I think I know what to do about Slow Speeds . . .

[ageofpiece]

Definitely been having some issues with slow speed during certain times of the day. I live in the mountains of Colorado and I’m used to around 1mbps with my standard non satellite service. Below that is not acceptable. My modem is new, my dish is unobstructed, and I have remaining data. Also the weather is clear. If you’re facing slow internet with all the same variables do what I did! Call the support line 866 347 3292. If you can’t bother with a robot like me, immediately start saying “Technical Support” in a clear voice until it recognizes the command. It will give you a list of prompts and you can say “slow internet”. Then they connect you to some poor person who has to bare the frustration of someone who is having their internet throttled. Please be kind,Be patient with them, answer their questions and watch your internet speed return to a sub optimal speed. I suspect that the bandwidth Hughes net can afford to offer its customers can’t possibly be 25mbps to all customers simultaneously. I assume this is a infrastructure issue on their end. But if you’re a thorn in their side they will help. I found their customer service to be adequate if you know how to navigate it. Hope this helps.

[maratsade]

Calling tech support is helpful only to a certain extent, because the phone reps are Tier 1 and can only do so much. Posting the issue to this community is a much better approach, as the HN reps in this community have a direct line to the network engineers, and if the speed issue is on HN's side, they can often fix it.  Unfortunately, speed issues can also be on the subscriber's side of the modem, which can be frustrating as many subscribers have limited technical knowledge and don't understand why they're having problems and why they are being asked to do troubleshooting on their side. 

Subscribers should first check  the system control center to make sure there are no state codes other than 0.0.0.  If the code is 0.0.0, this means the equipment is working and this points to a problem with devices, hardware, software, usage, number of users, time of day, and many other variables.  If there are codes other than 0.0.0, those indicate issues. 

To have speed issues addressed in this community, subscribers will first need to follow the procedure detailed here: https://community.hughesnet.com/t5/Tech-Support/Think-you-have-slow-speeds/m-p/110034#M74607

[ageofpiece]

Thanks for getting back to me. I’m skeptical the issue of slow internet can be expediently addressed via this forum. Perhaps the change I saw in my speeds after the call was coincidence? Also the added url where we have to compile our speeds over a period of time to me is not acceptable, pardon me for saying so. This seems a way to pass off addressing the issue. What we pay for is 25mbps. That’s what we should get.

[GabeU]

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@ageofpiece wrote:
I’m skeptical the issue of slow internet can be expediently addressed via this forum. Perhaps the change I saw in my speeds after the call was coincidence?  

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Nobody said it was coincidence.  Nor did anyone say that people can't get help via a phone rep.  Plenty of people do.  It's just that the help here tends to be better, especially when an issue is more involved.  Tier 1 reps who are reading from a screen vs corporate reps who have been with the company for years and have direct access to the engineers.  Your issue was likely a simple, quick fix.  I'll forgive your naivety when it comes to this support community.

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@ageofpiece wrote:
Also the added url where we have to compile our speeds over a period of time to me is not acceptable, pardon me for saying so. This seems a way to pass off addressing the issue.  

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The testing protocol is a way to first, establish the issue, and second, give the reps and engineers pertinent info.  It's a troubleshooting tool, not a way to "pass off addressing the issue".   SMH.

"If you're working with us in the community or social media, only testmy.net results are accepted to be considered for escalation to corporate engineering."  -  Did you happen to miss that part?  

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@ageofpiece wrote:
What we pay for is 25mbps. That’s what we should get.

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Yes, you do, but that doesn't mean speed won't fluctuate, and 25Mbps is not guaranteed.

[ageofpiece]

I’ll try and reach out to support within the forums in the future. If tech support is as quick to get back to me as you’ve been to respond it seems like a good option, although could do with less attitude. Didn’t encounter than over phone tech support. Secondly, Gabe; having customers “run a set of 3-5 tests per day during different parts of the day” hardly seems like addressing why speeds are like maybe 500kbps in the moment. I called because I wanted speed now. That protocol is to do what, establish the obvious that speeds are slower during high traffic times? I don’t even need the 25mbps I could deal with 5 even. And I’ll forgive you for getting seemingly upset over this.

[GabeU]

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@ageofpiece wrote:
although could do with less attitude. Didn’t encounter than over phone tech support. Secondly, Gabe; having customers “run a set of 3-5 tests per day during different parts of the day” hardly seems like addressing why speeds are like maybe 500kbps in the moment.  

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I apologize for the bit of attitude, but few of your comments are somewhat insulting.  

Secondly, the speed tests don't address your speed issues.  They demonstrate the issue and give the reps and/or engineers pertinent info in order to address the speed issue.  When you take your vehicle to a shop because there is a strange noise, they aren't just going to fix it.  They are first going to troubleshoot it. They're going to want to hear the noise.  They're going to want to recreate the noise.  If needed, they're going to want to drive under normal conditions to see if the noise occurs.  This is troubleshooting.  It's not fixing the issue.  It's demonstrating it and gleaning information from it in order to know what steps to take to fix it.  This is what the speed testing protocol does.  It's not "a way to pass off the issue".  It's a step to get the issue addressed.  This is a support community, not a "pass off the issue" community. 

Good day to you.

[spydermike]

I hear you ageofpiece...I just had two months of testing everything with the assumption it was my side of the issue.  After many many many hours it became apparent that it was their side of the issue - an overloaded beam - with no resolution.  It becomes an obvious question, to me anyway, that, based on location, shouldn't they be able to tell when the service to an area is compromised due to overcrowding and just state so?  Isn't the traffic on each beam monitored for performance?  If it isn't....what?

[maratsade]

Perhaps we should let them do their jobs and not guess at what they should or should not be able to do/not do.

spydermike wrote:

houldn't they be able to tell when the service to an area is compromised due to overcrowding and just state so?  Isn't the traffic on each beam monitored for performance?  If it isn't....what?

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[spydermike]

Perhaps? Nice try.

So, you are suggesting that we should be content that they are "doing their jobs" and we are getting 0.5Mbps?

With all due respect, you get 30Mbps down don't you? That must be really nice. Perhaps you should consider what it is like to live in my area and be forced to change your lifestyle - like icing on a COVID cake. Maybe then you would appreciate where I am coming from with my recent posts and my search for answers.

Look, I am seeking some help from a system that doesn't seem to give it beyond the very very cursory. If there is overloading and oversubscribing, why not help us manage it? Now that would be "service", wouldn't it?

I hear you though...that seems to be the answer so far - just suck it up and be thankful for what we have.

Stay safe. Peace out.

[maratsade]

"So, you are suggesting that we should be content that they are "doing their jobs" and we are getting 0.5Mbps?"

I am not.

[spydermike]

we are in agreement then.

[maratsade]

"we are in agreement then."

Did not say that either. 

[Michael57]

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@spydermike wrote:

It becomes an obvious question, to me anyway, that, based on location, shouldn't they be able to tell when the service to an area is compromised due to overcrowding and just state so?  Isn't the traffic on each beam monitored for performance?  If it isn't....what?

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Agreed, this has been one of my frustrations as well.  That information is definitely known.  I can appreciate the reality and challenges of satellite based internet and the need to run a business for Hughes, but that doesn't excuse the lack of transparency in my mind.

I've never called phone support about my internet, but I did have an issue with my Hughes phone service that I got resolved through phone support.  It was a perfectly fine experience.  That said, when you get a Mod engaged here on an issue, that you definitely have someone with deep access which can be vital for some of the more challenging issues.  Both support channels have their strengths and weaknesses.  

[spydermike]

I understand and agree...over the 17 some odd years of being a "customer" I have engaged them multiple times per year it seems - back when it was phone only...now with this site.   I recognize the trends in responses.  

[maratsade]

Phone support was underwhelming back in the days of DirecWay. It's come a very long way since then. I've been mostly pleased with the experience. 

[maratsade]

It may indeed have been a coincidence. As for the testing, they need to know what's happening on your side of the modem. Since they don't live with you, they expect you to do some troubleshooting. So would other ISPs; it's a common practice because the techs don't live with the subscribers and can only see their side of the equation. 

ageofpiece wrote:
Thanks for getting back to me. I’m skeptical the issue of slow internet can be expediently addressed via this forum. Perhaps the change I saw in my speeds after the call was coincidence? Also the added url where we have to compile our speeds over a period of time to me is not acceptable, pardon me for saying so. This seems a way to pass off addressing the issue. What we pay for is 25mbps. That’s what we should get.

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[GabeU]

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@ageofpiece wrote:
I suspect that the bandwidth Hughes net can afford to offer its customers can’t possibly be 25mbps to all customers simultaneously. I assume this is a infrastructure issue on their end.  

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It's a capacity issue.  There is no way possible to ensure that every customer has plan speed at any given time, as there simply isn't enough bandwidth available to support it.  As well, system load varies from beam to beam and gateway to gateway, so experiences can differ from one area to another.  The higher the load at a given time, the lower the bandwidth available to each subscriber.  

Unfortunately, unlike ground based services, there's no easy way to increase system capacity.

Barring weather and technical issues, the only way to ensure that every subscriber would receive 25Mbps at any given time is to greatly restrict their number and charge a much higher price, which would be required in order to remain a viable company.  It would be a service only for the well to do.

Edit:  Again, that's barring technical issues, which is what people normally end up coming here to get help with.

[bread4u]

I just tested my speed 3 times, average of 593 kbps! Perfectly sunny, dry day, 3:25pm. I've called numerous times over the last year, nobody is capable of ( or cares about ) solving the problem. Time to call Viasat

[maratsade]

LOL. You'll be so disappointed. 

[Michael57]

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@bread4u wrote:

I just tested my speed 3 times, average of 593 kbps! Perfectly sunny, dry day, 3:25pm. I've called numerous times over the last year, nobody is capable of ( or cares about ) solving the problem. Time to call Viasat

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@bread4u I see this is your first post here.  If you are getting 593kbps on speed tests, that may indicate a problem beyond congestion, so there may be ways to get it addressed and improved.  If I were you, I would head over to the Tech Support board and follow the instructions for posting speed tests and a Mod there may be able to help.  That is one of the issues where this board can be more helpful than phone support.