How is your ISP doing with increased traffic due to the COVID-19?

[abbyck]

Can confirm, its capped at around 25-30 Mbps in Ernakulam, Kerala, but no significant improvement in performance.

I too wondered why there is a sudden slow down from morning-noon time. So it's confirmed. 20-30Mbps. But still no improvement in latency or anything.

 

[Dark_Nate]

So I just now called Pune NIB of BSNL FTTH and the guy told me they have restricted all users' speeds to 20 mbps for at least a few more days.

Did you ask them how will workers work from home with that speed?

 

[C3PO]

Can confirm, its capped at around 25-30 Mbps in Ernakulam, Kerala, but no significant improvement in performance. I'll go back to my WG tunnel

I am sure most if not all ISPs will resort to this. Can't blame them. Who'd have thought we'd see a day when home broadband networks would consume as much or more backhaul bandwidth than corporate connections??

 

[Dark_Nate]

ISPs should have spare bandwidth for crisis situations.

 

[Realme]

@C3PO Well the rise of streaming services, must have nudged their market research department in right direction?

Streaming = Netflix + Video Calls + game Streaming + Snapchat/Instagram

 

[abbyck]

Did you ask them how will workers work from home with that speed?

It will last all this corona time, as another NIB guy said.

 

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[Dark_Nate]

@abbyck I might apply for Jio Fiber soon. My BSNL FTTH is crippled to 5 Mbps up/down.

But there's no bridge mode on Jio Fiber and their router/ONT is locked down. I'm concerned about privacy/security.

 

[Realme]

@Dark_Nate : In this stressful times keep your strength and persevere my mate, don't turn to Dark side

 

[Dark_Nate]

@Realme Ahahaha... Well even if I did get Jio Fiber, I'd recharge with the smallest possible monthly tariff and use it as a chance to study their router/ONT.

 

[C3PO]

@C3PO Well the rise of streaming services, must have nudged their market research department in right direction?Streaming = Netflix + Video Calls + game Streaming + Snapchat/Instagram

But remember home connections were mostly under utilised throughout the day and loads increased during evening and night + approx 18 hrs on weekends and holidays. But today it is work + play 24x7 x the number of days the lockdown lasts + multiple family members hitting the same pipe. That is heck of a long time + there's no saying if it will be extended or not.

ISPs have some extra bandwidth and even redundant/backup connections built into their business continuity plans (as do all businesses with data pipes) but these are unusual times to say the least. All bets are off now. We customers have to accept these temporary restrictions on speed. It's like a road/highway where all kinds of vehicles share the same tarmac, with equal rights of use regardless of whether we pay a toll or not. In a traffic jam if a truck slows down so does a Ferrari.