Whats Going On With Cat - Cdma

[ThaiLife]

I don't really know what's going on, but some thing is for sure. I can do a speed test and get a normal result ( for me ) web pages download quiet quickly , and then for no reason the connection just stops, the signal strength remains the same at Full ( connected to an external roof antenna ) .but nothing re loads, I use an internet download manager ( IDM ) which seems to be able to keep the download alive, but even in the end this just stops. I have as yet not contacted my local CAT manager , but will be doing so soon, I was hoping this was just a glitch in the system and it would be corrected , but its been a while now , with this non connection problem.

I would be interested to hear from any other CAT CDMA users , and how's your current connection situation , just to see if there's an over all problem affecting all CAT CDMA users .

TL

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Mine is OK

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cat-Evdo-t273282.html

[ThaiLife]

Hi

Mine is OK

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cat-Evdo-t273282.html

Hi Thanks, Can you please tell me which Modem you are using..? , I use a MC727

TL

[HDRIDER]

HI

I use the same, and also CCU 680

[Prichard]

Yes, I do have simiiar situation. I am using my CCU 680 with MBR1000 router. The drop occurred either way I connected. During the past few weeks my CAT CDMA internet connections were randomly dropped but the CCU 680 status indicated its sessions remained connected! The internet connections were good between 2 minutes to 2-3 hours. When CCU 680 was attached directly to my computer I had to disconnect and reconnect using C-motech Connection Manager. If CCU 680 was attached to MBR1000 I had to reboot the MBR1000.

This is quite frustrating considering that my CCU 680 was working perfectly with and without MBR1000 when first installed in early April. I have been trying to find the cause without success. I took my CCU 680 to the local CAT office (Udon Thani) and they told me there was nothing wrong on my CDMA account and their CDMA sessions. I have been trying in the past week to isolate the problem using two computers - one notebook with Vista and one desktop with XP and using both LAN and wireless connections. I have also contacted MBR1000 support and followed up on their suggestions with firmware updates. All with no luck so far. The other notebook on its wireless connection (with MBR1000) experienced the drop similar to the two computers as well.

Any comment from CAT CDMA users will be much appreciated. Thank you.

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Take your notebook go to the other end of town and see if its the same, then you should know if its the mast near you there is something wrong with

[nikster]

The problem started sometime in April, i made a thread on it here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Cat-Cdma-Dow...ns-t260808.html

Quick summary:

- Connection interrupts every 10 minutes

- Downloads, Skype, VPN, YouTube are all affected, interrupt/disconnect. YouTube videos often don't finish downloading.

- CAT has been unable to fix this - who knows why

- Problem is Thailand wide - nothing to do with your computer, your modem, the local mast

- I have now given up on them ever fixing it. Local CAT person even suggested I cancel my subscription as a solution.

So yes, it's not just you who noticed this. However, it doesn't affect web surfing and email very much, which is probably the reason they're not fixing it.

My test for this issue is this: I download a file > 100MB from somewhere. No download manager, just download in browser. If the download finishes without interruption, the problem is fixed. As it is, I get anywhere from 10MB - 20MB, then it times out. I am not 100% sure whether that's a timed interruption, e.g. every couple of minutes, or whether it has to do with how much data was transferred. But I think it has to do with time, and the amount of time between interrupts is semi-random.

Edited June 16, 2009 by nikster

[nikster]

Any comment from CAT CDMA users will be much appreciated. Thank you.

I don't know where you live, but what I'd do is bring it to the attention of higher ups at CAT. I want to go demo it at the CAT tower in Chiang Mai, but I am currently time constrained and also I have 2 DSL lines now so I don't have to rely on CAT CDMA so much anymore.

Somebody somewhere needs to put some resources behind fixing this. This problem is squarely with the CAT network. Everyone using CAT has this issue, only some may not have noticed it because they use a download manager and/or only surf the web and use email....

[ThaiLife]

Its strange that different people in different areas may be getting different results, my MC727 is used on an Apple iMac , ASUS N10J netbook, and an ASER E500 desk top PC, all have the same CAT CDMA problem, I am showing a full signal and the MC727 is connected to an external roof antenna, and the CAT tower is about 5KM away , in flat country side.

[nikster]

Its strange that different people in different areas may be getting different results, my MC727 is used on an Apple iMac , ASUS N10J netbook, and an ASER E500 desk top PC, all have the same CAT CDMA problem, I am showing a full signal and the MC727 is connected to an external roof antenna, and the CAT tower is about 5KM away , in flat country side.

Like I said, we all have the same problem. I am 100% sure even Mr. HDRIDER does though he didn't notice the problem.

In fact, out of all CAT CDMA users, most never notice the problem otherwise the CAT customer service hotlines would be running hot right now.... for those of us who do notice it, we do things that are directly affected by the interruption problem, so we'll notice it every time we are connected.

[HDRIDER]

Its strange that different people in different areas may be getting different results, my MC727 is used on an Apple iMac , ASUS N10J netbook, and an ASER E500 desk top PC, all have the same CAT CDMA problem, I am showing a full signal and the MC727 is connected to an external roof antenna, and the CAT tower is about 5KM away , in flat country side.

Like I said, we all have the same problem. I am 100% sure even Mr. HDRIDER does though he didn't notice the problem.

In fact, out of all CAT CDMA users, most never notice the problem otherwise the CAT customer service hotlines would be running hot right now.... for those of us who do notice it, we do things that are directly affected by the interruption problem, so we'll notice it every time we are connected.

Hi

I don’t have a problem here in Nai Harn, not that i have been aware off, i am on all the time. i have 2 USB modem in use two different places in Phuket and both work, not sure what’s going on.

Right now 08:30

Last Result:

Download Speed: 927 kbps (115.9 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 436 kbps (54.5 KB/sec transfer rate

[Prichard]

Thank you very much for all the comments so far. With them I will keep monitoring, investigating and adjusting anything that could make the connections stable. Thanks so much again.

[Gary A]

If you had my connection, you WOULD notice for sure. Mine has deteriorated to the point that EVDO is not usable.

Customer service has told me the problem will be repaired June 20th. I will believe it when I see it.

[loong]

My connection (MC727) has been mostly pretty good for the last week or so.

But I can rarely connect first attempt and there are about 3 total disconnects in a day.

Download speeds are acceptable, but the average up load is now only 100 to 150.

My signal strength has only ever shown 3 out of 5 bars. At the moment it is 2, but still getting EV-DO. Sometimes only I bar and 1xrtt

A few occasions every day, although I'm shown as connected, speed reduces to zero.

If I want to watch a Utube video, I have to use Utube downloader as if I try to watch in my browser (Firefox), the video will often stop halfway through and not restart.

If I am reading a topic on Thaivisa and click on an image (relatively large file) to view fullsize in another window, 10% of times, the image will only partly download, so I have to download the pic with download manager in order to view

[d0om4gloom]

In Phuket (patong) my experience of the cat cdma service is that it has been deteriorating all year - typically what I would associate with oversubscription. It can be seen this way as it works during the day but deteriorates badly in the evening. Last night i was monitoring 8% packet loss - at this level the service is next to useless.

You can see response times go right out as well. In general, this is normally due to packets queueing in the network - once the queue buffer is full you get drops, hence the packet loss. Packets tend to only queue in the core when there isn't enough core bandwidth. Your access speed should be the slowest connection in your end-end session but dont forget uplinks will be oversubscribed as standard - you'll have all heard its typically 20:1 on private users broadband but i dont know CATs ratios. Business level is normally 10:1 or less but i dont think CAT offer a business level CDMA service. This sort of thing should be manged through their network management utilisation tools so CAT would should about bandwidth issues and exactly where they lie.

Regarding the dropping issue, I have monitored this also. It looks very much like a device (or card within a device) crashing and reloading. This may or may not be load related so i wont offer an opinion on that. When I've phoned CAT I've never got anywhere trying to understand what is going on so i still experience the problem on a regular basis.

Dont confuse the two issues - in a browser, packet loss and connection problems might look very similar. You have to use other tools to understand where the problem is. You may have PC problems but there's plenty of users publicly complaining of a problem so draw your opionion as you see fit relavent to your location. In your in the north you wont have the same problem as someone in the south.

Load problems can exist on both your local uplinks and/or the inter-isp connections. It isn't fair to me comment where CATs problems are on this forum suffice to say I build core internet links across the world and know what i'm talking about.

My personal opinion is that the CAT CDMA service is in need of further investment but there are no news articles i could find to say whether that is or is not going to be forthcoming. I'd be interested if anyone has seen any news articles as i think many service providers in Thailand are much the same so I'd pick the one who is investing most :-)

Edited June 16, 2009 by d0om4gloom

[loong]

Not sure if I can get this post to work or not.

Bad service today, so many disconnects and dropping to 1XRTT even showing 3 bars signal strength.

At 6pm Thai time

Ping to Bangkok 1301ms

140/60Kbs dl/ul

It also seems that Thaivisa is experiencing problems as I have difficulty loading pages and if they do load they are garbled

[loong]

Not sure if I can get this post to work or not.

Bad service today, so many disconnects and dropping to 1XRTT even showing 3 bars signal strength.

At 6pm Thai time

Ping to Bangkok 1301ms

140/60Kbs dl/ul

It also seems that Thaivisa is experiencing problems as I have difficulty loading pages and if they do load they are garbled

[nikster]

Regarding the dropping issue, I have monitored this also. It looks very much like a device (or card within a device) crashing and reloading. This may or may not be load related so i wont offer an opinion on that. When I've phoned CAT I've never got anywhere trying to understand what is going on so i still experience the problem on a regular basis.

Yeah, that's exactly what it looks like. But because it's so consistent, and always happening, it's not just one stray device. It must be something in the software/firmware they use on all their server farms.

Dont confuse the two issues - in a browser, packet loss and connection problems might look very similar. You have to use other tools to understand where the problem is. You may have PC problems but there's plenty of users publicly complaining of a problem so draw your opionion as you see fit relavent to your location. In your in the north you wont have the same problem as someone in the south.

Load problems can exist on both your local uplinks and/or the inter-isp connections. It isn't fair to me comment where CATs problems are on this forum suffice to say I build core internet links across the world and know what i'm talking about.

My personal opinion is that the CAT CDMA service is in need of further investment but there are no news articles i could find to say whether that is or is not going to be forthcoming. I'd be interested if anyone has seen any news articles as i think many service providers in Thailand are much the same so I'd pick the one who is investing most :-)

CAT has recently announced that they want to invest X amount of billions in their 3G network. Of course that doesn't mean they'll do it... CAT didn't have a CEO up until recently so this is a headless giant stumbling along....

[HDRIDER]

Hi

Just downloaded 230MB for update iPhone, no problem this time

[RKASA]

This is the same old route that GPRS went and why I didn't bother putting a penny into (CDMA).  Once they sold 200,000 units its time to forget about it. The Sales departments run IT in Thailand, just forget about anything really working out over the long run, there is no profit in that.  Its just another part of thailands great Paper Tiger network.  If GPRS was still working how many would have bought the CDMA gear?  Now get ready for the next 10 to 14,000 baht device you will need.

[Gary A]

CAT had promised that they would have my EVDO tower repaired by tomorrow (20th). EVDO has started working again today;

Last Result:

Download Speed: 547 kbps (68.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 129 kbps (16.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 751 ms

Friday, June 19, 2009 9:28:58 AM

As long as it is usable, I won't complain. When it was working well, my speed was MUCH better. I had 1,500 down, 250 up and a ping of 350 - 400. I am hoping it will get better but I suspect it is now simply oversubscribed.

[Gary A]

CAT had promised that they would have my EVDO tower repaired by tomorrow (20th). EVDO has started working again today;

Last Result:

Download Speed: 547 kbps (68.4 KB/sec transfer rate)

Upload Speed: 129 kbps (16.1 KB/sec transfer rate)

Latency: 751 ms

Friday, June 19, 2009 9:28:58 AM

As long as it is usable, I won't complain. When it was working well, my speed was MUCH better. I had 1,500 down, 250 up and a ping of 350 - 400. I am hoping it will get better but I suspect it is now simply oversubscribed.

Sorry, it was wishful thinking on my part. EVDO is dead again. My AIS EDGE is not great but at least it works.

[RKASA]

Strange after my last post I need a proxy to open TV and the rest of the net is fine. Could be a TV site problem or maybe the same sales department run TV as does the IT in Thailand. (smiles)

No kidding its strange that the site seems to be down without a proxy.

[george]

I am on CAT CDMA as well, and it's been terrible the last days. They definitively have bandwidth issues and routing problems to the international backend.

No, no issues with Thaivisa servers.

I was up all night trying chatting to our hosting engineer in Singapore, trying to figure out whats going on, and they confirm to me that it's nearly 20% packet loss on traffic to/from Thailand. So the problem is at the CAT Gateway combined with overselling the bandwidth.

[RKASA]

I must be routing around a problem somewhere by using the proxy I have not be able to open TV normal for some time now. rest of internet is still working fine, seems isolated to TV itself or its the only site I have gone to in Singapore. Thats with ToT IpStar.

[ThaiLife]

Just been speaking to the CAT area centre to report my problem, after half an Hour trying to explain what's going on,and before they could use the old '' its your computer thats at fault '' remark , I hit them with its the same problem on all Three of my computers, they are now going to send an engineer to check , Its no use me doing a speed test , as the result can be ok, and Five minuets later the freezing problem occurs . So let's see what happens next .

[nikster]

Hi

Just downloaded 230MB for update iPhone, no problem this time

Interesting, that is definitely much better than I have seen since the problem started. I never get past 40MB, and I have tried many, many times.

[meelousee]

I don't really know what's going on, but some thing is for sure. I can do a speed test and get a normal result ( for me ) web pages download quiet quickly , and then for no reason the connection just stops, the signal strength remains the same at Full ( connected to an external roof antenna ) .but nothing re loads, I use an internet download manager ( IDM ) which seems to be able to keep the download alive, but even in the end this just stops. I have as yet not contacted my local CAT manager , but will be doing so soon, I was hoping this was just a glitch in the system and it would be corrected , but its been a while now , with this non connection problem.

I would be interested to hear from any other CAT CDMA users , and how's your current connection situation , just to see if there's an over all problem affecting all CAT CDMA users .

TL

Try this:

Open a DOS window and type 'netstat' read the data

then type netstat -Zc this will clear the buffer cache

type cls and try netstat again

last command ipconfig/flushdns

sometimes depending on modem cable and configurations the stack becomes large and simple DOS commands will help

Edited June 20, 2009 by meelousee

[meelousee]

I am on CAT CDMA as well, and it's been terrible the last days. They definitively have bandwidth issues and routing problems to the international backend.

No, no issues with Thaivisa servers.

I was up all night trying chatting to our hosting engineer in Singapore, trying to figure out whats going on, and they confirm to me that it's nearly 20% packet loss on traffic to/from Thailand. So the problem is at the CAT Gateway combined with overselling the bandwidth.

They have been doing this from day one. I did a network check two days ago and the shared bandwidth shocked me. When I first moved out here it was fine only a few homes were occupied and many unfinished now they are all full it seems we have lost 50% of the original speed to/from anyplace

[HDRIDER]

Hi

I downloaded itune on a new netbook, had to try 6 times, so i have the problem but it seem its only sometimes