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Evening all,
Just wondered if anyone else is having issues with Vodafone Broadband of late. Past couple of weeks we have found that Netflix 4K is un-usable in the evenings. I did some checks tonight and can see that our connection is being what seems throttled. But it seems only on Netflix. Other streaming services are fine, ie Prime, NowTV etc. I have contacted Netflix and they have said no throttling is happening from their end as services are 100% OK. On contacting Vodafone they have done the same and said its Netflix. Alsways blaming one another.
I have tried running fast.com speed checks (which is run through netflix servers), once via a VPN and one without. Without I am struggling 7MBits/s, which is no way going to handle 4k. Via VPN is getting 46MBits/s.
Vodafone Speed:
Via VPN:
Vodafone have told me that they don't throttle or restrict speeds at anytime, and states this in my T/Cs but this is obvious throttling. Is this breaking their terms and I can leave without penalty? I have asked to speak to second level for help but still waiting 48hours later.
Just wondering if anyone else having same issues on Vodafone?
Just wondered if anyone else is having issues with Vodafone Broadband of late. Past couple of weeks we have found that Netflix 4K is un-usable in the evenings. I did some checks tonight and can see that our connection is being what seems throttled. But it seems only on Netflix. Other streaming services are fine, ie Prime, NowTV etc. I have contacted Netflix and they have said no throttling is happening from their end as services are 100% OK. On contacting Vodafone they have done the same and said its Netflix. Alsways blaming one another.
I have tried running fast.com speed checks (which is run through netflix servers), once via a VPN and one without. Without I am struggling 7MBits/s, which is no way going to handle 4k. Via VPN is getting 46MBits/s.
Vodafone Speed:
Via VPN:
Vodafone have told me that they don't throttle or restrict speeds at anytime, and states this in my T/Cs but this is obvious throttling. Is this breaking their terms and I can leave without penalty? I have asked to speak to second level for help but still waiting 48hours later.
Just wondering if anyone else having same issues on Vodafone?
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sorted byyes. a common occurrence.
they claim it is because your local cabinet is busy ("amber") and they 'promise' it will be upgraded 'soon' but low and behold it never happens and you're stuck with snail broadband at peak times.
Well I suppose even for phones there is a contention ratio
If you are talking about using a sim in a router? The above applies and my signal strength varies between three and six bars on the router (i have an external aerial) and my vpn speed varies enormously
The surprising thing to me is that it is not ADSL, the upload speed is much greater than it is with normal ADSL so anything sent goes much quicker. The reason is pretty obviously because phones are two way devices.
But it's great for sending. I don't think they can do anything about this, fortunately
(With the notorious Three BTW )
I say Netflix issue.
Voda's KFI states no throttling, and as Prime and Now are fine it would simply be kinda weird for Voda to throttle one specific streaming service rather than the content type (video).
If both providers are being honest it would indicate your native Netflix (Fast) source is oversubscribed at peak periods, but your VPN location will (should / may) access another NF / Fast server that is not oversubscribed at peak periods.
That would plausibly also account for the apparently unrestricted speed off peak via your native server this morning.
You should be able to see the server info by the appropriately-titled "Show More Info" button on the Fast page.
NF is attempting to serve your content from its nearest un-oversubscribed servers, but all of your nearest ones are being hammered.
Do you Fast tests ever access via "Open Connect" ? NFs ramble about OC states:
"...provides opportunities for ISP partners to improve their customers' Netflix user experience by localising Netflix traffic and minimising the delivery of traffic that is served over a transit provider..."
openconnect.netflix.com/en_gb/
Imagine asking a Voda CS jockey to confirm if Voda participates in OC
Maybe not "everyone" is hammering 4k streams.
Really? I have done a lot of research in the past few days and seen so much evidence that Vodafone are throttling their customers, be it with other customers issues posted on their forums, or with my own testing. I was just trying to bring it to light to potential customers that this is the case. I have no other motive than getting what I pay for which I would say is number one with most users on here. I feel quite offended with that statement. Therefore I will close the discussion.
Thanks for the reply. I saw they they were pushing for more customers, which will eventually degrade their network. But I would expect the speed to drop via a VPN aswell as the non vpn test. This must be throttling. I only notice it on UHD streams as 7mb is fine for HD content. I wouldn't be so annoyed if they had warned me it was going to happen. But my contract states no limitations on speed.
I'm going to wait for the level 2 response and then go from there. Just wanted to warn anybody on Vodafone or thinking of joining them this is the current case.
Thanks for the reply. It's with their superfast broadband (says in thread title). My download speed is heavily throttled in the evenings in a few streaming services, everything else works fine. I max out at about 7Mbps between 5 in the evening and midnight.
Ok, you're talking about fiber broadband. Ok.
It souns like it's s contention ratio issue anyway. Don't providers usually say 'up to' ...
If I could even get fiber broadband here, I'd be laughing. Unfortunately I never will.
The only other option may be true satellite broadband eventually (edited)
It can't be contention ratio issue as via a VPN the speed is full speed. If you see my original post with non vpn and vpn speed it's 40mb difference. This morning speeds back to normal.
We used to have low speeds here until the community got together and pushed open reach to install fibre lines to the cabinet.
My issue with Vodafone is I signed up with a contract stating that no throttling would occur at any time. And now it is
I can see that but why does he get 'normal' speeds when going through his vpn? (edited)
The question is what speed are you promised? And how does that match the speeds you are getting?
My point exactly. I have had a search through the internet and it seems throttling is becoming the norm with them. I only tend to watch Netlfix in the evening with the family so is an important factor for us to be able to have uncapped speeds. Might have to jump ship from them if they cant fix it.
what I said is their excuse to me when I had the issue, not what we know is actually happening
Did you ever get the issue resolved though?
Why don't you put your vpn on the router and connect it back to somewhere in the uk. Can't see a disadvantage? It souldn't be as fast as without but looks good
I don't currently have a router to run a VPN network wide In reality I shouldn't have to bypass restrictions on a connection to get the full speed I am paying for.
no, i left within the 30 day period after looking on forums and seeing everyone else had the same issue and was told the same lies
I would tend to agree, but if you refresh the page each time it will connect to a different server to do the speed test. Each server I speed test on in the evenings is throttled. But surely I wouldnt be the only person having these isssues and everyone would be complaining about Netflix service issues?
I don't quite understand that. There must be a router. Most routers nowadays can be configured with a vpn.
Anyhow have you tried connecting to Netflicks through your vpn (pointing the vpn back to the uk) and other streaming services in the evening and watching at 4K? You say you've done speedchecks.
However Netflicks at 4K occupies a considerable bandwidth (relatively) and if they have just extended fiber to you the rest of the infrastructure back to the point of presence just may not be a big enough pipe as more people move to 4K services
Only a handful of routers allow for client based VPN settings in the firmware. I used to have a Asus Rt-88U but sold on as I didnt need the power from it, regretting it now. Most consumer based routers dont feel the need for this, but more of the expensive ones do.
The speed has been fine and in contact with a neighbour and their internet is running fine with a different provider
Well, all mine do, they're just ordinary ADSL ones of course (i have two copper lines, unfortunately) and most of the older ones did, it's pretty well the only useful feature. You can instal a vpn on all of them as you can on my Huawei 4G (edited)
Yeah reading this thread it seems a little iffy.
Throttling, from my limited understanding is usually based on a period of time or a type of service. OP says that whilst it's happening at certain times, other VOD are fine.
But again interestingly, fast.com is a speed test using Netflix servers. Without VPN, it works slowly but with VPN, you're seeing regular speeds.
All fingers are pointing to Netflix, at least for me.
Reasonable sure I configured a Voda BB router for L2TP without issue a couple of years ago. Think the config was under "Expert" or "Pro".
Quick Google throws an image of L2TP config option for a Voda router, and same thread states some guy is using it with FastestVPN, which is currently one-off £15 for a lifetime 10 simultaneous connections sub, where any one of those connections can be a router
forum.vodafone.co.uk/t5/…990
Fastest vpn used to be £1 for one connection! I've posted it as a deal here a few times together with another free for life VPN
I was promised 63 Mbps so just ran it again and its 16 Mbps... (edited)
Check your router connection speed as this is what they check. You should be on a minimum guarantee of 55mb and if you fall below you can claim a discount through their app. I was promised same but dropped below 50.
I have the newer version router and can't remember seeing any vpn settings, but will double check. I use windscribe app on devices, but no app for apple TV which is a pain.
I've used several isp provided routers and none gave the option for vpn. Most isps don't like the use of vpn as it disguises what your doing and can't control your service. I kniw my unlocked bt homehub 5 is now capable of vpn but isn't very fast, but before the unlock it wasn't an option til openwrt.
Most ISPs use rebranded commercial ones. My PO ones are actually Zyxel.
As has been said it's often in the advanced settings
YMMV (edited)
I depends on the ISP im guessing, but where I live we only have a handful to choose from (Ie Sky, Vodafone, BT, PlusNet) but all have their own dedicated routers.
Just checking the Vox 3 from Vodafone and they have no option of VPN protocols so must have been an older version
The general rational consensus here is that Netflix is the root issue although for personal reasons you choose to perceive Voda is uniquely throttling a specific provider's service but not throttling other providers' comparable services.
Your perception is respected, however if you do not wish to debate reality with Netflix but wish to continue using its 4k product you have an obvious number of routes to employ workarounds, one of which is to obtain a suitable router or AP and load a suitable VPN, where that solution is likely to cost from £10 for hardware and one-off £15 for lifetime VPN (obvsly check any chosen VPN service is UK-NF-friendly).
Those sorts of amounts are negligible if both a functional solution and your sanity is retained.
Unless you have some other motive.
Amateurs bring amateur concepts to the table, just like the ones presented in this thread, by myself and others.
Conspiracy theorists are typically more extreme.
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