Someone asked me about my connection today so I ran a speed test. The results were a horrendous 200~220Kbps down/310~320Kbps up — which is ridicules for an ADSL line, that is Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line which generally means (and in the past extremely so! with my ISP) much higher download rates then upload rates.
After closing all other internet aware applications (Pidgin, XFire, WMP plugin) and closing the several webpage tabs (GMail, Forums) I waited several minutes and reran the speed test:
This is crap, especially when you consider that for the strictly internet connection their going rate in this area is supposed to be $45/mo for more download then that and the upload rate compares to there top speed $65/mo service.
I pulled the plug on the modem and gave it half a minute before plugging the power back in. Ran a ping on the ISP’s mail server to check when it came back online then ran another speed test. I usually ping google but I hate why use a decent services bandwidth when I can hit the mail.MyISP.net instead?
The results are now much better but still less then what they are supposed according to the ‘minimal acceptable’ download and upload rates they should be being paid to deliver. Going to have to have Ma float through the statement and look up exactly what we are paying for because this sure ain’t it.
I also nearly died laughing when poking around there website and noting that part of there help-system and there ‘connection optimizer’ are Internet Explorer specific although the same website says that this ISP officially supports Windows NT, Mac OSX, IE5.5+, FF2+, Safari, and Netscape Communicator 4.x + which is an old dinosaur !!!
I don’t know what is worse, an ISP that can’t keep a stable connection (for the past several years), an ISP that can’t even keep there standards straight, or an ISP that collects higher bills then quality services rendered.
Why do I have a strange urge to lubricate my modem?