NTL: Nasty Technology Limited

[Satch]

Well, after getting a much vaunted fee "speed upgrade" from 600Kb to 750Kb, just about every NTL user in my area has suffered a degradation of service. Everything is slower! Arrghhhh!

I am told this is something to do with NTL using "transparent proxy cache servers".

So what are they and what if anything can be done??

 

[C240Sport97]

go back to BT ...

 

[Steve_Perry]

...I am told this is something to do with NTL using "transparent proxy cache servers"...

Are you sure it's "transparent proxy cache servers" and not "transparent poxy cack servers"? Sorry couldn't resist that

I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your specific question but have you tried posting your query to the following forum? There's alot of people who actually work for nthell that post there, they maybe able to help.

http://forum.digitalspy.co.uk/board/forumdisplay.php?f=7

S.

 

[Shude]

I am told this is something to do with NTL using "transparent proxy cache servers".

So what are they and what if anything can be done??

Everything on port 80 will go through their cache, regardless of your browser settings. This is a trick ISPs use to reduce the amount of external bandwidth they use, if everyone reads the same websites then it's a good idea, it will speed up the web, if everyone reads something different then it'll add a tiny amount of lag to the web.

 

[Satch]

Well, I am told the problem is down to too much traffic being routed through not enough of said proxy servers during the process of a nationwide speed upgrade roll out.

We shall see.

 

[uumode]

Well, after getting a much vaunted fee "speed upgrade" from 600Kb to 750Kb, just about every NTL user in my area has suffered a degradation of service. Everything is slower! Arrghhhh!

I am told this is something to do with NTL using "transparent proxy cache servers".

So what are they and what if anything can be done??

Well they had some network issues over the past few days and completely lost the email service (again)

transparent means 'invisible', proxy is routing the traffic through another server, Cache stores most frequently NTL user accessed pages and images which speeds up downloads for individual users.

Can't do anything about it I'm afraid unless you change ISP.
Nildram, Pipex, Plusnet, Zen and Eclipse are good ISPs

AOL, BT, BT Yahoo, NTL are not so good, or as competitive on price or features, charging normally premium rates.

 

[frog1520]

transparent means 'invisible', proxy is routing the traffic through another server, Cache stores most frequently NTL user accessed pages and images which speeds up downloads for individual users. Can't do anything about it I'm afraid unless you change ISP.

You can probably manually put in a different proxy server (if you can find one) on your browser settings, so that your HTTP traffic doesnt go out on port 80 and so doesn't get hijacked by the transparent proxy server.

Dont know how NTL works, but you can do that on telewest anyway!

 

[uumode]

You can probably manually put in a different proxy server (if you can find one) on your browser settings, so that your HTTP traffic doesnt go out on port 80 and so doesn't get hijacked by the transparent proxy server.

Dont know how NTL works, but you can do that on telewest anyway!

True

 

[Satch]

Went on to a cable forum and found out that a wall of hate email and threats of mass desertion from users had got NTL to sort it out in my area. Things have improved hugely and a test routine shows my connection is averaging 715kbps download and 118kbps upload, which is not too bad at all/

"Managing their bandwidth effectively" was the excuse given. Ah yes.

 

[RichardM]

Just checked mine and it has been upgraded to 1.5mb. I did a test download and got 184 KB/Sec. No complaints about NTL from me!