True that, Basically, no matter which ISP you use.. in the end we're all using Maltanet - only with worse support.
Keith On Wed, 2006-01-25 at 18:59 +0100, Noel Pulis wrote: > Hi all, > > I agree with all that you say. The problem in Malta, as I see it, is the > problem of monopoly and shit. I used to work with an ISP too, using Lavander > system which was very good at first. > > After a while Datastream had the idea of starting up the new system of > Stream! Oh well, still people went with other ISPs. Then Datastream decided > to merge with Maltanet, thus killing all ISP with the LM9.99. > > Although it killed them before with the 2Mbit upgrade. Also Datastream > instructed all the ISP's that modem replacements are to be done no more from > the ISPs but if a client of ex. LinuxNET had a modem fault, LinuxNET has to > send the client to replace the modem at MaltaNET! A competitor who literally > used to ask the client if he was happy with the service and offer MaltaNET > services! > > Also at the ISP I used to work offered the client the Activation of line in > 3 Weeks max. One time a client was held 5 Weeks to do a line activation and > then when they confirmed that the line is ready and he can connect..... he > couldn’t (there was a fault in the line). Instead of fixing the line there > and then, they simply told me to open a fault report for him. The client > waited 2 more days to begin using his internet. Now, If you go to MaltaNET > and do a new connection, they either give it to you that day or the day > after. BTW, They used to give me hell when there was a problem at a client. > > The thing to literally change to Vodafone (all ISPs), is not a bad thing. > The problem is that the ISP would still use Datastream infrastructure to get > internet. Another solution is to change to Cable, or the most expensive > solution for an ISP is to rewire all Malta. > > Personally I Disagree with bandwidth limit. I think it should be Unlimited > but the ISP should limit P2P. There is a way to distinguish between Normal > web download(Example ISO's Of Linux, And stuff like that) And the P2P > transfer. > > So, iether MCA, and EU regulators are blind or I, am going crazy. > > > Noel > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On Behalf Of Keith Vassallo > Sent: Wednesday, January 25, 2006 6:04 PM > To: Malta Linux User Group - general list > Subject: Re: [LINUX.ORG.MT] Re: Internet latency times > > Hi Conrad, > > I agree that for people who use the Internet lightly, any local ISP will > provide a good enough Internet service. However, when I mentioned "good > ISP" I was referring to the needs of Graham, which I assumed (correctly) > needed to make heavy use of the service. This is the reason why I doubt > a local ISP will provide him, or myself, with a good enough service for > our needs - unless you're ready to pay of course. I have in fact > contacted several ISPs trying to get on a business connection - which > supposedly has better service at a higher price. However, even though > I'm registered as self employed and have a VAT number, nobody will give > me a business connection. Also, regular home users are not able to get a > business connection. > > I personally don't download any illegal software what-so-ever. If many > people did the same, then not a fourth of the people who complain about > the Internet would complain. However, I do download a lot of Linux ISOs, > Gentoo updates, program demos etc..., even as part of my work. It is for > this reason that I simply can't work with bandwidth limits. > > In the UK, the trend is now to remove limits. Both AOL and Telewest > provide an ADSL service with no limits for £14.99 a month. Of course, > I'm not expecting local ISPs to be able to compete (that's insane!) > however, this trend of offering an unlimited service is now spreading > throught several European countries, including France, Sweden etc... > etc... > > You also mention that we should not subscribe to ISPs of local > monopolies. Can you tell me how? Since Datastream is now Maltanet, which > is an ISP, and which is the company selling bandwidth to other ISPs, no > matter what ISP I choose I always end up paying Maltanet/Datastream. > Basically, if everyone switched away from Maltanet, Maltanet would still > be in business. One would have to switch to an ISP which only buys > bandwidth from Vodafone... I don't know of any ISP which does this > myself. I'd be glad to find out. > > What might be interesting is that now several local ISPs are > researching, or testing, wireless broadband connection services, with > some ISPs offering up to 6Mbit. We'll have to wait and see. > > Keith > > On Wed, 2006-01-25 at 09:38 +0100, Conrad Laus wrote: > > Hi Keith, > > > > I`ve been working with an ISP for the past six years and I have the > > inside version of the facts. Your comment about "good ISP" and "Malta" > > being a paradox is not correct. From my experience different people > > have different expectations and no isp is able to cater for all the > > different tastes and desires. If you think that this only applies for > > Malta then you are wrong. > > > > Broadband limits by Volume started in other countries a number of years > > before they started in Malta. Telephone support provided by most large > > ISPs in other countries is on expensive pay by the minute phone numbers. > > In Malta this has not been the case. > > > > Then again, keep in mind that in other countries, Liberalisation and > > real competition in the Telecoms sector has started around 10 years ago. > > In Malta we have not yet started for all is still controlled directly > > or indirectly by the old monopolies. > > > > At the end of the day, it is known that levels of service in any sector > > only improve when real competition is promoted. Government has little > > interest at the moment in promoting this for he would be damaging his > > own company and those of political friends. As users, I think we > > should promote this by not subscribing with the ISPs of the old > monopolies. > > > > This way, the non monopoly funded ISPS will grow stronger and be able to > > provide better services. > > > > Cheers > > > > Conrad > > > > Keith Vassallo wrote: > > > Hi Shawn, > > > > > > IMHO, "good ISP" and "Malta" are quite a paradox. Anyway, I've tried > > > several ISPs: > > > > > > Maltanet: Great speeds, but with a 12GB download limit (depends on which > > > plan you choose) > > > Waldonet: I was with Waldonet for two months. Phoned for support four > > > times. Nevery got a reply. Switched to another ISP. (This is just my > > > experience though, not saying Waldonet have bad support). > > > Bellnet: They say the speeds are quite good. A friend of mine complains > > > that he has no idea what limits his bandwidth has, since Bellnet use the > > > Datastream (ehem, I should say maltanet) lavender service, the last time > > > I checked. Also, if you want to setup a home server, forget about > > > bellnet. > > > Keyworld: No download limits, but you only get decent speeds at night. > > > I'm supposed to have a 2Mbit connection but download with half-megabit > > > speeds. > > > Melitanet, your current ISP: Don't even think about them. > > > > > > Again, this is only my experience and opinion, your experience may vary. > > > > > > Keith > > > > > > On Wed, 2006-01-25 at 06:37 +0100, Shawn Cassar wrote: > > > > > >>Sorry people to jutt in like this. I am new to the list but have been > > >>following linux and it's developments since I was a kid, have 3 comps at > > > >>home (including my lappy) running Mandrake only (no dual boot). > > >> > > >>I am seeing you talk about isp ping rate, I too am with Melitanet and I > want > > >>to change ASAP cause the service and performance is terrible, plus they > are > > >>charging me Lm21 per month for nothing. > > >> > > >>So, in your opinions which are the best 2 isps right now? (One with > download > > >>limits and the Other without). > > >> > > >>I have been told to either switch to Bellnet or to Waldonet. Anybody > has > > >>experience about any of these 2 during peak hours? > > >> > > >>Thanks alot > > >> > > >> > > >>>Waldonet offers unlimited downloads too. A bit on the expensive side > > >>>though.. > > >>> > > >>> > > >>>>Keyworld offers unlimited downloads, actually (I dont work at Keyworld > > >>>>hehe). > > >>>> > > >>>>On Tue, 2006-01-24 at 04:08 -0800, Graham Petley wrote: > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>> > > >>>>> The response time is quite variable. Recent pings give: > > >>>>>$ ping -c 10 kh.google.com (about 1245) > > >>>>>--- kh.l.google.com ping statistics --- > > >>>>>10 packets transmitted, 10 received, > > >>>>>0% packet loss, time 9034ms > > >>>>>rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 143.385/188.061/399.220/87.340 ms > > >>>>> > > >>>>>$ ping -c 10 kh.google.com (about 12.55) > > >>>>>--- kh.l.google.com ping statistics --- > > >>>>>10 packets transmitted, 10 received, > > >>>>>0% packet loss, time 9039ms > > >>>>>rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 80.242/85.977/89.495/2.958 ms > > >>>>> > > >>>>>In fact, this morning Google Earth, whch was simply not responding > > >>>>>yesterday > > >>>>>evening, was working fine. I suppose 20:45 in the evening is a peak > time > > >>>>>to > > >>>>>California. I use Melita Cable as my ISP. I would shift if anyone > offered > > >>>>>unlimited downloads, but I don't think anyone does. > > >>>>>My web site is still slow :-( > > >>>>>$ ping -c 10 vlsitechnology.org (about 12.56) > > >>>>>--- vlsitechnology.org ping statistics --- > > >>>>>10 packets transmitted, 10 received, > > >>>>>0% packet loss, time 9019ms > > >>>>>rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 211.454/215.173/222.490/3.495 ms > > >>>>> > > >>>>>- Graham Petley > > >>>>>_______________________________________________ > > >>>>>MLUG-list mailing list > > >>>>>[email protected] > > >>>>>http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > > >>>>> > > >>>>> > > >>> > > >>> > > >>>-- > > >>>Captain Alan Muscat > > >>>403. 'Zephyr', > > >>>Mikiel Ang. Grima Street, > > >>>Pembroke STJ 07 > > >>>MALTA. > > >>> > > >>>[EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >>>Tel: +356 21 372773 > > >>>Mob: +356 99 423001 > > >>>Fax: +356 21 374764 > > >>> > > >>> > > >>>_______________________________________________ > > >>>MLUG-list mailing list > > >>>[email protected] > > >>>http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > > >> > > >>_________________________________________________________________ > > >>Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today it's FREE! > > > >>http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ > > >> > > >>_______________________________________________ > > >>MLUG-list mailing list > > >>[email protected] > > >>http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > > >> > > >> > > >>------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > >> > > >>_______________________________________________ > > >>MLUG-list mailing list > > >>[email protected] > > >>http://mailserv.megabyte.net/mailman/listinfo/mlug-list > > -- Keith Vassallo Registered Linux User #290991 http://www.keithvassallo.net
