Forum Discussion

dhorwath's avatar
dhorwath
Sophomore
8 years ago

Slow speeds only in prime time hours

I see there's other complaints but I'm not sure what was resolved with this issue.  I have the 15mg plan, using the HT1100 modem.  In the mornings I get 20+ download speeds using testmy.net.  Afternoo...
  • dhorwath's avatar
    dhorwath
    8 years ago

    Amanda has been working on my issue behind the scenes, so I thought I'd come on and mention that we are working through it.  The result is that I'll be switching to Gen 5 on a lower data plan than what I currently have.  With the compression of data on streaming that is used on Gen 5, I should be able to stay within the 30g.  Even if I go over 30g the throttled speed is better than what I have today so it's a no-brainer.

    thanks Amanda!

dhorwath's avatar
dhorwath
Sophomore

ok I thought this was a forum where problems can be solved, maybe it's not.  I've heard plenty from those on this board that choose to post in defense of the Hughesnet company, and it's your perogative to post here.  However, I'm more interested in what the admins like Amanda and Liz have to say about my issue and with what can be done.  I don't know if you're having the same issue as I am, but for me, I am beyond frustrated to be locked into a 2 year commitment where the company has not held up their end of the bargain.  

rlucken's avatar
rlucken
Sophomore
8 years ago

dhorwath,

Amen sir!

I would be willing to put money that several of the people "posting" on here are hughesnet employee's.  It sounds like you and I are in the same boat.  I work for a ISP but happen to live in the country where they are unavailable.  Isp's have issues.  Sometimes they are quick fixes and sometimes they are more complicated.  Satelight internet is bound to have more issues due to the technology.....I get it. I get all of it.

With that said the customer service and lack of attention I have gotten from hughesnet has been nothing short of horrific.  If I had a customer tell me my story and the things I have been told by different reps I would be so embarrassed.  Another 2 year contract to solve a issue that they created.  And more money to boot??? 

I am sorry you are not getting better help.  I have not either.  This community board is nothing more than a way to string customers out in hopes they can get another month out of them. 

 

I gave Hughesnet net every opportunity to do something, anything for me.  I have now logged complaints with the Fedral communciations commision and the Better business bureau.  

 

Good luck to you and your continued fight.

  • C0RR0SIVE's avatar
    C0RR0SIVE
    Associate Professor
    8 years ago

    rlucken,

    If you have filed complaints with those agencies, you will recieve responses with in the time alloted by each agency.

    As for "to solve a issue that they created", I would like to know how Hughesnet created this issue?  It is a known fact for any satellite provider to be profitable, they have, and MUST oversell the service and impose data caps to help stave off the impending congestion.  I am sorry you feel they created an issue and should bend over backwards and not make you sign a contract to help them pay off a new satellite system, but they aren't here as a non-profit.  They do have to make money, and they must recover costs.  The only way to do that is by one, having people commit for a minimum time period to a service, regardless of if they are past present, or a future customer.  Two, they must oversell the system.

    Or would you have been happier to have been told, "sorry, but we can't provide you any service what so ever" when trying to find a new ISP, like VSAT does?

    Just to be blunt, this will happen every time a system becomes overloaded and a new system is brought online to help alleviate the issue.  Happened going from HN7000 to SpacewayIII, and happened going from SpacewayIII to Jupiter One, and it's happening again going from Jupiter One to Jupiter II.  

    As far as the whole, "I would be willing to put money that several of the people "posting" on here are hughesnet employee's" statement...  The only direct employees here are Moderators and Administrators.  There are a few independent installers such as gokartergo24 and El Dorado Network that post here, but aside from that, the rest of us are typical customers.

    • dhorwath's avatar
      dhorwath
      Sophomore
      8 years ago

      Mr. Corrosive,

       

      Overselling the network is understandable, as you say.  I can accept the fact that it is going to happen.  Glad to hear that Hughesnet is making profits.  The thing that makes me frustrated is that they have a new satellite.  Those of us that have had speed issues for 5+ months in my case, should automatically get moved to it and not expect to pay more or start over on a contract.  Seems reasonable to me.

      If I was getting the speeds that you are, you never would have seen or heard from me at all.  I would have been happy with my service and renewing it at the end of 2 years.  I'm not one of those nerd types sitting around in my boxers all day checking in on bulletin boards and coming down on others.  Until you have gone 5+ months with 1mg or less speed after expecting at least 15 or 60% of 15 at night which is what I was sold, you have nothing to bring to the post I started back in January.

      • Gwalk900's avatar
        Gwalk900
        Honorary Alumnus
        8 years ago
        dhorwath wrote:

        Mr. Corrosive,

         

        I'm not one of those nerd types sitting around in my boxers all day checking in on bulletin boards and coming down on others.

        dhorwath,

        There are a number of long time HughesNet users that post regularly here in the Community in an effort to help our fellow users. For many issues we can offer work arounds that can get a user up and ruuning in the period between when an issue is first posted and when a Mod is able to address the problem in an oficial manner.

        We also help the process along by asking questions or posting procedures that we know the Mods will ask so that the users problem is at least partly framed up when the Mods do get to the users post.

        We regulars, unlike the lower teir support folks actually use this equipment daily.

        There are many reasons for slow speeds and we try to help eliminate the ones that we as long term fellow users, 13 years in my case, know can effect your performance. Over crowding or other Gateway related issues willl be what is left after all other items are eliminated.

        It is a process of elimination. In some cases its not Hughes related at all but instead is rooted in a router configuration or adaptor setting.

         

        I understand your frustration and I agree with your statement that Hughes could have, should have, done more to make your service work much better than it does even if it meant a 'sweetheart' upgrade.

        I have to say though that I find your above quoted comment to a fellow user to be  ..... less than civil.

         

    • bkeeper1's avatar
      bkeeper1
      Junior
      8 years ago

      I live in the rural area outside a small town. Several years ago an alternative to satellite internet (Hughes and their competitor) appeared on the scene - wireless internet and a tower just down the road from me. Unfortunately at the time they could not offer the speed I needed - so I stayed with Hughes.  When the current problems with Hughes started (speed at primetime hours), I called them to see if they had improved the speed on their system --and they yes they had.  However, they were not putting any new customers on the local tower.  To go on their system you had to go on a waiting list.  I was told that they would not overbook, because they wanted to keep their current customers happy - and overbooking was only doing damage to all. 

      This company started out literally in a barn -the idea of one man.  Today they serve over 400 cities and towns, with locations in Missouri, Illinois, Texas, and 31 other states.

      And yes - there is a long waiting list!

      Just thought you might like to know that an Internet company does not have to neglect their current customers in order to be profitable.

      Bkeeper

      • Gwalk900's avatar
        Gwalk900
        Honorary Alumnus
        8 years ago
        bkeeper1 wrote:

         

        Just thought you might like to know that an Internet company does not have to neglect their current customers in order to be profitable.

        Bkeeper

        Ground based ISP's are able to build, repair and expand their systems as demand grows. When they invest in a piece of equipment they can use it year after year. If a fiber-optic cable is layed to supply service to an area or as a backhaul to a cellular tower they will be able to utilize that investment for decades to come.

         

        It was said the Echostart 17 had a price tag of about $500 million dollars. Many more $$$ were spent for launch and insurance costs. To that is added the costs of building and maintaining the 17 or so Gateways and 2 NOC's.

        The issue is that despite very high costs, that satellite can not be repaired, it can not be expanded and it only has a service lifespan of about 15 years  before it must be replaced. No building up upon previous investments here.

         

        I haven't heard any numbers of Echostar 19 but I have read the that Exede's soon the launch ViaSat-2 had a cost of about $625 million dollars for the satellite and about $107 million more for insurance and launch services.

         

        These satellites take years to build, launch providers can be another issue.

        Trying to fold the new equipment into the Gateway network system can have some bumps in the road as we are seeing with the introduction of ES19.

        I think that profitability line is much thinner than we think.