Thought I would make the first topic in the tech help section. Obviously everyone is super leet and doesn't need help or too proud to admit their n00bness.

Anyway to my dilema - On the morning just prior to BSLAN 023 I awoke to find my internet not working which is always frustrating. After power cycling (dumbest thing ever IMO), checking settings, resetting and throwing a tantrum I finally decided to call my ISP. Since my ISP is pretty terrible at customer support all I got to do was log a fault. In the past when I've done this its usually back up surprisingly quickly but not today. I called them back and pressed the options to get through to the barely audible tech support guy who wasn't much help either.

At this stage it was time for BSLAN so I didn't worry about it anymore. I decided just to worry about it on Monday and either try a different modem or get them to check the exchange or whatever it is they do.

Upon arriving home from the lan and setting my computer back up I thought I'd try resetting again. This time I selected a different option than normal that my ISP directions tell me to select. To my surprise it instantly connected and I was away. I even receive a message from my ISP saying my problem is now fixed So of course I boot up my email, podcast receiver and other downloaders. Before I know it all more podcasts are downloaded much faster than normal, my email pops up instantly, a youtube video buffers straight away and I'm uploading a torrent at over 50 kb/s. I should mention at this point I only have 1500/256 ADSL plan. Since then I have used a speed tester and I'm getting quite healthy ADSL2+ speeds close to 20mb/s down and 1mb/s up.

My dilemma is... should I call them up and find out what the hell is going on or just be happy with my new faster internet?

when you called them you should've just kept pressing useless buttons it confuses the system and puts you through to a human quicker, also you should be happy with your faster internet dont tell them!

what are these "different options" that you tried, i would like to try also

I thought you might want to know I changed the Encapsulation setting in the Basic Settings menu from PPPoE to PPPoA.

thats whats mine is on at the moment, so they must have just accidentally gave you adsl 2, when they were "fixing it". i wouldn't say anything, if it happened to a normal person they wouldn't know the difference.

I'm thinking I will enjoy it for few days. At least until the end of the month and see what I get charged then ring up and complain if they overcharge me. Since I'll have to transfer to my new address soon anyway I probably wont get to enjoy it for long Pity they didn't make this error sooner.

Lol, the funny things is, its not an easy mistake for them to make. They use Optus for their ADSL2 and Telstra for their ADSL as wholesalers on your particular ISP.

Dont call though, you just get a computer. Snail Mail it

It does seem pretty strange. But I don't mind

A pretty nice dilemma to have I might add.

I don't think I would call....after all the trouble ISP's have sometimes I would see this as a a win for THE PEOPLE! You're doing it for the greater good Thommo. The greater good (hyuck hyuck - Hot Fuzz:P).

Your right... its about time our ISP's did something that we can be happy about. Now I just hope they make the same mistake when I have to change my address in a few weeks. I'll even happily pay the stupid reconnection fees if they connect it up wrong and by wrong I mean faster not messed up like what usually happens when they do it wrong.

Have you seen those crazy cheap no frills package. Only 50 cents a gig now on the adsl 2, when you go over. Maybe you should get it at new place regardless.

They do look good actually. I haven't looked at them because I thought they were targetted at light users but the ADSL2 options are quite good. Paying alot less to not get the things I don't use like the SMS etc. I will have to check that out. The only negative is probably the 2hrs less peak time but isn't a big deal at all. Pity they don't have similar plans for ADSL1 so I will just have to hope I can get ADSL2 at my new address.

who is doing 50cent gigs? i can't find any

It's in the ADSL No frills plans. Looks like they just don't include all the silly SMS and Fax stuff. The ADSL1 plans don't seems very good since they have pretty low included quotas.
ADSL1 Plans ADSL2 Plans

Fred's obviously not subscribed to exetel's newsletter

I am but I didn't notice it either.

yeah, im still stuck with telstra resellers for Junortoun + adsl2+
the 1.5 no frills is not much better that the 60/45gig plan, although i could download during the day more and might work out much better when i go over my limits.

I might go to 8mbits no frills or find a new isp for adsl2, the only problem is to get 100+ downloads on adsl2 the plan is going to be $140+, but i really need it for the business and VPN.

oh, i am subscribed but have never read it

I like the emails about the Western Ground Parrot :-p

Damn, Exetel have already removed those plans They are now dearer and $1.50/gb over quota. Still a bit cheaper though. Sounds like the ones we were looking at the last few days weren't confirmed and these are the final plans with no optional extras.

if they weren't confirmed, why did they have them on their website?

nah, the adsl1 plans are the same

Who knows... seems pretty dopey actually.
I didn't look at the ADSL1 no frills plans. They didn't seem any better than my current plan.

the 8 plans were heaps cheaper.

the 1.5 no frills may have been better for me considering Michelle doesn't pay attention to what downloads we have done during the month, and end up up on day and down on night or visa versa(i would say and extra $20 per month). and we wouldn't need to worry about cutting back on the downloads

I didn't look at the 8mbps plans either. And I can understand the problem if you go over often. I've been good at not going over lately since I've gone up a few levels. The $3/gb over can be pretty nasty.

it is funny how they say the no frills plans are for lite users, considering they are heaps cheaper if you are a big downloader

All future plans are no frills. They want to make people pay for the services seperately as barely anyone uses them. They are making it cheaper so people get used to paying per Gig again, and then up the price again , not that they would change existing users, just change way people pay think about paying for their internet again. Really it shouldnt be a monthly fee but a per gig fee anyway... Thats what their costs are, per gig...

The intitial ADSL2 no frills plans looked more attractive then the current format but its still nice not paying for stuff I wasn't using.

I've discovered that ADSL2 is dangerous for your quota. I've already downloaded 20gb this month

Is it normal for your internet to continue to work even after your phone line has been disconnected?