So much for DSL2+ :(

[zCypher]

So I finally get my tech to install DSL2+ today. I still have cable installed, haven't cancelled yet depending on how today's install went.

It's advertised as up to 24mbps with unlimited transfer and they specifically say no throttling. In Canuckistan, there's usually 2 major providers (DSL and cable) and all "competition" are resellers. In Montreal there is one provider, Colbanet, who offers DSL2+ which supposedly is not limited or controlled by Bell.

Apparently I'm too far cause I can only get 50ms ping and under 4mbps transfer.
This is disappointing as I really had my hopes up that I would get at least 7 or 8mbps to match my problematic 7.5 cable.

So, my options are:

- Stick with 7.5 cable that keeps dropping to dialup speeds, they blame customer instead of fixing issue
- Stick with sub-4mbps DSL2+ which may be consistent and is "unlimited unthrottled"
- Go with one of the evil companies such as Bell that offers "Fiber" (to the node) up to 25mbps, but is known to throttle. $5 buys you 60GB as far as overage charges go.
- Ditch all of this and live in the woods.

Hmmmm, what to do?

 

[mcmilljb]

So, my options are:

- Stick with 7.5 cable that keeps dropping to dialup speeds, they blame customer instead of fixing issue
- Stick with sub-4mbps DSL2+ which may be consistent and is "unlimited unthrottled"
- Go with one of the evil companies such as Bell that offers "Fiber" (to the node) up to 25mbps, but is known to throttle. $5 buys you 60GB as far as overage charges go.
- Ditch all of this and live in the woods.

Hmmmm, what to do?

Sounds like you already live in the woods.

Obviously sub 4mbps dsl is better than dialup speed cable, or go with the fiber if it fits your transfer needs each month.

 

[Nintendesert]

Yeah, that 25meg connection will be great for maxing out your data cap in no time!

 

[zCypher]

Sounds like you already live in the woods.

Obviously sub 4mbps dsl is better than dialup speed cable, or go with the fiber if it fits your transfer needs each month.

lol, i'm pretty much in downtown Montreal
The points to keep in mind would be:

- the 'fiber' is fiber to the node, still copper to the home. not really "fiber". it is throttled, which is not so good for P2P (which is not inherently illigitimate).
- the cable would be fine if they'd fix the damn problem. it was fine for 6 months, never a hiccup. Then all of a sudden it's an issue. it is more expensive though, close to double the dsl2+.
- when the cable is working fine, it's great. I just can't accept random unacceptably slow speeds for that price.

I don't have any specific transfer needs per se. I just don't want to have a huge bill cause I happened to watch a lot of videos or whatever. Bell is reasonable with $5/60GB overages. Videotron on the other hand are completely obscene with $2/GB overages and no overcharge limit, on top of their expensive base prices.

If the dsl2+ would have worked out it would have been the best deal, monthly is $34 and if you take the yearly it's $17.95 per month.

 

[rudeguy]

Yeah, that 25meg connection will be great for maxing out your data cap in no time!

I'm still trying to figure out my Comcast connection. I was on 6 meg and regularly got 12 down and 8 up. I just bumped up to 16 meg and now I get 7-8 down and 4 up. I'd change it back but I'm afraid that it would slow it down even more. That and its a pain in the ass to make changes to my account.

 

[somethingsketchy]

I'd go with DSL personally, especially if it is going to be unlimited. Even if it were to be throttled, the fact you can download far more than 60GB of data than the fiber connection would go.

 

[mcmilljb]

lol, i'm pretty much in downtown Montreal
The points to keep in mind would be:

- the 'fiber' is fiber to the node, still copper to the home. not really "fiber". it is throttled, which is not so good for P2P (which is not inherently illigitimate).
- the cable would be fine if they'd fix the damn problem. it was fine for 6 months, never a hiccup. Then all of a sudden it's an issue. it is more expensive though, close to double the dsl2+.
- when the cable is working fine, it's great. I just can't accept random unacceptably slow speeds for that price.

I don't have any specific transfer needs per se. I just don't want to have a huge bill cause I happened to watch a lot of videos or whatever. Bell is reasonable with $5/60GB overages. Videotron on the other hand are completely obscene with $2/GB overages and no overcharge limit, on top of their expensive base prices.

If the dsl2+ would have worked out it would have been the best deal, monthly is $34 and if you take the yearly it's $17.95 per month.

Well if cable is twice as much and crappy performance, I would tell them bye in French. Kind of sucks to be in the downtown of a major city and not able to get higher speeds on dsl. Could be older lines causing problems if you live in an older part of the city. Maybe you should stick with dsl for a while and monitor your bandwidth and see if fiber might be the better option. $5 for 60GB doesn't sound too bad. What's included in the monthly plan?

 

[bobdole369]

I wonder if this service is analagous to uverse. If so note that its tterribly sensitive to loop conditions. It took nearly a month of constant calls and multiple tech visits, inside and out to clear up bridge taps, loading coils, ports on the vrad, etc before i could even order the 24mbit and then more work to get it stable. One thing that absolutely helped was rewiring the inside with a single cat5 to the NID and wiping all extensions.

Keep it up youll get it and its totally worth it.

 

[zCypher]

Well the "fiber" is 25mbps with 75GB per month and $5 per 60GB thereafter up to a maximum of, I believe, $30 extra. The base price is $52.

It doesn't make any sense to me, but this connection feels faster than my cable even though the ping is terrible and the throughput doesn't exceed 4mbps. I don't have high hopes of the ISP improving the speed, but I guess you never know.

 

[lxskllr]

4mb isn't bad as long as it's solid. What's the charge?

 

[Numenorean]

I'm still trying to figure out my Comcast connection. I was on 6 meg and regularly got 12 down and 8 up. I just bumped up to 16 meg and now I get 7-8 down and 4 up. I'd change it back but I'm afraid that it would slow it down even more. That and its a pain in the ass to make changes to my account.

lol I'm on Comcast's cheapest lowest speed.

I get 17 down and 3 up.

I'll live with the upload speeds for that down.

 

[zCypher]

4mb isn't bad as long as it's solid. What's the charge?

$17.95/mo if you take a yearly contract
Screw that, I'm just testing it out. So that makes it $34.95 per month, + dry loop fee + tax. The first bill, with installation, modem, dry loop, etc comes to just over $200. It should be close to $50 per month after everything is said and done.

 

[Numenorean]

$17.95/mo if you take a yearly contract
Screw that, I'm just testing it out. So that makes it $34.95 per month, + dry loop fee + tax. The first bill, with installation, modem, dry loop, etc comes to just over $200. It should be close to $50 per month after everything is said and done.

That's too much to pay for 4Mbps.

 

[zCypher]

lol I'm on Comcast's cheapest lowest speed.

I get 17 down and 3 up.

I'll live with the upload speeds for that down.

How much does that cost? I think we are getting majorly reamed in Canada for teh internets. It's rare to find more than 1MB up unless you go "Fiber".

I believe there are more (real) Fiber options in western Canada, and many other provinces have a lot of more reasonable unlimited cable, but in Quebec and much of Ontario, it's pretty sad.

 

[zCypher]

That's too much to pay for 4Mbps.

Yeah, except it was "up to 24mbps" until I could find out otherwise by testing it out. If they can't do anything to improve it, I'll have no choice to consider the so called Fiber, however I really don't like that company (Bell) and they are known to throttle. The thing is, at 25mbps, even "throttled" it will likely be faster than my 4mbps. I would hope...

 

[Fritzo]

I wonder if this service is analagous to uverse. If so note that its tterribly sensitive to loop conditions. It took nearly a month of constant calls and multiple tech visits, inside and out to clear up bridge taps, loading coils, ports on the vrad, etc before i could even order the 24mbit and then more work to get it stable. One thing that absolutely helped was rewiring the inside with a single cat5 to the NID and wiping all extensions.

Keep it up youll get it and its totally worth it.

No. ADSL2+ is the bonding of two or more DSL circuits to give higher bandwidth. UVerse is a fiber connection.

 

[sdifox]

you live in a old tower or something?

 

[Numenorean]

How much does that cost? I think we are getting majorly reamed in Canada for teh internets. It's rare to find more than 1MB up unless you go "Fiber".

I believe there are more (real) Fiber options in western Canada, and many other provinces have a lot of more reasonable unlimited cable, but in Quebec and much of Ontario, it's pretty sad.

I'm paying $44.24/month and that's after all the taxes and such.

 

[lxskllr]

$18 a month is almost free. I think I could live with 4mb for that cost.

 

[PrinceofWands]

That's too much to pay for 4Mbps.

I pay $30 for 1.5 that's only up about 50% of the time.

 

[zCypher]

you live in a old tower or something?

It's a building with a restaurant on the main floor, and two stories of small apartments above it. I guess it is a pretty old building.

Numenorean, you have a very nice deal then!

 

[adairusmc]

No. ADSL2+ is the bonding of two or more DSL circuits to give higher bandwidth. UVerse is a fiber connection.

Wrong. ADSL2+ doubles the frequency band, it does not automatically mean you bond two or more DSL circuits. You CAN bond two ADSL2+ connections, but you can run ADSL2+ on a single loop.

I wonder how far the OP is from the shelf or whatever equipment they are using to serve their dsl? We use Adran Total Access 5000 shelves with ADSL2+ cards where we work, and unless you are extremely close to the CO there is no chance in hell there will be any 24mbit capable loops in our area. Maybe the wiring in that area just sucks, or maybe there is a bridge tap in place.

 

[coreyb]

I pay $50 for 1.5mbps. cry me a river. yet I still download over 150 GB a month.

 

[dawp]

I'd call the provider and verify the setting in the CO. it may be that it's setup wrong.

I had simular issues with my dsl when they did work at my co and the setting got reset.

 

[dmcowen674]

Apparently I'm too far cause I can only get 50ms ping and under 4mbps transfer.

This is disappointing as I really had my hopes up that I would get at least 7 or 8mbps to match my problematic 7.5 cable.

So, my options are:

There is no option, DSL hands down.

Ditch the crappy cable.