Advantages and limitations of non-PCCW residential DSL broadband services

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Advantages and limitations of non-PCCW residential DSL broadband services

    Hi all

    The following is a layman's attempt to summarize the advantages and limitations of using non-PCCW residential DSL broadband services based on a few assumptions.

    (1) Local loop - when a problem occurs, whether at the local area or building level, a residential DSL connection is lost and is up to PCCW to fix the problem. An independent ISP leasing the local DSL loop from PCCW is helpless in such situation.

    (2) Latency, packet loss and other performance issues - these are usually not local loop-related, and more likely to be caused by network (eg, IP) problems. In this case, a quality independent ISP is likely to be in a better position to identify and fix the problem more quickly, and, hopefully, better placed to prevent them from happening in the first place.

    Your feedback is invited!

    Sam

    Last edited by sam123; 25-04-2009 at 12:07 PM.

  2. #2

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    Apr 2009
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    Does anyone know of an independent ISP in HK offering a residential DSL broadband service with the benefit of its own (as opposed to PCCW's) DSLAM?

    Thanks.


  3. #3

    Join Date
    Apr 2006
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    Kwun Tong
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    1) ISPs using PCCW DSL are not helpless. The fact that they will pick up the phone and complain to PCCW means that you get a better service on the DSL/Ethernet access newtork. I've consistenly confirmed over the years.

    It is PCCW users who are helpless from access network congestion as they don't know how to detect it and have no power to report it. Also the big problem is who do you report it to, how do they identify on what DSLAM/network are you on. Call customer service and see how far you get. "Hello I'm having problems reaching your distribution network, can you fix it? - Yes sir we call you right back.".

    icable has a big problem fixing congestion due to the nature of cable/DOCSIS technology. HKBN can fix it but it means adding fiber, swich to CWDM or upgrading to 10G. We already helped them double capacity on their local fiber loop by switching to bi-directional SFPs.

    They are also switching to 40G GEPON.


    2) Local loop congestion ie traffic going from the DSLAM at your local exchange over an ATM/Metro network is prone to congestion.

    IT IS THE MAIN REASON WHY SOME PEOPLE SAY "THIS ISP IS GREAT" whilst others are saying "THIS ISP IS SHIT". They are sufferent from different levels on congestioin on DSLAM/distribution network they are - irrespective of whether they are on PCCW, HKBN or what ever.


    Most local loop problems have been on Netvigator lines not on say netfront local loop circuits. In fact I've found that say Netfront DSL (PCCW) circuit gives higher throughput than PCCW's. See my Netfront 1.5M/512 vs Netvigator 4/4 post.

    In summary, your experience on reaching an ISP distrbution network is dependant on who is in your neighbourhood and how much bandwidht there on the access network to the distrbution network.


    3) There are only 4 FTNS operators, who can provide circuits. PCCW, Whart HGC and NWT, they resell their services to a bunch of people. Then there is HKBN's fiber network and i-Cable network.

    Again all this stuff is not important as long as you are on an ISP who WILL monitor and manage the access network. Normally the FTNS operators don't give a crap.

    Last edited by hk.com; 28-04-2009 at 11:04 AM.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Apr 2009
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    Hi hk.com

    Many thanks for sharing your knowledge and insight with us.

    Most enlightening!

    Sam