Speedtest query

OK Im confused... (comes from trying to work with a Pipex connection) I tried a few speedtests tonight...
21.50 @ DSLzone gave 278kbps
21.55 @ ThinkBB gave 323kbps
So I guess they are right... they are close enough
I also tried a test at speedtest.bt.com via my Pipex log in and got a shade over 190kbps at 22.00 but at 22.35 when I tried using the Speedtest@speedtest_domain log on I got over 1900 kbps

Im confused as to what the difference is between the 2 log ins on the same speedtester. I have noticed this before and it is something I wanted to find out more about. Clearly as soon as the Pipex domain is involved speeds collapse, I assume there is a different routing or something involved... anyone enlighten me on this point? I really want something to beat Pipex about the head with tomorrow when I call them to raise hell about not getting the mac code I requested on saturday... Im sure they will say we dont count weekends... sorry people.. i do... after all.. they charge for weekends.. and they sign up on weekends too... and I have no intention of allowing this to drag a day or twointo another billing cycle, I want out at the end of Feb before the new payment on 2nd of March.

AFAIK, Speedtest@speedtest_domain log on cuts out your ISP and connects you directly to bt test. Therefore you bypass the limit your ISP has set on you (like 1mb, 2mb etc) so it's usually going to be faster.

Use that tester if you ever need to check if its your isp or bt who is causing you problems.

Thanks for the swift answer......

That kinda fits in with what I thought... so it is definately Pipex... what I am getting on the speedtest log in (generally 1700-1900kbps) is probably right for a 2 meg Connection a shade over 2.5 k from the exchange.

After my recent conversations with Customer Service(sic) it seems clear to me tha they are not going to admit to traffic shaping... speed capping or anything else. which in itself is a disgraceful comtempt to display for ones customers. They had all the oppertunity they needed to be straight and honest with me rather than wasting my time (and possibly money) chnaging this and trying that when they must be fully aware that the speed issues affecting so many are something that Pipex should be addressing at its end!

Isnt it a shame that unlike some other ISP's, no senior management from Pipex has the balls to come onto a public forum like this and face customers like me publicly! It also clearly illustrates why they snapped up the old Pipexwoe site. I just hope that enough negative publicity can be generated in forums etc to negate the recent ad campaign with the "B" list celebrity.. if hes powered by Pipex.. he must be feeling really feeble most evenings!

Edited by deleted (Wed 31-Jan-07 01:11:33)

pipex do throttle your connection.

Indeed.......
Apparently throttled to sub 512k speeds routinely, and in that case, I feel they are in breach of contract as they have agreed to provide me with a connection rated at 2mbps. while I accept that there are technical issues that are likely to reduce the line speed to some degree, a more than 75% loss of rated speed that is in the greater part artificially created (rather than being a technical characteristic) which is introduced on a daily basis and for a large part of the day has to breach some law somewhere.

Sorry If Im banging on about this a lot but it seems strange that ISP's can get away with what would seem to be at best a blatant mis-selling. Maybe its time that we as a group of consumers asked the Office of Fair Trading to look at the clauses in ISP T&C's (and FUP'S) under the legislation that gives them authority to investigate unfair contact terms.

I am going to post negatively on another consumer site that has a good hit rate with search engines just to be sure that I have done all I can to spread the (bad) word about the way the Pipex NOTwork is behaving.... I cant be sure they are throttling me... I have no proof.... but I can tell people that the service is no good.

In reply to:

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I feel they are in breach of contract as they have agreed to provide me with a connection rated at 2mbps

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I would be very surprised if any ISP gives a guarantee of speed. As you say, many factors may limit it. Howver, if their terms and conditions and their Acceptable Use Procedures say that if you use more than a certain amount they will reduce the service and you do use more than that, then they are giving you no more than your contract with them entitles you to expect.

In reply to:

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I am going to post negatively on another consumer site that has a good hit rate with search engines just to be sure that I have done all I can to spread the (bad) word about the way the Pipex NOTwork is behaving.... I cant be sure they are throttling me... I have no proof.... but I can tell people that the service is no good.

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Again be careful. Making a defamatory statement without proof is a surefire recipe for an expensive loss at court should the defamed decide to take you there. If you make such statements about throttling and your contract allows the ISP to apply it, your case would be non-existent.

The speedests seem to suggest that Pipex is the problem, the line tests fine at all times thorugh Speedtest.bt.com at around 1800kbps which is perfectly acceptable. I have already asked Pipex if I am being subjected to an FUP cap or other restriction, and the answer was no there is nothing in my account notes to suggest I am being capped or throttled in any way.. (they claim to warn by email in that circumstance) I have a 5 gig cap, my heaviest month was apparently 7.3....... back in 2003 when I was on the old 1 meg unlimited contract. They are giving me unacceptably slow speeds and have been for 8 weeks now, apparently along with a lot of other people on this forum

I admin the consumer site where I have posted, there is nothing preventing me from publicising my experiences as long as I do so honestly, further, please re read my post.... "I cant be sure they are throttling me... I have no proof." I have NOT said (nor have I posted) that they are doing so, in fact others in this forum have suggested that is the case, and I have actually challenged Pipex on this score, which prompted a denial from a tecchy. The same guy also agreed with me that the service I was getting was far from acceptable.

I have to wonder at your agenda as you quoted a small part of a whole paragraph so very selectively, the whole being
"Apparently throttled to sub 512k speeds routinely, and in that case, I feel they are in breach of contract as they have agreed to provide me with a connection rated at 2mbps. while I accept that there are technical issues that are likely to reduce the line speed to some degree, a more than 75% loss of rated speed that is in the greater part artificially created (rather than being a technical characteristic) which is introduced on a daily basis and for a large part of the day has to breach some law somewhere." Paragraphs like that are punctuated in such a way that shows they are meant to be read as a whole.

I think it is quite clear there that I would base my complaint on the fact that the speed was unacceptably poor as a result of thier failing to provison the service, or artificially restricting the service, to a point where there was no reasonable chance of it meeting its description within the technical limitations of the system.

A call to Consumer Direct today confirmed that they take the view that I would have grounds for complaint as traders have duties under "The Supply Of Goods & Services Act 1982. Under Section 13 of this legislation, there is a requirement that traders must use reasonable care and skill in the provison of the service and that materials used must be of reasonable quality. (CD say this could extend to lines and or software etc)
Small claims court could impose the following penalties
1. Damages
2. Trader would have a duty to carry out repair or remedial work within a reasonable time OR
3. Where this was not possible/not complied with, the contract could be rescinded

Im sorry if this post seems a bit long, but I hate it when people take one part of a post and try to use it (in effect) out of context. It isnt helpful, and usually inflames tempers, and I am angry enough as it is thank you!

I believe, could be wrong, that it's the Trading Standards Office local to the trading address of the company concerned who would take it up with them. If you supplied your local TSO with a copy of the Ts and Cs, they'd look into it and pass it on. Truth is if more (preferably all) of us consumers, whatever the product, took time to report to appropriate bodies, we'd find less and less need to.

In reply to:

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I have to wonder at your agenda as you quoted a small part of a whole paragraph so very selectively

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I read the paragraph as a whole as, I assume, did everyone else who would remember it or look back if they needed to refresh their memory. What makes you suppose I only addressed the part I quoted out of context. Should I quote everything you have written on the subject, including those passages which give strong implications that the fault is solely peak time congestion?

My posting was an attempt to offer friendly advice about risks of making pejorative statements in the terms you suggested when you had no evidence to support it. The advice was freely given, no offence is caused by declining it. Plenty is caused by rudeness on its receipt. Don't worry, I will avoid troubling you again with my obviously misguided attempts to help.

http://www.speedtest.net/

Just visited this site and got a very accurate result.

Try it out.


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