Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
hippocrite
Newbie

I have their "High Speed Internet Turbo Plan" which supposedly pumps out 7.1Mbps (download) and 768 kbps(upload) but I find that the absolute maximum Mbps I've ever gotten was 4.6Mbps (downloading) while uploading speeds stayed around 600+ kbps range. Usually around daytime it will hover around 3.5 Mbps then around 8:30ish my speeds will plummet down to 0.61 Mbps while the upload speed stays steady at 600-700kbps. I've called multiple times asking to find out what the problem was, but tech support (whether it be online or over the phone) would just ask the same few questions then give me the run-around. To be honest, I'm getting fed up with Verizon's HSI plan and from reading some of the other postings, I'm not the only one. I feel like I'm being gypped.

Another note: Since I'm paying $39.99/mo to get "7.1Mbps/768kbps" and only getting 3.5Mbps/600+kbps does that mean the people that think they're getting 3Mbps/768kbps for the lesser plan at $29.99/mo is really only getting 1.5Mbps/600+kbps?

If thats not true and the lesser package gives me almost the same speed for less cost, I might as well save myself the extra $120/yr anyways if I have to deal with this crappy speed that only caps off at 3.5Mbps when its at its best.

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Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
dslr595148
Community Leader
Community Leader

#1 Is wireless in the router enabled?

#2 If so, to question number one above: What level of wireless security is it set to ( WEP / WPA )?

#3 Post the modem status from the modem.

This info may be at System Monitoring -> Advanced Status  -> Transciever Stats.

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Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
hippocrite
Newbie

Sorry for the late reply, had given up for that moment.

1) Yes wireless is enabled

2) WEP

3) Couldn't find Tranciever Stats but i think this is what you were asking for:

VPI: 0

VCI: 35

DSL Mode Settings: Auto

DSL Negotiated Mode: G.DMT

Connection Status: ShowTime

ATM QoS Class: UBR

Output Power (downstream / upstream) : 11.9 / 18.5 dBm

Attainable Rate (downstream / upstream) : 5152 / 952 Kbps

HEC Error (downstream / upstream) : 37 / 0

OCD Errors (downstream / upstream: 0 / 0

LCD Errors (downstream / upstream: 0 / 0

Speed (downstream / upstream) : 4736 / 832 Kbps

SNR Margin (Downstream / Upstream) : 5.8 / 10.0 dB

Attenuation (Downstream / Upstream) : 57.5 / 24.0 dB

My modem/router is always connected by ethernet to my desktop

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Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
JoAnn11
Newbie

I agree wholeheartedly! I have the fast speed FIOS Internet.  For the last two nights I was unable to even get on the net or into email.  I spent 1 hr with tech last night and at first she said no one else was having problems.....she finally admitted toward the end when nothing she did through the screen assist that many people were calling in. We ended without my problem being resolved.  This happens frequenty and I mostly don't call in because of the time it takes.  My gut feeling is that Verizon FIOS is not equipped  and came out too soon before the kinks were worked through.  I don't know what to do next except to change providers.  I had non-FIOS before this and never had this problem, so that's why I blame it on FIOS.  I am trapped because I am on their triple plan and would lose the discount if I cancel one portion of the service like Internet.   I am so very tired of Verizon and regret getting this Internet service.  My husband is tired of me shouting at my computer screen!!  What to do???

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Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
Callaflower
Newbie

I think you are onto something. The performance is ridiculous, and I have a new 2-yr contract. What was I thinking?

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Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
jmw1950
Specialist - Level 2

From what you have posted, the quality of the connection  you have to the Central Office doesn't support 7.1mbit/sec, however you are getting the rated uplink speed.  There are two possible reasons for the high loss in the circuit (and that is what prevents the 7.1mbits speed).

1). The copper pair between you and the Central office isn't particularly good or exceeds the distance limit for 7.1mbit service.

In that case you  basically have only two choices. You can switch to Cable, or wait for FiOS to arrive. Verizon has no legal obligation to provide a copper pair that is any better than necessary to support toll quality voice service. DSL is not a tariffed and regulated service.

2). Sometimes the issue is actually inside the house. Verizon can check that by measuring the speed of the link at the Network Interface Box (NIB), instead of at the phone jack.  If that is the case, usually the installation of jack connected directly to the NIB, and putting the rest of the house on a 'whole house' DSL filter will fix the problem.

Good luck

Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
JustLok
Newbie

I have the EXACT same problem as the OP. But, it is actually on Verizon's side.


I recently agreed to a 1-Year Commitment for the 7.1/Mps Turbo Plan a few months ago. I was on the old 4.0Mpbs and I would get download speeds of 4Mpbs, with file downloads capping at 380/Kps. After the upgrade, my bill every month listed my Internet as 7.1/Mbps Turbo Plan, and my file download speeds jumped to 550/Kbps with speed tests at 7.0/Mbps.


But, just last week, I noticed my internet slow down, file speeds drop and gaming lag. When I ran speed tests, I was getting my old 4.0/Mbps speed and file downloads were back down to 380Kb/s. I did all that same stuff they always say, I know how to network and program routers and how to tweak, I am not computer or network illiterate. I rebooted the modem and router, checked all connections, so on and so forth, just to be safe. Still the same speeds.


Finally called up, which I hate, because tech service is all OUTSOURCED! Even in the middle of the afternoon, I have to try and understand some lady from India who keeps telling me to power cycle, and "wait a few days" for the problem to disappear all by itself. I went in a loop for three days with "tech support." I finally used the chat and the rep said that my speeds were fine, 4.0Mb/s down and no problem, that's my plan.


I told him that wasn't my plan, my plan is the 7.1Mb/s Turbo Plan and last week my speeds started dropping down. He then said that my plan is that, the plan is called 4.0-7.0Mb/s Internet Plan, and that when Verizon has extra bandwidth available for me, I will get higher downloading speeds. But when they don't, they cap me at the 4.0Mb/s plan. I assured him he was wrong, and he assured me he was right. I checked my plan online then, and, sure enough, it now said it was "Verizon High Speed Internet; 1-Year Fastest Plan; 4 to 7 Mbps".


Verizon just changed their billing terms and plans! Right after I signed the 1-Year Commitment!


The next day, early morning, my speeds went back up to 7Mb/s, but once it hit 9AM, they dropped back down and stayed there till 2AM later that day. Verizon was capping my speed now due to bandwidth issues. Now, the speeds for the majority of the time are at the old 4.0Mb/s plan rates and rarely edge up higher or stay there.


When my paper bill finally came in earlier this week, it stated the new Internet Plan name. When I checked my old billing statements, they state the original 7.1Mb/s Turbo Plan. Now, I know Verizon always says you get "up to xxxx" with their plans, but I was consistently getting the same high speeds with the Turbo Plan. Now Verizon has changed their billing terms and uses that to cap my bandwidth use to suit their network capabilities and load, and has cut my speed by a third and increasing my waiting and loading times by a compounding amount.


Has anyone else noticed this or asked about it? Has anyone tried to get out of their 1-Year Commitment without any charges or fees based on their billing term changes? I don't like signing up for a service with a contract for them to change it, charge me the same fee but a reduced service and I'm beholden to their whim.

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Re: Slow Speeds, getting gypped?
Gerry_D
Enthusiast - Level 3

Ya' know this is all very interesting.

While I do have a lower grade plan, "up to 3.0 Mb/s", I feel it applies here as well.

Calling upon my 33+ years of experience in the electronics communication field before retirement, it seems to me that Verizon does not have big enough pipes to the backbone from the local COs (central offices).

Rather strange as when everything was done by the olde "Ma Bell", they always engineered in extra capacity into everything!

What really tics me off is the programming of the modems on their end, DSLAMs I believe they are called. It seems when the usage of all the connections to the DSLAMs peak, they parcel out lower rates to customers. On the customer end this should be non-threatening, but it isn't. In my experience; modems loose lock, re-establish locks at lower rates and stay there. That's fine for Verizon as when the pipe to the backbone is not being used as much, the DSLAMs have an opportunity to provide better service at higher rates, even if it's not used, but either do not automatically provide it or the modems on the consumer side do not reset to, or ask for, a higher rate.

As to the time of day reference, it's the same with the old dial-up connections some us used to have and still have to ISPs. Their peak usage would happen after work and school hours eventually dropping back between 11:00 PM and midnight. Their "pipes" to the internet backbone would also get pushed to the limit and they two would parcel out temporary bandwidth restrictions to customers. But unlike these DSL modems, the bandwidth restrictions when lifted would result in faster data transfer not affecting the connections.

The connections at less than 56K (actually somewhere around 53K) were negotiated by line performance and not bandwidth availability.

My line performance was negotiated last night at;  [ Speed(Down/Up) 3328 Kbps / 544 Kbps ], but the data rates seem to degrade not by line performance, but by bandwidth availability at the CO.

This looks good to Verizon as in theory it seems they have a larger capacity available to them when in fact they do not. The pipes, when monitored, tell a deceptive story. They are averaged out over the day and reflect lower usage because the DSLAMs and consumer modems have stepped down from maximum negotiated rates and stayed there.

 

Just my humble observations and theories.