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padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member

Any Colba.NET FTTH subscribers and experience

Hi

I met a Colba.net account manager who was "scouting" my building for potential users for their FTTH service. Yes, he said it is FTTH where the fiber strand gets connected to the modem in the customer's home. The service is 25/10Mbps and is $30+tx.

Does anyone have experience of their FTTH service? How is Colba.Net in general? How is their support?

Currently with Teksavvy and pay $34.99 + tx ($40.23) for a paltry 6/0.8 Mbps ADSL connection.

Thanks for your responses in advance.
Best wishes for the $FESTIVAL that you may be celebrating.

Nitra
join:2011-09-15
Montreal

Nitra

Member

If you are in their footprint, they're generally solid. The main issue with them is the very limited service area.
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member

By solid, I'm assuming reliability of connection. How about their support when it is needed? Any billing issues that might have caused the relationship to go sour?

Nitra
join:2011-09-15
Montreal

Nitra

Member

Not that I've heard of, I have a friend that's been with them for years, he's not had issues.
skruje
join:2013-06-25
Montreal, QC

skruje to padenom

Member

to padenom
Oh my, I wonder if they will have this in my building! I had Colba ADSL2+ for a year and it was good for the price but I ended up switching to EBox because I wanted more than 15mbps, which is the best I could do due to the distance from the dslam.
lowping
join:2013-08-04

lowping to padenom

Member

to padenom
Sounds like FTTN more then anything if speeds are 25/10, which is exactly what Bell is selling.
edugas
join:2004-03-18
H2K

1 edit

edugas

Member

Sure, but the 25/10 tier run around 50$/m (with ElectronicBox).

Colba has their own DSLAMs ADSL2+ in a couple of Bell COs in Montreal (»colba.net/main.php?lang= ··· =dispo2p) and the coverage is quite limited. Nothing stops them to light a pair of fiber (or even just a single-fiber) to MDUs and deliver their triple play services without Bell in the picture.
lowping
join:2013-08-04

lowping

Member

said by edugas:

Sure, but the 25/10 tier run around 50$/m (with ElectronicBox).

Colba has their own DSLAMs in a couple of Bell COs in Montreal (»colba.net/main.php?lang= ··· =dispo2p). Nothing stops them to light a pair of fiber (or even just a single-fiber) to MDUs and deliver their triple play services without Bell in the picture.

Yes and this could also be VDSL2 DSLAM in the CO.

I don't see why speeds aren't symmetric if this is truly FTTH.

Guspaz
Guspaz
MVM
join:2001-11-05
Montreal, QC

Guspaz to padenom

MVM

to padenom
Colba has a long and proven track record of exaggerating or lying to make sales. As far as I know, they don't offer any FTTH service, and are simply wholesaling Bell's VDSL2 services (where they don't do ADSL2+ from their own colocated DSLAMs)

You get what you pay for, and just go and look at Colba reviews on DSLR to see what you'd be getting into. I'd also suggest looking at Google's speed reports for YouTube: they list Colba for Montreal, and their percentage of HD views is much worse than most other ISPs.
InvalidError
join:2008-02-03

InvalidError to lowping

Member

to lowping
said by lowping:

I don't see why speeds aren't symmetric if this is truly FTTH.

Most FTTH deployments use GPON which is still asymmetrical at the link layer: GPON is 2.488/1.244 while XGPON is 9.953/2.488. The only reason why they can offer "symmetrical" speeds on it is because upstream capacity is usually grossly under-used.
lowping
join:2013-08-04

lowping

Member

said by InvalidError:

said by lowping:

I don't see why speeds aren't symmetric if this is truly FTTH.

Most FTTH deployments use GPON which is still asymmetrical at the link layer: GPON is 2.488/1.244 while XGPON is 9.953/2.488. The only reason why they can offer "symmetrical" speeds on it is because upstream capacity is usually grossly under-used.

Exactly.
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom to Guspaz

Member

to Guspaz
I looked on the web for any information about their FTTH service and couldn't find anything. That is why I posted on DSLR.

The rep was in the building yesterday and promised me to send the details of the modem as soon as he is back in his office. Not sure if he meant today or will be after the new year. However, he did mention the first time and yesterday that the fiber is connected to the modem and they won't be using the copper going to customer's apartments.
said by Guspaz:

You get what you pay for, and just go and look at Colba reviews on DSLR to see what you'd be getting into.

I understand the concern and advice. Thanks.
On the same note, the reviews that I saw were for ADSL2+ customers and the customer service isn't the best as per the reviewers.

I might actually go with them for a month or so to "test" their service and report back. I don't have to pay an year in advance and it does not touch my hyper-slow 6Mbps ADSL connection!
lowping
join:2013-08-04

lowping

Member

said by padenom:

I looked on the web for any information about their FTTH service and couldn't find anything. That is why I posted on DSLR.

The rep was in the building yesterday and promised me to send the details of the modem as soon as he is back in his office. Not sure if he meant today or will be after the new year. However, he did mention the first time and yesterday that the fiber is connected to the modem and they won't be using the copper going to customer's apartments.

said by Guspaz:

You get what you pay for, and just go and look at Colba reviews on DSLR to see what you'd be getting into.

I understand the concern and advice. Thanks.
On the same note, the reviews that I saw were for ADSL2+ customers and the customer service isn't the best as per the reviewers.

I might actually go with them for a month or so to "test" their service and report back. I don't have to pay an year in advance and it does not touch my hyper-slow 6Mbps ADSL connection!

What you need is a ONT and a router, no need for a modem if this is FTTH.
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member

said by lowping:

What you need is a ONT and a router, no need for a modem if this is FTTH.

Maybe it is an ONT that the Colba.net rep meant. He seemed to be from the sales side of the business and not technical side. He was calling it a "modem" though.
lowping
join:2013-08-04

lowping

Member

said by padenom:

said by lowping:

What you need is a ONT and a router, no need for a modem if this is FTTH.

Maybe it is an ONT that the Colba.net rep meant. He seemed to be from the sales side of the business and not technical side. He was calling it a "modem" though.

He called it a modem, and offers speed of 25/10.......... but you beleive him when he's saying it's FTTH, alright then.
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member

Update 20150317: Colba.Net installed the fibre in the building last week. Today they are installing the modem/connection it in the building manager's office. I will drop in his office and get some pictures of the modem/router (whatever the device maybe).

Also, I found this which matches what the Colba.Net rep was saying earlier:
»globenewswire.com/news-r ··· eal.html
69230940 (banned)
join:2014-12-10

69230940 (banned)

Member

I had to laugh at this, don't think I've ever seen anyone covering their ass so much in a press release before:
quote:
Disclaimer in regards to Forward-looking Statements

Certain statements included herein, including those that express management's expectations or estimates of our future performance constitute "forwarding-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Corporation does not intent, and undertakes no obligation, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect, in particular, new information or future events.

martyb1
join:2013-05-18
Wemindji, QC

martyb1

Member

forward looking statements disclaimers are standard stuff in any and most market news blurbs

don't have to google long to find more;

»www.ciena.com/about/news ··· es-.html
quote:
Note to Ciena Investors
Forward-looking statements. This press release contains certain forward-looking statements based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties. These statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof; and Ciena's actual results could differ materially from those stated or implied, due to risks and uncertainties associated with its business, which include the risk factors disclosed in its Report on Form 10-K, which Ciena filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 22, 2011. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding Ciena's expectations, beliefs, intentions or strategies regarding the future and can be identified by forward-looking words such as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "should," "will," and "would" or similar words. Ciena assumes no obligation to update the information included in this press release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

69230940 (banned)
join:2014-12-10

69230940 (banned)

Member

haha, shows how much I read market news.
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member

Here are a couple of images of the "ONT" that they will use.

Speed tests showed consistently 24.5/9.9 Mbps.
skruje
join:2013-06-25
Montreal, QC

1 edit

skruje

Member

How interesting! I wonder what their rollout plan for FTTH looks like. It's unfortunate they are starting with only 25/10 service though. Any word on pricing? Can you do some traces around the internet? I'm interested in the latency to first hop because when I had ADSL2+, it was around 20-30ms before I even hit the transit.
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member


Roll out plan: they have installed it a 2 or 3 business building in downtown Montreal and mine is the first residential/business building. From what I know, they are focusing on commercial/apartment/condo buildings in Montreal for now.

The pics are from their test setup for the building manager's office. I will probably get it this/next week only.

As for pricing, they are asking $30/month (paid in advance annually) plus price for ONT or ONT+Router. ONT is around $75 I think.
padenom

padenom

Member

A quick update: they informed me that they will do the install the week of 27th April.

Today being 28th and the "conditional" paper I signed (it said install should be before 30 April), I don't think they have much time left.

Any Colba.Net employee reading this? Tell your boss that your company does not give a good first impression. This is even before the installation!
edugas
join:2004-03-18
H2K

edugas to padenom

Member

to padenom
That's the OLT: »www.zhone.com/about/phot ··· _med.jpg

I've worked with these units (the OLT, ONT was the ZNID 2424) in the past. I guess for residential services it _should_ work fine.

Latency should be ~1ms (whatever the distance between the building and the CO) to OLT and add latency up to their edge router(s)/transit provider(s).
padenom
join:2008-03-28
Montreal, QC

padenom

Member






Forgot to put speed test results. Have been using it for a month now and has been reliable (for now).