Cybernet Home DSL diary

Getting a decent internet connection in Pakistan is just about impossible – see my ‘past’:http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/pakistan/2003_09/worldcall_4_month_review.html ‘experiences’:http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/pakistan/2004_09/worldcall_review_update.html with ‘Worldcall’:http://go4b.net as a shining example. So news of Cybernet starting up home dsl at affordable rates came as a great relief – finally after long last a professional company was entering the slightly-faster-than-dialup arena! But in Pakistan however, nothing comes easy – so, this here post chronicles my attempt to acquire Cybernet home dsl… read on for the gory details:


*Oct 30* After hearing from a friend that Cybernet had started

offering home DSL services, I rang them up to get the details.

bq.. Rates:

64K …Rs 1570 or $26

128K …Rs 2270 or $37

256K …Rs 3770 or $62

Setup: Rs. 6500 including installation and modem.

They say this bandwith is shared between 4 users. It is uncapped, I

specifically asked them about this. 64K will give 8kbps downloads,

128k 16kbps and 256 32kbps.

p. I emailed them a number of technical questions about the sevice:

bq.. Please send details about your Home DSL service. Specifically:

1) Area of coverage in Karachi

2) Advantages v.s WorldCall cable internet – Why should I switch?

3) Speeds/Prices

4) Bandwidth caps – Is there a download limit?

5) Do you provide any Value added services, like web space for users,

or faster local speeds, gaming servers etc.? If not now, are there any

plans to introduce any such services in the future?

6) Size of email account?

7) if my phone line has problems, do u arrange for PTCL to have it

fixed? Is there an extra charge?

8) Do you have any QOS gurantees?

9) In the case of a DSL disruption, do u provide a backup dialup account?

10) VOIP – do you block voice over ip services like net2phone?

11) Latency – what response times will I get from international servers?

12) Upload speeds – will they be same as download speeds?

13) Support – does cybernet have support via email?

What packages do you offer for corporate use? Please also answer the

above questions for corporate DSL.

p. *Nov 1:* Went to a cybernet office and signed up for the home dsl service. Filled out all the forms – to be precise, there were four of them, including one meant for corporates.

*Nov 3:* No contact from cybernet so far. They did take down

four different means of contacting me – it would be nice to hear a

progress report, or even to find out if they are actually doing

something with the four forms I’ve filled out. It’s been five days

since I sent the above email to three different Cybernet addresses and got back three different auto replies. My current ISP at home,

WorldCall, hasn’t replied to any of the emails I’ve sent them over the past 2 years, but I expect better of Cybernet.

*Nov 4:* Talked to Cybernet on the phone. They have started crunching

the paperwork. There were 4 forms, so I guess it will take some time.

They called back to confirm the phone number to check for DSL.

*Nov 6:* No reply from cybernet yet to my emails. That is a

dissapointment – I was expecting better. They’ve had the weekend and a full working week to reply, so I assume it’s been delegated to the

dustbin. I have found out from ZD that Cybernet is planning to offer

256kbps ADSL at Rs. 1200 early next year.

*Nov 13:* This is the last working day before Eid. Cybernet had said

they would have the conenction up and running by Eid. I called

Cybernet in the morning at 9:50am but could not actually talk to

anyone who knew about their home DSL services. Left a message, but no

one called back. Will now check with them after Eid, but having given

a date, they shold have called/emailed/faxed/texted when they couldn’t make it and given a new time.

*Nov 18:* Nothing yet… but then during Ramzan this country shuts down and only wakes up for iftar.

*Nov 19:* They’ve given Saturday as the time now.

*Nov 22:* No news from Cybernet – this is really not on. A halfway

professional company would at least inform the customer about

unforseen delays. I haven’t received any reply to my emails to them

yet – none whatsoever beyond the autoreplier. Lets see what tomorrow brings…

*Nov 24*: Finally got a call from Cybernet – they apologized for the delay, and said the dsl link should be up by the end of the week. No email reply yet to my queries.

*Nov 28*: Someone from Cybernet came to check the telephone line. It didn’t inspire too much faith that the ‘technical specialist’ who had come to check the phone line didn’t know what a ‘pabx’:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PABX was and couldn’t find the incoming telephone line despite the manual for the pabx being right next to it. _(I was at work)_ Came home early to point out the right wire. While I guess it is ok to not want to fiddle with these high tech gadets like exhanges _(and cordless phones perhaps?)_ it is not ok that the person was ready to check the telephone extension for dsl connectivity. DSL technology works over contiguous copper. Therefore, users must not be behind a PABX or use Wireless Local Loop etc to obtain phone service. The suprising thing is that Cybernet has been providing corporate dsl services for some time now, so I’m sure they must encouter a pabx now and then out there in the corporate jungle.

Anyways, the end result was that the phone line passed the test. I think anyone looking for reliable internet needs to get two internet connections connected to something like ‘this’:http://www.xincom.com/. Once prices get cheaper for dsl, wireless, cable etc. that should be feasible.

*Nov 29:* …

*Nov 30:* So it turns out that the phone line is not up to the mark – the dsl modem is not getting a ‘good connection’.

*Dec 1:* More trickery with the phone lines. I think this will take a while.

*Dec 4:* It is taking a while, but at my end now. The lineman (two different ones) say that the fault lies within the house wiring. So the wiring needs to be changed. The moral of the data is that dsl is a prude – those digital bits turn down lines acceptable to humans…

-I already feel sorry for all those companies planning a mass consumer dsl rollout- well not really, but they will get unfairly blamed for problems which should lie within PTCL’s jurisdiction.

*Dec 8:* Having no internet at home is quite peaceful. Read a book.

*Dec 9:* Bought 250 feet of good/best quality telephone wire. Lets see what that does.

*Dec 13*: Completely rewired all internal wiring all the way to the pole outside. The telephone line is crystal clear for voice, but DSL still doesn’t work. Next suggestion: get the wiring changed all the way to the exhange! Aye curamba… this dsl stuff is painfull!

*Dec 14-16:* Found out that having two routers routing is not good. While I had the same setup before, after much googling it seems that dsl modems don’t play friendly with routers attached to them.

*Dec 18:* Took just a few minutes to switch over the dsl modem to bridged mode (well cybernet did all that) – I just changed the settings on the router. It seems to be working fine now.

*Dec 18 to Dec 28:* The Internet hasn’t worked for ten days now. It worked worked fine on the 18th, but stopped working sometime during the night. Finally complained to Cybernet yesterday.

*Dec 28:* The internet is restored – haven’t had time to check it yet. It seems they had messed up something at their end, as all the settings at my end are exactly the same as before.

*Dec 29 to Jan 9:* All issues seem to be sorted now. The internet has been working beautifully. An email I sent to someone asking about Cybernet’s DSL service:

bq.. I’ve been using Cybernet DSL 256kbps for about 10 days now – and it’s amazing. Works well, etc. Forget free, I wouldn’t use WordCall unless they paid me a nontrivial amount.

As for the cost, I don’t know yet. As you must have read in the papers recently, broadband prices have dropped by 50%, and so has line rent on DSL connections. They have told me that most likely it will be Rs. 1000-1200 for 256kbps – which is a pretty good price. It should already be available all over Karachi.

Their customer support (so far) is excellent, and higly knowledgable. I had my DSL modem set up in bridged mode – I don’t think any ISP here gives that kind of service. (or they charge extra). I had a few problems with the service initially, but that turned out to be PTCL cutting the line. That will happen occasionally, as when they are doing work at the exchange it can disrupt the DSL connection, but the cybernet people are in contact with lineman and other PTCL employees through which they get it fixed pretty fast. With Worldcall all their problems stemmed from the fact that they didn’t understand the basics of networking and computers ( I know because I went and chewed out some of their top technical people -twice- thrice – it is a really sad place – despite my knowing practically nothing about networking I still knew more basics than them).

p. *Jan 10 to April 7:* No problems whatsoever. Perhaps it’s the fact they have hardly any customers, but there hasn’t been a single glitch in the service for four months now.

Finally, I can listen to streaming radio with no problems – as long as the stream is under 48K. The ‘BBC’:http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/ and ‘NPR’:http://npr.org have tons of radio online, including archives of past shows. On the flip side, streaming video doesn’t work. There is another issue with the connection: If I am downloading a large file, it sometimes stops partway, but if I use a download manager then downloads work just fine at about 28 kilobytes/sec.

*See ‘Internet connectivity in Pakistan’:http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/pakistan/2005_01/internet_connectivity_in_pakistan.html for my ongong review of internet connectivity options in Karachi.*

For up to date information on DSL, please see the “forums”:/forums.

190 thoughts on “Cybernet Home DSL diary”

  1. maybe they fear u. hehehe. they have blacklisted u coz of ur “worldcall” service reviews. after all what can u expect from a pakistani company. its all about the money. they wont give a damn about the consumer. its not as if we have a consumer protection council or something. i bet their service is really lousy. its just isdn masquerading as dsl. my word of advice is to drop it :). if they are taking so long to answer ur queries then i guess they are up to no good.

  2. I called their customer service yesterday, and guess what, they knew of this post on your blog. The previous comment seems right on the mark!

    When I asked them about the wait-time for my area, they said it could take upto a month (this is before I mentioned I had read this post). According to the rep, they can do it faster by bribing PTCL operators, but they only do things the ‘right’ way (sahee tareeqa)!!!

  3. thor: I actually went easy on WorldCall in my review, as even now after having used it for a year it’s still hard for me to comprehend how bad the service is. Cable companies like Worldcall have a far easier job as everything (besides international bandwidth) is under their control. Dsl companies have to depend on PTCL, so one has to give them margin for that.

    Mudassir: PTCL is a horrendous institution to deal with – so you can’t blame any of the dsl companies for giving long installation times. In Korangi, our phone lines are dug up with monotonous regularity every few months. In the long run, dsl is a dead end solution considering Karachi’s decaying copper network. I’ve never heard of PTCL ever doing anything about the phone line network. The shiniest exhange in the world can’t compensate for the sort of copper network Karachi has. While dsl does work at the current low speeds, I doubt it will work in too many areas at high speeds. I know of companies/people who can’t even get a 128kb DSL connection going on their phone lines due to line noise/interference. About bribing PTCL: I did ask Cybernet to send me any PTCL lineman/operators if they need to be ‘paid’, or preferrably to do it themselves and bill me for it.

  4. This is intriguing. With Worldcall nowhere in sight in my area, I opted quite a while back to pay Multinet’s exorbitant prices and get an uncapped 128k business-class DSL connection.

    Intitally, for some reason, they gave me a full 512/256 pipe – but quite recently, after I got used to it, they implemented traffic shaping to bring it down to 128/128.

    Now, I can wholeheartedly recommend them for what they are: service and support have been top-notch throughout, but paying $125/mo for 128k in the year 2004 is really not on – and, apart from anything else, there’s no way I want to go back to what is actually midband! Other providers are marginally cheaper, but have ridiculous caps (1GB combined up and down? Come on!).

    So I have been looking for uncapped 256k or 512k DSL connections recently, and Cybernet seems appropriate – I did contact them about a month ago, but haven’t heard from them since, and didn’t follow it up further – and I shall be following your report on this very carefully.

    Keep it up!

  5. i have been using their DSL for the past 2 months and i never faced that much problem as u did. My phone line was fine when they came in to check it and the yes i admit that at times the installation does take time(had a bad experience with Multinet) but cyber’s service is good.

    Take it from me, i had worst experience with worldcall. There must be a logical explanation to it all.

    lemme know once u start using it!

  6. Can you tell me where did you see cybernet offering 256 k in beginning of next year for 1500 approximately

    KO: See December issue of Spider Magazine.

  7. You complain all the time you should be thankful to god that you have a telephone and connectivity that (somehow) works. You are a spoiled young boy who has forgotten how things work in our country. I think all ISPs should ban you and you should publish your telephone number so that they blacklist you and never listen your complains. Imagine the pain, trouble and discomfort your telephone calls and emails cause to the guys at cybernet and worldcall and you disturbed them during ramadan now thats really bad. they didnt join cybernet to listen some guy asking for things Each and Every day. Hey cybernet and worldcall and all ISPs I am with you guys dont listen to KO or any one else. It is your right to provide HORRIBLE service/ customer support.

  8. danial: The above is more of a factual diary of my ‘journey’ to get a dsl connection – not a litany of complaints. Imagine the pain Pakistani isps cause to their customers. These poor ISP staff, barely eking out a living and surviving on roti, water and customers like you – they surely have bigger things to worry about then providing the service/product they advertise – perhaps you should consider starting up a fund for them, and maybe also provide some counseling services… perhaps something like an ‘agony aunt’ service for IT professionals?

  9. u got that rite brotha. the pakistani isps have never given us a peaceful browsing experience. have been suffering due to them. they are supposed to give us our money’s worth. customer support personnel are paid for their work. they are not supposed to be clueless or ditzy. so go back and play with ur play doh danial or just go and adopt a customer service pro for a day.its a good thing i enjoyed dsl while i was out of the country. it saddens me that we are yet to utilise a great broadband service.

  10. I finally got my Cybernet DSL connection yesterday. It took about 10 days to get the service. I am reasonably happy with their customer service. They regularly communicated and informed me of the status.

    About the service, I don’t know what I had begun to expect from Cybernet – the service is painfully slow at 64k shared. Since yesterday when I got the connection, about 5-10% of all page requests have timed out waiting; pages eventually come up on refreshing. This page on KO’s blog took more than a minute to load completely. 56k dial-up easily puts this connection to shame.

    On the bright side, the connection looks clean. I tried some usual ports and none of them were blocked. I do not have to specify a proxy in my wireless router (which was a pain with my old cable-walla). The overall setup and installation was relatively painless.

    More on the speed: My DSL modem shows a download rate of 96kbps and an upload rate of 32kbps, instead of 64kbps symmetric. Pinging google.com takes 400-450ms on average. Speedtest at bandwidthplace.com shows a reading of 50kpbs when it completes (out of the five times I tried it, only two runs completed).

  11. Goes around, Comes around…My father has also been dusing Cyber services for a long time now and so as i being her daughter. I know only one thing that whatever you do in your life it comes back to you so you better start analyzing your acts 😀 No offense!!!

    Afterall ‘Nothing Goes Unpaid” Good Luck..

  12. Found about about Telecard’s ‘Foree fone’:http://telecard.com.pk/html/smart/index.html – it is currently useless for internet access as they are using the ‘CDMA2000’:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CDMA2000 1x standard – which has a maximum therotical bandwidth of 300kbps, but in reality falls far short. It is targeted more towards voice services, as it has six times the capacity of GSM or TDMA systems, and it is fast enough for cell phone access to the internet, but definitly not suitable for as a primary internet connection. Plus, it costs a lot more than the alternatives.

  13. I will be buying CyberDSL in about a week. So i would like to know if CyberDSL is a good choice or not. After reading all these comments, i really dont think i can settle with it.

    Please tell me what shall i choose and what is more better:

    (1) Cyber DSL

    (2) Foree Fone Wireless Internet

    AND YES… please tell me when CyberDSL will launch 256k for Rs.1500. Shall i wait until then or can i upgrade later?

  14. Foree fone will at best give you an average speed of 60kbps – it cannot compare with dsl. If you don’t have a phone line, then it is the only option, otherwise cable or dsl is the better option.

    I don’t know when Cybernet will launch their cheaper packages, but current home users will automatically be shifted to the new packages.

    crash: I don’t know of any alternatives to foree fone.

  15. Hey this is a HOT post – I also jumped into the DSL band wagon and hope to be connected in 12 days.

    A question from people already with DSL – does PTC levy any additional monthly charges that might show up on your bill?

  16. Hey KO: I had read your cable story few months back and now am very sorry to hear about your DSL story.

    Look at the bright side, dialup works in Pakistan when it’s close to extension in many countries. So cable and DSL will work too, give it 4 or 5 years.

    At least you are raising your voice, keep up the good work.

  17. Let me put in my experience with the installation process with the Cyber DSL. When I signed up was, promised to have it installed in 12 days or less – but it turned out to be more then 20 days with them trying to handle my case for 5 extra days. In the end I finally got connected, as it turned out to be some line noise issue but the team was utterly unorganized and completely confused and in this confusion they tried passing the buck from one techie to the other and the bottom line is I got screwed up big time. Due to their confusion and lax attitude I had to spend a few extra days without DSL and that burnt a hole down my alley.

    I ended up writing a frustrated email to the corporate HQ and that might have sparked some interest that finally the next working day (after the weekend) I got things rolling. Service is not bad apart from a bad installation experience I hope that i dont have to suffer any more.

  18. I think their Home user DSL department is still getting up to speed, but now that everything is up and running finally it’s working beautifully. Line noise is not a trivial issue – so it takes time. The main reason I was so disapointed with WorldCall was that despite having their own Cable network they still managed to mess up. With DSL the last mile isn’t under the control of the ISP, so (especially in Karachi) line noise or outright disconnections can occur any time.

  19. I am here in Karachi on vacation from US for a few days. I brought along some work with me thinking cable from Worldcall should be able to handle my needs. Not sure what is being packaged as cable here? The last time I had this kind of speed was with my 1400 baud modem in early 90s. I asked around and found out about Cybernet DSL. After reading this post, I have decided to drop the idea of switching. I am going to limp along for the next few days (that I am here) on cable. As more and more vendors enter the broadband arena, hopefully things will improve with competition.

  20. Zeeshan – don’t make my post discourage you – i am now happily speeding along – it was sad to have gone thru the mixup but i assure you its rockin – if you have the 12 days to spare jump the band wagon – its heaven compared to dialup

  21. ko, i just spoke to the ppl @ cybernet and they informed me that there is no package of 256 for 1000-1500 range..can you tell me who @ cyber told you that they would be offering 256k for the above mentioned range..according to them the price for 256k is 3770 Rs..also what package do you have and what kind of speeds do you get from it ..p2p networks kazaa and torretns..etc..e.g if you have 256 do you get 32 or above or around that ?

    ps: also if there is a way to get 256 for 1000-1500 and if you or someone else you know is using it at that price..how did you get it ..some special contact or way?..and how can i get that..thanks!

  22. Just yesterday I had a talk with a Cyber broadband manager – and he commented on a drastic reduction in prices scheduled for this Feb – the range he mentioned was somewhere around the 1000-1500 for the 256K but that was more of a casual comment and I would not be able to hold him on his word

    One thing is for sure rates are on the way down but it is passing through the beaurcratic channels

    I don’t know if you are aware but Cyber Broadband is right now has a joint venture with Mobilink to launch CyberWireless where they are setting up Wi-fi Hot-Spots in certain business areas, if you carry a laptop all u have to do is SMS mobilink in turn you get an ID and PWD and you can log onto the network, Mobilink will in turn bill you at 50/hr (not sure of the exact price) for the 512K connection. The establishment that allows them to set all this up gets free access and installation costs are ALL borne by Cyber+Mobilink. Hence the business will get a 512K DSL free.

    I probed the guy to find out whats the catch but nothing came out – I am awaiting the contract which might spell out more details – though they might want a plaque of CyberWireless prominently displayed in the area.

    Sounds sweet and I don’t mind giving them advertising space in my place here but nothing is free — or is the cost of advertisment enough to cover the expense?

  23. i have recently converted my telephone to ISDN line. the conversion took a week and costed me 431.00 Rs. they also give you the ISDN modem costing 12,000 Rs for free. you have to belive this. after getting the ISDN line working i got ISDN loose hours from Supernet for 1100Rs (50 hours). the internet is blazing fast. at 64k the download speed is 7-8K/sec while at 128k the speed is 14-16k/sec.

    i think that isdn is a better option because you are not bound to the service provider for monthly charges.

    if anybody has any queries they can email me.

  24. Hey KO,

    Can you please email me with your personal Phone/Mobile Phone Number and your personal Email Address. I am really very frustrated with my DSL experience and I am not able to decide whether I should go for CyberDSL or not. I would like to contact you personally and ask you about any DSL queries I have. Please tell me if this is possible.

    Thankyou

  25. Gibran: I only know about cyberdsl, and I’ve already written just about everything I know about it above. If you have further queries, just leave a comment here – one of the other commenters might be able to help.

  26. GoCDMA is in TOWN!!!!

    GoCDMA provides wireless internet, which doesnot add up to your telephone bill.

    They give a fixed speed of 144Kbps.. and here are their packages:

    *25 Hours for Rs.299

    *75 Hours for Rs.499

    *200 Hours for Rs.999

    *Unlimited Internet for Rs.1499

    Now what?

    Please tell us about it KO…

    Should we go for CyberDSL or GoCDMA???

  27. Guys, this is very interesting site. I was planning to have DSL/ADSL installed for my mum and send het the VoIP box from US so she can have 24/7 free phone line with us but after reading all the horror stories and knowing that you guys only get 128-256K rate ( theoritical rate ) in reality you all seem to be happy with only few k of downstream which is no good for DSL connections. Any how I think I will hold.

    Why not suggest an investment and growth plan to Cybernet and help them out perhaps service might improve!. All the best to you all and god help Pakistan ( well behind the world, even next door India )

  28. Stay away from GoCDMA!!!

    u will get maximum of 10Kbytes, and normally around 3-4 KBytes, with timeouts and disconnects after every few minutes.

    normal DialUP Connection is much better than GoCDMA.

  29. Anyone know when cybernet is planning to introduce home dsl in islamabad ? i cant find anything about home dsl on their website and I called them and they said they only offer to corporate users.

    Also what are their current packages for home users and how much do they cost?

  30. Also what are their current packages for home users and how much do they cost?

    Maybe if you sent cybernet an email… though it’s been years since my first email to them and no reply (to the first or all the rest but one).

  31. Well…. I am now finally ready to switch to DSL.

    I would like to know the following KO:

    (1) If CyberDSL people say that my line is faulty, how much extra cost will I have to pay for the line change? etc…?

    (2) Will CyberDSL give me speed sufficient enough to download applications as big as 500MB-1GB?

    (3) Tell me about your final decision about CyberDSL. Vote for CyberDSL out of 10. And yes, please tell me about one more final thing… Should I switch to CyberDSL or not?

    I am a home user, and I really cannot afford expensis such as purchasing a new telephone wire upto the pole outside my street, calling the line man to drill out all lines and replace them, etc, so please tell me about the final costs all this line procedure would take (if I have some problems)… 🙂

    I would be really very thankful to you.

    Allah Hafiz!

  32. Waiting for the answers to Gibran Ali’s Questions… 🙂

    and, I have heared that PTCL will choke the line.. whats that? please can u post some details about that too?

    Thanks,

    Zahid

  33. So has anyone tried using a voip box in Pakistan with a U.S number yet? I see someone tried to but heldback.

    Does it work?

    How much do I need to spend on broadband?

  34. KO Replied to my questions…

    Here are the answers everyone…

    Please.. help yourself… 😀

    1) depends on your line. won’t cost much. 100-300 rs. or so to bribe

    the lineman, and a few hundred more for the wire.

    2) yes.

    3) I cannot answer this question. While I recommend the service (it’s

    currently the lowest best / best quality) of ALL broadband packages in

    karachi, i expect a few more companies to launch their own very soon.

    So, waiting is not a bad idea.

    Final costs – i have no idea – contact the isp you select.

    ko

  35. cyber net is the best.. speed is good.. they gave us a router with modem built in so all u need is a cheap hub to share the internet connection.. i have tried the VOIP (the box) Cisco ATA 186 on Worldcall.. its cool it works wow.. i will test the “the box” on cybernet next week. GET CYBERDSL NOW

  36. KO Please help me!

    I just called CyberDSL and they said that their connectivity is not available in my area!!!!

    I am in defence. My phone extensions starts with 585.. and the other is 584….

    I think the person who picked up the phone didnt know much.

    Please help me KO!

    What should I do?

    Is this the end of my DSL life?

    P.S: If you can please call CyberNET and ask them if the service is there in my area!

    PLEASE! PLEASE PLEASE!

  37. Well I can’t comment on its exact availabilty but the best place to call is the Cyber.Net Corporate Support which primarily handles the DSL issues at 111-561-561 they should be the best people to guide you, if you feel that the Rep you talked to was the ‘illiterate’ type. I am with the PECHS exchange so can’t tell you if your numbers are hookable – I presume they should be.

  38. Hey Teeth Maestro,

    Just called 111-561-561. They at first asked me my exchange.. I said PTCL DEfence, they said that the service was available.

    Then I gave them my telephones extensions for both my lines (585, 584).. They double checked and CONFIRMED that the service IS AVAILABLE!

    They told me to go to CyberNet Zamzama and subscribe.

    But I asked them if they had any plans for 128k for Rs.1200/mo. They said that they had no such offer and they were not informed about it.

    KO… are these rumours or what?

    Please double check Teeth Maestro about Rs.1200/mo. for 128k.

    WELL.. I am going for Zamzama. Best of luck to me.

  39. Gibran: In my ealrier post when I mentioned about the 1200/mo it was a talk with one of the top brass of Cyber. When it shall come into effect is as much of a guess for me as it is for anyone else. Techincally the Broadband poilicy has been slashed substanially but I hear that its stuck in the beaurecratic pipeline (anyone correct me if I am wrong). CyberNet has also obtained a seperate highspeed Bandwidth just recently in light of going into the DSL market with a big bang, that might also include a price cut, so the indicators are there but when it shall come into effect I honestly can’t tell you for sure.

    I am indeed signed up for 128K at home @Rs 2270/mo and also another 128K at the office both coming into the PECHS exchange. I also await the price cut….

    I aplogize if my earlier comment made you feel that the reduced tariff was already implemented but in the earlier post I categorically mentioned that it was a ‘casual comment’ from the Cyber top-brass. All the best

  40. I am deeply grieved 🙁

    I went to the Zamzama office and found out that they had given 1 port in my area… and they said that they registered 100 ppl on 1 port. So the port is occupied… and i will have to wait for a month for them to install the next port in my area. I think all my DSL dreams will never come true. I had given Rs.4805 to WorldCALL 3 years back. They said that they would give me the connection in about a month. And three years since. They are not even giving me the refund to it, even though i faxed them my receipt details.

    What should i do now?

  41. just tried “the box” Cisco ATA 186 on the CyberNet DSL 64K very choppy.. this is because the upload is 32 kb and download is set on 96 hence choppy. I think it will be okay when we move to a 128 of a 256 KB connection..

  42. ‘The Box’ made easy:

    Your Box -> phone adaptor splits your high-speed broadband Internet connection. Your phone calls are sent through your phone adaptor to your regular or cordless phone.

  43. …this Paknet DSL is Volume based…..only 1 GB allowance per month :(…..i DL abt 20 GB evry month with a 256 k conn……v cant DL dat much with Paknet(only 1GB)….n i get abt 230 Kbs (28 KBps) cauz i think im da only 1 sharing dis conn ;)……..

  44. I wonder why cybernet doesnt start homedsl in islamabad 🙁 , i e-mailed them but no response from them . and on the phone their staff didnt know they are providing home dsl in karachi.

  45. DOOMED!!!!

    I rang up CyberDSL to reconfirm my billing status and to ask them when they will give me the connection. They told me to refund my money and told me that all their ports (all over karachi) were now jampacked!

    There is no availability of CyberDSL accross Karachi… all new users… FORGET CyberDSL for 4-5 months or so…

    KO… please tell me…

    What should i do now?

    I dont want to cry with WC again.

    I cant even wait for CyberDSL for 5 months.

    Should i buy GoCDMA?

    Any other good choice i have?

  46. Hello,

    Gibran , contact Multinet, Dancom , Habib Rafiq International or Paknet and ask them , they might have started giving unlimited packages at afforadble rates too.

    By the way i called cybernet today and they said in March home dsl is starting in Islamabad , I asked about rates and they said they cant tell rates until they launch so I think they would be different from Karachi.

    Also in Islamabad Hungama is starting dsl within a month so good news for Islamabad users 😀

  47. Seems like habib rafiq international has also started providing affordable dsl connections, didnt get the chance to call them for the tarrif or installation charges, you can check out their site at http://hri.net.pk

  48. Just called Habib Rafiq International ( hri.net.pk ) , they asked me to call in the morning for the rates.

    I’ll update you people over here once I get their rates.

  49. Just called Dancom and asked them about their packages , 1170 rupees per gb, did not bother to ask about the speed as if i was interested in volume based I Would go with paknet or micronet .

  50. KO please help me!

    CyberDSL new connections not available!

    All other DSL services are WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!

    Any alternate choice I have?

    Give me straight forward answer:S….

    Is GoCDMA the only choice which is NOT RIDICULOUS?

  51. Help me KO!!!!

    CyberDSL is no longer giving connections in Karachi.. all their ports are occupied!

    Other DSL Services are all RIDICULOUS! Too expensive..

    Is GoCDMA the only choice which is not RIDICULOUS?

    Please tell me quick

  52. “I

    specifically asked them about this. 64K will give 8kbps downloads,

    128k 16kbps and 256 32kbps.”

    i dont get dis…..do u mean 16 Kilo-Bytes or Kilo-bits……my 256 kbps conn gives me abt 28 KBps(not 32 even tho im the only 1 using it)…

  53. CyberDSL is no longer giving connections in pakistan.

    What should I do?

    All other DSL Service Providers are way to expensive.. and there prices are ridiculous.

    Is GoCDMA the only choice?

    Is it only GoCDMA who has affordable prices?

    I want KO to answer me please…

    And give me the final solution to my problem!

  54. KO: u said tht it gives abt 60 kbps speed….i doubt dat a shared 64 k conn can give tht speed…..i have a 256 k cyberdsl conn….im da only 1 using it n i still dont get full 256kbps/32 kBps…i get abt 25-28 KBps….so i dont think dat a 64 k conn can give more thn 7 KBps/56 Kbps (whn its not being shared)…..n i think it will b even less if more ppl r using it (cybernet shares it to 4 ryte)

  55. plus in gocdma u said it can go up to 10 KBps……in a 64 k DSL….the speed will never go more thn 7-8KBps….

  56. GOCDMA is also shared bandwidth, and while it will/should often times work at 10kbps it will also work much slower depending on the congestion. 64kbps DSL should give a more consistent speed. I’m more concerned about latency then max speed, so for me a slower but more reliable connection is preferrable.

  57. By the way, all consumer broadband is shared bandwidth, despite what the ISP tells you. You have to pay megabucks for actual speeds in this country.

  58. Asim,

    8 Kilo Bit = 1 Kilo byte , when you are downloading something in internet explorer and other browsers they show you downlos in Kilo Byte and the connection which the isp advertise are in KiloBit

    for 64 Kilo Bit = 8 Kilo Byte

    128 Kilo Bit = 16 Kilo Byte

    256 Kilo Bit = 32 Kilo Byte

    and so on

  59. And also guys just wait some time , as few months ago I heard that 10 – 15 new companies will launch dsl service after broadband policy is released . It has been released so many new companies should be coming in Dsl market soon and then hopefully their prices will go down.

    Hungama in Islamabad is starting within a month and I am very hopefull that their packages will be the cheapest in pakistan for dsl . I hope so 😀

    Try contacting gemnet in karachi , they might be also starting dsl soon as stated here:

    http://www.gem.net.pk/gem_dsl.htm

    Also do inform me if gemnet is really going to launch dsl in Karachi.

    Thanks

  60. “and while it will/should often times work at 10kbps”

    is this KBps OR kbps ?????cauz a 64 k DSL conn can go down to 16kbps…

    Azhar Ali: i noe……my point was tht u wont get 32 KBps from a 256 kbps conn…..the maximum speed without the conn being shared is abt 27Kbps…..n it wll go even low if its shared

    PPl try using KBps for Kilo-Bytes/second and kbps for Kilo-bits/second………

  61. Ko wrote this above:

    “If I am downloading a large file, it stops partway, or sometimes the speed gets slower and slower but if I use a download manager then downloads work just fine at about 28 kilobytes/sec. ”

  62. 28 k….so i guess no1 gets da full speed……n from 128 kbps conn i used to get only 13KBps……so i think tht we’ll only get 6 KBps from a 64 Kbps conn…..

  63. It’s not a matter of getting ‘da full speed’. Overheads will take up a certain percentage of the throughout rate of your connection no matter how fast or in what form it is, so for a 64kb/s connection, you would indeed most likely see a 6-7kB/s download rate. Furthermore, if you’re using upload-heavy applications like BitTorrent, there’s a danger of choking your upstream bandwidth with ACK packets, thereby further reducing downstream transfer rates.

  64. Yes you are right about GEM NET Azhar.

    They are working on DSL.

    When will the launch ?

    well I am not quite sure about it.

    But it is confirmed from inside sources that they are

    working day in & day out for da DSL.

  65. @nadir….yea i use bittorrent….upload does slow down downloading but not if we limit the upload speed to 80% of the actual upload speed……

  66. How lame can things get?

    A week b4, CyberDSL said that connections would be available in 6 months. Then 4 months.. And today.. they said 2 Weeks..

    Is that a GoodLuck for me or does their Sales/Technical Team know too much?

  67. Hello,

    Gibran its not only CyberDsl , i think all isps in Pakistan are like this.

    I have called hungama around 5 to 6 times asking about their dsl . And everytime i get different answers

    First i got 1 month , then 2 month , then 2 weeks , then under 1 month , then it can take more than 1 month etc

    I think the administration of the isps should tell a clear answer to their sales team so that they just dont make wild guesses.

  68. This was a dialogue I had with KO:

    > A few questions:

    > Are you sharing the 128k DSL w/ 10 other users? Or 5?

    Cybernet says 4. Keep in mind that these figures are basically

    meaningless. decent isps based on the usage of their networks come to

    a ratio which delivers acceptable performance at the price level they

    can live with – it is not a figure set in stone, and should not be.

    Some months the isp will end up paying more, others less. The theory

    behind this ‘sharing’ ratio is that most users don’t use the

    bandwidth they have, and hence isps can oversell – what pakistani isps

    don’t understand is that this ratio is fluid and has to be calculated

    according to their users. While some users utilize their connections

    a lot, others like me use under 0.1 percent – so it balances out.

    > How does it compare to your 128k WC connection?

    uncomparable.

    You know, out of 15 people I know (family, friends who I sometimes

    help with the computer issues) who had WorldCall internet, every

    single one including me has cancelled their internet service.

    > How long & how much trouble did it take to get it set up?

    depends on your telephone line. mine took about a month from signing up.

    however, the actual work only takes a few days.

    > Did you have to show the deed for the bungalow? We are tenants.

    no. They actually didn’t ask for anything besides an id card.

    > Do you happen to know if Cybernet is giving out new connections now?

    Not sure. they have a very large backlog right now, a few months.

    > Did you get an ADSL line so you could use the phone?

    ADSL is the name of the technology. it works on your existing phone line.

    when you shifted from analog mobiles to gsm, you used the same air right?

  69. Here is my response to the above:

    I stopped by Cybernet last night and talked to Khurram. He said they are not giving out connections right now but plan to resume at the end of March.

    If DSL operates over my phone line, that concerns me b/c we often have a poor connection and sometimes disconnection. Is the DSL susceptible to all that, or do they firm up the connection when they set up DSL, test the line, etc.? Also, if we want to be able to get phone calls while connected to DSL, we need an ADSL line – doesn’t that mean a new cable? Also, is your DSL a dial-up thing, or always-on? How can all that data move over a thin phone line so fast? Especially a copper one as we find here. Excuse my ignorance!

  70. When they come to test the line, they do that in order to detect disturbance. If you say that your phone line has disturbance, and there are disconnects over Dialup Internet, then the CyberNET DSL team will tell you about that. You will probably have to spend some money and change your wiring, sometimes internal wiring, and sometimes wiring upto the pole outside your house.

    ADSL technology enables you to connect to the internet and use your telephone at the same time. You DONOT need any other cable for that!

    DSL is not dialup. DSL is always on.

    You have to convert your phone line to an ADSL line, and the ADSL modem does that. That is the reason the data flow can be fast.

    I am sure that answers all your questions.

    Even I am waiting for CyberDSL to resume their DSL services. They say that as soon as their DSL services for HOME resume, there will be Advertisements all over Karachi. And their new DSL packages will include the 128kbps connection for Rs.1200/mo.

  71. Teeth Maestro, did the Cybernet top brass give any other ‘casual comments’ about the future pricing of 256kbps package? is it realistic for me to expect 1500 rupees for 256 kbps when the 1200 rupees for 128 kbps package comes?

  72. _is it realistic for me to expect 1500 rupees for 256 kbps when the 1200 rupees for 128 kbps package comes?_

    I doubt there would only be a 300 Rs. difference b/w the two packages. From what I know, the 128kbps package will be in the Rs. 1200-1500 range, coming _real soon now_ for the last few months.

  73. Who do you speak to at Cyber for their home DSL packages. Their outlets ask you to contact the corporate dsl people.

  74. From what I’ve gathered in speaking to them on and off since September, they have no home dsl department yet. The corporate technical people also deal with home dsl.

  75. i called their corporate dept and was referred to the shahrah-e-faisal office,.they people over there say they dont know when they will be offering connections again and so far the prices are the same..what can we do to speed this up..talk to ptcl..write them or what..

  76. Hey Guys,

    I came to know today that yesterday PTCL has reduced the rate of BANDWIDTH for GLOBAL FIBRE OPTIC LINK.

    As previously only PTCL link were reduced to half rate.

    So,I think that now DSL Prices are gonna fall down.

    Bye.

  77. I had the stupidity of getting a GOCDMA phone for my very sick relative who needs urgent medical attention at times,I could not have sufferd more and my relative can never make a phone call or recieve any…do everything but DONOT get a GO Phone it will be your worst mistake.

  78. KO! Can u plz tell me about the paknet dsl offering Rs. 888 for 128K and Rs. 999 for 256K on 1 GB…

  79. Irfan – when i was looking into DSL – Paknet did come under my investigation. The 888 cost sounds tempting but the killer is 1 GB download. I like you must have never calculated usage on GB basis (you never will, as one month you may be high, the other month it may not even be an issue- crunch time will be end of the month, would you be happy then, I would not) since I usually end up downloading tons more.

    I ‘would’ have discouraged you from Paknet, only if Cyber was offering home DSL connections, since it aint then you might have to re-think or wait till the promised re-launch.

  80. Century for KO – BLOG

    Just saw that my last post scored a Century – credit to KO for a good quality blog. And an interesting post to spark so much interest

    on a side note I hope our cricket team makes more centuries in the next test 😉

  81. Thanx Maestro for advising me and discouraging me to buying a stupidity… but as u said that cyber is offereing home dsl connection… where it is offering.. i am unable to see the details on their sites… could u plz help me out…

  82. _Teeth Maestro:_ thanks!

    I have heard bad things about the GOCDMA internet phone, both the telephone and the internet part, but on the other hand one person using their PCMCIA card has told me that it works just fine. One friend of mine bought the go phone for use as a phone, and returned it after a week due to voice quality problems and dialing issues.

    Re. Paknet: A 1gb limit is too low, but for email and web browsing purposes should be sufficient. Cybernet has not yet officially launched their home DSL service – they have been planning to launch for months now, so they must be running into capacity issues. Someone at Cybernet did say last month they are going to be reducing their prices and will launch, but did not say when.

  83. This forum is just great! I’ve been searching for something like this for a long time!

    I have been trying to get DSL in Karachi too but to no avail. Micronet is apparently offering home DSL in Islamabad with plans to launch in karachi too (in coalition with WOL)?? at 256kbps at 999 with a 1gb limit.

    I had worldcall broadband but it was godawfully slow so I cancelled service -> yeah I had to keep the modem!

    From my friends in the ISP business, I think most DSL providers are understandably concentrating on the low volume but high revenue corporate DSL market. According to them, the costs of setting up DSLAM hardware in EACH exchange is extremely expensive (and the government still puts an effective 50% TAX on the DSL hardware). Thus basically, they can only redeem their costs by catering to the corporate DSL market.

    I just so wish though that they come up with plans for DSL home consumers.

    oh one last thing, I hear that the sharing ratio for DSL are *MUCH* greater than what I’ve read that these forum members are expecting. my friend at micronet told me that they have something like 1:100!). yeah believe it. I think the sharing ratios are pretty darn high even internationally. They penalize bandwidth hoggers by capping bandwidth usage to 1gb and I was also told that any ISP that goes into home DSL will be doing the same.

    Frankly though I’d much rather just pay Rs 70-90 for a damn DVD than download the bittorrent.

    in any case, for now I’m happy with cybernet dial up. they seemed to have faster dial up than others I’ve tried maybe because they have excess international bandwidth.

  84. _oh one last thing, I hear that the sharing ratio for DSL are MUCH greater than what I’ve read that these forum members are expecting._

    That’s very true – but above I’ve put in the ‘official’ bandwidth sharing ratios.

    _Frankly though I’d much rather just pay Rs 70-90 for a damn DVD than download the bittorrent._

    Same here, but what about those darn linux ISO’s which weigh in at over 2Gb’s each? They aren’t available here till ages after their release, and most of the times the cds don’t work properly. Though I’ve actually used well under a gb in the last 4 months combined, it’s nice to have the option of being able to download something without having to worry about bandwidth limitations. Low bandwidth caps negate the very purpose of broadband, and delegate it to just a more convenient means of checking one’s email.

    About costs – DSLAM hardware has gotten much cheaper internationally, and it’s not like these ISPs need to install the newest 100mbps systems.

  85. ** Same here, but what about those darn linux ISO’s which weigh in at over 2Gb’s each? They aren’t available here till ages after their release, and most of the times the cds don’t work properly.

    >True. I’ve downloaded the Fedora core 3 ISO DVD at work; it took one night (i left my machine on in the evening). We have 1mbps CIR with cyber and i can tell you 1mbps CIR from cyber feels like 1mbps CIR. I know I wouldn’t download the ISO with bandwidth limits. (oh and after that since i was in a generous mood and because i consider myself a proponent of the opensource revolution, i let my friends at clifton center copy it for free). they’re now selling the dvd for around rs 200. IMHO i’d still rather buy the fedora dvd from a software dealer (and give them some business)

    Regarding DSLAM costs, the hardware has become cheaper its true (but it’s still expensive by pakistani standards – what is it like 160-200USD per port); and no its not 100mbps systems. i’m talking about the cheapest adsl systems. especially as i’m told if you take into account the work at the exchanges. i’ve visited the exchanges for one of our payphone customers, and honestly i feel bad for anyone doing any business with ptcl. every operator including payphone customers and dsl operators are given the WORST space in the mdf area and that even if they’re lucky. forget about colocation space (where the dslam is kept – in the case of the payphone where the voice switches are kept) thats yet another hassle. oh yeah and what about the upstream traffic (from the dslam back to the ISP) these are STILL given out in 2mbps chunks. this is probably the only country where they’re still installing E1 ima infrastructure. in other countries ; yeah even bangladesh, the national carrier is forced to provide subsidized sonet/sdh or fast ethernet upstream.

    What really is a shame though (i’m telling you from someone who is somewhat aware of ptcl’s infrastructure) is that PTCL has a nationwide high capacity dwdm backbone which its neither leasing out nor utilizing more than 10%. Also frankly I think the 60% duty on all internet related equipment really should be eliminated if the govt. is really interested in bring about a broadband revolution.

  86. Hey DSL user’s:

    If you have relatives living in U.S / Canada

    you can pay as little as $13 / month and get Voip connection from us and make unlimited calls depending on your plan.

    If currently have few hundred customer in Karachi, service works great if you have minimum of 56 kbps upstream from your DSL provide.

    For more info please send your concerns at: auri@vonics.com

  87. We give out Analog telephone adapter, how it works is very simple. You plug Ethernet cable (RJ 45) to our device and connect any regular phone that’s about it. You get a dial tone right away and you are ready to make phone calls. Not just that you get a U.S based number so anyone living in US can call at that number its cheap for them and unlimited for you. For more information check out company website at : http://www.vonics.com.

  88. Auri.. stuff.

    Guys.. only get this devices auri is selling.. if u have worldcall or ADSL 128K+ connection.. wont work with 56.. it might and the lag will be around 10secs.. that does;nt count as a telephone call does it? Any way.. u can get free US or UK number anywhere in the world.. read up on freeworlddialup.com(FREE) .. Btw u can already start using the service.. download the software or get an ATA. One more thing u can program your MSN to work with the service.. So kill the sales man and use your brain.

  89. Rumour has it that Gerry’s is launching their DSL sometime soon. I hope it’s good.. can somebody confirm?

  90. ok so rumours are confirmed… both Gerry’s, Cyber and WOL are launching new DSL products in the coming months. Gerry’s is saying April 7, but I’ve seen what work they’ve done at the exchanges. Cyber and Wol (with micronet) are in the planning stages (I guess it’s better to be planned) and will probably be here in the summer…

  91. _but I’ve seen what work they’ve done at the exchanges_

    Technologist what do you mean by that? Are you saying you HAVENT seen their work, or if you are saying you HAVE seen the work they’ve done then what of it?

  92. _PTCL has a nationwide high capacity dwdm backbone which its neither leasing out nor utilizing more than 10%_

    PTCL has two fibre optic DWDM networks connecting the major cities at 10-40gbps each, which according to the PTCL website can easily be expanded up to 16 x 10 GB/s each. That is a whole lot of bandwidth. Besides these networks, according to the PTCL chairman, they have ‘have spare dark Fibers waiting to be illuminated’. There are also private fibre optic networks linking the major cities.

  93. is that local bandwidth or international? ..while those numbers are impressive for local and its about time, what we really need is international bandwidth along those lines!

  94. Atif: Sorry I was referring to the quality of the work done at the exchanges. In the MDF area (the distribution point at the exchange for the copper from the consumer premises), PTCL has only allowed private operators to put their tag blocks (their terminal blocks) at the BACKSIDE of their actual frames. The result is a jumbled mess of tag blocks / terminal blocks belonging to private operators, distributed in a completely disorganized manner at the MDF

    crash: the international bandwidth is NOT a major bottleneck (in my opinion). Except maybe for large operators attempting to get 155mbps where the cost is more than the international standard.

    The REAL bottleneck for DSL operators is the UPSTREAM bandwidth from the EXCHANGE (DSLAM) to the ISP’s gateway (usually located in ONE central exchange). PTCL ONLY allows ISPs to buy this UPSTREAM bandwidth in 2mbps chunks charged by DISTANCE to the ISPs gateway (and a DSLAM cannot support more than 8 or at the VERY best 16 such E1s – giving a total upstream bandwith of 16/32 mbps. Note: a DSLAM can support on average 500 ports and if you sell those at 256kbps, the total UPSTREAM bandwith is 128mbps –> where as you can take from the exchange to the gateway AT MOST only 16mbps!)

    Oh and best of all: NOW they’ve TRIPLED the cost of these E1s (because they’re FORCING you to pay for longer distances STATING that these new E1s are going over the OFGEN. What distance they were quoting say from the MARSTON road exchange to Defence was for 7km, they’re now charing you for 43KM !!! because you’re now charged for the TOTAL distance around the OFGEN ring).

    Nowhere else in the world except perhaps Saharan Africa are they giving out E1s for DSLAM upstream. Infact, the real cost savings for IP DSLAMs (which are cheaper) comes from the fact that the upstream bandwidth is regular FAST ETHERNET (100mbps).

    You can be sure that if things continue the way they are, cost effective ‘honest’ broadband will not be coming to you anytime soon. (even if an operator such as wol or cyber or gerry’s sells it to you under current ptcl constraints. be sure that they have an upstream bottleneck and that theyre oversubscribing the circuit like crazy).

  95. yeah your right upstream is a major issue these days. its as important to have good upstream as well as downstream.about the international bandwidth issue my only concern is that imho if we dont have enough international bandwidth how can we distrube enough bandwidth on the grassroots levels to the consumer so that every consumer has true broadband? im not talking 63k kilbits or 128kbps..atleast 256kbits and 512kb..although ive used cybernets 256 dsl at a friends place and because of their amazing dns propogation its pretty awesome..

    getting back to the issue, take the example of a straw..one strained end is the international bandwidth where its strangled to the point of squeezing a drop and the other end is blown wide open..this can be the local bandwidth..guaranteed its great for local hosting and great local speeds..another example can be that of a jam jar or a double wide road..in both cases the international bandwidth needs to piggy back on the local speeds to get to the consumer at the end..if a wide road is there but no one is driving on it.whats the point..same with the jam jar..if the jar is big and no jam..there is no cigar imho..maybe im missing something here? lol excuse all the household item refereneces..just think out loud here so please bear with me 🙂

  96. crash: you’re confusing upload with upstream. Upstream is the pipe (both upload and download data xfer) from the CO /EXCHANGE/DSLAM to the ISPs gateway.

    Customer Premises DSL MODEM EXCHANGE(ISP DSLAM) ISP GATEWAY

    As a result, if the upstream is choked both the upload and download experienced by the customer will suffer.

    Since upstream prices are now 2-3 times what they used to be, the ISP will probably heavily oversubscribe the UPSTREAM link too (note DOWNSTREAM link, the copper, has only one user – so it can’t be oversubscribed)

  97. thanks for clearing that up 🙂 ..what are your thoughts on the whole lack of bandwidth in the country right now?..is ptcls 300mbit pipe enough to start providing true broadband to people?

  98. Theres ample domestic and international bandwidth and even an oversupply of domestic fiber optic media which goes un-utilized and ptcl isnt even leasing it out (and thus making money on it). the smw4 international submarine cable will also be connected to pakistan in september. but that’s all useless:

    Somebody in the govt. needs to wake up and realize that the Internet revolution has left Pakistan in its wake… and something more needs to be done- than merely sitting in an airconditioned room in Islamabad ans signing an international ‘tarrif reduction’ document. and what use is that int’l tarrif reduction when you have so many problems getting to the international bandwidth by being forced to traverse ptcl media (which you can neither get in more than 2mbps chunk at 4x rates now ).

  99. I was inquiring from cyber net’s customer care center today… I had casually gone in to ask for DSL. They are saying that their residential dsl is coming out soon. but they also said that there is rumour of some unlimited package (they didn’t give the price but apparently its cheaper than the 1500 right now. perhaps 1200? in any case, I want dsl).

    oh has anybody tried the 3c package from inbox. it comes with a gocdma phone (rs 2299 for like 36 months). but from reading this site it seems gocdma is not that great over regular dialup – and their unlimited is restricted to 600mb download/month. is that right?

    dude why can’t somebody just come out with proper broadband. only if worldcall would improve their service

  100. Which ‘unlimited package’ are you talking about? The 64 kbps DSL?

    I called Cybernet yesterday. No one seems to have any idea about anything. This is the exact line I was given:

    ” Sir at this moment we cant confirm anything. It may take a month, or it may take two months I dont know.’

    It really does seem strange that broadband is having such a hard time surfacing. And I dont understand it. Laws of economics says resources are allocated to cater for demand. Demand seems to be there, wheres the supply?

    But still. This is Pakistan. Maybe this country doesnt follow economic laws. We have our own rules to run the country which should be called pakonomics!

  101. I think they mean unlimited dialup.

    with dsl, i think the problem isn’t the DSL companies. people are trying – like gerrys is launching on the 15th, dancom is launching consumer soon, cyber might be relaunching their consumer. the problem is the time it takes to get into the ptcl exchanges

    dsl connections are offered primarily for where the return is highest (another economic law?)

  102. I recently got back to Karachi and need a decent internet connection. Since Cybernet is not giving any new DSL connections, is there a resonable alternative to it. I not a heavy user but need a good enough connection for my surfing habits and support a wireless home network. Please let me know what alternatives are availble to me until DSL becomes more widely availale.I am leaning towads getting an ISDN connection from PTCL and buy some hours from an ISP. Let me know what y’all think. Thanks….

  103. I think it’s a good idea. PTCL ISDN is very cheap (one time cost is also low – don’t know about the ISDN modem though).

    ISDN means 128kbps access from an ISP – and that maybe expensive

  104. Thanks Techno. Comsats 128k is about Rs.30 an hour. while Supernet is giving 100 hours for Rs.20 each. I am sure thats a 64k connection. Brainnet is also Rs. 30 for 128k. Any suggestions which is a better service?

    I have WorldCall cable internet in my area. Should I give it a try or dont even worry about it? After reading this blog, it seems like its not even worth a trial.

  105. Worldcall does suck. My advice would be to use ISDN for a few months and switch over to DSL when reputable companies (WOL, Cybern, multinet etc) offer it.

  106. hey did you guys see the new cyber net hispeed service? Anybody tried it. Looks rather cheap no? Rs 780 / month for unlimited (what’s that like just over 12 USD?/month)

    it comes with accelerator software too. I hear they have some accelerator hardware they’ve invested heavily in too (and in all three cities) – and the software communicates with the hardware.

    anybody tried it? worth getting ? looks damn cheap. perhaps I’ll get it in addition to worldcall.

  107. You guys should try the cyber’s hispeed dial-up service. check out my other post in the main page.

    it was really impressive. definitely better than wc (and cheaper) – and its a good temporary solution till they provide dsl.

  108. Gibran. It’s faster than regular dial up. According to the accelerator, I get a 4x speedup atleast. at times, the peak speedup can reach 14times! I think that includes the compression stuff they were talking about.

    obviously it doesn’t beat 128kbps isdn or dsl. but in my opinion it does beat the 64kbps dsl that we have at some of our branch offices (and its cheaper too).

    they also say that it speeds up mail downloads. which seems believable because mail is usually just text (or html chars – again ascii at worst) and compression works beautifully on text.

    its also damn cheap. just 780 a month and if you’re really curious just spend for one month. (god I hate sounding like a spokesperson for cyber. but the service is good I must admit)

    one last thing. we got it yesterday. I’ve heard that they’re giving out FREE CDs with the acceleration software and other stuff on it.

    if you do get it, can you let us know the other software on it.

    actually we’re thinking of switching some of our branches to this service too so I should be getting a ton of those cds hahah

  109. Hey Technologist….u seem to be on top of the latest stuff thats why I want to ask you one more thing.

    Would CyberHiSpeed work even better with an ISDN line?

    Rs.780 a month seems like a good deal. Whereas ISDN internet service runs about Rs.20 an hour. Thanks again!

  110. Thanks Danyal: thats cause I work for an ldi company.

    I am not sure if they are offering ISDN services. You might want to inquire directly with them but it seems unlikely that they’ll offer such an attractive offer on isdn.

  111. Is the CyberHiSpeed works better bcoz of the softwares they r providing with package or is their any other reason behind this? Bcoz the normal dialup accounts works fast in rare cases n when i use acceleration softwares on others, they r not giving satisfactory results… then how the CyberHiSpeed saying so…

  112. I confirmed with my sources inside cyber. they’ve invested heavily in both software and a hardware acceleration servers (similar to content delivery networks). Yes you are right – they cannot increase the modem – modem speed but the effect of the compression and the remote cache makes the browsing and mail downloading *MUCH* faster than regular dial up.

    Just for you info. our people have liked it soo much that we’ve confirmed with cyber for switching a total of 40 of our franchise locations to this package cyberhispeed.

  113. I have Worldcall for about 1 year now but that is mainly because I wanted an always on connection. I setup Wifi and got a cheap laptop for home (plus I use voice). Seemed to work okay till now, but has started getting crappy for the past few weeks. I guess I was simply lucky until now and was actually sharing bandwidth with fewer folks (low contention ratio). So I am now on the lookout for something better and found this blog.

    I have tried an accelerator software before (www.Onspeed.com)and I assume it is pretty much what cybernet is offering at present. What is simply does is compresses traffic in both the directions therefore seems to operate faster overall. This works great for text (email) but not so much for multimedia. There are some other useful features there as well, like variable image compression.

    I also tried ISDN about 1.5 years back and am willing to share the experience from that if anyone is interested.

    Can anyone let me know what DSL services are available and does anyone know of reasonably priced wireless services in Defence area?

  114. My ‘sources’ at cyber say that home dsl preparations are taking place at the exchanges but then so is everyone else.

    Gerry is launching april 15 with very limited ports at each exchange and with good prices.

  115. Shake: you’re right. but apparently cyber has invested money in the acceleration servers which work a lot like content delivery network devices.

    in any case the speedup at cyber highspeed was worth it and prices are good no doubt.

    sorry Shake but wc just doesn’t make the cut.

    I am thinking a good dsl solution by a reliable company such as cyber or wol will be worth it. i don’t so much know about gerrys

  116. limited ports = limited available connections?

    What kind of ‘good’ prices are you talking about?

  117. Hey Technologist,

    You once quoted that the CyberHispeed was showing ’14x’ acceleration. Does that mean you were getting Avg. speed of 5.3×14 KBps? Thats bcz I get usually 5.3KBps on Dialup. Shall I multiply it by 14? 😛

    Please provide me with your email address or MSN ID (if you use MSN)…. I want MILLIONS of queries from you.

    Thanx

  118. Download speeds will remain the same as most files are already compressed. It’s only for text, images and uncompressed files that you will notice a big speedup. Download speeds should be more consistent though, as their acceleration server should precache files which you are downloading and feed them to your pc as fast as possible.

  119. KO: agreed to some degree. They do do lossy compression over existing jpgs (so yeah while jpgs are compressed, this further compresses them). I was reading in the accelerator documentation that they maintain persistent connections possibly with the acceleration server.

    In any case, really, I don’t want to root for cyber (possibly till they reintroduce home dsl) but you have to use cyberhighspeed to believe it.

    Gibran: you can reach me on my yahoo acct: optikcore AT yahoo DOT com.

    I don’t use msn (sorry).

  120. Well, after reading your blog I checked cybernet’s website (www.cyber.net.pk) regarding DSL… it does not list any rates regarding DSL. I contacted them via Phone and found out that they offer DSL @ the following rates.

    Installation is around 30000

    64K CIR = 15000/Month

    128 Shared = 8500/Month.

    I am going nuts after hearing these prices

    Can you please guide me in the right direction. Any help is regarding this appreciated.

    I have contacted Multinet, there monthly rate for volume-based plan was affordable (1500 for 128K), installation is around same as Cybernet. They are providing sDSL, meaning I will require another phone line, which I can manage to do. But now they are saying that in order for me to get DSL I need to have specific prefix. Upon inquiring with PTCL I found out the said Prefix does not come under my exchange.

    This is an irony Multinet is saying that they can provide me the service in my area but I need to have phone number coming from different exchange. If it were possible I would have virtually moved my apartment in order to get the DSL, but in reality it is impossible.

    I am desperate to get DSL or any broadband service, any help in this matter is appreciated

    Thanks

    Isfahan

  121. I think your rates for cyber are incorrect. You are probably getting corporate package prices; the sharing ratio is lower. Also their 64K CIR is 7500 MAX we have it at one of our sales locations.

    For consumer DSL, the prices are

    64K …Rs 1570 or $26

    128K …Rs 2270 or $37

    256K …Rs 3770 or $62

    Setup: Rs. 6500 including installation and modem.

    I just checked with their guy Safdar at the PECHS branch and they said that these rates may even go down in the next 6-8weeks when they launch.

  122. I am having some problems with CyberHiSpeed…. I was getting the same problems on my previous connection also.. please answer my 2 questions:

    (1) I have 1 wire of phone. I have used a DESI Convertor (Rs.25 one :D) to split the line into 2, one for phone, and one for the internet. The phone works fine, but the modem line gives too much SHOR!…. distrubance…. Is there any genuine splitter available? Please give me the details to it.

    (2) This is more of a query then a question.. When we dial to a UIN number (131xxxx), is the call free of cost or do we get charged? I cant find anything related to it on ptcl.com.pk!

    Please Answer…..

  123. Gibran! We had similar questions because we have a big network of our franchise ans store operations moved on cyber highdialup.

    My answers to your queries (as best I know):

    1) more than just a converter check the line. since modems use audio encoding/decoding, you need to ensure that the line has no static. A quick check would be: make a call to a friend and tell him to keep silent. If you can hear static from your phone then you have a problem. Note – even if you get ISDN or DSL you’ll still have this issue because static on the noise is indication of a fall in signal quality.

    2) you get charged per call (like 2-3 rupees) -but no metering charges. I.e. if you call and stay on for one hour or one day you still get charged just 2-3 rupees for the ENTIRE session from PTCL.

    hope this helps.

  124. Technologist,

    Thanx for your replies.

    I am too happy that I wont be charged for the duration of the connection :P….

    How should i fix the disturbace in my phone line? If i call a person from PTCL, and ask him to do an overall maintenance, then he would charge me BIG BIG BIG money… would he?

    Well CyberHiSpeed is working A1 on my second phone line!

    I get approximate speeds of upto 216kbps :P…

    Shall i assume that it is way better than DSL? I guess not!

    All the 5 PCs in my house now have a quality solution for internet…. :D:D:D

  125. _If i call a person from PTCL, and ask him to do an overall maintenance, then he would charge me BIG BIG BIG money… would he?_

    They don’t charge much – sometimes they even do it for free like they’re supposed to. The real trick is somehow getting them to do any work.

  126. Gibran, yeah we’re expering great results with cyberhighspeed too. I actually would take the trouble to fix any line issue – the reason being that in the future if you want to upgrade to DSL you’ll need to do the work anyway.

    What are your views on the accelerator?

  127. Technologist, I am waiting for Cyber DSL now after the prices you have mentioned. I am paying Rs. 1479 per month to Worldcall and their connection has been quite bad for the past month now. I wrote to them and they acknowledged that they have an issue and it will get better in a week. The odd part is that Cyber does not advertise their comsumer packages on DSL.

    What is the contention ratio on Cyber DSL? Worldcall claims 10:1 which is bad when all the users come online.

  128. Gibran you said:

    I get approximate speeds of upto 216kbps 😛

    I dont think its possible to get this speed on a 56 k modem 😐

  129. Azhar- I think that’s what the accelerator calculates as effective – acceleration on average browsing is around 5x – so I’m thinking like 5×56 around = 280 kbps is what he’s seeing.

    But yeah Cyberhighspeed is working marvellously for us.

    The accelerator also seems compress to speed up pop3 mail! We just found this out.

  130. Just finding that there is the seeding of (however bad ) broadband avaialbility in my Hometown just fills me with pride . and blogs !!!!

    J.H.C…tis wasnt like this when i was around ..

    i am looking into this sitting from where i am and already plan to get DSL ( or is it ADSL thats available there ? )for my home there on my next visit.

    Now my mom can surf /chat /voip to her hearts content.

    I love my Country/Hometown….however flawed it be..

    keep this wonderful blog ..SHAQMAN PEERZADA u there ??

    KO you sure KO’d them ..keep IT up !!

  131. Thanks!, I will check with cybernet….but cybernet 128K Rs 2200 is not CIR is it?…though the installation is not that expenseve.

    When I look at Multinet I see there volume based package of 1GB cap 128Kbps CIR is Rs 1500, but the installation charges are around Rs 19,500. When I compare both on the basis of costs for my needs I find Multinet to be cheaper then Cybernet on Anual basis.

    I am not sure how do I compare both on quality basis, any thoughts??

    One more thing Multinet in my area is offering sDSL which means I would require another phone line.

    Anyways I am leaning more towards Multinet…let me know if I am wrong.

    Thanks again for your input

    Isfahan

  132. Isfahan , 1 GB monthly cap will finish so quickly so you wont even notice.

    If you want volume based I will advice Dancom or Micronet , Dancom offers 1 GB for around 1200 rupees at 256 k and setup will be around 6000 rupees and you will get 29 kilo byte download speed atleast most of the time.

    When you buy volume based package usually that is CIR bandwidth as they cover their cost in the price they charge but for unlimited they dont know how much bandwidth you are going to use so thats why they share it .

  133. Ifsahan: Multinet isn’t CIR either. Don’t believe what the say. No ISP is true CIR. If they charged you true CIR at those rates, they’d be out of business very quickly. If you don’t believe me, see the rates that they are charged here

    http://www.ptcl.com.pk/tariff/circuit/full_circuit_premium_internet.html

    on average their COST per MB is 42,500 per month! so 256kbps CIR to THE ISP COSTS about 10,600. Now you tell me how can Mutlinet Cybernet or Dancom charge you less than that and provide you CIR.

    Guys come on. do you really think the ISPs will give you CIR below their cost and run their businesses in the ground!

    You can also see that if it costs them 10,600 rupees for 256kbps just for the bandwidth from PTCL, and they’re giving it to you at 2000 rupees, how much real sharing is going on. Again that’s their direct cost, what about the salary and other expenses?

    Come on PAKISTANIs – wake up! CIR is a MARKETING GIMMIC!

  134. bq. I’ve set up a ‘forum for tech discussions’:http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/forums – it’s more suited for discussion then posting on a weblog. Some of the posts on this weblog, especially the ones on tech and computing issues have hundreds of comments – in a sense being used as an adhoc message board. So it seems a good idea to use something more suitable for such discussions – hence these forums.

    See ‘this post:’:http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/pakistan/2005_04/tech_forums.html for more about the forums. The actual link to the forums: ‘http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/forums’:http://ko.offroadpakistan.com/forums

  135. Azhar – that’s not entirely true. Remember they have a constant INTERNATIONAL bandwidth pipe so EVEN if they give MANY people a volume based pacakge – HOW OH HOW can they ensure that if ALL the people request bandwidth at the same time will they be able to give it.

    Go SHOW them the PTCL full circuit prices and ask them how can ANY ISP give you a CIR package below cost??!

    You’ll find out it’s shared. Go ASK them about how many E1s they have from their exchange onwards then you’ll see that they’re even sharing from the exchange onwards.

    Guys why don’t you think that in the developed world they don’t quote CIR to you unless you’re a business. Go read their websites: http://www.verizon.com; bb.yahoo.com; speakeasy.net; http://www.eclipse.net.uk/

    come on guys. Wake up. Ask the questions… and stop thinking that you’re getting CIR. try to understand the ISPs network and see what type of bottlenecks they have… and ask how/why an ISP can be offering you below cost!

  136. When I got DSL prices for 128kb CIR from a few companies, they were all in the Rs. 40,000 to 80,000 range. I didn’t even bother getting the prices for higher speeds.

  137. I would like Technologist to answer this question of mine…..

    You told me that PTCL charges only about 2-3 Rupees when we connect to a UIN number, and the time duration is not charged.

    Can you please reconfirm it, because, I stay online from CyberHiSpeed for 15+ hours everyday… and if what you said is not true, then i might end up with a telephone bill of more than $1000!

  138. I m residing in P.E.C.H.S Block-2.

    I was one of the first customers to utlize the WorldCall Broadband here in Block-2.

    It worked f9 in the starting in January when i connected. But it has got pethatic . And I had to switch over to dial up back . Right now using Dancom 999 Package. Working Just OK.

    I came to know regarding the CYBER HISPEED. and would like to use it

    My network configuration is that

    a dialup 56k exterrnal modem and cable modem connected to DLink Router then that router is connected to accesspoint and my Desktop

    throught Access Point, I utilize internet wirelessly on my notebook.

    Problem is that i m connecting dialup through router. Right now no problem with dancom dialup . What i was thinking that if i connect the Cyber Hispeed Internet throught the router .

    Will i be able to use internet on my desktop and notebook at the same time using the acceleration software on both Dekstop and Notebook

    What i think is that there may be a limit 1 login from acceleration per dialup account.

    Here in my scenario it will be 2 acceleration software from one dial up account connected through router.

    IF ANYONE OF YOU ARE USING MORE THAN 1 PC ON CYBER HISPEED PLEASE DO LET ME KNOW

  139. The unofficial word is that it works. Cyber seems to have priced it so low that they might not encourage you to share the accelerator etc. but I haven’t checked.

    I know that it works FOR SURE though because we have cyberhispeed at our franchise locations with more than one computer on the lan, and sharing cyberhighspeed works just fine.

  140. There the one login restriction is ONLY for the modem dial-in not the accelerator.

    As long as you’re sharing all computers on the same lan but using just ONE modem login session, you CAN share Cyberhighspeed on all your computers.

  141. Technologist my question is that

    U are utilizing Cyber Hispeed on more than one pc on the lan

    Have u installed acceleration software on each pc or on the main server only

    Thanks

  142. sorry for the confusion: accelerator on each pc and it works. I don’t think cyber knows about this though 🙂

    in any case, i was reading that you were using dancom without accelerator for 999 a month. I think cyberhighspeed is a better bargain for you no? accelerator or no accelerator.

  143. yah u r right

    but i want a consistent net

    WorlCall broadband is not at all a consistent net

    I am searcing for a reliable source

    I went to cyber net office located at sharfabad

    i enquired regarding CYBER DSL

    They said that they arent offering at the moment but its likely to be open at any moment so stay tuned this month

    I think CYBER DSL wont be a bad option too

    I think a better replacement to World Call Broadband Home64 version

    Well If i couldnt get the cyber dsl then i will definetely try the cyber hispeed

    once again thanks technologist

  144. I’ve tried the cyber hispeed, it works great, far better than the normal dialup accounts and at very affordable price.

  145. AOA ko

    I have been using the pethatic World Call Broadband in P.E.C.H.S . And just after 3 months of use, I have switched back to Dialup.

    Reason is that its speed is never consistent, its browsing is never consistent, the customer support has been pethatic over here in p.e.c.h.s .

    I want to know abt CYBER NET DSL which u r using

    My questions are

    How do you rate cyber net interms of World Call

    Which package are u using

    Consistency interms of WorldCall

    Overall customer services of cyber net in terms of worldcall.

    Is it necessary to buy the modem. I would be using through wireless so i m intrested in buying wireless dsl modem with builtin router.

    Thanks

    Waiting for your response.

  146. Faiq – I agree with KO. Customer service at Worldcall sucks. We tried Gerrys and Dancom here but recently switched to Cyber. I’d rate their corporate support a 9 but their consumer service like a 7.

    WC remains at -11, GoCDMA at -20

    Gerry’s I’d rate at 3 and Dancom at 5

  147. We have got 70-80 computers in karachi and about 50 computers and few other locations in Pakistan. We are looking to have an intranet between all branches to share data. This is would be download on demand of word/excel/pdf files etc.

    Currently we have got a 256K DSL from WOL in Karachi and other locations. I would like to know whether we should go for Cyber or use Satellite conenction for downloads and DSL/ISDN for uploads?

    Please advice.

    Kashif

  148. How’s the customer support on WOL? I haven’t experienced their services in a while.

    Cyber DSL rocks but isn’t available except for corporate customers.

    Satellite is useful for ondemand bandwidth and especially since you’re transmitting files you don’t really care about the latency.

    I’d got for satellite ONLY if you’re looking for p2p connectivity between KHI and LHR (intercity). For Intracity just get a p2p (no internet) Data connection from the ISP (over DSL say).

    I’d recommend cyber just because of their service, following by WOL and even PTCL dxx.

  149. WOL’s corporate support for DSL is very good. Their service also is very good. For a VPN b/w cities, you should get estimates from a couple of companies – a non-internet connection is cheaper and faster.

  150. Dude what is this I see.. cyberhispeed popups being advertised on Ten Sports? Is there any way to block those pop ups.

    on a serious note though- these cyber guys seem to have a big advertising budget. any one have any idea on how the cyber hispeed thing is doing?

  151. ppl ….. i’m ready to give around 2500 a month for DSL… in lahore…. i’ll pay around 5-6 thousand for installation… and i want a fast DSL … is it possible ?

    NEXT PERSON PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION

  152. Hey KO. I was reading your post. Please can you answer my questions:

    1) How did you get DSL? And how can I get service too?

    2) You rated CyberDSL at 6 out of 10 in terms of service. Can you tell me of better, affordable services around?

    3) I noticed that you had trouble setting up your service with Cyber. One issue was a problem on their side but I understand that a lot of the problems are to do with the copper pair. Which is PTCL’s fault correct?

  153. Comments on this entry are closed. Please use the ‘forums’:/forums for any further questions regarding Cybernet DSL.

Comments are closed.