Slowest school broadband ?

[southhamster]

Posting this because I'm fed up with the pathetic broadband in 4 of the schools that I support.

It makes using anything internet based a struggle with more than a handful of users and really disadvantages the children and staff.

Backups over internet can take days and things like video conferencing are very hit and miss.

The highest speed I've seen is around 6 mbps download and around 1.2 mbps upload in one school but that was on a very good day.

The lowest around 2 mbps download and 280 kbps up.

 

3 of these schools have to combine 3 ADSL lines to get even this pathetic throughput.

I know these are all small rural primaries, but they are all in villages with shops, pubs, running water etc, and only a few miles from towns.

 

So, can anyone share a worse speed test than this?

[MatthewL]

Something isn't right there, that is barely useable for one person let alone a school.

[pete]

^ What speed have they bought from SWGFL? That looks like something's misconfigured (or slowly dying in the local exchange).

[witch]

Who is providing the broadband?

[SchoolsBroadband]

Hi @southhamster if you let me know the details of the schools I'll let you know what speeds they can have.

 

We've upgraded quite a few primary schools from SWGFL ADSL onto full 100Mbit leased lines for not a ridiculous amount more than they were already paying and its vastly changed what they can now do with their IT.

 

Sounds like your schools are just on a standard ADSL 2+ line which is some distance from the telephone exchange if they can only get 6Mbit.

 

Dave

[EXA_Mark]

Likewise, if you would like us to take a look too just send me a PM with the site details and I'll let you know what we can do. We have moved 100's of schools from SWGFL over the past five or so years, and we have plenty of them for you to speak to directly to get the schools take on how easy the move was, and whether our service was all that we promised.

 

On a non salesy message, that speed does seem low though even for SWGFL/RM. The problem is, if they are using bonded DSL (which it sounds like three of them are) if they have one line slower than the others or that has a fault it can drag everything down even further.

[southhamster]

Thanks everyone for your replies.

I'll be at BETT next week so aiming to visit suppliers then.

SWGFL have done their best but BT openreach won't replace old cables unless they really have to.

It just feels frustrating that Openreach answer to no one yet are responsible for critical infrastructure. Round here you can see lines through trees not cut back and ropey looking poles.

Previously these schools were on a 2mb copper leased line which at least guaranteed performance.

[EXA_Mark]

You are welcome, and do pop by stand B160 and we can have a chat, if you let me have the school post codes, either when you come down, or before hand (and I can have some quotes and options for you to take away). I suspect where they are a fibre based leased will be the best/only option but you never know.

Hope to see you at the show.

[Oaktech]

I can happily recommend the service from @SchoolsBroadband.

 

Even though we didn't end up going with them, they were very very competitive on price and the service was excellent, they were just and just undercut by Broadband4 who are local to us and whose parent company provides us with some other services.

[zag]

Bog standard ADSL is not an acceptable solution for schools these days in my opinion.

 

Times have moved on!

[southhamster]

Bog standard ADSL is not an acceptable solution for schools these days in my opinion.

 

Times have moved on!

 

Completely agree. These schools are moving to a joint academy structure and want use GAFE, video conferencing etc for integration but connection speed really lets them down.

[thebatman]

We can recommend LGFL via Virgin Media (even if you are not in a VM area).

[southhamster]

Well,

amazingly quotes to upgrade 3 of 4 schools to FFTC (up to 60GB) have arrived today so that's good news. The 4th is still subject to the whims of Openreach, but at least it feels like some progress is possible. Looking forward to backups taking less than a day!