HSDPA Broadand Drop outs - Extremely Frustrating

[CoreyPlover]

Edit: ok I have written a support email to Resolution at Exetel, first try it never got sent as the net was too slow but it has been sent now, well see what they have to say about this situation!

residentialsupport@exetel.com.au is the appropriate email address for support faults.

I also can't log a ticket as I wrote in an earlier thread as my account is came with no support as I never purchased a modem so I don't have a login ID for a support ticket

Support is not contingent on whether or not you purchased a modem. https://helpdesk.exetel.com.au should work for all support faults (although there is an intermittent bug that is currently being investigated) or, as stated above, residentialsupport@exetel.com.au is available for all support needs.

One small question (possibly a very obvious one and I apologise if it is): is your modem negotiating a HSPA connection, or is it dropping back to a GSM connection (check the status bar of the wireless modem software, or the colour of the light on the modem (cyan means HSPA, green means GSM I think)

There is also this recent thread that is a kindly reminder to keep any outrage in check: http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=31986

[monsoon]

Edit: ok I have written a support email to Resolution at Exetel, first try it never got sent as the net was too slow but it has been sent now, well see what they have to say about this situation!

residentialsupport@exetel.com.au is the appropriate email address for support faults.

I also can't log a ticket as I wrote in an earlier thread as my account is came with no support as I never purchased a modem so I don't have a login ID for a support ticket

Support is not contingent on whether or not you purchased a modem. https://helpdesk.exetel.com.au should work for all support faults (although there is an intermittent bug that is currently being investigated) or, as stated above, residentialsupport@exetel.com.au is available for all support needs.

One small question (possibly a very obvious one and I apologise if it is): is your modem negotiating a HSPA connection, or is it dropping back to a GSM connection (check the status bar of the wireless modem software, or the colour of the light on the modem (cyan means HSPA, green means GSM I think)

There is also this recent thread that is a kindly reminder to keep any outrage in check: http://forum.exetel.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=31986

Yes there was a problem with the support ticket system online last time I checked about two weeks ago where I could not log a ticket as there was a bug for HSPA users. Maybe that has been sorted out now?

I was actually talking about Phone Support, I can not use phoe support last time I tried as my user ID/number was not accepeted to log a ticket (because I had the BYOM pack).

I was told I can use option 2 but when I tried that it would not go through and I waited for over 10 minutes (see my last thread) and I also tried the sales line and also waited for over 10 minutes, using up all my mobile phone credits and still never got through, maybe all these things have been fixed now as I had also given all this info in an email?

I just sent my screen shots to support as requested of my line speeds using the exetel speed test over 3 times today.

I also gave them this info:

the modem light right now as I write is blue (continuous) and the bars are 5 which is usually the case although I have seen them drop to 3 or 4 at times.

It says HSPDA Optus at the bottom left of the generic software I have for the modem. I can't see any other details wether it is using GSM etc in this software?

[CoreyPlover]

the modem light right now as I write is blue (continuous) and the bars are 5 which is usually the case although I have seen them drop to 3 or 4 at times.

It says HSPDA Optus at the bottom left of the generic software I have for the modem. I can't see any other details wether it is using GSM etc in this software?

That all indicates it is negotiating a HSPDA connection, so I can only guess that mobile tower congestion may be contributing to your speeds. Any testing you can do at an alternate location would be useful. However keep liaising with Exetel support via email as this is the best means to resolving your issue.

[monsoon]

That all indicates it is negotiating a HSPDA connection, so I can only guess that mobile tower congestion may be contributing to your speeds. Any testing you can do at an alternate location would be useful. However keep liaising with Exetel support via email as this is the best means to resolving your issue.

Ok thanks, yes I have been working with support and I hope to hear back from them Monday after I sent them all my test results. I also found I can change it to use WCDMA Only etc in my software but I had to disconnect it first before those options showed up.

I do have another issue though, last night, very late, I lost my signal completly and I could not get online at all which was very annoying!

[CoreyPlover]

I also found I can change it to use WCDMA Only etc in my software but I had to disconnect it first before those options showed up.

I do have another issue though, last night, very late, I lost my signal completly and I could not get online at all which was very annoying!

If you have it set to WCDMA only, and this signal is not strong enough, then you will not be able to connect at all. Having "WCDMA preferred" is preferrable in these cases, because it will fall back to a GPRS connection if the WCDMA signal is not strong enough. If you ever have issues with losing signal completely, set it back to "WCDMA preferred".
Continue to communicate with Exetel about the throughput speed problems. They will hopefully be able to confirm the cause of it.

But I repeat...yet again...have you tried the HSPA service in a different location (i.e. different suburb and so different mobile tower)?

[monsoon]

If you have it set to WCDMA only, and this signal is not strong enough, then you will not be able to connect at all. Having "WCDMA preferred" is preferrable in these cases, because it will fall back to a GPRS connection if the WCDMA signal is not strong enough. If you ever have issues with losing signal completely, set it back to "WCDMA preferred".
Continue to communicate with Exetel about the throughput speed problems. They will hopefully be able to confirm the cause of it.

But I repeat...yet again...have you tried the HSPA service in a different location (i.e. different suburb and so different mobile tower)?

Yes I did change it to WCDMA preferred as well and even rebooted my laptop and moved it around the house but the signal had gone completely. But this was a one off thing so I'm hoping this does not happen too often as losing your connection is pretty frustrating and especially when it's after hours and no support is available.

But the main ongoing problem is the very slow speeds in peak times....

Yes I tried it in Sydney and it was extremely slow nearly all the times I tried it although in Bondi & Glebe it was a little better.

I will state again that this connection seems to work fine but it's only after 4-5pm till 11pm that is is extremely slow, it drops down so slow most pages don't load now. I even tried the Exetel speed test and I could not get it to load as it was so slow after 6.30pm.

I also sent all the tests results to Exetel support with screenshots of speed tests through the day etc. I sent them an email last night asking why I had still not herd back from them after I went to the trouble of providing all the tests details and screenshots last week. I also sent them more details of further tests but I have still to hear back?

p.s. lucky I copied this post to the clip board before I posted it as my connection was too slow and I got the dead page thing I'm now seeing quite common at this time of day.

[CoreyPlover]

I also sent all the tests results to Exetel support with screenshots of speed tests through the day etc. I sent them an email last night asking why I had still not herd back from them after I went to the trouble of providing all the tests details and screenshots last week. I also sent them more details of further tests but I have still to hear back?

Do you have a ticket number? If so, post it and I'll see what I can do about getting it chased up.

[monsoon]

Do you have a ticket number? If so, post it and I'll see what I can do about getting it chased up.

hi,
Here is the ticket number: Resolution #1260181

I had been communication with Martin Vu although the last message was from Himantha who required more information with ping tests etc and these were sent to him last week.

thanks for looking into this.

[ForumAdmin]

Do you have a ticket number? If so, post it and I'll see what I can do about getting it chased up.

hi,
Here is the ticket number: Resolution #1260181

I had been communication with Martin Vu although the last message was from Himantha who required more information with ping tests etc and these were sent to him last week.

thanks for looking into this.

I've reminded Martin.

[Martin V]

Hello,

The last response was that we've logged this case to the supplier we will update you once we've received further information please let me know if you didn't get that Email.

Martin

[monsoon]

Ok, here is an update I got yesterday:

The tower your service connects to is flagged as congested.

Unfortunately, there is no ETA on the tower receiving an upgrade at this time. You can accept the service as - is, or we can cancel the service for you.

Please advise which you prefer.

Unfortunately there is no other wireless provider in this area that I can use with my modem so I guess I will have to put up with it but it does seem to be getting worse each day, probably as Optus continue to sign up more wireless customers and there are lots of them as I was at the AU post shop the other day and people were nearly queuing up to buy Optus wireless starter packs

thanks to everyone, I realise it is Optus that are really to blame here but please put the pressure on them to add new bandwidth.

[petemoss]

Three weeks ago, I dropped into the local Optus shop, and asked if any towers were burnt out in the bushfires. They informed me that a tower, close to us, was burnt out.

It would have been great if Exetel informed me of this (via Optus of course).

It is since the bushfires that the reception has been very poor, resulting in dropouts, unable to connect, slow speeds, etc, etc.

Obviously, communication between Optus and Exetel needs to be improved.

I'd appreciate a reply to this post, and I still haven't received a reply from Exetel from my email sent on the 4th May.

[petemoss]

No reply to my post, from Exetel.

The time 'wasted' in relation to this matter, could have been avoided, if communication between Optus and Exetel had been sufficient enough, for Optus to inform Exetel that a tower close to us was "not working" at present, or that a tower had specific problems.  There is a Optus tower near us, and I had to go to the local Optus shop, to find out that that tower was destroyed in the bushfires.

Don't Exetel think that communication could be improved ?  Why aren't Optus supplying Exetel with this type of information ? When is the communication between Optus and Exetel going to improve ?

[petemoss]

For some reason, I seem to be getting higher speeds during the last few days, possibly a week at the most.

Did a speed test this afternoon (non-peak period), and it told me 1104.7 kbps ; very good.

[Terebro]

Whats the link for the speed test?