# Can ISP's handle the extra load?



## subcon959 (Mar 16, 2020)

With more and more people staying home the result is going to be a massive and persistent load on all internet traffic.

Are ISP's going to be able to cope with this? We all know how bad it can get around a certain time every evening, is that going to be the new normal for months ahead?

For those on high speed plans, are they going to have to be capped more vigorously to balance the load?

Is all of this moot because they can easily increase bandwidth? (Genuine question, I'm not savvy on this topic)


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## AmandaRose (Mar 16, 2020)

https://www.expressandstar.com/news...ady-to-handle-extra-demand-from-home-workers/


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## Chary (Mar 16, 2020)

With most ISPs just writing off home data caps for a few months, I’m curious to know just how much those “caps” are needed. This entire virus ordeal is going to be a proving ground for a lot of infrastructure related questions.


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## Alexander1970 (Mar 16, 2020)

> *Can ISP's handle the extra load?*



As it seems in the Morning - definitely NO.

3 (Drei) seemed to have "issues" on Mobile Internet (not confirmed):

https://allestörungen.at/stoerung/3/

I noticed a massive "collapse" in Download Speeds (~50 kb/sec) and Side "Layout Building".
Now it seems a lot better.


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## ghjfdtg (Mar 16, 2020)

There should be no problems unless you have cable internet which is a shared media and does get slower if lots of people in your neighbourhood are downloading shit. DSL and fiber are exclusive and should be fine.


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## linuxares (Mar 16, 2020)

Most of Europe by all means. I can't talk about the US, Australia etc. however.


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## FAST6191 (Mar 16, 2020)

Heh. All that extra porn, probably going to have to download some like it is 2004 again.
...
I understand mass buying of bog roll and hand sanitiser now.


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## subcon959 (Mar 16, 2020)

Guess it's too late to buy shares in Kleenex?


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## The Real Jdbye (Mar 16, 2020)

alexander1970 said:


> As it seems in the Morning - definitely NO.
> 
> 3 (Drei) seemed to have "issues" on Mobile Internet (not confirmed):
> 
> ...


Mobile internet should be faster if anything, more people staying at home means mobile internet is used less.


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## Alexander1970 (Mar 16, 2020)

The Real Jdbye said:


> Mobile internet should be faster if anything, more people staying at home means mobile internet is used less.


Except many have Mobile Internet for their Work.

I see it in the List of my "surrounded" Hotspots/WiFiDevices.
Usually there are 3-6 now there are about 16.


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## Ryccardo (Mar 16, 2020)

subcon959 said:


> Are ISP's going to be able to cope with this?


Yes - there have been slowdowns, but they're ordinary (based on the fact advertised speeds are under ideal conditions that never assume usage of, for example, the maximum 128 devices GPON fiber can connect)



subcon959 said:


> For those on high speed plans, are they going to have to be capped more vigorously to balance the load?


Nah, for the same reason of maximum speeds never really being binding (the legally recognized speed test standard in Italy is a full day average) and minimum guaranteed speeds are, at least in my experience, still easily achieved



subcon959 said:


> Is all of this moot because they can easily increase bandwidth? (Genuine question, I'm not savvy on this topic)


It depends: just like for the individual consumer, maximum speeds are even for them sometimes an artificial restriction, while if the link is actually used to its maximum capacity... it's certainly possible to add another, but that requires using less of their profits for manager bonuses and shrugging-fines-off budget


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## IC_ (Mar 16, 2020)

ghjfdtg said:


> There should be no problems unless you have cable internet which is a shared media and does get slower if lots of people in your neighbourhood are downloading shit. DSL and fiber are exclusive and should be fine.


My cable internet connection always got and still gets the full stable download and upload speed


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## ghjfdtg (Mar 16, 2020)

Extrasklep said:


> My cable internet connection always got and still gets the full stable download and upload speed


Then you got lucky. Usually cable ISPs try to get as many customers on the same line as possible resulting in slowdowns when they are all at home.


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## IC_ (Mar 16, 2020)

ghjfdtg said:


> Then you got lucky. Usually cable ISPs try to get as many customers on the same line as possible resulting in slowdowns when they are all at home.


I had that experience with some other people's fiber connections that never actually get the full speed
I also have a server at home so I'm pretty much always using the connection


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## ghjfdtg (Mar 16, 2020)

Well, you pretty much never get the advertised speed. It's always slightly below or worst case much below advertised. Sadly the ISPs are covering their asses with contractual clauses stating the minimum speed.

What i meant was you usually get speed as advertised with cable except when you don't (on evenings or when lots of people are staying home like right now). Fiber stays constant.


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## Taleweaver (Mar 16, 2020)

It'll depend on which ISP, of course, but my guess is that aside from the smaller ones, things'll be okay. Not perfect, but okay.

If there's one thing that ISP's have done in the last decade, it's upgrading their infrastructure. We're already far, far beyond the common basic tasks on the 'net, though it's important to stress that fact.
Why? Because download torrents, video streaming and online gaming use up data that's exponentially above writing an email or posting on a forum (honestly: I don't think I can hit my data cap with my gbatemp posts  ). But that latter is still being used, and is usually considered more critical in its application kind.
ISP's know this kind. Before net neutrality became a thing (or not...I forgot how it turned out in the US), certain ISP's would be limiting the speeds of, or even blocking certain types of internet traffic. It was controversial because even though your ISP wasn't SPYING on you(1), it was perceived as an invasion of privacy. And banned in our regions.

So what happens if all the students hit the couch and game and watch netflix all day while their parents work from home and THEIR parents use skype to get in touch in the only way elderly people can remain in touch? Well...it might be hard to handle for ISP's, yes (similar to how new year's eve text messages get delays because everyone's using it). But assuming they can't handle it, they can always temporary resort to these sorts of methods to make sure that the one geezer who's downloading half the internet isn't dragging everyone else down.


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## The Real Jdbye (Mar 16, 2020)

alexander1970 said:


> Except many have Mobile Internet for their Work.
> 
> I see it in the List of my "surrounded" Hotspots/WiFiDevices.
> Usually there are 3-6 now there are about 16.


Don't they have a home connection? 


ghjfdtg said:


> Well, you pretty much never get the advertised speed. It's always slightly below or worst case much below advertised. Sadly the ISPs are covering their asses with contractual clauses stating the minimum speed.
> 
> What i meant was you usually get speed as advertised with cable except when you don't (on evenings or when lots of people are staying home like right now). Fiber stays constant.


I always get ~200/30 on cable, never experienced any slowdowns. Granted, I'm paying for 250/30, but I talked to the ISP about it and they said there's no reason on their end why I wouldn't get the full speed, so I guess somewhere along the chain of router, cables, and a network switch, there's a bottleneck. It was the same when I tried out 500/50 for a few months. Got the full 50 up, but still limited to 200 down.


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## Alexander1970 (Mar 16, 2020)

The Real Jdbye said:


> Don't they have a home connection?
> .



It seems only WiFi Internet with Mobile Modems/Hot Spots like mine.
No one has an "Landline" Connection in this "District".
But Cable Connection/Provider are there,I have no Idea why so many Wifi Devices/Networks are around my Place......

(please google BURGENLAND and you will surely find many "Jokes" about "they "stayed a little bit behind".....like OSTFRIESEN for Germany.).


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## ghjfdtg (Mar 16, 2020)

Maybe this is not such a common problem in the US. But here cable can get much slower at certain times.


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## subcon959 (Mar 16, 2020)

alexander1970 said:


> (please google BURGENLAND and you will surely find many "Jokes" about "they "stayed a little bit behind").


Is that where bergens come from?


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## Alexander1970 (Mar 16, 2020)

subcon959 said:


> Is that where bergens come from?


More like them


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## chrisrlink (Mar 16, 2020)

add to the fact some companys like comcast are allowing free net for low income during this crisis


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## subcon959 (Mar 16, 2020)

FAST6191 said:


> Heh. All that extra porn, probably going to have to download some like it is 2004 again.
> ...
> I understand mass buying of bog roll and hand sanitiser now.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...h-content-free-amid-coronavirus-lockdown.html


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## Alexander1970 (Mar 16, 2020)

subcon959 said:


> https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...h-content-free-amid-coronavirus-lockdown.html



VPN set to ITALY.


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