Wifi consensus?
What does everyone (who uses it) think of the wifi service? I've read a few threads concerning specific issues, but I am interested in the consensus. I do, of course, have an agenda: I am fairly unhappy with the provision but want to know whether or not
I am just a bit special.
I use the internet all the time, have done for years and have various data plans, dongles etc. The CC service as a paid service is fine - infrastructure costs money and I understand that continued investment is required.
So I coughed up £40 for 100 hours a couple of weeks ago and it has been nothing but a problem child, sadly. Technical issues (being told I have cookies disabled when I do not; being told I have used up all my allowance when I have not) are being dealt with
by Airangel fairly professionally (although when I, a paying customer unable to access the service, rang today to speak to someone I was told they were "a bit busy").
Airangel have now given me a temporary code, so I can login, while they sort out the problem with the code I bought. I thought I would do something simple, so I tried to watch the Panorama programme from Monday on iPlayer. It buffered frequently and then
crashed with the message (from the BBC website) that I did not have enough bandwidth to watch iPlayer. Over to a broadband speedchecker to test the line and it tells me I am getting 1.4Mb/s download. If you're still awake and reading this (sorry) you may
also think that's a bit slow for a paid broadband service. Six years ago, in my shed in rural Hampshire, I worked at that speed and it was ok. In 2013, for £40, it should be faster. Or, if it really is only suitable for checking email and reading newspapers,
it should be cheaper.
Airangel tell me bandwidth is not their bailiwick, that it is down to how much the site pays to their broadband provider. Is this true? If so, how can the Club charge the same money across all its sites, when the speed available will differ depending on
the broadband service to which the site subscribes? Is anyone else feeling a bit constrained by capacity? I am new to the CC and am feeling as though I am road-testing a wifi service that is not quite ready for prime time. Here (in Abbey Wood) the hardware
spend is obvious - there is good provision of aerials, masts and routers so the problem does not lie there. In fact if you just look at what is around you would assume that it's a robust, high quality operation.
If you have made it this far, I wish I could do more than congratulate you but do please chip in with your experience of the wifi service, good and bad.
Oh, and "Hi!" I am not a moaner by nature, so this being my first ever post on the CC forum is a bit of an embarrassment, really.
Ian.