What’s up TelstraClear, with theYouTube video problems?
For the last while now — weeks? months? — I’ve rarely been able to watch a YouTube video in any kind of satisfying manner.
The video starts playing, then after a moment or two it stops and buffers, play, stop, buffer, play, stop, buffer.
Anyone would think I was using an ancient 56K dial-up connection, but I’m not!
TelstraClear packages.
I pay a bunch of money for a 20 Gigabyte per month plan, with theoretical speeds of 10Mbps for downloads and 2 Mbps for uploads.
Speed test results.
I run speed tests from time to time. Sometimes I almost achieve that magical 10Mbps download. I’m actually fairly satisfied with download speeds.
I can watch an episode of GeekBrief streaming off the web with no problems.
But like many other NZ TelstraClear customers apparently, I can’t watch a YouTube video uninterrupted.
I’m so sick of it I made a video.
I clicked a link in a tweet to see this fun video of a cat on a Roomba swatting a long-suffering dog as the cat went by. It’s a whole 53 seconds long.
Before finishing my viewing I closed the browser tab. Then I started recording my own screen, opened the YouTube video in a new tab and just let the computer be. I followed the video with a speedtest. The result is a 5 minute screencast video that shows the problems I have although my connection is plenty fast.
I think you’ll agree that YouTube performance is just dire.
Now I’ve created the video I’ll file a Helpdesk ticket with Telstra. Let’s see what they say.
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
I logged in to Telstra and submitted the following ticket. Apparently they will ‘respond’ within 48 hours …
‘For the last few weeks or months YouTube performance has been shocking. Even very short videos play only a few seconds then buffer then play a few seconds then buffer and so on. Watching YouTube videos has become a very unpleasant experience.
Meanwhile videos from other sources such as GeekBrief.tv play just fine.
Speed tests show that I’m often achieving download speeds of between 7 and 9.5 Mbps.
It seems to be only YouTube that’s affected and it is a change as I used to be able to watch YouTube videos without problems.
I have a screencast video that shows the problem on this blog post: KnowIT: TelstraClear’s YouTube stutter – http://knowit.co.nz/2009/12/telstraclears-youtube-stutter
The video is too big to upload here.
I’ve discovered I’m not the only one with this problem.
Please investigate and fix the YouTube stuttering problem.’
I have had the same exact same problem with Vodafone Landline BB & I contacted their Help Desk yesterday & all they could say was “we can’t do anything about it” & to add insult to injury the CSR suggested that I move to Telecom!!
It strikes me as rather odd that in the past this same issue has been fixed, but now “apparently” the incompetent CSR says there is nothing we can do.
Very disappointing indeed.
So, you have a problem with a single website, I can fully see how this MUST be your providers fault…
And look, a commenter with a different provider has the same problem, that reinforces the theory! It must be both your providers problem.
Clearly you Know IT!
Hi confused,
a lot of Kiwis are having the same problem while using YouTube through a TelstraClear connection, and are not having problems if connected with other ISPs. Did you read the Geekzone thread I linked to?
It’s a shame you didn’t share your experience, as that could have been a useful data point. Which ISP are you with? Telstra? Xtra? Someone else?
How does YouTube perform for you?
You’ve invested time and energy in reading and responding – a little more of both may give us additional useful data. I’d hate for you to have wasted your time over here at KnowIT.
And after all, if you are indeed confused, as your name suggests, then something you learn here may have helped clarify things for you.
Thanks for responding.
Cheers,
Miraz
I’ve just received aan email response from Telstra:
“Judging from what has been done, there’s no need to get into the usual steps to try and improve things.
Basically it does appear to be an issue with how our connections handle youtube traffic as a whole.
We are working to get this situation fixed up as soon as possible, however there are many limitations that prevent an instant fix.
All I can say is that the issue is being looked into and we hope to have it resolved soon.
Unfortunately I cannot give a specific timeframe at this stage.”
I’m taking bets on the proxy servers! Well done in getting a response.
Thanks for once again being the squeaky wheel, Miraz! And what an excellent response to ‘confused’ …
Thanks Mark and Jane. I hope it was because I provided evidence, with a speedtest and a clock they could see in the menu bar.
Whatever, if Telstra do actually resolve it we’ll all be better off.
Hmm … I smell specific traffic throttling and they’ve been caught
Here’s to an open Internet & TelstraClear returning to your blog to let us all know it’s sorted.
(great “confused” response BTW)
Wait, what? You only have problems with one streaming content provider, which is reinforced by other people with OTHER ISPs, and yet the issue is clearly that *your* ISP is at fault. I think you summed it up best by saying “I think you’ll agree that YouTube performance is just dire”.
Hey Rose,
I’m intrigued that the email address you supplied with this comment (not published, by default) uses a domain name registered by TelstraClear. The WHOIS registry also shows that the Registrant and Administrative Contact email address for that domain takes the form of [name.name]@team.telstraclear.co.nz
Might you be trolling, by any chance?
You’ll note that TelstraClear replied to my Helpdesk email to say they see it’s their issue.
Cheers,
Miraz
Pwned!
Also, Rose, if that’s your real name, you might like to read a little more closely. Miraz speaks for me, a TelstraClear customer, as well as at least 4 others to my personal knowledge, as well as at least 12 TelstraClear customers with the problem in that thread (and 1 vodaphone customer), and 2 who don’t have issues.
Note also that those who don’t have issues aren’t using default proxy servers.
Now, if I were part of @team.telstraclear.co.nz, were would be the first place *I* would look?
Note, as well, that Miraz, Mauricio Frietas, Steve Biddle and myself, for example, are all Internet/online and geek veterans – we know whereof we speak and you’re damn lucky to have such a group of consultants doing your first level fault analysis for you.
Wow. imagine that. People that USED to work for a big company that has internet actually own domain names. Thanks for the heads up about the old email addy, tho.
Save your oh-so-witty comments for REAL trolls. I actually was asking seriously.
Not any more, your jerkish attitude has put me off your site compltely.
Glad you found my comments witty Rose.
Sorry I didn’t fully comprehend that “Wait, what?” was a serious question.
Not entirely sure how to answer that…
Thanks for your contribution to the discussion here. Perhaps you’d care to mention who your ISP is and how YouTube performs for you? Extra data points are always useful.
Cheers,
Miraz
I’m off a wholesaler off Telstra, so yeah, same service, spotty as. TBH everything else was fine, so I was truly serious when I asked if you think that one site’s issues are related to the ISP, especially if a Vodafone rep said to “go to TElecom”. And then I remembered what it’s like to talk to Vodafone reps ………………. Sorry I only saw you & ‘Grant’ mentioned so didn’t realise you were actually talking about a bigger issue. But honestly, if it’s affecting one of Telstra’s biggest competitors too surely it’s something bigger?? I mean, I can’t see them having much if at all in common….
Thanks Rose.
Interesting and disappointing to hear it’s also affecting you.
I don’t know how it’s affecting Vodafone – I haven’t actually tried watching a video with my iPhone, though I’d expect some performance problems with 3G.
All I really want is the previous acceptable performance to be restored. I don’t know enough about all the networking issues to be able to pinpoint who needs to own the problem.
I just know that I have this problem with most YouTube videos. I have few problems with videos from other sites. I connect through TelstraClear. My usual download speeds are fine.
I need TC to come back with some kind of answer and resolution. They’re the networking experts.
Cheers,
Miraz
Hi Miraz,
Just to save any confusion – I clearly stated in my first post that I was “Vodafone Landline BB” – not 3G Mobile Services.
Thanks.
telstraclear is horrible for streaming videos off the net..
its takes me 10 – 15 minutes to stream a 4 – 5 minute clip, and thats on a good day.
im on a 20g plan and get 3 – 4 meg download and 2 – 3 meg upload
good for gaming but thats about it tbh.
Are people still having problems with streaming videos from You Tube? Any more official comments from TCL?
Hello!
Are people still having the buffering issue with You Tube videos?
Has TelstraClear made any further announcements about fixing this issue?
Regards,
Grant
Wow. Glad I found this site.
I too am suffering from terrible Youtube performance – having previously had satisfactory service – and have been for some months now (I see I’m some months behind the discussion – sad to see there’s still no resolution).
I’m on Telstraclear cable, and found my way here after an ongoing desperate search for router/network optimisation settings, streaming acceleration software/plugins and now Telstraclear streaming issues (after identifying the source as the problem) – all borne of the terribly frustrating experience of delays and constant buffering interruptions – it’s aggravating.
I concede that it could appear to be a YouTube site problem, but I don’t have such difficulties at work (a slower connection with Telecom).
Anybody still having problems?
Thanks for your comment Andy.
It seems that in the last couple of days (it’s 02 May 2010 as I write), TelstraClear have implemented a fix. The last couple of videos I’ve watched from YouTube have played just fine.
What a relief!
Cheers,
Miraz
Hi Miraz,,
Yeah, I noticed a wee improvement myself, but I thought it was because I’d disabled most of my Firefox addons in a desperate bid to improve the situation. Shame, I was proud of myself
I know where to come if the service dips again!
Cheers,
Andy.
I was with vodafone (20G plan) and all streaming websites were working like a treat… youTube and even “Veetle.com”… I used to watch big bang theory and other streaming videos with no interruption at all…
Then came a knock on the door and a TelstraClear salesman said i would get better download speeds and would get a month free… I said ok… and since then i get jerky YouTube clips and can’t even log into “Veetle.com” as the streaming connection is useless…why should this happen??? my download speeds off torrents have pretty much halved with Telstra Clear…
I wanna go back to vodafone, but i signed a 1 year contract… how crap is that
Has, if the salesman told you you would get better speeds but you do not then I think you’d have a case to go back to them and break the contract. You could always try Consumer, if TCL misrepresented what you’d get by switching to them.
My YouTube problems seem to have been resolved with a recent fix that TCL implemented. I don’t use torrents and can’t comment about them.
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