

buzz_4_20

join:2003-09-20

Biddeford, ME buzz_4_20 Member Speed Limit The internet doesn't have a "Speed Limit"



What it does have are a bunch of non-competing ISPs that constantly hold back on upgrades to appease investors instead of pushing the envelope and getting great tech out there for future profits.

iansltx

join:2007-02-19

Austin, TX iansltx Member Re: Speed Limit Yep. Particularly since I can get a gigabit-connected virtual server (which is capable of actually delivering gigabit speeds if you tune it right) for $5 per month.



Ryan from TX

@grandenetworks.net Ryan from TX Anon Re: Speed Limit Are you thinking of a Droplet from Digital Ocean?



crazyk4952

Premium Member

join:2002-02-04

united state crazyk4952 Premium Member Re: Speed Limit said by Ryan from TX : Are you thinking of a Droplet from Digital Ocean? Yes.



Randomrandom

@qwest.net Randomrandom to buzz_4_20

Anon to buzz_4_20

Actually, it does- sort of. Each individual website or web service can dictate what rate they send you data. Pretty much every site has a cap. Try actually downloading something at 120 megabytes a second, as a 100gbps connection could allow from a mainstream site. It won't happen. Some sites and services are uncapped, but it's rare. However at least with a 200mph sports car, as Century Link has called it, you could always push up against that limit as much as possible. And the more people pushing against it, the more the cap will be raised.



battleop

join:2005-09-28

00000 1 recommendation battleop Member How far from the truth? "A gigabit-per-second connection is overkill for homes and most businesses, he claims."



Today that's pretty true, I'm sure that will eventually change in the next 4-5 years. I have a lot of customers on 10Mb+ fiber circuits and they don't use more than 20-30% of their circuit. I guess eventually they will make use of them.



"It's like having a fancy sports car," Schmitt says. "It might go 200 miles per hour, but what good does that do if the speed limit is 60?"



I've got 1Gb at my desk at home and work and most sties wont deliver much more than 100Mb at best. Out side of speed test and NNTP most sites are capped on the far end. I'm still looking for a good use of a 1GB circuit.

Joe12345678

join:2003-07-22

Des Plaines, IL Joe12345678 Member Re: How far from the truth? said by battleop: "A gigabit-per-second connection is overkill for homes and most businesses, he claims."



Today that's pretty true, I'm sure that will eventually change in the next 4-5 years. I have a lot of customers on 10Mb+ fiber circuits and they don't use more than 20-30% of their circuit. I guess eventually they will make use of them.



"It's like having a fancy sports car," Schmitt says. "It might go 200 miles per hour, but what good does that do if the speed limit is 60?" more like being on road that in non peak times you can do 70+ but at peak times it can as slow as 5-20



elios

join:2005-11-15

Springfield, MO elios Member Re: How far from the truth? thats called the US 10 freeway in CA lol

iansltx

join:2007-02-19

Austin, TX ·Time Warner Cable

iansltx to battleop

Member to battleop

The nice thing about gigabit at the moment for ISPs is that you can do ridiculous oversubscription ratios, provided you have a few gigs of bandwidth to work with.



If I choose my server provider carefully, I should be able to sustain a gigabit at the far end of the connection. Though I won't sustain it for long since whatever I need to do will get done very quickly. But I can't say for certain since 50M is all I've got here.



battleop

join:2005-09-28

00000 battleop Member Re: How far from the truth? "The nice thing about gigabit at the moment for ISPs is that you can do ridiculous oversubscription ratios,"



At one time not too long ago EPB was feeding their network with a 10GB circuit from Level3 (maybe still but my source for this isn't there anymore). With a few hundred 1Gb customers it would not take very much to bring that network to it's knees IF there was a real need for 1Gb service. They know that there is very little use for 1GB at this time so offering 1Gig isn't that big of a gamble, for now.

jjhall

join:2001-09-06

Caldwell, ID jjhall Member Re: How far from the truth? I remember back in the day Cyberhighway fed the Nampa modem bank with a 56K frame relay. It worked fine most of the time, but this was right before/as streaming audio (via Real... yuck) was starting out.



Oversubscription is fine as long as you properly advertise the bandwidth the customer will actually have available during high-load times, and the pipe size increases when the demand is there for it.



cork1958

Cork

Premium Member

join:2000-02-26 cork1958 to battleop

Premium Member to battleop

"I've got 1Gb at my desk at home and work and most sties wont deliver much more than 100Mb at best. Out side of speed test and NNTP most sites are capped on the far end. I'm still looking for a good use of a 1GB circuit"



Hey!

Give that poster a reward! They can see the obvious!!



michieru

Premium Member

join:2009-07-25

Denver, CO michieru to battleop

Premium Member to battleop

At the end of the day it doesn't matter if I can only go 60mph. If I can say I have a sports car that can go 200mph and I am paying you for that luxury then why not offer it to me?



Yes you are right a Gbps is overkill however in a few years they are going to need to upgrade the network anyway to keep up with demand. Incremental upgrades will only hinder their future growth so why not invest in the infrastructure to at least upgrade the most demanding neighborhoods?



Price and options are two different things and Comcast demonstrates that clearly.



battleop

join:2005-09-28

00000 battleop Member Re: How far from the truth? Incremental upgrades keep costs in check. We could jump everyone to 1Gb+ but are end users willing to pay the expense? EPB spent almost half a BILLION dollars to get under 100k customers with federal grants.



How long do you think even the big boys can sustain that kind of spending in a short period of time to get everyone 1GB that they won't have a need for years to come?



Contrary to what you believe it's a very expensive task to run fiber to every home in America.



michieru

Premium Member

join:2009-07-25

Denver, CO michieru Premium Member Re: How far from the truth? Who says that you need to sell your fiber solution for the same costs of peanuts? You need an ROI so a business that was poorly managed is irrelevant.



Don't confuse options with price. If a business wants fiber and you are telling them "You don't need it" that's a serious problem as an ISP.



In regards to incremental upgrades I was referring to nodes. Are you running T1's to nodes or are you actually running fiber to them? In the long run the cost of fiber would of paid for itself when you can provide residential customers with something better than vanilla dialup or basic DSL. Centurylink can't provide jack because they don't have jack to begin with. Some items actually make sense to overbuild and infrastructure is one of those things.



TAZ

join:2014-01-03

Tucson, AZ TAZ Member So wait... CenturyLink themselves offers residential gigabit connections in Las Vegas and Omaha.



"Oh, you know that product we came out with a few months ago? Yeah, don't buy it, nobody needs it."



Idiots.

existenz

join:2014-02-12 existenz Member Re: So wait... I wonder if they are offering a Gbit 'established connection' but that it's 1Gbit shared for entire neighborhood.



TAZ

join:2014-01-03

Tucson, AZ TAZ Member Re: So wait... If it's actually GPON (as some say, though I'm not 100% convinced because their Calix ONTs can switch between AE and GPON), it's 2.5G/1.25G shared between however many customers are on that PON. In normal GPON deployments, it's usually ~16-32 max in practice, but with such a high upstream contention ratio they could be going a bit lower.

DarnellP

join:2004-10-12

Las Vegas, NV DarnellP to TAZ

Member to TAZ

said by TAZ: CenturyLink themselves offers residential gigabit connections in Las Vegas and Omaha. where because they sure don't like to tell. Wherever it is, the footprint must be pretty small still. Yeah, about that .While they supposedly offer gigabit service here in Las Vegas, for the life of me I haven't been able to figure out exactlybecause they sure don't like to tell. Wherever it is, the footprint must be pretty small still.



jgkolt

Premium Member

join:2004-02-21

Avon, OH 1 edit jgkolt Premium Member CenturyLink They may say 1 gbps is too fast but i would like to get more than 35mbps with fiber on CenturyLink

existenz

join:2014-02-12 2 recommendations existenz Member Re: CenturyLink I'd rather pay $70 for Google Gbit and only get 200Mbps for each in the household and not have to worry about anyone interfering with each other than pay $100+ for 100-300Mbit as offered by others.



It's not really about the max capability as much as not having to worry multiple devices interfering with each other in household.

dmelling

join:2009-02-26

New Paris, OH dmelling Member Trust them? Obviously they do not think I need any internet service either.....because they can not tell me what year it may possibly be available!



kataan

Premium Member

join:2003-04-22

Greenacres, WA kataan Premium Member Re: Trust them? Well I got the same crap from them for 15 years. I finally was DSL available in 2005 albeit at 768/384. Unfortunately, it has not gotten any faster. I think I will stick with Comcast.



anon4fites

@rr.com 1 recommendation anon4fites Anon North Carolina fiber-for-all Here in North Carolina we had four different companies bury fiber during the past three or so years. They had to keep the process relatively quiet, since the incumbents (read: Time Warner) was sure to put up a fight in the courtroom and legislature. AT&T and TWC both made the deal where AT&T would only offer 1.5mbps and Time Warner would offer "up to" 50 mbps, rendering them the only viable ISP in town (North Raleigh). Of course, TWC dropped their wireless service offerings in a hurry. Time Warner was also distracted trying to pass legislation that prevented cities from installing their own fiber network (and they were successful).



The next month and a half should be interesting for Raleigh, NC as another player, RST Fiber, will begin deploying 802.11ac APs and FTTH/FTTP. Maybe we won't have to convince Time Warner Cable that hey, we really do have an issue with our internet!



rgdjfdjs

@sbcglobal.net rgdjfdjs Anon Re: North Carolina fiber-for-all How? AT&T gives me 46 mbps on U-Verse ITB

shrraga

join:2012-07-22 shrraga Member Re: North Carolina fiber-for-all DSL



FarmerBob

join:2000-12-21

Littleton, CO 54.7 57.1

Calix 716GE-I

1 recommendation FarmerBob Member They're dying in my area . . . There are grass shacks in China that have better and cheaper Internet than we do here in the U.S. Last weekend I moved 4 more households in my area to cable, that is really jumping since Google Fiber signed on with our city, a big base for Qwest/CL. We have the Educational Fiber trunk one block away. So the tech is in the area. I'm seeing in the 34 newly announced Google Fiber cities CL and Comcast are both upping the standard. Too bad they are not doing it because they want and not because they have to. Comcast is raising subscribers to the next level for free for the second time in two years. Mostly first in Google Fiber cities. So they are concerned, whether they say so or not.



JohnCC

join:2005-12-19

none JohnCC Member Re: They're dying in my area . . . CenturyLink is garbage in the area I last stayed at. It was hilariously bad that when it snowed, the internet speeds would become erratic and exhibit packet loss. I have never had to use DSL in my life after only using cable and fiber. This type of thing is unacceptable to me and many others in this day and age. You can only go so far to keep old technology alive.



This company is only alive in places like there because you can't get anything else. They'll never upgrade to a fiber network because they don't have the resources to do so and will probably be dead in the distant future or sold off to the next bidder.

devolved

join:2012-07-11

Rapid City, SD devolved Member Re: They're dying in my area . . . I continue to get mailers from CenturyLink twice a month, offering 12mbps internet. I chuck those mailers in the trash.



bmccoy

join:2013-03-18

Port Orchard, WA bmccoy Member CenturyDink, CenturyStink CenturyStink is basically telling everyone everyone in my area "screw you, 1.5Mbps is more than you'll ever need, and we'll never need to upgrade any equipment, period."

tabernak4

join:2013-08-10 tabernak4 Member This is really a complaint? "there was no fiber until we moved in"



I really don't see the issue with that, that guy sounds a bit like a whiner. Outside of that, I don't see why companies such as CenturyLink aren't willing to sell speeds we want, regardless of need. Most people driving sports cars never get the full use out of them, yet the manufacturers love the margins they get from those customers.



As more people have fast connections available, they will find new ways to use that. I realize content providers are afraid of speeds comparable to LAN speeds, as suddenly friends can share their media without any real effort, but I don't see why true ISPs care.

masterbinky

join:2011-01-06

Carlsbad, NM masterbinky Member Careful what you wish for? Centurylink may decide to play the 'you got what you wanted' card and still give a regretable service. How? How about a gigabit connection...that's only gigabit inside their network. So you're still only allotted a 5mbps slice of their external connection, oh! and throw in a latency of 500ms on that hop too. Then they'd say, 'See, you got that gigabit connection, but it's not what you wanted right?' and go on to claim no one needs better service.



fg8578

join:2009-04-26

San Antonio, TX fg8578 Member The people want copper POTS Just ask TURN in California. They don't want fiber because it is supposedly less reliable. Commenters on DSLR have said the same thing.

bighorn1

Premium Member

join:2004-06-19

BD, CA 116.2 11.2

1 recommendation bighorn1 Premium Member Re: The people want copper POTS said by fg8578: Just ask TURN in California. They don't want fiber because it is supposedly less reliable. Commenters on DSLR have said the same thing. For those who only need wired phone service, yes, POTS (still) is more reliable than other alternatives.



Yucca Servic

join:2012-11-27

Rio Rancho, NM Yucca Servic Member The crystal ball I'm thinking CenturyLink as a provider has it's days limited. I see an end of days coming maybe not very soon but eventually. CL does not have the support or resources to bring the obsolete technology to a competing level. I wonder how may people called today to disconnect their services?



Tivon

join:2008-10-31

Tallahassee, FL Tivon Member Re: The crystal ball Anytime I read the words, "You Don't Need", I am reminded of all those businesses that have failed. They must be in denial to think they know what is best for all of us.



One example, 3dfx said, "you don't need more than 60 fps", "you don't need more than 16-bit color." And for some of us, we know how that ended and it was with Nvidia buying them out.



The truth of the matter is, a lot of people want fiber, even if they will never use that much speed. I know I want fiber and I'm sure you want it as well. If Google would provide me fiber in my town I would drop CenturyLink and go with them. It's a simple matter of providing what the people want or be crushed by the competition.



I asked the question.. "Fiber?" and the Magic 8 Ball said.. "Maybe." XD

Coolbrz

join:2002-12-16

Kane, PA Coolbrz Member Sports car = Sedan The sports car analogy always makes me laugh. While true that I dont need to or cant drive 200mph (yet), if you are going to offer me a choice between a sports car (Google Fiber) versus a Minivan (CL) for the same price or actually less $/Meg , then i would be an idiot not to take the sports car. Faster speeds for the same price as the sedan.



With my sports car, I can not only support alot more devices now, i can also go faster in the future when the highways support it.



MathMaddox

@comcastbusiness.net MathMaddox Anon Re: Sports car = Sedan I think a commuter train would be a better analogy.



Would you rather take a 200mph bullet train or a 35 mph commuter train to work? Sure maybe one costs more, but give us an option!

bbscript

join:2004-11-09

Waynesboro, PA bbscript Member end of pots i give it less than 4yrs till fcc pulls the plug on pots neways,.

the analog days are over.



either upgrade to fiber or have no service. plain and simple.

xthepeoplesx

join:2013-10-21 xthepeoplesx Member If CenturyLink would get off their lazy asses... If they would get off their lazy asses and fix their "bandwidth exhaust" in the midwest so I can get my 9mbps that I am paying for instead of the crap 80kbps that I have now, then I could take these clowns seriously.

nutcr0cker

join:2003-04-02

Chandler, AZ nutcr0cker Member They would be successful in Arizona with the most corrupt legislature They would be successful in Arizona with the most corrupt legislature in the entire nation. The best part is that they would get what they want for 1/20 the money they spent in Idaho

lcornejo

join:2014-03-20 33.7 8.5

Netgear CM600

Turris Omnia

lcornejo Member it's the latency stupid some people forget that an all fiber network should also reduce latency (assuming its well run, i.e. no bufferbloat).



Imagine grandma, not having to get to the docs office and wait, but instead the docs/nurses can have a first visual exam/interview (all with a 4k camera that can zoom right into her eyes) before asking her to get to the office.



Or your daughter can take an art class from home. Or piano lessons for that matter.



Build it, and the apps will come. We don't "need" it because it hasn't been invented yet.

devolved

join:2012-07-11

Rapid City, SD devolved Member To use his sports car analogy To use his sports car analogy, in this market, CenturyLink is only capable of allowing their customers to go 15 mph instead of 60 mph.

tmc8080

join:2004-04-24

Brooklyn, NY tmc8080 Member how about a challenge? Centurylink should pick ONE city and upgrade it to FTTP and study it's viability for new locations and/or adjacent expansion. TOO often this company says what that CAN NOT or WILL NOT DO... it's time they start being FOR something to bring gigabit broadband to at least SOME of their customers in the southwest who currently do not have it!!



AFAIK this company deployed less than 5k customers with fiber (capable of 1gigabit symmetric) in their entire footprint (if someone had better data let me know) This company is light-years beyond PUT UP OR SHUT UP on this issue!





devolved

join:2012-07-11

Rapid City, SD devolved Member Re: how about a challenge? It always seems that when Google announces a new fiber "neighborhood", CenturyLink is the first to complain.



All that time and energy whining could be better spent building out.