Creepy Crawly Internet

[RalphVa]

How many are experiencing creepy crawly internet after about 8 am and until about 8 pm?

I'm on DSL with CenturyLink. Think there was a news segment on it on CBS this morning. Will catch the rerun on Fox at 7. Think it was 6:05; so will be 7:05.

Just happened since Sunday.

Wife is resistant to change. I've changed my email access on everything to gmail. Been trying to get her to do this so that the email change would not be needed if we switched to Comcast. You cannot deal with Comcast though. Fixed prices.

Ralph

 

[Peter 315]

I have Comcast for cable tv and internet it's always slow, My phone is through a different provider.....

 

[CADplans]

How many are experiencing creepy crawly internet after about 8 am and until about 8 pm?

I'm on DSL with CenturyLink.

Ralph

Your local DSL system is probably carrying 10X (or 500X) or more data during those hours as compared to a month ago,,
due to people working at home,,

My daughter lives 1/4 mile from me, and is using my garage located office as her location for "work at home"

We completely NEVER look at a video or anything else data intensive while she is working, as this would kick her off the DSL connection.
We do not even take a phone pic, unless the phone is in airplane mode, so that the data will not transfer.

How many kids in your neighborhood are watching YouTube videos between 8 and 8?

 

[randy41]

I have CenturyLink as well and it’s been fine.

 

[RalphVa]

Caught the CBS news segment. It was about CenturyLink. Guess even Comcast is a problem in NH. CL is installing more cabling. Guess it will improve after this stay at home thing. Just have to do most of my work before 8am or after 8pm. Can actually get movies on Tubi on Roku after 7 or 8 pm.

Ralph

 

[kf4uda]

With all of the kids and a lot of the parents at home streaming movies, playing online games all day and working from home, I don't see how any ISP is holding up well. Maybe after this pandemic has passed we will all have super internet (or at least some better)

 

[Ford850]

The internet network is being stressed just like the toilet paper network is. Both have traditionally supported a balance of small consumer packaging and large bulk direct to business pipelines. Now 95%+ is being forced through the consumer networks leaving the large pipelines (bandwidths and bulk packaging) dormant.

 

[TractorGuy]

I had CenturyLink DSL for years. So glad to be shed of them. I was at the end of the line and barely got 1.5 Mbps down. They were never going to upgrade or expand the system.

I almost procrastinated and missed the boat on the connected car deal. It's had some ups and downs that I finally figured was tower issues but has been pretty steady during this time of crisis. Could be because most folks are using cable and phone lines for internet.

 

[kcflhrc]

Don't blame the providers for where you live. And comparing CenturyLink services in different market area's is like comparing a box of chocolates.

 

[RalphVa]

Things seem back to normal today after that CBS news segment. Gave CL a kick in the rear.

A computer guy I used said they have 10 MB/s CL DSL at their office. I may have to press for this. They're not pushing it because they're spending a lot of effort just to get the conventional 1.7 MB/s service to remote areas. Our computers and Roku do fine as long as we can get 1.2-1.3 MB/s. That's where it had been until after Sunday.

Ralph

 

[kcflhrc]

Things seem back to normal today after that CBS news segment. Gave CL a kick in the rear.

A computer guy I used said they have 10 MB/s CL DSL at their office. I may have to press for this. They're not pushing it because they're spending a lot of effort just to get the conventional 1.7 MB/s service to remote areas. Our computers and Roku do fine as long as we can get 1.2-1.3 MB/s. That's where it had been until after Sunday.

Ralph

Way too many variables on Copper DSL to know what your residence might qualify for on speeds. Just because someone down the road a mile can get 10 meg doesn't mean you can. There is a sold speed and actual speed. Completely up to the technician based on his tests what you qualify for. If they sell you 10 meg and the it tests at 3 meg then you will be downgraded to that speed. Cable length, type of cable, cable condition, cable gauge, and how close you are to the DSLAM all play a role in what actual speeds you can get.

 

[TractorGuy]

Way too many variables on Copper DSL to know what your residence might qualify for on speeds. Just because someone down the road a mile can get 10 meg doesn't mean you can. There is a sold speed and actual speed. Completely up to the technician based on his tests what you qualify for. If they sell you 10 meg and the it tests at 3 meg then you will be downgraded to that speed. Cable length, type of cable, cable condition, cable gauge, and how close you are to the DSLAM all play a role in what actual speeds you can get.

When I had DSL they up sold me to 10 Mbps once. I was getting about 3. Their tech worked on it for 3 days then had me downgraded back to 1.5. I asked them to at least kick me back up to the 3 I was getting and they refused. Said their tech flagged my account for a max of 1.5 and that was that.

I CAN blame CL for their lack of customer service and the never ending price increases they tried to put on me. Right after I canceled my $65 per month service they came out with the $45 per month for life program. They offer the same price for folks getting 10 Mbps as they do for customers that are only getting 750 Kbps. I say the price should reflect the speed available. I shouldn't have to pay the same price they charge for 10 Mbps for 15% of the service.

 

[kcflhrc]

The techs HST 3000 Meter will tell him what speeds can actually be ran. As far as pricing, that can change weekly. They cant sell you something they cant deliver.

 

[k0ua]

Well, I just checked our usual 200 meg down and 20 meg up from Suddenlink cable. While it hit that speed (200) to start it fell back to 111 meg. Still the 20 meg back up. Looks like the backbone is loaded more. Which makes sense. Of course since we couldn't possibly use even 100 meg let alone 200 meg we have seen no problems at all with streaming or anything.

 

[RalphVa]

Ole CL seems to have responded to the CBS news segment Th morning (or was it Fri night?). Anyway. Been fine since Thursday night.

Those really fast speeds would be great for downloads or uploads, which take a while on DSL.

Ralph

 

[TnAndy]

I had CenturyLink DSL for years. So glad to be shed of them. I was at the end of the line and barely got 1.5 Mbps down. They were never going to upgrade or expand the system.

Same here. CenturyLink is linked to the LAST century, or maybe the one before that We are right at the max distance from the local station, and would get 528k DSL on a good day.....almost worthless. I built a tower at the top of our mountain and got a local provider to use it for wireless connection for our valley. Now, I have 100MB service, no cost, plus they pay me enough to cover the property taxes on the place for the tower use. Win-Win !

 

[k0ua]

Way to go!. When in doubt, build a tower!

 

[TnAndy]

Way to go!. When in doubt, build a tower!

Well, as was said earlier by kcfkhrc:

Don't blame the providers for where you live.

You can blame companies like LastCenturyLink, or take matters into your own hands and do something about it.

 

[k0ua]

I do blame the providers. I used to work for a telco, and their extreme short sightedness and poor leadership is why there isn't high speed available to everyone. Some telcos, DID build out fiber to every subscriber. Those telcos will survive. Companies like Windstream, who I worked for will not. LastCenturyLink. Good observation!

 

[kcflhrc]

It's all about bang for the buck. And the ROI on building out rural communities is just not there. The CAF will help but still only mandated to 10 meg and the FED's tell you where to put the devices and who to serve. The cost to put fiber in the ground far out weighs the return. That's why the CAF Project got started, to subsidize the Telco's.