Check your connection speed!

[nremtp550]

All of you guys need to go to this url and check your connection speed to make sure Verizon is not cheating you on speed. I recently caught them cheating a friend of mine who was promised 3 mbps download speed and he was at 1.5 mbps. When he signed up for the bundle package including directv, internet and phone service he was told by Verizon that they would give him a reduced price on internet service. We called tech support, informed them his connection speed was wrong they stated that their computers showed he was supposed to be at 1.5mbps. Verizon does not even offer this speed take a look at their site and see for yourself. They stated they couldn't do anything about it because their billing office was closed. The next morning when he called back they told him the computer showed 3 mbps download and never was incorrect. Verizon knew they had just been caught. If I hadn't known to check his speed he never would have known about it. It wouldn't surprise me if they are doing this too hundreds of customers maybe thousands who don't know any better. How easy would it be for them to say they made a mistake and correct it to avoid looking suspicious? This is a good website to check your speed www.speakeasy.net/speedtest. I hope none of you are being swindled.

[Alecto]

I have the verizon 3 mps package and I was only downloading @ 1.5 mbps, I think I have a little work to do.

[MelodyL]

Hi everyone.

I have had Verizon DSL for over one year. Today, we linked it up with Directv. We were supposed to have done that last month but someone (at some end) screwed up (by not telling me I should upgrade to the 3.0 thing. I presently have 7.60 (that's what the Verizon guy told me earlier today).

So we did the deal. We called Directv. They have us as being bundled (it won't take affect till next month, I'm okay with that). But the thing that is confusing me is what the Verizon guy told me. He said "your new speed will become active this evening". He could not say what time, or anything. Just check this evening.

Right now it's 4 p.m and I did the speed test and it said:

745 kbps download and 131 upload speed.

Is that anything near 3.0? I am clueless about what these numbers mean.

He did say to check tonight. Maybe tonight when I do the speakeasy test, I'll get a faster speed??
Thanks to anyone who can answer me.

I do not download stuff. I just want to surf the net faster than I have. Right now, it's going pretty fast. Thanks again.

Melody

[Slim420]

745 kbps download and 131 upload speed.

Is that anything near 3.0? I am clueless about what these numbers mean.

Ok, in terms of computers, data is measured in bits and bytes. There are 8 bits in a single byte, 1024 bytes to a kilobyte, 1024 kilobytes to a megabyte, 1024 megabytes to a gigabyte, 1024 gigabytes to a terabyte.

When read in lowercase (mbps) is megabits (1/8 of a megabyte). If it reads the 'B' in uppercase (mBps) then it's megabytes (same for kilobits and the rest).

745 kbps is "745 kilobits per second" and 3.0 mbps would be 3072 kbps (1024 x 3) so 745 kbps is about 1/4 of 3 mbps.

I hope this helps, if you are unclear about any of it feel free to ask.

[MelodyL]

I do thank you for your answer. I'm trying to understand all the math.

So my speed is not up to par. Maybe tonight (the guy said the upgrade would be activated tonight). Why couldn't he just flip a switch and say "ah, okay, you are now upgraded to 3.0"

Can they do this??

Thanks, Melody

[Slim420]

I'm not sure it's as easy as "flip a switch" but, in most cases they can handle it from their end, with minimal participation from you (reset modem or router, reboot machine etc.). I have a local company ISP and they can change my speed with just a call to them.

[MelodyL]

Okay, it is now 11 p.m. I just did the speed test. And it was the same.
I then called Verizon DSL technical support and of course, I reached India. The guy was very nice, did a speed test on my computer and verified that I was indeed not getting 3.0. I then asked him "What numbers am I supposed to get if I have 3.0?" and he replied

"Well, you should be getting 2800 kdps download and about 660 upload".

I then said "Well, obviously, I'm not getting that now, am I?" and he said "let me put you on hold while I talk to a second level tech support"

Then he came back on and this is exactly what he said "we are sorry but there was a mistake and they downgraded you instead". I said "what are you talking about, blah blah blah"?? and he tried to explain but I could not understand him as he spoke, his accent was too hard to understand.

He then told me to call billing department at Verizon, ask for DSL billing and tell them that they never upgraded me.

So do you have any advice for me further than what this tech guy told me to do.

This is so confusing. I'm a disabled woman and all we have here is the tv and the internet. Thanks much

Melody

[MelodyL]

It's 12:45 p.m. on Thursday. Before I called Verizon I wanted to do a speed test thing again. I did two of them. One with Speedtest.net, and one with Speakeasy.

Both were realively the same numbers.

Download was 2880 and Upload was 680.

Does this now mean I have 3.0???? Sorry to sound stupid. But since I don't download or upload stuff, all I needed was a faster way to surf the net.

Since I only go to two or three places on the internet (my husband goes a lot more places), am I supposed to be able to load up web pages faster??

I do see a bit of an improvement. I'm not just sure what the big thing about 3.0 versus what I had already. The 760 thing.

Yeah, I know it's about uploading and downloading but is this applicable to web surfing also. I don't go on websites to download songs or videos, and I don't even know what uploading is (if it's to upload stuff from my picture folder on my computer, to photobucket.com), then yeah, I occasionally do that. Is this what they are talking about when they refer to downloading and uploading?

All I really wanted to make a big difference in was, for example, if I go to the Internet Movie Database, and I click on the link in my favorite places, well the little green boxes on the bottom of my screen, well, will they get me to this site faster now because I have the 3.0??

Thanks so much.
Melody

[Slim420]

The only thing I can tell you is go ahead and get credited for the time you've paid for and demand what you are paying for!! I know it's such a pain dealing with technicians over the phone (I've done plenty of that with AOL trust me!!), but there really isn't much else you can do!! I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

[MelodyL]

Slim:

Did you read my previous post about how the numbers changed. Am I now getting the 3.0?? and I don't care about any credit because I just upgraded yesterday. They didn't do the bundle thing last month so I wasn't upgraded last month, (I wasn't charged anything extra).

My next bill should be a bundled bill (with Verizon plus Direct tv).

I guess I just want to make sure that my download and upload are correct for 3.0.

I just went to itunes (I had $5.00 credit there). Someone gave me an itunes gift card.

So I downloaded a song from itunes and it downloaded so fast I couldn't even blink my eyes. This means I have 3.0 right??

2800 kdps download, 660 upload ...this means 3.0, am I correct??

Thanks much

Melody