Ping/Latency issues with O2 access, need to move ISP

ScarySquirrel

ScarySquirrel

ScarySquirrel

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Hi all,

I have been on O2 Access (because our exchange is not LLU enabled) for a few weeks now.

At first it seemed great, download speed was acceptable and pings when playing games, day or night, were good.

Over the past few nights I have noticed that pings in the evening are considerably higher. I can't get anything less than 150 when playing games like Battlefield 2 and Call of Duty, and pinging bbc.co.uk brings back similar results.

After a bit of a search it seems this is a common problem between 5:30pm - 3am on O2 Access. As far as I am concerned, this is unacceptable and so I would like to move to another, less congested, ISP.

I think BT might be the only other better option, but surely as O2 are just using the BT line it will be just as bad? Or will BT have access to more equipment at my exchange? (I know this probably is a very non technical way of putting that question but I am not particularly savvy with ISPs etc.)

Thanks in advance.
 
do a search on adsl24, it will bring up a few threads and include other non llu services.

mostly depend on what sort of monthly download limit you need.

be intersting to see what you do as i've had the same problems with o2 for a while, just waiting for the contract to expire.
 
Ok cool, I just want a decent ping after 5pm. It was fine for a while but as I am in my first 30 days I want to change now if possible rather than have to wait a year.
 
ScarySquirrel said:
Ok cool, I just want a decent ping after 5pm. It was fine for a while but as I am in my first 30 days I want to change now if possible rather than have to wait a year.
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yeah deffo get out now rather than after the 30 days.

adsl24 offer a 1month contract from what i've seen on their site, so should be worth a look/trial for a month at least giving you more time to check out other options if needs be.
 
Dont go to Virgin - I'm having same issues and am probably going to pay to get out of the contract as its useless to me!
 
mp260767 said:
yeah deffo get out now rather than after the 30 days.

adsl24 offer a 1month contract from what i've seen on their site, so should be worth a look/trial for a month at least giving you more time to check out other options if needs be.
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How will the switch over be?

I am living with my Mum at the moment, who works from home and so needs a net connection. If I got a MAC from O2 and signed up with ADSL24, what is the process?
Would it be a couple of hours downtime?

EDIT: Just read the FAQ on ADSL24's website. Looks all good to me, just need to convince my Mum this evening!

Looks like I'll need to buy a router as well as O2 will want theirs back. Any recommendations?
 
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i've currently got a netgear 834gt, as it was recommened with 3rd party firmware for o2, might be worth creating a seperate thread for a new router.
 
I think BT might be the only other better option, but surely as O2 are just using the BT line it will be just as bad? Or will BT have access to more equipment at my exchange? (I know this probably is a very non technical way of putting that question but I am not particularly savvy with ISPs etc.)
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You'd still be using BT Wholesale but there are loads of ISPs who do that and the problem you're seeing isn't related to the BTw part of the connection but rather to the ISP's. Changing ISP would almost certainly fix the latency issues.
It's got nothing to do with your exchange and BT Retail don't have any different level of access to O2 at that level - they just spend more money on the network connections between their and the BTw network.
 
tolien said:
You'd still be using BT Wholesale but there are loads of ISPs who do that and the problem you're seeing isn't related to the BTw part of the connection but rather to the ISP's. Changing ISP would almost certainly fix the latency issues.
It's got nothing to do with your exchange and BT Retail don't have any different level of access to O2 at that level - they just spend more money on the network connections between their and the BTw network.
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So are you saying to avoid BT Broadband?
 
No, although it's not a bad idea.

What I'm saying is that if your choice of ISPs "all use BT [Wholesale]", then the issue you're having with O2 will still most likely go away and your choice of ISPs isn't between just O2 or BT Retail.
 
just noticed ukonline do an upto 8mb service for £19.99, but you have to Mandatory Purchase a netgear wireless router for £49.99, may be worth a look as you need a router as well.
 
mp260767 said:
just noticed ukonline do an upto 8mb service for £19.99, but you have to Mandatory Purchase a netgear wireless router for £49.99, may be worth a look as you need a router as well.
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unless you can get their LLU, they're one to avoid as well (admittedly that's only based on a few threads i've seen :p).
 
With any of the Enta resellers it's worth checking with others if your Enta node is any good. Don't know which one covers your area, but wait for some feedback before migrating to them.

If you have a consistent monthly usage limit you can shop around the smaller players that don't use traffic shaping or suffer speed drops. You just got to decide if worth paying a premium for low GB limit for better quality of connection.
 
Well I am being switched over to ADSL24 this Thursday, so I'll let everyone know how it goes.

One bonus is that it is only a month to month contract, so if this is crap, then I can move.

To be honest, I'm not HUGELY fussed about traffic shaping effecting download speeds, I just cannot handle high latency at peak times, as it renders gaming completely pointless!
 
I can guarantee you that ADSL24 is better than o2 access. I made the mistake of switching from ADSL24 to o2 and now I wish I hadn't. I've actually stopped gaming because of it. Once the year is up I think a move back to ADSL24 will be in order.
 
Having identical problems on Access.

I have been on the 02 forum and some people have gotten out of contract (without even paying the £50 cancellation fee) due to the bad service. Just keep calling and emailing constantly.

Why should you be stuck with service that does not deliver? I actually would not mind if 02 halfed my download speed (they actually did worse on Monday night. Capped me at 28kb......) and gave me great pings after 5pm. That would actually be a decent service.

Squirrel, looking forward to reports of peak time pings. ADSL24 might be supplying me to if all is good from your reports. :)
 
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just so ya know squirrel, i've been on adsl24 since monday, had a couple of minor glitches with the ping going over 100, but literally only for a refresh or 2 of the ping in game.

while o2 access was consistantly sitting at 130+ for a whole gaming session.
 
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