Company Forums » Companies beginning with N » New Wave Communications > NewWave sold me 1.5Mbps but gives me 512Kbps

NewWave sold me 1.5Mbps but gives me 512Kbps

I have had issues with my speed since I signed up. I tried the speed tests here on the site and they are always slower than using New Waves »speedtestmo.newwavecom.com/ - They tell you to use theirs.

Here is my speed test using their test
Download Speed: 5763 kbps (720.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 841 kbps (105.1 KB/sec transfer rate)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010 5:11:36 AM

This is when not many people on my block are using this service. I am signed on for 10meg down and 1 meg up "Gamer pkg". This test is the closest it's ever been. I've never been happy with my results but my only choices besides New Wave is wireless (1, possibly 2, providers) with slower speeds.

In a sense we are getting about the same ratio, 1/2 of download signed on for. I don't know about the technology of cable internet but I would think when people are not using the service the speeds should be alot closer to full speed.

just my 2 cents.
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I used to have super human powers.....

But my therapist took them away.

Thanks for the info. As a matter of fact, I am in Virden too. Its either NewWave or Royell. It is good to see Royell with competition finally though. I definitely prefer the wired solution over a little satellite dish (I think that's how Royell works). I would love to have the 10Mbps but I am the only one who actually downloads stuff on a regular basis so I can't persuade them that it is worth the money (even for like 3Mbps). My house has 3 people who use the net simultaneously so sharing 54KB/s down and 15 up is an issue sometimes. I asked a local installer that occasionally distributes flyers/ads in my area what the typical throughput is for 1.5 (before I knew I was getting 512) and he said he has never heard that word before. I even called one time to verify an outage and they could not tell me what I should be getting. I think the person was confused because I was asking about 1.5 when his computer was probably saying that I'm only getting 512. Ha. Do you know how they upgrade packages i.e. do they have to come out or is it just a couple key presses on a computer? I ask because on occasion I will be downloading a file and if I take off a download limit I had put on, the speed goes up to over 150KB down then levels back out to ~54. Seems like it would be a physical 'limiter' rather than fully electronic. Again, thanks for the input.

NewWave can tell you exactly what speeds you are getting by reading your modem, just call an ask a tech. I have not heard of a download limit except for "caps" which they tell me they don't do (But they also told me I could run a server only to keep me as a customer even tho it's against their rules). I am thinking about signing for Royale as a second ISP. We have had a few outages with NewWave, a couple a month, which I think is unacceptable. Royale straight up told me they can't handle a server running on their system (also against their rules), which I respect that. For info about their pkgs just give them a call. I opted for no contract and have basic cable and 10meg/1meg "gamer" pkg for $84/month. I came from 6meg/512 DSL with AT&T which was just about flawless for years. Give NewWave a call, talk to a tech, ask what the modem reads. If you do a speed test, use theirs. They can not control what is beyond their network.

have a great evening.
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I used to have super human powers.....

But my therapist took them away.

Fortunately or unfortunately, I know what I am getting which is 512Kbps per their "deluxe high speed internet" plan stated on my bill and their speed tests on their site for $32/mo. And it makes sense: 512Kbps does = ~54KBps down which is what I experience at all times despite non-peak hours i.e. 3am. I have no contract with them luckily. They only offer 512K, 6M, and 10M for $32, $42, and $50 respectively according to their website. Of course this was different when I signed up about 5 months ago but that's before they really got situated in Virden and began upgrading their infrastructure substantially. Also, it states that the 512 plan is "512KB" not Kb. I wish I was getting 512KB. And don't get me wrong, NewWave's prices are reasonable for the most part. I was just unfortunate to sign up when they offered a speed I thought I was getting but was later discontinued/changed. It seems reasonable to believe that those who were getting a speed that NewWave once offered but now don't would get knocked down to 512 rather than upped to the 6M without a price jump once the plans/speeds changed. I think NewWave knows that 80-90% of their internet subscribers will never know/test/care about their connection speed so when I signed up they felt comfortable saying you're getting x when really they were giving y with the hopes that the customer would not care to investigate further/verify what they are actually getting. Unfortunately, I did not test my speed until months after my service began so I could have been getting 512 from the beginning. I think in the end, if I want what I believed I purchased months ago, I will have to fork out more $ and upgrade to 6Mbps. It's definitely not a bad deal considering the speed difference but I am not the one paying the bill and I can't justify to the bill-payer that $10 more/mo is worth it when they can browse just fine with 512 which is all he/she does. I doubt that they would carve out an exception for me and give me a speed they do not officially offer. I don't have any real bargaining power being only a $32/mo customer. I may be wrong but I am not to the point of being serious about a threat to switch ISPs. The only solution would be to call NewWave and discuss it with them. I'm just too pessimistic at the moment to convince myself that a call would actually fix/do something. Thanks for the reply.