Road Runner Speed Problems

[Konaguy]

I'm curious if there is any Road Runner (specifically Turbo and or Turbo +, 8Mbps/15Mbps) users that have experienced any slow download speeds during peak usage times ?

On my blog, I blogged about some speed discrepancies I've noticed with RR service (especially the service tiers I mentioned).

[LocalMotion]

Re: Road Runner Speed Problems

That's the nature of the RR technology. There is only so much bandwidth that is shared by a node. once you have many users on that node using it at the same time, the bandwidth for each user will decrease. Cable modem service is know for having variants in speed depending on the time of day.

in comparison DSL is a dedicated line back to the central office or RT

[acousticlady]

Re: Road Runner Speed Problems

I heard that this problem is only going to get worse. There are projections that RR could soon be just as slow as dial-up. But this was early morning radio chatter so I don't know how accurate the info is.

[Konaguy]

Re: Road Runner Speed Problems

I've been told on numerous occasions by Oceanic that you should be able to get your rated speed 24/7. Hence why it seems that there is a problem with their interisland bandwidth capacity. Its not the first time this happened. When they rolled out Road Runner here in Kona, they threw 450 customers on to two t-1s .

Aaron

[Pomai]

Re: Road Runner Speed Problems

While we're on RR, Check this out...

My friend's wife recently called Oceanic customer service and asked if they could match Hawaiian Tel's $30 rate for DSL (actually just $20 for the first year!). The customer service rep claimed that Road Runner was faster (5mbs vs. 3 mbs) , and said while they couldn't match the price that low, they offered to knock $10 off the regular $45 monthly charge . So now that's their fixed monthly Road Runner rate.

Shoots, if that's the case, I'm calling them up for that too. That's $120 annual savings!

Actually, upon looking at Hawaiian Telcom's various DSL packages and rates, I just might switch to them. That first year alone would save over me over $300 compared to RR.

Now to do further research in the Hawaiian Telcom DSL thread.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Road Runner Speed Problems

It's true that a lot of retail companies don't offer but have hidden rates. AOL has them, and at places like Home Depot if you are anal about it we can knock off 10% but you'd have to be such an asshole to get it (especially if nothing's wrong with it) or be so inconvenienced by it that we'll feel sorry enough to offer it.

These discounts are tools we can use if the situation deems it necessary. Let's say for example you took off from work at a huge expense because RR said they were coming in the morning. Well at 11:30 you call and they tell you it'll be this afternoon around 5pm. YOu could have been at work earning wages if they had told you earlier that your installation date wasn't scheduled and they had to fit you into today's schedule.

In a situation like that you should demand that you get some kind of discount for their ineptness. Tools of the trade, it's offered but not advertised.

But if you demand a discount for no apparent reason other than to just cheat a company, well that's just wrong and there's a place in this Universe for people like that and unfortunately the customer service there is pretty hellish I'm told

[GeckoGeek]

Re: Road Runner Speed Problems

That's the nature of the RR technology. There is only so much bandwidth that is shared by a node. once you have many users on that node using it at the same time, the bandwidth for each user will decrease.

DSL is not immune. After all, regardless of the technology, it's all shared at some point before it reaches the Internet. I do agree that Cable shares bandwidth as it gets closer to the home then DSL does.

I wish I had more information about the different data rates in the system - like how many RR customers would it take to overload the next level and compare that to DSL.

My friend's wife recently called Oceanic customer service and asked if they could match Hawaiian Tel's $30 rate for DSL (actually just $20 for the first year!). The customer service rep claimed that Road Runner was faster (5mbs vs. 3 mbs) , and said while they couldn't match the price that low, they offered to knock $10 off the regular $45 monthly charge.

It may have changed, but at one point I know they would offer to match DSL's regular price for a year to keep you from switching.