues. Lately though, especially international, the speeds are horrible. I tested with Afrihost account as back-up and then no issues and good speeds.

Whats up WA ? Please be honest with your customers here or maybe you don't want us as customers anymore ?

Our capped accounts are not throttled in any way, we just prioritise the bandwidth so we need investigate why you are seeing a decrease in speeds.

Have you spoken to our ADSL guys to see what the problem is? If not PM me your customer code or ADSL username and I will ask them to investigate.

 

[Zewp]

Forgive me asking, but why are your capped accounts also prioritized? Isn't the point of using a capped account often to avoid BS like shaping/throttling/prioritization?

Let me know if you find a decent ISP that is not going to smack your hand for downloading to much. I am looking.

Openweb. You can download as much as you want without worrying about any usage thresholds. Even if you max your line out 24/7, they don't bat an eyelid.

 

[Adenoid Hynkel]

I was naughty and irresponsibly downloaded 7 GB's of data today (on my 4MB uncapped) and now the WebAfrica school principle gone and took away THREE of my stars

Is anyone else sick of paying for an "uncapped" account that makes you feel bad because you downloaded to much in a single day?

What? Are you serious? That is pathetic. That is exactly not what I want.

How much data do you expect to use or how much did you average on your old account?

On avg I used 110-140GB a month. 6meg line.
That is just streaming for a month, and your usual browsing and youtube.

But seeing that one cant't even download 7GB of data during the day without being throttled, I will most def not sign up.

 

[Webafrica Helper]

Forgive me asking, but why are your capped accounts also prioritized? Isn't the point of using a capped account often to avoid BS like shaping/throttling/prioritization?



Openweb. You can download as much as you want without worrying about any usage thresholds. Even if you max your line out 24/7, they don't bat an eyelid.

All bandwidth on our accounts prioritized and has always been that way. I am not sure if you are referring to throttling as our capped accounts are not. I have provided links below on our Bandwidth priority profiles and a neat info-graphic to give everyone a good idea.

http://blog.webafrica.co.za/adsl/what-is-traffic-management-all-about/

http://support.webafrica.co.za/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/669/130/

 

[Plaasjapie]

No real world difference

All bandwidth on our accounts prioritized and has always been that way. I am not sure if you are referring to throttling as our capped accounts are not. I have provided links below on our Bandwidth priority profiles and a neat info-graphic to give everyone a good idea.

http://blog.webafrica.co.za/adsl/what-is-traffic-management-all-about/

http://support.webafrica.co.za/index.php?/Knowledgebase/Article/View/669/130/

In real world experience we find the results just the same. Prioritising and/or throttling will have the effect of slowing those other traffic down. This is unacceptable for capped accounts.

I am trying to play a simple flash browser based live game, barely 50 kbps speeds needed ! WebAfrika's prioritising rules or what ever you want to call it, is having the effect that I cannot enjoy the experience. Now tell me why do I pay then for a 4mbps line and 30GB CAPPED account if you cannot even let me have that little fun, just because some wise ass or asses in WA think browsing needs to be prioritised above my needs? Why must someone else decide how I must use the internet?

Anyone knows of other ISP's that don't "prioritise" capped accounts ? WA must up their game or I am leaving them. As I said, when I switch to Afrihost accounts, I dont have that problem.

 

[Fulton17]

In real world experience we find the results just the same. Prioritising and/or throttling will have the effect of slowing those other traffic down. This is unacceptable for capped accounts.

I am trying to play a simple flash browser based live game, barely 50 kbps speeds needed ! WebAfrika's prioritising rules or what ever you want to call it, is having the effect that I cannot enjoy the experience. Now tell me why do I pay then for a 4mbps line and 30GB CAPPED account if you cannot even let me have that little fun, just because some wise ass or asses in WA think browsing needs to be prioritised above my needs? Why must someone else decide how I must use the internet?

Anyone knows of other ISP's that don't "prioritise" capped accounts ? WA must up their game or I am leaving them. As I said, when I switch to Afrihost accounts, I dont have that problem.

Good luck on this one - have had this issue with WA from time to time. Totally agree that capped should be for capped users to use as they see fit.

My one issue was with the occasional download I want to do during office hours, and to their credit, this does seem to be working well. But one does have to fight and keep pushing.

 

[Praeses]

In real world experience we find the results just the same. Prioritising and/or throttling will have the effect of slowing those other traffic down. This is unacceptable for capped accounts.

I am trying to play a simple flash browser based live game, barely 50 kbps speeds needed ! WebAfrika's prioritising rules or what ever you want to call it, is having the effect that I cannot enjoy the experience. Now tell me why do I pay then for a 4mbps line and 30GB CAPPED account if you cannot even let me have that little fun, just because some wise ass or asses in WA think browsing needs to be prioritised above my needs? Why must someone else decide how I must use the internet?

Anyone knows of other ISP's that don't "prioritise" capped accounts ? WA must up their game or I am leaving them. As I said, when I switch to Afrihost accounts, I dont have that problem.

It's possibly just a problem with the route the traffic is taking. Do a tracert to the site with your WA and Afrihost account and post the results here for the WA rep.

 

[Zewp]

I agree with Plaasjapie, though. When you pay R15/gb for a capped account, you expect your traffic to receive the highest priority on the network. Many people who get a capped account do so because they don't want to deal with shaping or priority profiles. Looking over your list of bandwidth priority profiles, for a capped account I feel that not a single type of traffic type's priority should be under High, much less Medium or Best Effort.

If my capped account provider were to tell me any of my traffic on my account was prioritized as Best Effort, I would make a best effort to move my business the hell away from them.

 

[Plaasjapie]

No prioritising on capped accounts

I agree with Plaasjapie, though. When you pay R15/gb for a capped account, you expect your traffic to receive the highest priority on the network. Many people who get a capped account do so because they don't want to deal with shaping or priority profiles. Looking over your list of bandwidth priority profiles, for a capped account I feel that not a single type of traffic type's priority should be under High, much less Medium or Best Effort.

If my capped account provider were to tell me any of my traffic on my account was prioritized as Best Effort, I would make a best effort to move my business the hell away from them.

My sentiments exactly !