After all my problems, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and stay with my original provider. While they cannot guarantee my upload connection, at least it is a connection. With the new provider, I was dependent on the goodwill of my neighbours to even get a connection, so I’ve given it up as a bad idea.
Hopefully my provider will resolve the problems with my upload speed. In the meantime, I need some sort of working internet connection, so I’ll live with it.
The saga that is my broadband connection continues. I am now staying with my old provider, as I am unable to get the written permission that I need for my new provider to perform the installation of the aerial on my neighbours chimney. Having just read that last sentence, I think a recap is called for:
In 2005, I had broadband installed in the house I rent and share with a couple of friends. Because we couldn’t install a phone line, we went with a wireless provider. For €36 a month they provided a 1Mbps connection with a static IP address. The connection is synchronous – i.e. the download and upload speeds are the same. There was no download cap, so you could transfer as much data as you liked without fear of being penalised.
For the past few weeks I have been experiencing severe degradation in my broadband connection speeds. I’ve called my provider several times during the last month, and there has been no action whatsoever on their part.
Following some very basic troubleshooting on their behalf, I was asked to send in the results of some ping and traceroute tests. I was initially promised a call back from the agent the next day. Having spent 4 years working in call centers, I knew better than to expect the call back as promised. So I gave them a week to respond.
Even being this generous, I still didn’t get a response, so I called them, only to be told that the agent investigating my problem was out that day. Another call back was promised. Going on past experience, I decided to give it a couple of days to hear back from them. So nearly a week later, and there was still no call. And my connection was getting worse.
So I have made my final call to customer support. An engineer is going to be sent out to look at the problem. If the engineer cannot resolve the problem, then I will request that they take out the equipment and I’ll move to another provider.
You may have noticed that throughout my posts on this issue, I have refrained from naming the company involved. If it comes to pass that they cannot resolve the problem, then this policy will change, and I will name and shame them.
After another call and more troubleshooting with my provider I’m still having problems with my connection. I’ve done everything I can to eliminate any hardware or software problems on my side. So far I’ve tried with:
Still no joy. I know the problem is not with my equipment, but I’m having a tough time explaining that to my provider.
Got a call from my broadband provider today. Apparently there is a problem with the high-site that my wireless broadband connection is routed through and engineers will be dispatched to have a look at it. Hopefully, it will be sooner rather than later.
I’ve been on to my broadband provide again this morning, and this time I was lucky enough to get someone that seemed to know what they were talking about. After doing a lot of ping tests, they’ve decided to escalate the case and send someone out to check the high-site I’m connected to.
Apparently I’m the first person in my area to report any problems, so we’ll have to see what the outcome is. Hopefully, I’ll be back up and running sooner rather than later.
For the last year my internet connection has been rock solid at 1 Mbps. While that kind of speed might not be something to shout about where you come from, where I am it’s practically light speed. Recently my broadband provider decided to upgrade their existing customers connections. That’s where my problems started.
While my download speed is acceptable, my upload speed has died a death worth of the book of revelations. So I called my broadband supplier. Worst mistake ever. Not only do their support department not have a clue about the technology that they are supposed to be supporting, but they lack a complete understanding of how to deal with people.
And the thing is that despite this complete lack of service – both the technological and customer kind – this company stays in business. Not only stays in business but makes quiet a handsome profit every year. They’re not the only company that does it of course, but we as customers accept it. Why?