Digital Region Question

[ftm1 10]

hi there

 

has anyone who is using Digital Region picked an ISP that isn't RipWire? and if so how is it going?

 

my local cabinet is now live but it appears that my only option is RipWire

 

any help would be appreciated

[Buggz 10]

Unfortunately Ripwire are the only isp that is doing residential packages at the moment. The others are only providing packages for student residents and Businesses I believe. And just in case you haven't seen it there is a thread dedicated to Digital Region: http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=640467

[jeppers 10]

Hi,

 

Along with Ripwire, Ask4 (fast.ask4.com) are taking residential orders, as are Origin Broadband (origin-broadband.co.uk) who are a new start up.

 

Rich

[Swampster 10]

I've being trying to get connected with Origin Broadband, but unfortunately this whole Digital Region malarky is proving to be a total farce as far as I'm concerned. I'll point out at this point that it isn't/wasn't Origin's problem that's preventing my connection at present, but rather on the network/management side.. i.e DRL/Thales imo.

 

Brief run-down..

December 2010, after seeing a green DRL cab stuck up around the corner a couple of months prior I approached Ripwire to ask about provision.. few checks, yeah great I can get it. Order MAC from current ISP... <insert Xmas & New Year>

 

Jan 2011, contacted by Ripwire.. 'oh sorry it's not available yet' please come back once it is...

 

Jan 2011, Fire off e-mail to DRL (because their postcode checker doesn't work) to enquire what the situation is.. 'oh it'll be up and running by the End of March' came the reply.

 

March 2011, DRL fix their postcode checker.. enter details.. Available July 2011 Fire off e-mail to DRL.. 'erm nope July 2011 is wrong, it'll be ready by June 2011 at the latest, and we're trying to push some forward into May'

 

Some random time towards the end of April 2011, bored and try the DRL postcode checker.. 'CONGRATULATIONS! You will be able to get superfast broadband by April 2011' was (and still is the response).

 

Whoopeee thinks I, and sets about deciding which ISP to choose...I see the above post from jeppers and look into Origin Broadband.

 

May 2011, contact Origin, few checks done.. yep I'm good to go, get another MAC code from BT, fill in the relevent forms etc.. and wait (10 day approx apparently).

 

One week, later Origin calls... 'oh err, sorry you can't get DR broadband yet' your cab isn't connected to the network' 'It'll be connected in July 2011'.

 

Talk about total incompetence.. it's like left and right arm don't have a clue about the existence of one another, let alone what each is doing! Even now the postcode checker says I can get it...

 

I had doubts about this whole 'municipal' thing back when it was first announced but thought I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. But the length of time it's taken to get off the ground coupled with how it appears to be being run (or not), and now with BT moving into the area with their own FTTC product, the lack of any nationally recognised ISP's doesn't take a great deal of imagination to believe that us SY residents are going to be left with a soon to be outdated, and very expensive white-elephant.

[jeppers 10]

Swampster, I'm very sorry you've had a bit of a painful time trying to get on the network, I'll look into this first thing tomorrow morning. No excuses for the lack of consistent answers, this will be resolved.

 

If you would like me to give you a call to apologise (and for you to rant at!) pm me your number and I'll give you a call whenever is convenient, this evening included!

 

Rich

[Swampster 10]

Thanks for the response jeppers, a phone call isn't really necessary.. if it's not available it's not available. A definitive answer as to when it will be would be appreciated however, and some explanation as to the apparent lack of any coherent information wouldn't go amiss either. Why has the date slipped so much? The cab ( has been in situ for quite a few months now, it sits there merrily humming away teasing me as I walk past!

[Swampster 10]

jeppers, are you getting my pm? not sure if it's working I've sent 2 msgs but it says' there's nothing in my sent box :/

[Swampster 10]

I noticed as I drove past that there was a bloke working on the DR cab, and in the adjacent PCP on friday, looked like he was fibre splicing. As I still haven't heard anything, I guess I'll have to assume that is actually going to be July at the earliest that this cab is going to be active...

[Swampster 10]

Yay got my Cellpipe yesterday... finally going to be switched on to DR on Monday via Origin Broadband..

 

Will be interesting to compare before and afters..

BT Broadband 21CN - upto 20 Mb

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1428124378.png

[Deano_uk 10]

Will be interesting to hear how you get on with DR, i've just signed up with Ask4 just to be different.....

[Swampster 10]

Well I got all Digital Regioned up today.. via Origin Broadband, been a bit of a bumpy ride throughout the day, but it looks like things are starting to pick up. I have to say, the guys at Origin have been nothing but helpful.. and on that side of things so far so good!

 

Started off this morning, not actually knowing the exact time the switchover from BT Broadband to Origin was going to happen.. it was in an Openreach Engineer's hands.

 

Luckily, it seems he got to work early and never decided to go for a Bacon butty somewhere.. the old DSL router was showing no service when I got up this morning.. so I quickly plugged in the cellpipe. Anyway, after a bit of too-ing and fro-ing on the phone with Origin, I was finally able to get online (soo impatient ). In all honestly my connectivity was down for a matter of 2 hours on the outside.

 

So obviously the first thing one does with a new broadband provider.. hit the speedtests.

 

Have to say I was initially disappointed, with wildly fluctuating speeds being indicated.. down to as low as 1Mbs, and this was across a whole ballpark of different speedtesters to rule out outright routing/test node issues.

 

So a few more telephone calls, and more testing throughout the day where I'm pleased to say things appear to have improved. The speeds still seem a little bit erratic, but they're getting into the area where I'd expect them to be..

 

http://speedtest.net/result/1434217376.png

http://speedtest.net/result/1434224269.png

http://www.pingtest.net/result/45320866.png

 

However tests to Thinkbroadband are still way below what I'd expect.. and been consistently 'poor' all day. I can only assume there's some dodgy routing going on there.. or the site is playing up today, Tracert doesm't show anything untoward.

 

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/button/131343765594912829307.png

 

As this is a 40/10 connection, I'm a little bit disappointed with the up speed.. expecting it to be a little closer to 10Mbs.. but then again my up speed is now faster than my previous down speed

 

The guys at Origin have been communicating with me throughout the day, (nice to be able to speak to local people for a change)... and they've been in touch with the Thales to see what my issues are.. they say they're monitoring my connection, and so am I... (so no iffy content for me just yet )

 

It's early days yet, and after a bit of a slow start things look to be improving.. have yet to try it out gaming, see what my average latency is like.. but so far, overall I gotta say I'm pretty impressed

[OriginB 10]

Hi chaps,

 

Origin Broadband also offer the residential service. Email us on [email protected] for more info, an visit our site to see if your area's live yet.

 

We've also got a great referral scheme, so if you take us up on our service, you'll get money off your bills if you pass anyone else on to us.

 

That was all a bit business like wasn't it?