macliam

Thanks - that worked!! Shame Meo couldn't point that out when I asked!

I don't understand the split they use, Internet ADSL and Internet Internacional, but presuming they're additive this suggests a usage of 70Gb for October and 87.5Gb in September (when I was there all month.....) So, given the treacle speed I get, that definitely suggests I would need at least 100Gb without such restriction.

macliam

An update on this:
My MEO DSL continues to disappoint (!) now c1.7mbps.
So, I checked my mobile signal on my smartphone (roaming from the 3 network in the UK). It suggested 3G with a speed of 5mbps via NOS.
Back in the UK I organized a hotspot and bought and tested a GiffGaff data SIM - then brought it to Portugal to "roam".
It picked up MEO mobile (shame...) but again 3G with a download speed of 5-7.8mbps..... so substantially better than DSL.
That goodybag expired last week, so I bought a NOS SIM and 6 days of "unlimited" data to test...... I'll be doing this next week. Cost €12.50, but "unlimited" packages are €15 for 15 days or €25 a month - so if all pans out, I'll be using them in the near future (and looking out a decent mobile router, too...)

The next problem seems to be in terminating the MEO DSL "non-contract" (my actual contract expired a few months back) ....... I looked online (all in Portuguese) and it says to download a form, fill it out and send it back - but I don't have some of the "obligatory" info for that. Then I see advice that a registered letter is necessary to ensure MEO don't "lose" the request and keep charging..... so I think another trip to the Algarve and a discussion with MEO may be necessary. I might try speaking to them first, but I'm wary of getting stuck in a salesman loop and I don't have a burn-phone to hand to avoid months of follow-up sales-pitches (maybe the first real use for the useless house phone they provided!!)

Has anyone managed to get rid of them with any ease?

Score76

Not sure how far the travel is for you but Luis in the Silves shop is very helpful and unlike the usual sales types just seems to want to help.

I have a good 3G/4G router I can sell you, used for a short period with a roaming Giffgaff sim while my DSL was installed but now just taking up cupboard space. PM me if you're interested.

dingg

we used the NOS 15e for 14 days sim supposedly unlimited data , it may well be unlimited data but after a couple of days they throttle back the speed to less than 0.5mbs

no good for watching tv which was the whole idea , back in the uk presently but moving to a house with adsl at end Jan

we have decided we NEED fibre as one of the priorities when selecting a house to buy in the future.

macliam

It's about an hour, so a bit further than a straight drop to Guia, but worth it if there's someone helpful at the other end! (... and I don't have any other contacts ) As for the router, I may be interested, but it depends on the outcome of my "trial", I'll PM you.
This is my concern - although AFAIK "throttling" a 3G signal isn't as easy as doing it on a DSL line....
Where were you and when? I've heard horror stories of the performance in the Algarve in Summer, when there are loads of people using the masts..... but that's not so likely up here. (). That's why I'm being VERY cautious in making any changes (better a bird in the hand, etc. - even when it is a turkey!!)
I'd go for fibre too, but unfortunately, whilst "fibre has arrived" at my nearest town(10km) and switches are being changed to accommodate the new backhaul, I'm not holding my breath for availability, being 1.5km off the main drag......

dingg

cabeco da vela , just 2 weeks or so ago , they must log your ip address and choke it somehow?

macliam

Oh well - it's going to be "suck it and see", if the signal gets throttled then it's back to the drawing board - and it depends after how much downloading.

However, if it's a general rule, it'shard to see how it would work as a business model..........

liveaboard

I have MEO broadband + TV on a phone line.
Download speed is quite high; tested at 7Mbps. if I want more speed I can have it by paying a little more.
So, aside from the bragging rights, why does everyone want fiber?

RichardHenshall

Much the same for us. Perhaps the fibre connection doesn't suffer from the same problems with other users' contention for the bandwidth? Maybe less of a problem for you?

dingg

Once you've got fibre you will not want to go back .

we could possibly manage with adsl as long as we can stream tv but as more data will definitely be needed in the future fibre will become the defacto requirement for most so may as well plump for it now.

macliam

In the UK I went for fibre because I had much the same issue as here - a low download speed of about 3.5mbps (although here, that would be a dream) plus issues with connections.
Fibre to the cabinet (claimed 30mbps) gave me an available bandwidth of 15-20mbps (I'm about 1km from the cabinet) and this does not vary over the day (greater backhaul capacity, less issues with contention). It also cost me no more than the DSL.... so why would I not go for it?

Here, if I had a decent DSL speed, I would not worry. Contention was much lower (although it now appears to impact me more) and I have no option to increase the bandwidth via DSL... so I'm paying a lot for very little and it's becoming unusable for anything except internet surfing. As the local switch is rated at 6mbps (that's MEOs call) you can see that nobody is going to get a decent service once there are more than a couple of subscribers..... and the switch has remained the same for the past 3 years (at least). Fibre is a dream - a similar setup to the UK would provide more bandwidth than any other option - and, again, it appears that the price is no higher. BUT, currently, it's not an option.

I don't use mobile data in the UK, I have little experience of it and I'm very, very cautious - particularly about constraints on download capacity. But it seems to be the only possible avenue for obtaining a decent internet signal for me. So, if you have a good DSL service, you're happy with it and the price is right, then good for you - but, apart from moving, I am low on options!

liveaboard

What do you mean by 'contention'?

RichardHenshall

https://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/g...ntention-ratio

zoff

Hi, as I plan on moving to the Porches area (Areias de Porches) soon I would like to visit Luis. Can you tell which shop in Silves? Thanks.

Score76

Hey zoff, welcome to the area, a great place to live :-)

Luis works in the Meo shop in Silves.