A VERY happy NEW IDNetter Escapee from O2 Access (non-LLU)

T_M_D · Nov 13, 2009, 21:34:17

Woo Hoo!

It is Friday evening - I have just set myself up (with a little help from son), with IDNet and I am giddy with excitement about my speeds of 4Mb/s + download and 378Kb/s upload on a Friday night at 21:19. Compare that with the paltry 0.2Mb/s download and 280Kb/s I have suffered every night and weekend from O2 Access for the last two months.

The only time I EVER got anything like these speeds with O2 was the early hours of the morning up to around 07:30am.

I had O2 customer services ring me tonight to say they have resolved the issues for many Access users through the implementation of Traffic Management, but that they were surprised to discover that there is a swathe of Access users who continue to experience problems; this baffled them for a while, but they are happy to report that they expect these Access users to be sorted within the next two weeks as they have traced the problem back to BT (oh yeah...?). Apparently (according to O2), BT has a problem with something called a 'Radius server' and it is their (BT's)fault that many O2 Access users are still experiencing problems. I asked why it has taken so long for O2 to discover this and why there has been no communication about it to its users and the reply was that it is a complex issue and took some time to identify a: that not all Access users had benefited from Traffic Management and b: that it turns out to be BT's fault (oh yeah...?). Big pinch of salt - but hey, who cares, I am now sorted - thanks to IDNet

Simon · Nov 13, 2009, 21:43:20

Welcome to Happy Land!

T_M_D · Nov 13, 2009, 21:50:01

Thank you!

Lona · Nov 13, 2009, 22:18:49

Quote from: Simon on Nov 13, 2009, 21:43:20
Welcome to Happy Land!

Been at the wine already, Simon.

T_M_D · Nov 13, 2009, 22:26:24

Been at the wine already, Simon.

[img]

I definitely have - state normal for me - with sherry topper of course!

Found out today that I can get a kit that makes 30 bottles of red for £20....

Lance · Nov 13, 2009, 22:40:05

Welcome to IDNet!

As for a problem with a radius server, I'm struggling to see how that would cause a slowdown. My understanding is the a radius server validates the username and password before passing it through.

Simon · Nov 13, 2009, 22:51:34

Quote from: T_M_D on Nov 13, 2009, 22:26:24
Been at the wine already, Simon.

Nope, Gin with a tonic topper.

T_M_D · Nov 13, 2009, 22:53:27

Quote from: Lance on Nov 13, 2009, 22:40:05
Welcome to IDNet!

As for a problem with a radius server, I'm struggling to see how that would cause a slowdown. My understanding is the a radius server validates the username and password before passing it through.

Exactly what my son said. I have no idea what a radius server is and so could not challenge what the O2 guy said. He probably guessed as much. The O2 guy also said that there was a rumour circulating that BT were deliberately sabotaging equipment to cause problems to O2 as they are sour about how many customers O2 has stolen from them.

T_M_D · Nov 13, 2009, 22:57:38

Quote from: Simon on Nov 13, 2009, 22:51:34
Nope, Gin with a tonic topper.

Chin Chin.

Simon · Nov 13, 2009, 23:11:09

Sebby · Nov 14, 2009, 00:11:47

Welcome.

cavillas · Nov 14, 2009, 09:20:51

Quote from: T_M_D on Nov 13, 2009, 22:53:27
The O2 guy also said that there was a rumour circulating that BT were deliberately sabotaging equipment to cause problems to O2 as they are sour about how many customers O2 has stolen from them.

You never know!

Welcome T_M_D and enjoy your time here. Just remember your sense of humour and eating problems on this forum. Food seem to be a big part of "some" peoples' lives on here.

Won't mention names (Rik)

Rik · Nov 14, 2009, 09:22:57

Did a hear my name?

Welcome, T_M_D. I think you were getting the mushroom treatment from O2. As Lance said, it validates your username and password, then connects you to the appropriate ISP. It also monitors data flow, and provides charging data to both BTw and the ISP. However, whatever ISP you connect to, you go through the same radius server, so there's no way it could affect only O2 customers.

T_M_D · Nov 14, 2009, 10:15:45

Quote from: Sebby on Nov 14, 2009, 00:11:47
Welcome.

Thanks!

T_M_D · Nov 14, 2009, 10:28:28

However, whatever ISP you connect to, you go through the same radius server, so there's no way it could affect only O2 customers.
[/quote]

Thanks, I understand now what a radius server is. I wonder if the guy would have tried to flannel me so much if I'd been a chap....?

....I wonder what he would have done had I had the knowledge to point out he was talking rubbish? It has been O2's dishonesty about this whole continuing debacle with their Access package and their complete lack of communication (unless responding to an ISPA complaint) that finally made me leave them. I can see from their forum that they have lost many Access customers to other suppliers.

Rik · Nov 14, 2009, 10:30:22

Like Virgin, the service they have delivered over BT lines has been abysmal. Probably a lack of investment in a 'sub structure' to their main business.

T_M_D · Nov 14, 2009, 10:45:04

Quote from: Rik on Nov 14, 2009, 10:30:22
Like Virgin, the service they have delivered over BT lines has been abysmal. Probably a lack of investment in a 'sub structure' to their main business.

Agreed - I reckon they just thought they could get away with not bothering with these smaller groups of users and could continue to just blame BT or anything else they could think of and that people would just swallow all the bull, but thanks to the collective intelligence, camaraderie and interest of the people on this and other forums I think they are discovering the true 'power of the people' on the internet.

I didn't even understand what on earth LLU or non-LLU was until I joined the forums. Also, if someone on this forum hadn't told me about ISPA then I am sure I would have had a much harder time getting out of my contract early.

Rik · Nov 14, 2009, 10:46:53

We aim to help however we can.

Technical Ben · Nov 14, 2009, 17:13:18

Glad to hear it went well! (I was an O2 customer for 29 days, and that was bad enough!)

If O2 are blaming the Radius serve it's most likely because they have not PAID for one, or enough to match their customer base. If it is a one of incident that BT has caused, then it's O2s fault for having a 90% failure rate. If it was a 90% success, one the one off faliure we would forgive them. I have had similar here, 99% uptime. For the 1% I can forgive IDnet as they do work hard.

davej99 · Nov 15, 2009, 12:27:19

Quote from: T_M_D on Nov 13, 2009, 21:34:17
Woo Hoo! ...... The only time I EVER got anything like these speeds with O2 was the early hours of the morning up to around 07:30am. ........ I am now sorted - thanks to IDNet

Can I wish you a belated welcome to IDNET. It's great to see you are getting a decent service.

Like you I moved from a large ISP with its own network, which seemed unable to provide a useable service via BT. I guess it was cheap, but after taking into account tech support call costs and the time spent having to build a case with speed test results to take to the ISPA, it really wasn't a bargain. For me all the bunk about new traffic management schemes and "problems" with BT was a sure sign that the network was oversold. You do not need to manage congestion if you do not cause it. I don't buy the unlimited broadband model any more than the notion of unlimited electricity. Imagine putting on the kettle in the evening to discover it took two hours to boil; some bargain.

I prefer the IDNET pay for your useage, low contention model. It seems to work well, and not just for IDNET, most of the top rated ISPs use it too. I also like it that the cost of going over my allowance is moderate; enough to discourage overuse and not so high as to be penalising. But the thing I really like about IDNET is that when problems occasionally arise, the management puts its hand up on this forum and commits to and delivers a fix.

Simon · Nov 15, 2009, 12:38:39

Mooved.

Rik · Nov 15, 2009, 12:47:42

Was it a bovine experience?

Glenn · Nov 15, 2009, 12:49:11

Give Simon a 'pat' on the back for moving it

Simon · Nov 15, 2009, 12:56:00

Well, I can't sit around here chewing the cud - got to get lunch started.

cavillas · Nov 15, 2009, 13:05:45

Now, now no need to keep milking it.