Broadband availability

[royston]

I am using Wanadoo broadband.
During the day and early evening (til about 6PM) I get straight in and have no problems at all.
But, after 6pm and sometimes as late as 9pm I find it very difficult to get on line and when I can get on staying on is a problem.
When I try to dial up it says " no dial tone". or "connection fault".
The connection is exactly the same as when I get no trouble.
Wanadoo seem incapable of answering other than with an e mail that is a standard issue to try to cover all problems. This is useless.
Any suggestions very welcome.
Roy

[Neil Wilson]

Right I give it a try- you are with Wanadoo, who purchase their broadband from BT.
BT allocates the broadband logged on users to the capacity that the telephone exchange can manage.
If all the capacity is in use, you will have problems logging in. For example there is capacity for 100 broadband users on the exchange and there are 101 users, someone will be unlucky if you all try to log on at the same time.
The problem might be greater in your local area than you think. Try writing to a local paper to see if there are others in the area having the same problem, then ask BT to increase the broadband capacity of the exchange.
All the best
Neil

Who had to wait 5 weeks for the exchange capacity to be increased and the line to be connected.

[Frank W]

I thought that Broadband was an "always-on" service, and that you did not have to dial up to connect to it. The problem described seems to be more relevant to the Wanadoo Anytime or Pay-as-you-Go service, and it is certainly the case that there have been some failings in getting connected to Anytime recently (busy line for the first 9 or more attempts)
The main effect of being on a Broadband feed with too many others also connected is likely to be a slowing of the Service speed, but whether this would also prevent normal logging-on I am not sure. Is it essential to log-on and log-off??
Ordinary telephone line service should not be affected by being piggy-backed on Broadband I would have thought, but perhaps some corners are being cut by Wanadoo. (or BT)
Regards.........Frank W
PS.... I've been considering changing to Broadband, but perhaps there are more snags than I realised

[Peter Goodey]

This sounds like the same problem royston was complaining about months ago when the consensus of opinion was that there was something wrong with the connection between the PC and the exchange.

If you're convinced that the cabling within your own home is OK (none of us is in a position to judge), I suggest you press Wanadoo to get BT to sort it out.

What's all this business about emails? TALK to them, SHOUT at a real human being. If they still won't do anything, I'd look around for an ISP who will.

[Dennis Harker]

I've been on Wanadoo broadband for some years now - remember when it started out as Freeserve?

I used to have Roy's problem when using the Alcatel Speedtouch modem that Freeserve supplied with the connection. After doing some trawling around the web I discovered updates for the modem (can't remember if driver or firmware). I downloaded and installed these and the problem went away.

And, yes, with a USB modem you still effectively have to dial up each time. I have now switched to a router, with built-in modem, and set up a small home network. No one on the network ever has a problem getting on as the router does the connecting as soon as you switch it on. Surfing can be noticeably slower when there are more people online such as in the evening or at weekends but the router never fails to connect first time. Another advantage to the router is that it contains a hardware firewall which is generally accepted as being stronger than the software ones and you can use both firewalls at the same time.

Recommendation - look for modem updates and install them or opt for a router. Wanadoo itself seems to be okay.

[Terry]

I'm using Tiscali broadband- this always uses a dial up type connection when I first activate either my email or web browser. I have found that the connection software supplied with the Speedtouch modem is useless and virtually never connects- so I set up the normal windows connection software to connect to my broadband connection, and normally it connects straight off. I do have problems if I try to get a connection mid to late afternoon when the school kids are home, and if I do get on then the connection is sloooooow!
But normally things are pretty good. My broadband is my only vice and I find it is well worth paying for.

[AnnB]

I never have any problems with my BT Broadband Frank. I think it is a case of you get what you pay for and lots of the cut price ones do not provide a good service. I have been with BT Yahoo broadband for nearly two years and have always had good service with very helpful free support

I agree with Scottie, although I hope we haven't put the kiss of death on our respective good service

Best wishes
Ann

[Frank W]

I don't have a burning need for Broadband - the main advantage being to free up the phone line and avoid domestic difficulties. Presumably even if you have to dial up to set up the Broadband connection each time, it won't prevent the use of the phone line once you are successfully logged-on??
Of course the better download speed is an advantage too, though I only download computer progs occasionally, so "Cheap & Cheerful" would be acceptable so long as it did'nt become "Cheap & Nasty".
My thanks to all who have added their very useful inputs to this thread.
Regards........Frank W

[keith9351]

There seems to be some confusion here regarding Broadband, BT Wholesale (so I have been told) supply Broadband services for non-cable Broadband. The companies then buy the service from them.

BT have to buy the service from the same market place as France Telecom (Wanadoo) and the speed etc is determined by the exchange and distance from it.

I myself use Wanadoo and my next door neighbour BT and when in the past I had problems he had the same problem for the same amount of time.

[Dennis Harker]

Another aspect to consider is the 'contention ratio' of your broadband. Most residential broadband lines work on a contention ratio of 50:1. In other words you must share that bandwidth with up to 50 other people. Your speed will depend upon how many of those other 50 are online at the same time.

Most business broadband connections have a contention ratio of 20:1.

Until recently most residential lines were running at a low contention ratio simply because there was never anything like the 50 other people using the bandwidth at the same time. However, now that more and more people are connecting to broadband the ratio is rising, rapidly, towards the 50:1

Up until recently the ratio was set by BT. It didn't matter which ISP you paid your money to the ratio was set by BT. Now that other companies are able to install their own equipment into BT exchanges they have more freedom over the contention ratio and, one presumes, the higher priced will have a lower ratio. Having said that, the market-place will decide as it is all driven by profits and not social needs.