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

[simax]

This thread concerns me as I’m planning to cancel my EE contract at the end of the year and upgrade my Vodafone sim plan to a full handset contract at the same time to an Unlimited Max plan but if there is underhand throttling then I may reconsider....

[richyrooo]

I've done extensive testing now further to my original post across different devices on different operating systems and can confirm without vpn all devices are achieving the same massively slower speeds. I have optimized my antenna position further and get 45-55mb down via Nordvpn and without I get a spike to 15 and a slow drop to 9-10.. All down to VPN. I have put a report in with ofcom as surely this cannot be right, how is 10mb on the unlimited max plan the 'max speed available' when I can get 55 by masking my traffic?

[simax]

It almost seems like there is a 10mbit cap product on your account that shouldn’t be there. Are you absolutely sure that they’ve checked for this (and that your bill shows Unlimited Max and not just Unlimited)? Sorry if this comes across as patronising, it’s not intended to - just ticking the boxes 😊

[hrym]

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@simax wrote:

It almost seems like there is a 10mbit cap product on your account that shouldn’t be there. Are you absolutely sure that they’ve checked for this (and that your bill shows Unlimited Max and not just Unlimited)? Sorry if this comes across as patronising, it’s not intended to - just ticking the boxes 😊

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It's a fair point, @simax, but wouldn't a speed cap apply regardless of traffic?   The use of a VPN suggests that throughput is being analysed, which a VPN would prevent.

@richyroooHave you been able to establish whether the throttling applies to all traffic or only certain classes - eg streaming or whatever?

[richyrooo]

I'm 100% on the unlimited max data plan as below, so I should not be constrained to 10MB download max. Also as mentioned if I was on the wrong plan regardless of traffic classification I shouldn't get above 10MB. A prime example of this impacting me is my work laptop which is locked down so no executables outside of SCCM Software Center can run, NordVPN does not support any VPN protocols my 4g router does so unless using a browser with a vpn plugin I cannot get above 10-15 down.

In regards to your traffic classification response, I have been speed testing, downloading and streaming, all of which are impacted (strangely after a certain time of day this limit seems to dissappear for all traffic and 'fast.com' but not 'speedtest.net', following noticing this the next morning.. all traffic back down to 10-15MB download without VPN and fast.com now impacted again, will clarify later what time this changes). I have a plex server which I stream to my fire tv and I have to transcode all content into 720 2Mbps to be able to watch without buffering when not activating my VPN client. Below are some albeit messy images taken 2 minutes apart showing the throughput on my NIC on and off the VPN. I cannot stress enough how consistent this is, this is not variance in signal or location of server, this is a flat reduction in speed which can be examined consistently at all times and on all devices.

Without VPN (14 is high, usually 9-11 after an inital spike to 20)

Attached as in-line images won't work.

With VPN (can spike up to 65 down)

Attached as in-line images won't work.

For some reason I cannot share snips of my screen well within the 3 attachment 9mb limit, I just get big warning signs with no explanation. They could really do with fixing that, I've tried .jpg and .png and the images I'm trying to attach are sub100kb... kind of makes getting support difficult

[richyrooo]

Might end up double replying here as I think I got auto moderated and my large reply got removed as spam...

I'm 100% on the unlimited max data plan as below, so I should not be constrained to 10MB download max. Also as mentioned if I was on the wrong plan regardless of traffic classification I shouldn't get above 10MB. A prime example of this impacting me is my work laptop which is locked down so no executables outside of SCCM Software Center can run, NordVPN does not support any VPN protocols my 4g router does so unless using a browser with a vpn plugin I cannot get above 10-15 down.

"Plan

Unlimited Max Data SIM plan - 12 months" - I couldn't attach an image here but this is a copy/paste from my plan details.

In regards to your traffic classification response, I have been speed testing, downloading and streaming, all of which are impacted (strangely after a certain time of day this limit seems to dissappear for all traffic and 'fast.com' but not 'speedtest.net', following noticing this the next morning.. all traffic back down to 10-15MB download without VPN and fast.com now impacted again, will clarify later what time this changes). I have a plex server which I stream to my fire tv and I have to transcode all content into 720 2Mbps to be able to watch without buffering when not activating my VPN client. Below are some albeit messy images taken 2 minutes apart showing the throughput on my NIC on and off the VPN. I cannot stress enough how consistent this is, this is not variance in signal or location of server, this is a flat reduction in speed which can be examined consistently at all times and on all devices.

Without VPN (14 is high, usually 9-11 after an inital spike to 20)

Attached as in-line images won't work.

With VPN (can spike up to 65 down)

Attached as in-line images won't work.

[richyrooo]

Apologies for a further reply to myself here, In response to my confirmation of what time the throttling seems to end. It's bang on midnight, I am writing this at 00:12am and was still running tests... the first one to be ran after midnight without VPN my speed went from 13MB down to 56. So vodafone you advertise people can stream UHD content which requires 25Mbps minimum even with netflix levels of compression.. yet you throttle users until midnight? hmmm. 

The fast.com test wouldn't upload again so it is attached. 

[Adam]

Hi @richyrooo I can understand that achieving speeds lower than expected can be frustrating. We would need to speak with you on our social media pages to look into what could be the problem of this is becoming consistent.

Facebook - Vodafone UK

Twitter - @VodafoneUK

[tomekw]

I have very similar issue. I just bought data sim with unlimited max plan. I installed it in outdoor 5G router and had speeds of 160 - 200 Mbs. After 3 days of usage for mainly streaming services, the speed dropped down yesterday to 20-30 Mbs and today it does not exceed 8 Mbs. Signal quality and strength have not changed since installation on Sunday. With Ookla speed test it is still 180 Mbs, but with any other test like Opensignal or Fast speeds are as low as 5-8 Mbs. I have not tried VPN to circumvent potential throttling on certain ports. However, I believe the difference between Ookla speed test and others is based on different ports used. Simple downloads are very slow and video quality low with breaks for buffering. Surprisingly upload speed remains unaffected and stays at 25Mbs. Clearly, my data traffic has been managed after 3 days of usage. I read in some threads that the issue was resolved by Vodafone for some customers. Could you, or any Vodafone moderator, instigate investigation for me, please? If the issue is not resolved, I will have to cancel the contract as 5Mbs for download in 5G network is not good enough for £30 per month "Unlimited Max" plan.