Contention Ratio - Trying to decide between Eircom Products

De Rebel

Before anyone starts to explain ..... i DO understand what contention ratio is.


I am currently an eircom starter user. I have a choice between their new home starter and home plus products. Looking at the differences, the 4GB cap is not a problem for me, the helpdesk phone number is not an issue and obviously €40 is better then €55.

I am undecided about the contention ratio. I mainly use the net for surfing, e-mail and non-time-critical downloads. Currently performance is fine, both for browsing and downloading. Is this because my exchange/the entire eircom DSL service is still underutilised and never gets near the 48:1 ratio, or is it that the pattern of my use is not greatly impacted by a 48:1 contention ratio?

In other words, I will decide on which service to use based on the contention ration. I'm not interested in the theory of 24:1 being twice as good as 48:1, I'm asking about the reality - does it matter? Would I actually get any benefit for the extra €15 per month?

I'm on the Douglas exchange, and I gather there a a reasonable number of users on that exchange.


Thanks.

Ryaner

If the exchange doesnt even get near the 1:48 content ratio then you have answered your own question really.
If your not gaming or doing vpn then it shouldnt bother you in the slightest. Go for the lower pack

phoenix2181

"Is this because my exchange/the entire eircom DSL service is still underutilised and never gets near the 48:1 ratio, or is it that the pattern of my use is not greatly impacted by a 48:1 contention ratio?"


Both...I can't see 48 users being on at the same exchange using it at the same time (or it would happen very rarely) if I were you I'd stick to the 40 euro package

De Rebel

Originally posted by Ryaner
If the exchange doesnt even get near the 1:48 content ratio then you have answered your own question really.

I have no way of knowing the answer to that of course.............. !!

Thanks for the advice.

Ryaner

If you aint gaming it aint gonna make a difference. Basically if the content ratio is high then if someone starts dlin or whatever the pings can spike a bit for second or two. If your just browing then dont worry and go with lower pack

Gonzo

if we are on the 24:1 contention now (only guessing coz we got our 8gb cap now) it hasnt effected me in any way as when I was on the 48:1 product, my pings are the same as before and download speeds the same also.

bk

My advice to everyone, including gamers is if the CAP isn't an issue for you, then downgrade. More then likely contention will have no effect on pings, due to the small number of DSL users in Ireland.

If it becomes an issue in the future, then you can simply upgrade, it won't cost you anything and you would have saved money in the meantime.

Iago

Do you really think so?

I know that contention isn't an issue now but moving forward surely it will be at some point in the near future? If you listen to eircom, esat and the rest then there are over 2,000 new connections every month, ok so a lot of it is propaganda but theres no smoke without fire..

even taking contention out of it, if you're with a provider and they are offering you double the download allowance and half the contention ratio for the same price you're currently paying, then it makes more sense to stay where you are?

I'm not with eircom myself, I'm with IOL, but in another thread I posted a "rumour" that IOL were also launching a higher level product with a 15GB limit and 24:1 contention, for the same price as the current IOL BB offering.

If that happens I'll be using the higher service, I'll probably make use of the cap, but I do think that contention will be an issue sooner rather than later...

dub45

Does anyone know how they manage the contention ratio? Are all users on an exchange lumped together irrespective of who the isp is?

How can someone who opts for the for the higher package be sure that they are actually going to get the lower contention rate? Surely introducing the new ratio will also introduce new problems in terms of the management of the ratio?

dlofnep

There is no need to turn simplicity into complexity. Look at the following.

===========[7]
|
[20]=========[7]
|
===========[7]

Now if all 3 connections are using the maximum bandwidth allocated then they will exceed the actual capable bandwidth. This would in turn drop the 3 connections down to approximately 6.7, (not a maths guru).


The contention ratio here is 3:1, and quite poorly may I add as the maximum bandwidth cannot be handled in extreme circumstances because the capable bandwidth is less.

If the contention ratio here was 2:1, it does not mean both connections would have a maximum bandwidth of 10, they would still have the allocated setting of 7 but the dslam would be capable of supplying 10 to each connection. DO not confuse the capability of the switch with the actual asigned bandwidth.

bk

Originally posted by Iago
Do you really think so?

I know that contention isn't an issue now but moving forward surely it will be at some point in the near future? If you listen to eircom, esat and the rest then there are over 2,000 new connections every month, ok so a lot of it is propaganda but theres no smoke without fire..

But why not downgrade and then upgrade when you need to, it is free after all.

Just note your current pings (about 20 - 30ms in Ireland, 30 - 40 to UK) and maximum bandwidth. If either of these deteriate, then you just upgrade for free.

If you only downgrade for just 6 months (and I don't see contention making a difference fro at least 6 - 12 months), you would save e90, over 12 months you would save e180. That is money better in your pocket then theirs.

Remember in the UK the contention is 50:1 on the residential products and they have far greater take up then us and they are mostly still seeing no contention problems, so it is very unlikely we will see problems.

It just makes no sense why you wouldn't downgrade, at least for a few months, if the CAP isn't an issue.

douglasman

The douglas exchange had 600 DSL connections on it last November. I specifically asked the Eircom guys that question last November when I was getting a technician install as I had ISDN. Despite the number of connections, the speed has been fantastic at 48:1 contention ratio, almost all of the time I can get 512/128 no probs.

Moriarty

Originally posted by dub45
Does anyone know how they manage the contention ratio? Are all users on an exchange lumped together irrespective of who the isp is?

I'm open to correction, but my understanding is that up until the regional hub traffic for all ISPs from each individual exchange share the same pipe. Once it hits the regional hub its seperated into individual circuits per ISP. The traffic is then backhauled to wherever the ISP has their gateway.

MrPinK

Originally posted by bk
But why not downgrade and then upgrade when you need to, it is free after all.

Eircom are offering the upgrade free right now, but that's because they have to move people either up or down. You can't really charge people when they don't have a choice. I wouldn't be the least suprise if there was a charge for upgrading once you're on one of the new services.

Moriarty

There is no wholesale charge for the ISP to upgrade your connection, whereas there is (€15exvat/wholesale) to downgrade it. I can't see eircom.net charging for it.

bk

Originally posted by MrPinK
Eircom are offering the upgrade free right now, but that's because they have to move people either up or down. You can't really charge people when they don't have a choice. I wouldn't be the least suprise if there was a charge for upgrading once you're on one of the new services.

As Moriarty said there is no wholesale charge for upgrading, so it is obviuos they won't charge for upgrading in the future, why would they put an obstacle in your way of giving them more money.

After all the 24:1 product doesn't really cost Eircom any more then the 48:1 product. So they are basically getting an extra e14 for free.

However they might charge for downgrading in future, yet another reason to downgrade now.

OfflerCrocGod

Originally posted by bk
Remember in the UK the contention is 50:1 on the residential products and they have far greater take up then us and they are mostly still seeing no contention problems, so it is very unlikely we will see problems.

Ye but they have a REAL backhaul!, not the crappy 2MB one we have, that's why they have no cap:mad: and we do :mad: :mad:.

Gonzo

hopefully there should come a time that the backhaul will have to be upgraded when broadband has a huge takeoff in every part of the country, by then (2 to 3 years time perhaps) we could eventally have cap free broadband mehopes.

Reyman

The technical answer to your question is that 48:1 is not an acceptable contention ratio for anyone who needs a consistent high speed.

A CR of 10:1 is reckoned to be the minimum for serious Internet use.

But as our contributors have pointed out 48:1 is working for the present so why pay more?

Richard Dower

I'll stay with the current IOL package, contention WILL kick in down the line, with more and more people signing up it will be a factor.

I'll wait to see what IOL offer, caps don't interest me...speed does, contention ratio does.