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Anonymous
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Message 1 of 6

Is Gfast Worth Getting (Again)?

Currently I'm on 80/20, I had gfast almost 2 years ago when it first came to the area, and it was awful. I got the full sync speed (on the lower package), I think it was 150/30. However, on a speed test, I would get between 20-120mb download, and about 27mb upload. So when I was downloading a file, it was very slow because the speed was much more erratic. The ping on command prompt was slightly higher, but still not too bad.

Despite all of that, webpages would take a while to load, sometimes failing completely and requiring a refresh. And videos on various websites would constantly buffer. (It would be fine for a few minutes, then buffer for a few minutes, again, very erratic.) This was wired and wireless on multiple devices. Despite ping not being too much effected, gaming was fairly worse. Not incredibly worse, but enough to notice it and annoy me.

Then, 3 days later, the router (smart hub 2), died. When I got a replacement, it then synced at 75/30. So slower download than before, along with all of the other problems. 3 days later, 2 engineers were here for roughly 2 hours, and couldn't fix it. A few days after that, the router resynced at 150/30, however all of the previous problems still remained.

To get downgraded was a nightmare, because they downgraded me billing wise, but took roughly 2 months to change me back over at the cabinet.

My 80/20 connection is rock solid, but I wouldn't mind faster speed. I'm assuming the only way to find out if this is any better is to get gfast again and risk it. If downgrading won't be such a headache again, then I might risk it. Or am I likely to have these same problems again?

Has anyone got gfast and had any or most of the problems I've had? Or has it been perfectly fine? Should I just not bother and leave the connection as it is?ffdsfffff.PNG

Would I sync at 220mb download and 39mb upload on the higher package because of the observed date? Thanks.

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Message 2 of 6

Re: Is Gfast Worth Getting (Again)?

Humm

Your still at the same house with the same cables as before ?

Only you know if you need faster speeds, but unless it was just the Hub that was at fault, it looks as if its a 50-50 risk.

Its noticeable that your line might  have a bridge tap issue and I believe this is more significant with G.Fast (though thats pure supposition as it has U = unknown I now see)

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Message 3 of 6

Re: Is Gfast Worth Getting (Again)?

G.Fast only works effectively if it’s FTTrN. Which to be honest is pointless because if you’ve gone to all that expense to get fibre to the DP you might as well just go the last 50m and put it all the way to the house.

Unfortunately it was realised that was to expensive so they decided to start installing it at PCP’s.

Not much use on a 40+ year old line that has cable fill from ADSL and VDSL Circuits.

Even the Openreach CEO realises G.Fast is a dead in the water product and many places that were supposed to get it, including my Exchange has been cancelled in favour of using the money to invest in FTTP instead.

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Anonymous
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Message 4 of 6

Re: Is Gfast Worth Getting (Again)?

Yes, I'm at the same house. Wouldn't a bridge tap issue effect FTTC as well, which has been flawless? The engineer who installed gfast said that the line was perfect. Other than the first one dying, when both hubs synced at 150mb+, they had all of the usual problems I listed above (unstable, erratic speed, buffering). So I don't think it was the hub that was faulty.

What does FTTrN mean and what does fibre to the DP mean? Despite what you've said, if gfast was available to you starwire, would you take it up?

I'm assuming Openreach no longer roll out gfast. Is this purely down to cost, with little benefit because only nearby properties can get it. Or is any of it down to performance and reliability as well?

Do you think I should try gfast again, or is there any point? Am I likely to have the same issues again? Thanks.
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Message 5 of 6

Re: Is Gfast Worth Getting (Again)?

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Message 6 of 6

Re: Is Gfast Worth Getting (Again)?

Who knows if you will have the same problems. VDSL2 is going to be a lot more resistant to noise so the fact that its stable doesn't really tell you if G.Fast is going to work well.

A 'bridge tap' can be apparently any connection to the cable, probably unterminated so you can get noise pickup and probably even reflections which would be more significant with the higher frequencies of G.Fast, so if there is a problem (your line has U for unknown) it might not affect VDSL2 but badly affect G.Fast.

The only way is to try it.
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