Internet speeds consistently slower than paid rate

[gonebonanza1]

Hello, my download speeds are typically 20% of my paid rate (8-10MBPS) from a wired connection, no other devices connected to the network, just the one computer when tested. Sometimes as slow as 5% which makes it as good as AOL circa 1991, I can hear the dial tone now... Upload speeds are typically at or above 50MBPS which is great for the 2% of the time I upload files, not a real cloud user. Wi-Fi signal is the same speed, wired never improves tested speed. Using Macbook Pro mid-2012 model very virus/2nd party/3rd party software free.  Timeline, over 4 months, I don't have the time to spend 45 minutes on the phone to have them do one of two things: tell me to plug a wire in directly or stare aimlessly at a router that is cycling power. Best part from the Customer service call: I have to pay for a new router if it's in question, I swear it's been less than a year. I wish I could pay the percentage of my bill that I was actually getting service for then I'd have no complaint. Come back Pacific Bell!!! 

[gonebonanza1]

Update for this lovely March 18 evening:

FiOS Service:

Ping: 17ms

Down: 8.2 MB/s

Up: 60.0 MB/s 

In better news on my Verizon Wireless cell; Verizon offered to let me out of my contract due to my poor signal provided to my area so cheers to them. They stated that I should get a high speed wireless service, to which i replied "well...about that, my FiOS service is poor" and he replied with a 'sorry to hear that.' They said no tower upgrades were scheduled in the next 3-6 months and gave me the option of leaving. Great! sadly i get better cell service in the middle of a desert where I work (about 30 miles from the nearest town) and right here in the thick of the city I get poor service, but, hats off to the Wireless side for giving me resolution and options within 2 weeks of my inquiry 🙂

So my FiOS saga continues, haven't had an offer to opt out of this contract yet...

[philhu]

Is that 4.7 MB/s or 4.7 mb/ps

See B means bytes, b means bits, so if you are saying 4.7 MBPS, you are saying 47 mbps.  You are paying for 50 mbps

[gonebonanza1]

I'm not quite sure how my situation was 'solved' when Verizon never actually did anything other than opening a ticket to say they'd look into it then never get back to me. Last I heard was an automated message saying "your issue has been resolved" which it hasn't been. 

To the persons question of bits bytes yada yada yada... I pay for 50 Mbps down and I get 12Mbps down.

Current awesomeness:

Ping: 15ms woohoo!

Down: 12 Mbps ....sad this is what 95% of consumers care about 

Up: 59.8 Mbps ...if only I uploaded anything...

So as far as I'm concerned as a Consumer it is not satisfying to get an automated message from Verizon saying my 'issue was resolved' when nothing actually was corrected or improved when compared to my service ticket opening to investigate in the first place. I'm not a difficult person, just tired of being ignored for what has been months while I continue to pay for marginal service. VERIZON; just give me a discount for my reduced service since you cannot resolve my problem!!

[gonebonanza1]

LOOK OUT! A NEW LOW!

Tonights amazing service (it took me 9 minutes to get the pages to load...):

Ping: 15 ms

Down:   6.1 Mbps
Up: .....hello? anything? zero point zero zero. it's. going. nowhere. 

So let's see here, started this issue on Feb 15 after already dealing with it for about 3 months so coming up on 6 months of Verizon ignoring the problem and taking no action, just sending me the automated message saying things were solved when nothing was done. Not even a call or email stating that they can't do anything and here's your 'op out' of your contract since we are inadequate. it's extremely annoying. I could put this money towards my retirement where i won't have to have internet. Just live in my Swiss cottage not having to deal with these idiotic contracts that give you poor service. 

[CRobGauth · Accepted solution]

The only thing any ISP guarantees is the speed of your local connection.

If you run to speedtest.verizon.net with a wired connection to your router and get the speed you are paying for, they have met their part of the contract.

Yes, getting off their network may be poor (which may or may not be their fault), but your contract doesn't cover that.

Just like TV content providers and cable providers squabble over price, the same is happening between Internet content providers and ISPs.

Content providers get a free ride across the ISP network to their customers. If the ISP raises its rates to cover additional infrastrucutre required to handle the increased customer traffic, customers complain. If the ISP refuses ti increase their connectivity to the content providers without some compensation, the customers complain about poor performance.

And the customer is the one stuck in the middle just like they are with TV service.

In the end, it is all about providers (content and ISP) trying to make the most money with the least amount of costs.

[gonebonanza1]

I'll make it short. Direct connect offers no improvement in speed. Remains at 7Mbps down tonight. There are other topics regarding the same issue in my same town.

Kudos will be given to Verizon when they answer to the service ticket they opened.  

[test421]

Netflix has a free internet connection? Wow...

Seriously though, they pay for internet just like we do. The problem is that Verizon isn't actually investing in its own network, its just shelling out its 90% profit margins to its shareholders.

None of this is going to get resolved until there is ACTUAL competition.

This of it this way. Netflix isn't pumping this data onto verizon without anyone asking. 

WE are requesting this data from Netflix. WE are looking to use our high speed internet service for streaming online video. And if verizon cannot meet the demand for bandwidth then they should be held accountable. Especially if its their hardware thats not being upgraded.

[CRobGauth]

---

@test42 wrote:

Netflix has a free internet connection? Wow...

Seriously though, they pay for internet just like we do.

Do a google search on netflix peering.

Both Comcast and Verizon had disputes with Netflix over bandwidth connections.

Netflix was requesting that the ISPs join (at their cost) Netflix's network that would offer greater service.

ISPs were refusing as they felt that it was only to benefit Netflix, not them. (read this article: http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2014/04/netflix-and-verizon-reach-interconnection-deal-to-speed-u...

Could Verizon do more. Yes. But as users consume more and more data, the costs will go up as they have to expand their network to handle the ever increasing traffic.

Doesn't come free.

[test421]

Yes, all of this stems from Verizon refusing to upgrade its interconnect with L3 and Cogent. They claim its because Cogent and L3 are sending more than they're receiving. This only makes sense until you realize that Cogent and L3 are serving content providers while Verizon and comcast are serving consumers of that content. Of course there's going to be an imbalance.

And yes we're going to start consuming more data, and verizon and comcast are going to have to start providing more data. Costs will go up, but what are their current profit margins? If they have 90% profit margins, and my bill is going to go up, then something is wrong at verizon.

I really miss cablevision.

[TheeMZ]

I have found the one and only solution to Verizon's false advertising and otherwise dissapointing performance when it comes to dsl high speed internet service.  Switch to Time Warner Cable Internet.  I am currenty paying $37.00/mo for Verizon's enhanced internet plan.  The fastest plan available in my area.  I have run various speed tests at all hours of the day and night and I cannot believe the results.  Just now, I ran 2 speed tests and both resuted in 1.16mbs download speed / 2mbs upload speed.  Disgusting !!!  May plan says 3-7mbs.  For this I pay $37.00.  Veriozn offers no solution to this.  Unacceptable !!!  I found that Time Warner Cable Internet offers 100mbs.  ONe last note to those of you who have Fios;  Experts I have spoken with say that Verizon's Fios is not real fiber optics.  Check for yourself.  Cut the wire in half and instead of a clear fiber optics tube it's you'll find a copper wire.  Cut into a Cable Internet cable and you will find a clear tube, which is necessary for carrying fiber optics signal. 

[smith6612]

---

@TheeMZ wrote:

I have found the one and only solution to Verizon's false advertising and otherwise dissapointing performance when it comes to dsl high speed internet service.  Switch to Time Warner Cable Internet.  I am currenty paying $37.00/mo for Verizon's enhanced internet plan.  The fastest plan available in my area.  I have run various speed tests at all hours of the day and night and I cannot believe the results.  Just now, I ran 2 speed tests and both resuted in 1.16mbs download speed / 2mbs upload speed.  Disgusting !!!  May plan says 3-7mbs.  For this I pay $37.00.  Veriozn offers no solution to this.  Unacceptable !!!  I found that Time Warner Cable Internet offers 100mbs.  ONe last note to those of you who have Fios;  Experts I have spoken with say that Verizon's Fios is not real fiber optics.  Check for yourself.  Cut the wire in half and instead of a clear fiber optics tube it's you'll find a copper wire.  Cut into a Cable Internet cable and you will find a clear tube, which is necessary for carrying fiber optics signal. 

---

Sounds like you might have technologies mixed up.

The "enhanced" Internet plan is not FiOS and is instead a DSL product, that relies on copper cable to be delivered. Cable Internet, otherwise known as DOCSIS, is delivered over a Hybrid Fiber Coax network. The cable company uses Fiber from the headend/Central Office to a Cable node near your home. At the node, the signals being carried across the Fiber are converted to DOCSIS and QAM signals, which then ride to your home on a copper coaxial cable.

There are two variants of FiOS that need to be known. The first is the real deal. A Fiber cable made of a glass core and kevlar shielding is brought into your home and is connected up to an Optical Network Terminal. This ONT then acts as both the telecom demarcation point, and as a conversion bridge. Since hooking up all deliver directly to fiber is expensive and not the most practical thing to do, FiOS is then delivered using Coaxial (MoCa + QAM), plain old Ethernet (CAT5e/CAT6 UTP Cabling), or both, so that everyday devices can connect up to FiOS without additional cost.

The second variant of FiOS is the VDSL way, and this is only installed in apartments where Verizon could not get permission to install individual ONTs. A central ONT is located in a telecom closet which then is connected to the coaxial network and telephone wiring in the building. The Fiber connection coming into the ONT is then converted to DSL over Copper for Data. TV service is delivered over coaxial. Telephone, whether it is plain old DSL, the real FiOS service, Cable Company provides, or DSL-Bases FiOS, is always delivered over copper wire. 

TL;DR: FiOS is actually Fiber service. You just won't see the Fiber unless you want to take your service out and want a tech visit after. Everything else including cable is just copper. Also, cutting a Fiber Cable and looking into it is how you burn your Retina. Do not do that.

[Ex-PC-Tech]

Check my forum thread "Possible solution to slow upload speed" for a likely solution to this common connection problem.