New ADSL solution launched
Cybersmart, an Internet Service Provider (ISP) known for its cost effective DSL384 products, has launched an innovative new ADSL solution which allows users to easily switch between local and international bandwidth.
The new Capextender add-on service allows users to switch seamlessly between international and local bandwidth at any time during the day or month to save on more expensive international bandwidth.
There are also no session timeouts which are typically associated with ADSL offerings. This however does not guarantee a static IP address as a router reset may result in a different IP address being allocated to the subscriber.
The local bandwidth is entirely unshaped, but does not allow P2P traffic.
Another unique feature of the service is that Cybersmart informs users on the fly as to whether a certain website is hosted locally or internationally.
Price
This new Capextender product – which is only available to Cybersmart one-price DSL384 and DSL512 subscribers – comes in three different flavours.
- The ‘small capextender’, costs R10 and gives a user 0.5 GB of local bandwidth during the month.
- The ‘medium capextender’, priced at R35 per month, lifts the local monthly bandwidth to 3 GB.
- The ‘large capextender’, which costs R74 per month, has 20 GB of monthly local bandwidth usage.
In order to be in full compliance with the ADSL Regulations, which call for uncapped local bandwidth, additional local bandwidth usage after depleting both the allotted local and international bandwidth will be charged at R 20-00 per GB for DSL384 users and R 22-00 per GB for DSL512 subscribers.
This service can also be combined with Cybersmart’s bandwidth rollover product, which at R 21-00 allows for up to 3 GB of unused monthly international bandwidth to be saved.
A price sensitive ADSL 384 user looking for high local usage will most likely opt for the ‘combined price’ DSL384 service, with a 1 GB international cap, a 20 GB capextender add-on and a 3 GB 'giggy bank'.
The total cost of this service is R 264-00 per month – very competitive when compared with similar services in the market. Without the bandwidth rollover service the all-inclusive price is R 243-00 per month.
A typical combined price DSL384 service with a 1 GB monthly international usage allowance and a 20 GB local SAIX bandwidth will come to around R 540-00 – double the Cybersmart rate.
The Cybersmart combined price DSL service with a 3 GB monthly international usage limit and a 20 GB local bandwidth Capextender service is priced at R 333-00 – cheaper than the standard R 340-00 which users can expect to pay at many other ISPs for only their ADSL access and 3 GB international usage.
Service experience
When visiting the Cybersmart ADSL Usage page, login is automatic and the information is well presented. Switching between international and local only accounts is easy through the Cybersmart web based interface – a simple one-click process.
After switching between services there is however a 2 minute waiting period before the changes take effect, but there is the option to restart your router for the more impatient user.
The account functions normally when accessing locally hosted websites, but when trying to access an international website using the local-only service you are automatically routed to the Capextender website.
Users are informed that they are trying to access an international website and are given the option to switch to their international bandwidth account – again a one-click process. “You have X Gigs left on your International Cap. You need to switch to International to access this site,” a simple message states (image here).
With the local only account the standard irritation of inaccessible .co.za domains – which are hosted overseas – and pages that load slowly due to international components remain, but this is unavoidable.
Speeds
4 Mbps subscribers who make use of the 384 Cybersmart account should be limited to maximum downlink speeds of 384 Kbps and uplink speeds of 128 Kbps, but the test account showed no decrease in speeds.
The local iBurst speed test gave a download speed of 3.41 Mbps and an upload speed of 324 Kbps. An international speed test to London produced a download speed of 1368 Kbps and an upload speed of 115 Kbps.
On the local only account the iBurst speed test results were similar with a download speed of 3.47 Mbps and an upload speed of 322 Kbps.
One would assume that Cybersmart will limit these speeds when the service is officially launched.
General Service
The service is very easy to use for an experienced ADSL campaigner and brings significant pricing benefit to DSL384 users. The simple messages when trying to access an international service from a local only account will also help less experienced users to use their bandwidth wisely.
The service may however be too advanced for the complete rookie who is often not familiar with what local and international traffic means.
The lack of notifications when trying to access international services through applications other than web browsers – typically online gaming or software updates – may further confuse less informed users. This is however a general problem with local only accounts and not specific to the Cybersmart service.
This new service is a welcome addition to the local ADSL landscape and sets a new standard for hybrid international-local ADSL account pricing. It is also a big leap forward towards a fully automated system where local and international bandwidth will automatically be routed and billed separately by ISPs.
More information about the service is available at http://www.discover.co.za/
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