Hello,
ACT claims 100mbps connection. What they actually guarantee is 100mbps "
last mile" connection speed from their nodes. If you ask any ACT representative why your internet is slow, they will ask you to visit speedtest.net - which would invariably show 100 mbps. This is because ACT themselves host a speedtest.net server and the speed shown is just the speed to that server, which is in all probability, less than 10 kilometres away from your house.
Last week I performed a test. I selected a few distant servers in speedtest.net (in USA, Europe, UAE, etc.) and decided to run some tests. Here are the results. All taken with full connection capability of the
router and computer. It took a lot of effort to get these readings and configuration at multiple friend's places.
Connections:
1. ACT 100mbps on Airport Extreme
AC network. (2 locations)
2. Airtel 4G LTE half network strength (poor connection) on
iPhone 6. (1 location only)
3. Airtel wired 6mbps broadband on Airport Extreme AC network. (2 locations)
4. Hathway 30mbps on
D-Link DIR 816 AC network (2 locations)
5. ACT 250 mbps corporate connection with direct ethernet to
laptop (1 location only)
Computer:
Macbook Pro 2016 model.
Download Results (average of 5 samplings)
India (Bangalore ACT Server):
1. 85/100 = ACT 100mbps: 85 mbps (2ms ping)
2. 17/* = Airtel 4G: 29 mbps (30ms ping)
3. 5.5/6 = Airtel 6mbps: 5.5 mbps (15ms ping)
4. 27/30 = Hathway 30mbps: 27mbps (3ms ping)
5. 193/250 = ACT 250mbps (2ms ping)
USA:
1. 9/100 = ACT 100mbps
2. 7/* = Airtel 4G
3. 4.8/6 = Airtel 6mbps
4. 24/100 = Hathway
5. 10/250 = ACT 250mbps (2ms)
Europe:
1. 5/100 = ACT 100mbps
2. 6.1/* = Airtel 4G
3. 4.1/6 = Airtel 6mbps
4. 12/30 = Hathway
5. 5/250 = ACT 250mbps (2ms)
Singapore:
1. 14/100 = ACT 100 mbps
2. 9/* = Airtel 4G
3. 5.1/6 = Airtel 6mbps
4. 24/30 = Hathway
5. 14.2/250 = ACT 250mbps (2ms)
Carefully notice how poor is ACT's connection to servers outside India, compared to others. It is even less than the ISPs giving 1/3rd speed and even slower than 4G at times.
1. ACT cannot blame poor network hardware!
2. ACT cannot blame location (since 3 separate ones were used)
4. Same servers were chosen on almost same time of the day
ACT was one of the first Internet Service Providers to introduce 100mbps access at a relatively affordable price and that too with an adequate FUP. They were one of the first to not have data upload counted as part of FUP. All great... but there are caveats that has been plaguing me for months. I have been a long-standing member of IBF, and my concerns are cause enough to post here.
When I got my ACT connection at Bangalore, the first thing I noticed was regular outages. I got that fixed (albeit with considerable effort) by having a direct fibre connection right inside my house (with no one sharing the node.) That has given me almost 98% uptime in last two years. Everything sounds great... except that there is one little nagging pain that concerns everybody.
I tried my best to test and report, but I am not sure they even understand what I have been trying to tell them for past 6 months.