Krispy
Premium,VIP
join:2001-12-11
the stix
| Furthermore...
Maybe I've just not had enough caffeine this morning but this is not meant as a negative rant nor it this is not directed at anyone in particular.
This is pretty much in addition to Chelle's posts located »Have a problem? Read this before you post. and »It seems that sometimes people need a reminder.
1.)This is a best effort service. This means that although we strive to give you the top speeds 24/7 we cannot guarantee that you will have top speeds 24/7. You can interpret this as 'the evil cable monopoly' or you can take it for what it is....the truth.
2.)Speed tests....some of you have likely seen my rants so excuse my repetition. Speed tests, while a good troubleshooting tool, are NOT...I repeat NOT...the end all and be all of troubleshooting.
As evidenced by some of the speed tests I have taken recently, things are sometimes a little flawed as I do not have 5GB+ uploads yet one night I was consistently reported this by the east coast server test. If I can get incorrect results so can you.
If you must become addicted to speed tests (personally speaking I wonder if some people do anything else with their connection!) then please include the results from the following server (»www.mountaincable.net/mc/?dir=me···le=speed) as well as the others. In my, and my lurking colleagues (hi!), tests this has been the only one that appears to be accurately gauging d/l speeds the majority of the time. We are working on getting up an official speed test shortly and I will report more info when I have it.
3.)Traceroute and pings, while a good troubleshooting tool, are also not the end all and be all of troubleshooting. There are differences in how different OSs report results and generally speaking these tasks are given a lower priority in the stack. Post them, comment on them but consider they are not the gospel.
4.)As Advocat recently suggested...take a deep breath and relax. We understand you're frustrated and all but, generally speaking, screaming at the people you would like to help you does not work. We're pretty thick skinned around here but it would be so much nicer if you gave us the benefit of the doubt first time around and you might find that this theory works well in the rest of life also.
5.)Not everything can be fixed overnight, within a week or even within a month. Restating your problem over and over and over again does not necessarily facilitate an expedited resolution and, for the most part, tends to annoy the remainder of the group. If we can do something right away then we will, if we don't then there's a good reason.
6.)We can't always explain what we've done or what the problem is. We are employees and some information is considered confidential and do you really want us to get fired?!?
7.)Although 'sucks', 'blows', 'bites', etc are great adjectives they do little to help us help you. Give us some details...how long has it been going on, what are the symptoms, what have you tried, etc
8.)Sometimes it really and truly is a client side issue. Open your mind to the possibility that us suggesting a client side problem is not a method of shrugging you off and may in fact be a method of fixing your problem.
9.)Not everyone comes looking for a Cogeco forum to spout off on their great experiences, there are literally tens of thousands of people that have flawless service 99% of the time and it's not because they don't know the difference or don't game, etc it's because they really don't have any problems.
10.)And last but not least...we're human (well the other guys are anyway!) and we can be confused, mistaken, baffled, etc just like the rest of you. If we were absolutely right 100% of the time then odds are we would be incredibly rich and famous and lying on a beach somewhere!
I'm hoping this post does not come off in a negative manner as it is meant to clarify some issues in the hopes that we can continue to resolve issues in a timely manner and give you the great service that we all want you to have. |
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3SGTE
ST215W
Premium,MVM
join:2000-11-23
there
clubs:
| Thanks for taking the time to post lippy.
Re #7
Try to be constructive, not destructive! 
Try to state your problem in plain language.
Yewr Kewl Speik Turnz Ouff Sum Peelpole.
This thread should be sticky! |
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Chelle
Premium,Mod
join:2002-02-19
Burlington, ON
clubs: | reply to Krispy
There will be a number of changes in stickies etc this weekend. |
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Spine
Premium
join:2002-04-29
Lake Ontario
clubs:
| reply to Krispy
Well, I've been around these forums for awhile, and never needed to post much in the Cogeco area until 2 weeks ago. While I have posted frequently since my problems arose, I have always tried to do so with a
Not all of my observations about peak-hour speeds are for the Cogeco employees only. Some have been to concur with other users that I have the same problem as they do. I have had back and forth comparisons with some members as to what our connections are doing.
The only reason I myself have been testing my line so much the past 2 weeks is that my evening work and game time is noticeably affected by slow-down. I test these days before I even go to start gaming, just to make sure I have enough speed.
I am not relying on any one method or server for testing, rather a triangulation of different locations.
With the pro service my speed today from the test server you recommend Lippy 280.2 KB/sec@ 1pm. This is exactly the speed I max out at from a very reliable FTP server @ »ftp://ftp.utoronto.ca/mirror/linux/redhat/iso/
Now @ 2pm all my tests show 60KB/sec.
I hope I am not for these reasons considered to be too annoying these past weeks, I've never bitched or whined at anyone, even though I haven't been thrilled about the change in my service here. I know you guys do your best.
Hope I'm not on the s**t list!
[text was edited by author 2002-10-12 13:21:54]
[text was edited by author 2002-10-12 13:59:42] |
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udp1024
join:2002-10-09
Burlington
|  Coming from IT Management background, I can safely say, that while Lippy and team are doing an admireable job, Cogeco needs to improve its first line Technical Support.
The fact that this forum gets used so much indicates a major problem with the call center. |
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nitzguy
Premium
join:2002-07-11
Sudbury, ON
 ·TekSavvy Solutions..
 ·Rogers Hi-Speed
| reply to Spine
Go Mountaincable!!
Thanks Lippy for noticing the other Hamilton Cable providers out there. (Re: Speed Test fever)
I usually just read the Cogeco forums since they're the
closest to my area (geography wise) and there doesn't seem
to be a Mountaincable forum to post in.
...I guess I would also have to count myself as lucky to be in this situation. There haven't been any issues for my account in the past 8 months, speeds are usually pretty good, it was only down once and that was when they added a 5th UBR and as a result my IP address had changed so I had
to reset my cable modem and it went pretty good.
Just wanted to say hey, I'd post my Line Quality test...but...I'm not sure how if someone could help me with that, it may provide some insight as to the situation in Hamilton. |
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harwoodr
Pornographic Memory
Premium
join:2002-09-05
Hamilton, ON
·Mountain Cable
| reply to udp1024
said by udp1024  :
Coming from IT Management background, I can safely say, that while Lippy and team are doing an admireable job, Cogeco needs to improve its first line Technical Support.
The fact that this forum gets used so much indicates a major problem with the call center.
Well, the simple fact of the matter is that:
a) I don't have to wait in a phone queue here.
b) I deal with the same people each time - known quantity.
c) I can actually try and help other people as well.
The phone queue is a reality to be dealt with - otherwise costs to the consumer would have to increase in order to provide more (idle) call centre staff.
--
Unemployed tech geek in Hamilton... |
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Methos
Premium
join:2002-03-18
Kingston, ON
| You just sumed up my exact thoughts in a nut shell man.... that's almost spooky LOL.
Let me tell you a small story about the call center and it's cue.
I may get in trouble for this one.
I called the Cogeco phone help line one day and spent almost 40 min waiting. I asked that a tech be sent to my place to help fix an ongoing problem. The tech was scheduled to come to my place 2 days later.... and never showed up.
I called back again, and spent sooo long waiting that I eventually hung up. I called back again a few hours later and spent 30 min or more waiting before I was answered. The tech call was rescheduled for the very next day and I was appologised to.
The tech did show up the next day and while working on my problem, he explained to me that he had to call the Cogeco help line, and asked if he could use my phone. I laughed and said ok, but you'll be waiting there a LONG time... he said "no, I have a special phone number that puts me on the top of the waiting list." I said WOW!! And knowing full well what the answer would be I asked "can I have that number?" Of course he laughed and told me that he couldn't give it out.
BUT when he left, I took my microphone frop my computer and placed it next to the ear peice of the phone and clicked redial, recording the tones to a .wav file. For about 3 months I could take my phone and place the mouth piece up to one of my speakers, play this sound file (which would dial the number) and POOOF!! I was number 1 on the waiting list for the next available person.
Unfortunatly I think they caught on, or just changed the number for some other reason 3 months later.
I'm so glad I found this forum, I don't think I could ever bring myself to wait more than 20 min on a phone waiting for help. I definitly would rather post my question here, even if I do have to wait till the next day for my answer... which, by the way, never takes that long.
Thanks guys, you definitly are the best. |
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Tyrano2K
join:2001-07-29
Canada
| reply to Krispy
nm :P
[text was edited by author 2002-10-12 18:27:17] |
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Clipper
join:2002-05-23
Stoney Creek, ON
| reply to Methos
It's not really a special number.
It changed a bit, but its still there. When you call it now though, you don't get a tech, you get a provisioning person, who knows little about tech. So if you end up there, they just transfer you to tech anyway.
The wait times have been drastically reduced as far as i know, to less than 5 minutes, even at busy times. But that will change as people realize its a short wait and start calling them for any and all reasons.
"Hi, everytime i go to porn websites, all these pop-ups come up. Is there anyway i can stop them? If you don't do something, I'll cancel since its your fault"
Hehe, ok so thats abit drastic. |
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bstephens
join:2002-10-09
Belleville, ON
| Sorry Lippy I just noticed this thread. I won't post anything else on my initial thread "Cogeco speed going down".
Didn't mean to rub anyone the wrong way. Just adding to the conversation. The last thing I want to do is piss someone off then when I need help I'm ignored. |
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nevertheless
Premium,VIP
join:2002-03-08
Burlington, ON
·Cogeco Cable
| reply to Clipper
said by Clipper :
The wait times have been drastically reduced as far as i know, to less than 5 minutes, even at busy times. But that will change as people realize its a short wait and start calling them for any and all reasons.
Probably 'cause you're not there anymore to gum up all the procedures. j/k
--
Some people think I'm an idiot. I disagree, but idiocy is subjective--so they may well be right. With this in mind, take everything I post with a grain of salt, eh? |
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Clipper
join:2002-05-23
Stoney Creek, ON | Gumming up or trying to establish them? There's a difference you know. hehe. |
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nevertheless
Premium,VIP
join:2002-03-08
Burlington, ON
·Cogeco Cable
| reply to Krispy
I'd kind of like to add a few personal issues to Lippy's initial statements:
1) I won't accept unsolicited IMs for troubleshooting help. This is a user-forum first and foremost, not a backdoor to customer-service forum.
Use your judgement, but if I haven't explcitly asked for you to contact me about a new issue, please don't, I will ignore it.
2) From now on I will only talk to registered users about the Cogeco Network.
This isn't a bid to get Justin more users, or the Cogeco forum more users, I just plain don't want to have to remember who the heck you are every time you log in, and it's easier to remember an Avatar than it is to remember 100 usernames. (2b: Use an Avatar!)
3) Try to have accurate location information in your profile. Nobody's going to come hunting you down from a post here on DSLR, and it'll make helping YOU way easier for me if I at least know what city you're in.
4) I'm not always right. I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again. My determination/investigation on an issue is usually 'a quick look' and nothing more. I don't really have the time to go in-depth in investigating any single issue as my professional concern is the Network, not individuals.
--
Some people think I'm an idiot. I disagree, but idiocy is subjective--so they may well be right. With this in mind, take everything I post with a grain of salt, eh? |
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Tyrano2K
join:2001-07-29
Canada | reply to Krispy
I thought this post was going to be pinned to the top. |
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Chelle
Premium,Mod
join:2002-02-19
Burlington, ON
clubs: | It's linked from the post at the top. |
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Tyrano2K
join:2001-07-29
Canada
| reply to Krispy
ah I see.
BTw I just made an avatar from photoshop just waiting for it to be checked by a moderator or sumthing(atleast thats what is says about it in the avatar section). I think I did a pritty good job on it |
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Tyrano2K
join:2001-07-29
Canada
| reply to Krispy
there my avatar should be working now
wtf why isn't it working?
I have it uploaded and its been approved.
[text was edited by author 2002-10-20 16:48:25] |
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Steve
I'm a PC, so shut up
Consultant
join:2001-03-10
Yorba Linda, CA | Avatars take 15-20 minutes to replicate through the servers - it's on its way... |
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