O Canada! → Canadian → Canadian Broadband > VMedia High Packet Loss and Tech Support

I recently switched to VMedia for their 45/4 cable Internet service. I had been happy with the installation until I realized that certain services were really slow. I checked with my router and found that there was almost constant WAN packet loss of between 10-30%. I double-checked my router and it was not coming from inside the network. I checked the modem which shows optimal signal strength both up and downstream. I had an issue like this with Rogers when I lived in Toronto and it turned out to be something in their distribution network. So I got in touch with VMedia's tech support and they seemed to recognise the problem and wanted to escalate it to their "2nd tier support team". They wanted to remote into my computer to do "diagnostics". I told the technician that this would not be possible because I run Linux. I offered to send the results of the ping, traceroute, and other tests they told me would be run to them, but instead of getting an answer, they just disconnected me. It was like the guy just didn't want to deal with me. I've never heard of an ISP discriminating over an operating system before. I'd warn that if you use use Linux and have to deal with VMedia you are probably not going to have a good time.

I should be more clear; I didn't phrase that very well. I didn't say at all that I wouldn't allow them to connect. After I mentioned Linux they were basically like "we can't handle that".

They wanted to remote into my computer to do "diagnostics". I told the technician that this would not be possible because I run Linux.