TPG Internet

[digbyj]

Hey All,
Being that this is the only forum I use, my fellow Navara owners are obliged to assist.... ahem....
Anyone with TPG? Any good?
Options are limited for adsl2 in my area but they are available and bloody cheap.
Will be a lot cheaper than Telstra, but just wanna check if there's anything I need to be aware of...
Cheers fellas!
Marcus

 

[fzrr]

I'm with them and I only have one complaint. I can't get to some websites occasionally and I know the sites are fine cause I can get to them from work. Then after a couple days it starts working again. Their customer service goes across to a call centre in the Philippines that is frustrating at times.

Speed is ok though in my area and I haven't had any drop outs or total loss of service so far. I had the choice between Internode and TPG for naked adsl in my area and now I'm wishing I went with Internode after speaking to a couple of friends who are with them.

 

[KraftyPg]

They are as cheap and reliable as any other bargain service. All ISP's go down, all ISP's have problems the difference is the more you pay the less likely these problems effect you and more often than not the more likely they are to help you.

I haven't used TPG for about 8 years now but back when I did they were one of the worst ISP's I've ever used. I'd never go back and from what I've seen of their ads most of what they offer is just bargain basement prices for a bargain basement service, but then I'm picky with my ISP's and don't often give second chances.

At the end of the day they will work, you'll get on the net, and depending on how far you are from the exchange as to how good your speed will be but the cheaper prices come into it somewhere and that is often in the reliability and the lack of customer service when it's needed.

 

[KraftyPg]

From what I can see the Healesville Exchange is Telstra ADSL2 enabled only, (like so many others) and the list of ISP's that use Tesltra is quite long so there should be some choice there. However I'd be a bit worried about connection speed if you are too far away from the exchange, from what I can see (and it's not a definitive source) even reports up in Clive Avenue which doesn't appear too far from the exchange are only reporting speeds between 1500kb and 5000kb which I certainly wouldn't pay ADSL2 prices for.

 

[d22dave]

Just stay away from skymesh for internet and any company that uses skybridge as their install/repair company, The service is so good it took them 4 weeks to come and replace the satellite modem under warranty

 

[terryc]

Hey All,

Options are limited for adsl2 in my area but they are available and bloody cheap.

You have checked here?
http://bc.whirlpool.net.au/

FWIW, I have telstra phone and extrerrible-tel internet(because they have been consistently cheaper(6yrs) till now)

AFAIK, TPG is get what you pay for, si if you don't mind the occasional network flooded (after school/evenings), then it is okay.

 

[digbyj]

Thanks for the advice fellas. I had a look on whirlpool a while ago, I used to think it was a whitegoods forum! Someone who seemed to know heaps about Telstra in Healesville was saying ADSL2 was pretty good up here because there was a box at the end of streets? Anyone know how I can check what kind of speed I'd get and how this might compare between providers?
I'm guessing if I ring Telstra I could be on the phone for hours....

 

[KraftyPg]

Site like WP are good for getting some information because they are users reporting on user issues however you could end up searching through specific ISP threads for ages and only get a handfull of decent results.

The other side of that coin though is that if you ask ISP's what speed they can offer they promise nothing and only give theoretical speeds.

Telstra will probably be the most reliable but if you don't want to use them your first step might be asking for those on WP in your area to comment on their ISP's and connections.

 

[Bosshog]

I have TPG. Unlimited plan for $59/mth.

I don't have any complaints other than it gets overloaded after school, which not their fault.

I have found locality to the exchange is the biggest influence on network speed. 1.5ks from the exchange could not exceed 9Mbps. I now live 200 metres from it and speed is regularly over 12Mbps.

 

[KraftyPg]

I tend to say that network congestion at any time is the fault of the ISP, if they suffer from congestion it means they have over sold and can't support the number of clients they have. That to me it is also a sign of a bargain basement outfit more interested in dollars than client satisfaction. But like I said I'm picky with my ISP's

 

[d22dave]

I have TPG. Unlimited plan for $59/mth..

Rub it in, I pay $39.99 a month for 2gig peak 3 gig off peak. 5 days after the month starts where limited.

 

[superiorcruiser]

I tend to say that network congestion at any time is the fault of the ISP, if they suffer from congestion it means they have over sold and can't support the number of clients they have. That to me it is also a sign of a bargain basement outfit more interested in dollars than client satisfaction. But like I said I'm picky with my ISP's

who do you use?

 

[Bosshog]

Rub it in, I pay $39.99 a month for 2gig peak 3 gig off peak. 5 days after the month starts where limited.

That's why I am unlimited as I download every movie, doco etc we want to watch. Bugger hiring it; just download and watch.

BTW, for those that are into reality TV Shows I can recommend "Top Shot" Series 1 and 2 out of the US! The Barrett 50 cal used in Series 2 is excellent.

 

[KraftyPg]

who do you use?

Right now I'm on big puddle but at home I use Netspace, they aren't great all the time and since iiNet took them over customer service has really gone down hill but I get perks that most others don't and my deal is not the sort of deal Joe Public can get.

So at this stage I'm staying with them anything changes and I'll probably go back to Big puddle simply because all ISP's in our area blame bad lines on Telstra and say it's not their responsibility and that Telstra wont fix issues for other ISP's, yet big puddle fix their own customers line issues pretty quickly .

 

[d22dave]

That's why I am unlimited as I download every movie, doco etc we want to watch. Bugger hiring it; just download and watch.

Might have to try ringing around again for adsl, Just get sick and tired of knock backs

 

[Old.Tony]

The afternoon problem with TPG is apparently caused by schoolboys who are using daddy's adult site(s) account(s). TPG seems to slow down marginally after 3pm and it picks up again marginally after 5pm, gradually returning to full speed by about 7pm.

It's because TPG multiplex the hell out of their connections. Saves them money, saves you money, but slows you down while 12+ year old boys are getting all excited.

 

[KraftyPg]

Why is it only 12 year old boys, do their dads do all the "work" after midnight when mummy has gone to bed?

Having worked for several ISP's in my time the one thing I never do these days is recommend an ISP to someone because they all have issues and people often forget they asked for the favour at 3am when they can't get their new release movie or porn show and they think they can blame the person who gave them the tip. However if you check out WP's broadband choice and see what other ISP's service the area you can then visit their websites and see what they are willing to offer. It's not a definitive selection process but it's probably worth doing.

 

[Bosshog]

The afternoon problem with TPG is apparently caused by schoolboys who are using daddy's adult site(s) account(s). TPG seems to slow down marginally after 3pm and it picks up again marginally after 5pm, gradually returning to full speed by about 7pm.

It's because TPG multiplex the hell out of their connections. Saves them money, saves you money, but slows you down while 12+ year old boys are getting all excited.

Thanks now I know the reason whatever multiplex is...

 

[Bosshog]

So at this stage I'm staying with them anything changes and I'll probably go back to Big puddle simply because all ISP's in our area blame bad lines on Telstra and say it's not their responsibility and that Telstra wont fix issues for other ISP's, yet big puddle fix their own customers line issues pretty quickly .

OK I have story which confirms your fears... To save everyone from killing themselves with boredom I'll keep it short as it went on for months...

Only getting 3Mbps when paying for 12. TPG says its the line (i.e. Telstra). Surprise, surprise, Telstra says its TPG.

Finally after threatening everyone with legal action, Telstra send a guy out. Nothing wrong at the house end of the pipe. He says "It won't be a fault at the exchange but since 'someone' (me) has demanded that this be looked at I'll go and look at it." He'd gone for ages and I given up and decide to return to work when 1 hour later he reappeared..

Rather casually says "the terminals on your line were corroded". Guess what... 9Mbps from that point on.

It took 3 months and required a lawyer to break the deadlock!

Telstra, Woolies, Coles, Bunnings, Masters, Shell, Mobil, BP, etc etc etc.. we only have ourselves to blame for allowing monopolies, duopolies and oligopolies!

Grrr.

Normal service can now resume!

BH

 

[Old.Tony]

It's a method of sharing one line with many other lines, basically.

Imagine that TPG's exchange has a fixed bandwidth to "the internet" (upstream), and that might be limited to (say, as an example) 100Mbit/sec. There are 50 customers all expecting a 10Mbit/sec connection and for much of the day, the 3-4 customers that do download stuff get their full expected bandwidth. There are 20 other customers just surfing the net, all low-bandwidth stuff - nobody notices any performance hit.

Until 3pm, when the boys head home from school wanting another eyeful of that blonde chick that just does other chicks ... hoo hoo hoo ... now there's 45 desperate schoolboys actively downloading videos, 3 girls using facebook/twitter, one grandmother researching the latest beading techniques and you, trying to snag "The Day After Tomorrow" in Portuguese, because in that version they play the movie backwards and there's no need for an interpreter - it's funny as hell in English.

And you wonder why it's so bloody slow. Tell the grandmother to buy a book!