It’s not just the economy that has slowed down. The local broadband service is now crawling at a snail’s pace.
For almost a week, we have been hearing complaints from many Streamyx users. Now we know why, or at least this is the official reason: cable/circuit problem with the US.
But why are local websites also slow? And why did it take TM so long to announce this? Have Singapore and other Asean countries encountered similar slowdowns?
Says blog reader syauki_x in Indonesia:
I’m writing this from Bandung, Indonesia…
I didn’t even know there was such a thing as cable/circuit problem with the US, until I read your entry…
The net connection here is just as normal as it gets…
Buck up, TM!
No one talks about the MSC anymore. Meanwhile, we will all grow old waiting for pages to download.
This from The Star:
Published: Tuesday February 24, 2009 MYT 9:11:00 PM
Circuit faults slow down surfing on Streamyx
By STEVEN PATRICKPETALING JAYA: Streamyx broadband users will have to bear with sluggish surfing speeds until March 5 due to technical problems, according to Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM).
TM said in a statement that there has been a disruption of TM’s Internet services since Feb 18 due to circuit faults on the Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN2) between Malaysia and the United States.
Due to this, customers using Internet services may now experience slow browsing while accessing content hosted in the United States, said the statement.
Additionally, customers using Internet Protocol services such as Virtual Private Network (VPN) and other critical business applications linked to the United States may also experience some service degradation.
To alleviate the problem and ease the congestion, some links have been rerouted, TM said.
During restoration process, traffic to North America may experience minor degradation while traffic to other countries would not be affected.
AS a regular Internet user, I am extremely disappointed with the dreadful service provided by the country’s top ISP, TM Net.
TM Net, and its broadband service branded as Streamyx, is easily the No. 1 choice for most Malaysians when it comes to broadband due to its nationwide coverage. However, because of its near monopoly on broadband Internet service in the country, it has allowed itself to stagnate.
The service provided is, at best, satisfactory, and at worst, non-existent. Despite the sub-par service to current subscribers, TM Net continues to promote itself heavily, putting more strain on itself to cater to a growing customer base.
For example, TM Net throttles (deliberately slows down) P2P downloads and certain websites in line with its “fair usage policy” which, according to their website, was put in place to conserve bandwidth among its users.
If they have to employ such methods to ensure fair service, why do they still try to attract more customers? Without any effort to upgrade itself, TM Net’s service will never progress past mediocrity on international level.
For the past week, Malaysians have been enduring agonisingly slow speeds while browsing international sites, but there have been no announcements made by TM Net as to the reason for this problem. Ironically, their own website has been inaccessible at times during this period. Frustrating as it may be, this is not an isolated incident.
Barring the extraordinary occurrences of severed international cables or undersea earthquakes, slower than advertised speeds are still the norm for many surfers. Most often users will only get speeds they paid for when surfing local websites.
Another point with Streamyx is its bandwidth-to-cost ratio. While the years have seen great advances in technology, Streamyx’s package costs have more or less stood since inception.
Again, due to their hold on the local market, users have no choice but to swallow the costs if they want access to broadband. Other ISPs are usually not an option, mainly due to their concentration in the Klang Valley area. That leaves Streamyx as the best option, though that’s not saying much.
As one who has travelled extensively and enjoyed broadband services in other countries, it pains me to see the sad state in Malaysia. When I speak of Streamyx with Americans, Australians or even Singaporeans, they find it laughable that I pay the same as they do but receive 10 times less the service.
It has been my sincere hope for years that a new, major ISP will emerge in Malaysia which will give TM Net a run for its money. Without any such competition, I believe that TM Net will continue offering low quality service while billing itself as a premier ISP.
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Get some evidence and write to the (Multimedia ministry and Fomca)….
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Bangkok bandwidth are fine. Btw TM, pls take a look with my ipoh bercham 1MB bandwidth as well, have been 3-4 years. Speed never improve n getting worst.
Btw, i never hear malaysia have a circuit connect with US, i just know that malaysia and US are connecting via ‘Routing’. Pls TM, don’t use bad quality routing, don’t route our connection from malaysia visit all around the world (200++ countries) then arrived at US.
TM, now thai bandwidth are faster than malaysia, how come ? What actually you TM have done for this pass few year ?
Lets compare with the improvement our nearby country have done so far,
1. Singapore are deploying 10MB speed (& wifi).
2. Bangkok utilize 5MB, i hv tested n it is damn fast, local+oversea connection. Thailand doesn’t have so much NSP/NSF/ASP provider compare to malaysia. But at least their fundamental facilities are better compare to malaysia.
TM ??? apa macam ? KL 3-5MB ? how is the speed to local+oversea ? when to deploy at ipoh ? I never expect my connection speed upto 3-5MB, i just hope my connection easy to connect and no lost packet, enough.
Pls lar TM, use better internet route, or else malaysia technology will grow slower n slower and lost competitive to nearby countries.
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On a personal note, I have known that the head of TMnet has been replaced a few times.
I believe the problem is not at the head.
It is actually at the ROOT.
I am convinced that 20% of the ROOT are ROTTEN to its core. These 20% creates 80% of TM’s problem! These 20% are actually sucking TM’s honey away!
Believe me or not, once these 20% ROOT people are isolated, 80% of the current issue will be eliminated.
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that’s why it is called ‘berukband’
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Streamyx starting to cheatting our money now, we pay the price never can get the speed! same like me pay RM88 get slow than 56k Modem Speed and cannot Discount. This new service start from “2008 December”
Anyway “STREAMYX LINE SLOW WE PAY SLOW!”
Me 4 Month No Pay The Bill Already, Streamyx Send Red Bill Come I Just Pay 1 Month Money, If Streamyx Block My Line, I Will Call 1300-88-9515 To …. Them! If They Say You Have 4 Month Bill No Pay So They Block My Line! I Will Say You Line So Slow! I Pay You Money So Fast For What?!
DON’T LET … “STREAMYX” TO PLAY US!
… WE CANNOT GET BACK THE LINE SPEED WE CAN PAY SLOW TO THEM “REMEMBER THIS”
Now I’m Keeping To Hold 3 Month Bill No Pay But I’m Still Can Using It!
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