Imagine LTE Rural Broadband

Scruff

****e speeds for me too at peak these days. 7mb down
http://www.speedtest.net/result/7006115550

rayfitzharris

I have been on to imagine since just after christmas about the abysmal evening and weekend speeds.

Recently as low as 2meg.
First mail, I sent them a load of screenshots of my speedtests with the strong assurance that all tests were done using my desktop over ethernet.(this will be important later )
Screen shots included some daytime tests showing 50meg+ results to prove there is nothing wrong with my setup. And also some from their own speedtest server.

Got a nice reply from a guy telling me they would look into it, and asking for more screenshots at evening time.

Second mail, I send more screenshots.
Reply is now asking me how are the slow speeds affecting me? Sigh..

With that jaded feeling, I reply that obviously everything that requires a half functioning internet is affected, downloads, streams, youtube, sky plus etc..
I tell them i will continue to monitor.

Crickets for a few weeks, and last friday I try to watch a twitch stream. Just 720p and it's pausing all over the place. So I crank up the email thread again With some screenshots showing a choppy 1.5megs. And I ask what are they going to do about it?

Surprisingly on saturday I get a reply, in a distinctly different tone and writing style but signed as the same guy as before, my tone has changed so maybe he's responding in kind..

He tells me that he's been looking closely at my case and has identified that the problem is with my wifi, proceeds to ask me to download wifianalyser from the google play store and pick an empty channel..

Annoyed at this point I let him know that he hasnt looked closely at all, to read my first email again. And anyway there isnt another wifi network for a good 2 miles, and also that would not explain the good daytime speeds as included in every speedtest history I ever sent them. I tell him this is clearly contention in evenings and weekend and ask again what are they planning on doing about it?

Next reply HE says, "as i've told you the network is busier in evenings and weekend and to expect slower speeds" arghh..

So I reply that actually it was me who told him that but at least they are admitting that contention is an issue.

To be honest I cant see this being resolved at all, so I may well just have to go back to the previous parasite wisp provider I was with before, not sure I could handle the 300gb monthly cap though now.

A solid 10mb would be miles better than the current crap from imagine in the evenings.
Looks like the honeymoon period is well and truely over.
Athy mast btw.

wotzgoingon

rayfitzharris wrote: »

I have been on to imagine since just after christmas about the abysmal evening and weekend speeds.

Recently as low as 2meg.
First mail, I sent them a load of screenshots of my speedtests with the strong assurance that all tests were done using my desktop over ethernet.(this will be important later )
Screen shots included some daytime tests showing 50meg+ results to prove there is nothing wrong with my setup. And also some from their own speedtest server.

Got a nice reply from a guy telling me they would look into it, and asking for more screenshots at evening time.

Second mail, I send more screenshots.
Reply is now asking me how are the slow speeds affecting me? Sigh..

With that jaded feeling, I reply that obviously everything that requires a half functioning internet is affected, downloads, streams, youtube, sky plus etc..
I tell them i will continue to monitor.

Crickets for a few weeks, and last friday I try to watch a twitch stream. Just 720p and it's pausing all over the place. So I crank up the email thread again With some screenshots showing a choppy 1.5megs. And I ask what are they going to do about it?

Surprisingly on saturday I get a reply, in a distinctly different tone and writing style but signed as the same guy as before, my tone has changed so maybe he's responding in kind..

He tells me that he's been looking closely at my case and has identified that the problem is with my wifi, proceeds to ask me to download wifianalyser from the google play store and pick an empty channel..

Annoyed at this point I let him know that he hasnt looked closely at all, to read my first email again. And anyway there isnt another wifi network for a good 2 miles, and also that would not explain the good daytime speeds as included in every speedtest history I ever sent them. I tell him this is clearly contention in evenings and weekend and ask again what are they planning on doing about it?

Next reply HE says, "as i've told you the network is busier in evenings and weekend and to expect slower speeds" arghh..

So I reply that actually it was me who told him that but at least they are admitting that contention is an issue.

To be honest I cant see this being resolved at all, so I may well just have to go back to the previous parasite wisp provider I was with before, not sure I could handle the 300gb monthly cap though now.

A solid 10mb would be miles better than the current crap from imagine in the evenings.
Looks like the honeymoon period is well and truely over.
Athy mast btw.

That post is why I never bothered to sign up to Imagine. As a slow constant 2-3Mb dsl connection is better than a fluctuating connection from Imagine and then also no cap either. I know your connection is miles better off peak times.

Another reason I didn't go with them is the mast is over in Ballinrobe in Mayo where as I live 4 miles outside Claremorris on the Ballinrobe side but still that is a really long distance for the signal to travel and no line of sight either. 20kms at least.

km79

wotzgoingon wrote: »

That post is why I never bothered to sign up to Imagine. As a slow constant 2-3Mb dsl connection is better than a fluctuating connection from Imagine and then also no cap either. I know your connection is miles better off peak times.

Another reason I didn't go with them is the mast is over in Ballinrobe in Mayo where as I live 4 miles outside Claremorris on the Ballinrobe side but still that is a really long distance for the signal to travel and no line of sight either. 20kms at least.

Not everyone can get a DSL connection though

rayfitzharris

km79 wrote: »

Not everyone can get a DSL connection though

Yep, unfortunately dsl will give me about 1.5meg and eir's lovely blue line is stopping at the next house up the road about 200m away.

Wisps with crap contention and download caps are the only option left to some of us.

Nothing to do but suffer on.

vidapura

I'm only a coupla miles outside Oranmore...

If FTTH means 'fibre to the house'.. then we don't have it...nobody on our road does..

Marlow wrote: »

Most of Oranmore is VDSL/FTTC territory, so won't see FTTH and most of the areas outside of Oranmore are already FTTH enabled.

/M

dufferlover

Booked my spot on the mast, had the engineer out this morning and it's a no go. House surrounded by hills that block the signal. The poor fella even put a 20ft pole on the roof to see if that would work and nothing.

So we are left with zero internet, zero mobile signal of any kind (no 2G, no 3G and 4G is a foreign concept!) Actually feel like crying. I'm also insanely jealous of the new neighbours who built two doors down who are flying it with just a dongle. FML

Are there any other options?

Oh and we haven't moved in to the house yet so we do have time to look around I guess. Although I reckon we are fighting a losing battle.

George Sunsnow

dufferlover wrote: »

Booked my spot on the mast, had the engineer out this morning and it's a no go. House surrounded by hills that block the signal. The poor fella even put a 20ft pole on the roof to see if that would work and nothing.

So we are left with zero internet, zero mobile signal of any kind (no 2G, no 3G and 4G is a foreign concept!) Actually feel like crying. I'm also insanely jealous of the new neighbours who built two doors down who are flying it with just a dongle. FML

Are there any other options?

Oh and we haven't moved in to the house yet so we do have time to look around I guess. Although I reckon we are fighting a losing battle.

Your other option is to build your own group broadband scheme if there are enough people in your area interested
Basically it involves bouncing good broadband around the area until it reaches you
In theory a pay as you go theee sim at your friends house if it’s three they use would feed it
All you need then is the transmission and reception equipment
There’s one down in Waterford who were on ear to the ground recently and who post on boards
AFAIK it’s how whizzy internet started in north wexford and now they’re a successful company so you could talk to them https://wi.ie for pointers
Others here may advise especially in the mid and forum

(Links don’t work on the touch version of boards so copy and paste that whizzy address into your url bar)

George Sunsnow

1 to 2 Mb this evening again since around 7
Totally unusable
Yesterday’s email not replied to
Another sent off this evening

They’re making an enemy out of me with this shambles so I’m pulling the plug and moving to Whizzy where at least I’ll get a workable 10 Mb in the evening and for half the price -UNlimited too,my neighbour has it
My 18 months is up in March so I’ll be leaving then,that’s so as not to give them their €100 satisfaction

km79

George Sunsnow wrote: »

1 to 2 Mb this evening again since around 7
Totally unusable
Yesterday’s email not replied to
Another sent off this evening

They’re making an enemy out of me with this shambles so I’m pulling the plug and moving to Whizzy where at least I’ll get a workable 10 Mb in the evening and for half the price -UNlimited too,my neighbour has it
My 18 months is up in March so I’ll be leaving then,that’s so as not to give them their €100 satisfaction

I’ll actually cry if/when mine degenerates
Only need to get another year or so out of it ......

d31b0y

George Sunsnow wrote: »

1 to 2 Mb this evening again since around 7
Totally unusable
Yesterday’s email not replied to
Another sent off this evening

They’re making an enemy out of me with this shambles so I’m pulling the plug and moving to Whizzy where at least I’ll get a workable 10 Mb in the evening and for half the price -UNlimited too,my neighbour has it
My 18 months is up in March so I’ll be leaving then,that’s so as not to give them their €100 satisfaction

Got a text off them today saying our mast will be undergoing work tomorrow between 12pm and 2pm.

Hi, Network Engineers are conducting update works to your local broadband service tomorrow Wednesday 31st January between 12pm and 2pm. Although minor, these works may affect your connection temporarily during this time. Thanks, Imag!ine.

wotzgoingon

George Sunsnow wrote: »

1 to 2 Mb this evening again since around 7
Totally unusable
Yesterday’s email not replied to
Another sent off this evening

They’re making an enemy out of me with this shambles so I’m pulling the plug and moving to Whizzy where at least I’ll get a workable 10 Mb in the evening and for half the price -UNlimited too,my neighbour has it
My 18 months is up in March so I’ll be leaving then,that’s so as not to give them their €100 satisfaction

What made you go with imagine if Whizzy is available to you as it's cheaper and no cap. Most who are with imagine have no other service to choose from.

smokingman

rayfitzharris wrote: »

I have been on to imagine since just after christmas about the abysmal evening and weekend speeds.

Recently as low as 2meg.
First mail, I sent them a load of screenshots of my speedtests with the strong assurance that all tests were done using my desktop over ethernet.(this will be important later )
Screen shots included some daytime tests showing 50meg+ results to prove there is nothing wrong with my setup. And also some from their own speedtest server.

Got a nice reply from a guy telling me they would look into it, and asking for more screenshots at evening time.

Second mail, I send more screenshots.
Reply is now asking me how are the slow speeds affecting me? Sigh..

With that jaded feeling, I reply that obviously everything that requires a half functioning internet is affected, downloads, streams, youtube, sky plus etc..
I tell them i will continue to monitor.

Crickets for a few weeks, and last friday I try to watch a twitch stream. Just 720p and it's pausing all over the place. So I crank up the email thread again With some screenshots showing a choppy 1.5megs. And I ask what are they going to do about it?

Surprisingly on saturday I get a reply, in a distinctly different tone and writing style but signed as the same guy as before, my tone has changed so maybe he's responding in kind..

He tells me that he's been looking closely at my case and has identified that the problem is with my wifi, proceeds to ask me to download wifianalyser from the google play store and pick an empty channel..

Annoyed at this point I let him know that he hasnt looked closely at all, to read my first email again. And anyway there isnt another wifi network for a good 2 miles, and also that would not explain the good daytime speeds as included in every speedtest history I ever sent them. I tell him this is clearly contention in evenings and weekend and ask again what are they planning on doing about it?

Next reply HE says, "as i've told you the network is busier in evenings and weekend and to expect slower speeds" arghh..

So I reply that actually it was me who told him that but at least they are admitting that contention is an issue.

To be honest I cant see this being resolved at all, so I may well just have to go back to the previous parasite wisp provider I was with before, not sure I could handle the 300gb monthly cap though now.

A solid 10mb would be miles better than the current crap from imagine in the evenings.
Looks like the honeymoon period is well and truely over.
Athy mast btw.

I'm on the same mast with exactly the same issues. The packet drops are ridiculously frequent and I get kicked off needing to reset the router at least 3 times per evening.

****ing clowns

George Sunsnow

wotzgoingon wrote: »

What made you go with imagine if Whizzy is available to you as it's cheaper and no cap. Most who are with imagine have no other service to choose from.

Whizzy is max 15Mb a lot less than Imagine promised so that won me over
I got 16 months of actually fantastic service
I’m a trier of services
Just 2 miles of my road in either direction is not ftth and we are in that gap
I fully expect that 2 miles to be filled in fairly early when the government scheme gets going so if Imagine hadn’t gone to pot here it was a perfect stopgap

We’re light enough users here so the 10 Mb will run netflix and torrents etc in the interim
Not perfect but at least an option

George Sunsnow

Meanwhile this morning
5G WiFi beside the router

Gonzo

Gonzo wrote: »

up to 6 months ago I felt the writing was on the wall for Imagine's wireless service after 2020. Siro, Eir and Enet were in the running for the NBP contract. Eir's 300k was gaining momentum and things were starting to look like they might actually work out for the majority of rural Ireland in the medium to long term.

The past 3 months has seen some very negative signs. Siro resigned from the NBP a few months ago and there is a rumour that Enet is about to pull the plug as well, which would just leave Eir as the soul bidders.
See original post here https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105957356&postcount=3420

Eir itself is heading towards a new management structure which clearly wants to focus back on urban areas. There is a rumour that Eir are taking away 20,000 premises in the most rural locations from their 300k rollout and replacing them with 20,000 premises from easy urban fringe areas. See original post here https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105957390&postcount=9590

Also some very negative comments about the NBP suggesting more delays
https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2018-01-24a.165&s=national+broadband+plan#g228

https://www.kildarestreet.com/debates/?id=2018-01-24a.290&s=national+broadband+plan#g293

This comment from Naughten is particularly worrying.
https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105955310&postcount=3415

All these recent events suggest to me that Imagine could potentially hold control of their current coverage spots for a long time to come.

an update to my post from last week.

Eir have quit the NBP process. https://www.irishtimes.com/business/technology/eir-withdraws-from-government-s-broadband-scheme-1.3375213

I can almost sense the party balloons and champagne bottles in Imagines headoffice....

SkepticQuark

Seeing as Eir has ****ed us here is a 6PM speedtest from the Hollyford mast if anyone in that area needs actual broadband and not the ****ty DSL they have a lot of us on around here. People are doing stuff in the house so it's probably a little bit faster than it claims and we are about 15km from the mast.

mark_jmc

I’m moving into a new house in Knockraha, Cork in the next few weeks- anyone from this area that can tell me the speed & reliability of Imagine
Thanks
Mark

George Sunsnow

Monitoring every evening
Test just now and I nearly fell off the chair
This is wired to the pc



I’m hoping this is a sign they’ve fixed something

rayfitzharris

Wow, that's impressive.

I've just got off the phone to an imagine chap who wanted me to plug and unplug the Ethernet cables.. ffs. Dispite his best efforts it's still below 5meg.. quell surprise.

tsue921i8wljb3

rayfitzharris wrote: »

Wow, that's impressive.

I've just got off the phone to an imagine chap who wanted me to plug and unplug the Ethernet cables.. ffs. Dispite his best efforts it's still below 5meg.. quell surprise.

I feel your pain. When I was a Breeze customer of theirs I spent several hours trying to get packet loss and speed issues sorted. Though I suppose dealing with first line technical support in any ISP is never fun.

Pelvis

rayfitzharris wrote: »

Wow, that's impressive.

I've just got off the phone to an imagine chap who wanted me to plug and unplug the Ethernet cables.. ffs. Dispite his best efforts it's still below 5meg.. quell surprise.

Did he ask you to blow on the cable?

deadl0ck

rayfitzharris wrote: »

Wow, that's impressive.

I've just got off the phone to an imagine chap who wanted me to plug and unplug the Ethernet cables.. ffs. Dispite his best efforts it's still below 5meg.. quell surprise.

Was it the cable that goes into the modem/router from the outside unit ?

Or the ethernet going to your pc / laptop ?

Ultimanemo

Pelvis wrote: »

Did he ask you to blow on the cable?

Good idea

George Sunsnow

Still motoring here at 1015 pm

95 times faster than last night

vidapura

George Sunsnow wrote: »

Still motoring here at 1015 pm

95 times faster than last night

Where the feck is THAT? Its not Oranmore, I'll tell you that...

d31b0y

It's North Wexford. I am on the same mast.
After two weeks of crap speeds after 8, last night was a different story (click for full size) ;


They were 'working on the network' yesterday afternoon. Seems to have worked... A low of 50mbps. Now let's see if it lasts...


EDIT: Day before for comparison.

d31b0y

Pelvis wrote: »

Did he ask you to blow on the cable?

Make sure you straighten the cable out as much as possible too. The 0's usually travel just fine, but the 1's can get stuck on a sharp bend. :pac:

dashoonage

Lads this has probably been asked somewhere in the 6000 odd posts but do imagine provide a fixed IP ?

xxyyzz

d31b0y wrote: »

It's North Wexford. I am on the same mast.
After two weeks of crap speeds after 8, last night was a different story (click for full size) ;


They were 'working on the network' yesterday afternoon. Seems to have worked... A low of 50mbps. Now let's see if it lasts...


EDIT: Day before for comparison.

I think must be redirecting some of my bandwidth in your direction.