Unlimited Max Traffic Management / Throttling

[richyrooo]

Hello,

I've already saw a few posts around here with people noticing the same things but never a resolution just questions around if they're moving locations etc which seems to be an intentional irrelevant time waste. Long and short of it is that I switched network from three to vodafone for a supplementary connection to my home broadband due to vodafone using more preferencial masts in the area. I noticed on speed testing through any site I get a sudden spike and then a slow drop in speed down to around 10-13MB download. I am using a static router and external aerial positioned towards a mast, this is also irrelevant as my issue is not signal but the ability to circumvent traffic management via VPN to get higher speeds.

If I connect any VPN on my phone or laptop, my speed jumps to 30-40MB steady with no decline. This is so obviously some sort of traffic management or configuration that is limiting my speed, how can it be advertised as the 'max speed available' when I get 10 down by default but can get 40 steady via a VPN? There are discussions with other users on plans with usage stating they have had 40-50 down but on moving to unlimited max that their speed suddenly dropped to 10-15.. This needs to be investigated as it's completely unfair to sell a package as max unlimited with any sort of management going on..  unless it's being intentionally misleading saying we'll provide you what we deem to be the fastest available through management algorithms rather than the max the bare metal mast can put out to you at the time.

Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Rich

[Lynxthecat]

I've been down this route - the best you will get is compensation. I am encouraging all users to report the issue (mis-selling and violation of net neutrality) with Ofcom, e.g.  here:

https://www.ofcom.org.uk/complaints/complain-about-phones-or-internet-services

You can try using a VPN for free by downloading the 1.1.1.1 warp app on your phone and activating that free VPN before running the Google internet speed test:

https://1.1.1.1/

In my case with that enabled the throttling is circumvented.

[zmir81]

I totally agree with you here - I also had a really good thing going with 20GB data previously and getting decent connection speeds and now with the upgrade to Unlimited MAX I feel I am being taken advantage of. The speeds drop down to at times to 0MB and this whilst showing I have full 4 bars and using an iPhone SE (2020). I tried this on another iPhone 8 and 7 and a Samsung all showing me similar results, and this too with having the sim card replaced. Surely this is something that definitely needs to be reported to OFCOM. 

[GemmaP]

Hey @zmir81 

Your speeds shouldn't be any less than what they were before.

You can check your area here just in case there's any work or maintenance going on.

If that all looks okay, feel free to drop us a message over on Social so we can do some further investigating for you 👍

[Lynxthecat]

This - inappropriate throttling occuring on unlimited MAX plans - is clearly a recurring issue. From some Google searching I see that this issue is described in multiple posts on this forum and on other forums and sources. It is serious because it presents an incongruity between the service customers are being sold and are receiving. 

[Evie]

Hey there @Lynxthecat - We don't throttle speeds on our Unlimited Max plan as you will get the fastest speeds available in your area. If you are below the speeds stated on our Network Status Checker or your service isn't working as it should be, please complete our initial network checks so that we can look into this further.

[zmir81]

Evie, I request that you do not make such comments which are not true. I’ve been dealing via your official complaints systems to solve my speed issues for 6 months now and they are no closer to fixing it. Note that I had faster speeds when I was on a 20GB package. 

[Lynxthecat]

What I have seen occur is the application of 10Mbit/s throttling despite an 'unlimited MAX' contract upon connection to the mast, and it occurs on a single https 443 connection. I am not alone in this issue as there have been several reports on this forum and other forums of the same, namely throttling being applied to a service that is explicitly advertised as unthrottled.

If Vodafone care, I can reliably demonstrate it on my 'unlimited MAX' account. If I perform a Google internet speed test I see 10Mbit/s download reliably. If I reconnect to mast several times, I can get into the normal, unthrottled state, and I see 60-70Mbit/s download reliably until I reconnect back to the mast. On one thread where Vodafone actually looked into this issue properly following sufficient complaints through Ofcom, the issue was identified as a faulty security board on a mast, which seemingly effected inappropriate throttling.

[Lynxthecat]

@zmir81 [and anyone else experiencing throttling],

please can you try comparing:

• downloading a test file from: https://ams-nl-ping.vultr.com/  [https port 443]; and
• downloading a test file from: https://kb.leaseweb.com/network/link-speeds [http port 80]?

For me https port 443 is throttled to 10Mbit/s on my 'unlimited MAX' accounts.

[dwa40]

Been throttled to 20mbit/s from 80-90mbit/s on services involving 4k/Ultra HD including Youtube,Netflix, Google Stadia, Geforce Now on all devices making them unusable for 4k.  Contacted Vodafone 3 times deny traffic management.  So can watch 1080p content with full speed, 4k reduced.

[simax]

I’m on unlimited max and both ports download at the same speed for me…