Excitel Community Help

@TheGreatOne your post seemed more like a statement than any question, hard to notice you seemed to ask for "any timeframe" in the middle somewhere there, without a question mark :) I guess you wanted to ask about timeframe of availability to your place, right?
 
For the last 5 months im waiting for your isp to expand just a little bit so that i get your connection
I have completed that "Get excitel" form many times on your site and even called on customer care but still no difference.
Did you get a definitive response from us? Please elaborate on your conversation that you mention with our customer care.

@Excitel wow clearly dodged my question, so you are no different than your customer care

None of the replies so far have been dodged / overlooked and neither will that happen in the future, be rest assured. The reply I had posted regarding the speed query was a short one and was covering multiple posts at once, which is why it was posted first. My response to your post was supposed to be added thereafter, as an "edit", something which I have done in my previous replies as well. :)

Your nearest presence is just 1.3Km away from my home that is sarojini nagar
And nearest presence is in Arjun nagar/Safdurjung enclave
So any timeframe on when are you guys expanding to my location
Pincode: 110023
I already know 5 guys within 100mt from my home who will get your connection in an instant
You guys have delayed for so long that even hathway and siti are providing even better plans than your isp
Like Hathway gave me 25Mbps with unlimited data @ just Rs919
I would still like you guys to expand just a little bit and come to our area
We're constantly trying to expand our reach and the coverage of our serviced areas, however, it sometimes gets delayed and/or hindered due to the location not being technically feasible. We obviously wish to reach the numerous prospective customers that are waiting to connect to us.
 
Yes

Did you get a definitive response from us? Please elaborate on your conversation that you mention with our customer care.
In September they told me that your area is on our expansion list and we will cover your area by december.
In December they told me they will be here by end of jan or early feb.
Now they are saying you can leave your details for Nth time and they will get back to me when they are here but no timeframe was provided but it was in their expansion list.

So is there any definite timeframe ?
 
Unfortunately, we are not providing static IPs right now. This is due to multiple reasons. First of all, as you would know, there's an acute shortage of IPv4 addresses and its difficult to acquire them in any case. Moreover, the entire process related to static IP provisioning needs to be enhanced and revamped. Could you let us know what are the main reasons and motivations behind the requirement for a static IP, in detail? This would help us understand and channelize the exact reasons why a customer would need it.

Thanks for replying. I have multiple reasons for wanting a static or at least a dynamic public IP. I have security cameras at home that I would like to view from anywhere in the world and the same is only possible via port forwarding. I also run a VPN at home so I am able to remotely log in securely to my system. None of this would be possible without a static / public IP. Again, I am willing to pay for this service.
 
Yes
In September they told me that your area is on our expansion list and we will cover your area by december.
In December they told me they will be here by end of jan or early feb.
Now they are saying you can leave your details for Nth time and they will get back to me when they are here but no timeframe was provided but it was in their expansion list.

So is there any definite timeframe ?
In situations such as this, it is usually not easy to provide a definite time period to the end user. Why, you might wonder? Well, if we think rationally, we'll find the answer. Sometimes the local partner (LCO) in your locality might not be interested/willing in cooperating with us. In other situations, the LCO might be cooperative, but there might be some physical interference or hindrance in the area which may be acting as a deterrent. There are simply too many variables in the equation, which are highlighted and discovered when someone thinks about the entire situation in detail.

@Excitel thanks for the replies. Some more queries, more out of curiosity:

1. Why only upto 80 mbps speeds (30+50) and not a good amount more like, say, 100 mbps (or 100+100) since you have fiber backbone and excellent peering in place apparently? Any chance of providing "gigabit" speeds in (near) future to end users?

This has been explained previously, in a reply to @r19. We can increase the speed, but we also want to ensure that the customer is able to receive the amount of speeds that they have been promised. Therefore, we also need to keep a tab on the LCO networks to check if they have been upgraded or not; so as to be able to handle higher speeds and larger amounts of bandwidth. Otherwise, we'll have customers complaining about not receiving the offered speeds.

2. What is the end-user "CPE" (customer premises equipment) - is it DOCSIS cable modem? If so, what version? I guess the newer 3.0 and 3.1 would allow you to provide higher speeds? Is it dictated by your "LCO" partners or do you have them use latest equipment?

No CPEs are offered from our end. The customer is expected to use their own router. However, most of our local partners (LCOs) offer routers at competitive prices. This interaction is entirely between the customer and the LCO and as such, such transactions are beyond the service arrangement with Excitel.

3. From your website it seems you are using "Extreme Peering" solution (among others) for internet bandwidth savings (and speedup) for some HTTP/P2P content - can you (in general) mention how you go about peering with major folks like Microsoft, Google, Apple etc? Do they provide solutions to ISPs such as yourself or do you perhaps peer in that "Mumbai Convergence Hub" thingy, something like that?
Also, do you have any "contention ratio" that you can or cannot talk about?

Yes, we do have direct peering/caching relations with content vendors - Google, Microsoft, Akamai, Limelight Networks to name a few. All of those are large content providers, currently present in India, but more of them are underway, and, Excitel will be on their launch partner list. We peer with some of the content providers over Extreme IX exchange fabric. We, as Excitel, support developing the carrier-neutral way of inter-ISP traffic exchange in order to bolster the local traffic in India.

As far as your question regarding contention ratios is concerned, we see it in a different way altogether. Rather than defining a rigid limit and transferring the burden onto the customers and choking them in terms of the bandwidth that they use, we analyze the performance of our nodes and the network and as mentioned previously, we DO NOT allow bandwidth to become a bottleneck at any cost. As soon as we notice bandwidth usage on a particular node reaching a safe threshold, we upgrade it, instead of restricting and limiting our users.

We have a clear and unique approach regarding our business model. This is something of paramount importance and we would like customers to know about it. For example, imagine an airline company preventing people from flying more and instead, forcing people to fly less often. That's just going to be suicidal as well as totally counter-productive.

Moreover, our integrity regarding this vision should be out of question. If we wanted to save on bandwidth, we would have never opposed FUPs and we would have never increased speeds FIVE times (yes, 5x !). We initially started out with an entry level package of just 4 Mbps. From that, it was increased to 5 Mbps -> 10 Mbps -> and now it is 20 Mbps. That's a 5x increase in speed in an year.

The way I see it, if that's not proof that we're NOT involved in the common game of limiting the bandwidth of customers, which is followed by other ISPs, then I'm not sure what else could prove it. :)
 
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Thanks for the response - of course I was not trying to be critical, just asking out of curiosity. From your LCO/CPE response I guess it's them who either provide a direct Ethernet cable which you can connect a router of your choice, or they might provide DOCSIS cable modem if they are using that technology already - is what I understand. They are your partners for the "last mile".

Sadly (rant) I live in a "ghetto" area in Pune with very little hope of any such ISP providing wired connections any time soon - I don't even think there is any LCO in my area at all :D
 
Dont you think the plans dont scale up properly?

The 1395 package costs exactly 2x the 695 package but you only get 1.75x the speed (normal internet speed, not peering) ? I was initially interested in the 1395 plan but I realized that the increment in speed is less than the price so I just stuck to the 695 plan. Dont get me wrong, I am happy with the service provided but maybe you could provide some more incentive for someone to switch up to the more expensive plan.

Till December, If I am not mistaken, your plans were 10, 15 and 25 mbps? Which made sense that you got 2.5x speed in the plan that cost 2x more, so paying more made sense. Then instead of multiplying plan speeds by x, you just added 10mbps to all plans. So now the highest plan only has 1.75x the bandwidth of the lower plan at 2x the cost. You get what I am trying to say?

Also, is there any option to change plan online? I couldnt find it on my.excitel.com
 
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Dont you think the plans dont scale up properly?

The 1395 package costs exactly 2x the 695 package but you only get 1.75x the speed (normal internet speed, not peering) ? I was initially interested in the 1395 plan but I realized that the increment in speed is less than the price so I just stuck to the 695 plan. Dont get me wrong, I am happy with the service provided but maybe you could provide some more incentive for someone to switch up to the more expensive plan.

Till December, If I am not mistaken, your plans were 10, 15 and 25 mbps? Which made sense that you got 2.5x speed in the plan that cost 2x more, so paying more made sense. Then instead of multiplying plan speeds by x, you just added 10mbps to all plans. So now the highest plan only has 1.75x the bandwidth of the lower plan at 2x the cost. You get what I am trying to say?

Yes, we're aware of the disproportions between the offered speeds amongst the plans and their prices. This will be addressed in our future plan upgrades.

Also, is there any option to change plan online? I couldnt find it on my.excitel.com

I see that you've found the option, thanks to @TheGreatOne, however, I'll still mention officially for others:
Yes, it is possible to change the plan/tariff online. The customer needs to login to my.excitel.com with their username and password. Once logged in, the option to change your plan can be found under the "Online Payments" sub-menu.
 
Hi, I am facing lots of downtime and also slow speeds when I access even peered services like Youtube.. attached is a screenshot.. When i perform a Speedtest by choosing any other server than Excitel.. I also get the same results. browsing is slow too.. very frequently, I have challenges in buffering Netflix videos at HD , leave aside 4K content.

To be fair, all the talk about "unlimited" 20, 30 or 50mbps connection is meaning less, if you can not guarantee speeds at the customer's end.

 

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What is your backup in case of power failure? Currently in Hyderabad where I live I only get 30 mins of backup in case of power failure from ACT. Hathway does not have this problem as the cables come directly from the Hathway office where they have a series of battery banks. They say they can provide a battery backup of more than 24 hours. What is it in your case? Does it solely depend on the LCO?
 
Hi, I am facing lots of downtime and also slow speeds when I access even peered services like Youtube.. attached is a screenshot.. When i perform a Speedtest by choosing any other server than Excitel.. I also get the same results. browsing is slow too.. very frequently, I have challenges in buffering Netflix videos at HD , leave aside 4K content.

To be fair, all the talk about "unlimited" 20, 30 or 50mbps connection is meaning less, if you can not guarantee speeds at the customer's end.


Yes, currently connected through VPN

I have drawn a figure to explain the situation in a clear manner to you:
653e0903d584c6b871b8cf8c0db52b6b.png


As you can see in the image, situation (2) highlighted in green, is the normal situation, when websites and servers are accessed directly, without an intermediary VPN / Proxy. Situation (1) is the mode of connection that are you using at the moment. The problem that arises with situation (1), is that, the VPN / Proxy utilized becomes a bottleneck in the network. The total speed that you can receive while connecting to a server or a website, is dependent on ALL intermediary servers / devices etc. Therefore, just because you have a 20 Mbps connection (for example) with Excitel, doesn't mean that you will necessarily get that kind of a speed via a VPN as well, unless the VPN is fast enough to support such a high speed.

And, moreover, VPNs and proxies are services offered by 3rd party companies, wherein the available realistic speeds are usually abysmal and data & information also travels more distance as compared to a direct route. In my opinion, you should be happy that you're getting that kind of a speed via a VPN, since your VPN seems to be situated in Russia.

To summarize, therefore, the "slow" speeds you are experiencing is due to your VPN server, and not us. You can test this yourself by testing the connection speed without an intermediary VPN / proxy.

I hope I was able to convey everything clearly. If there are more questions, I'd be happy to help you.
 
Unfortunately, we are not providing static IPs right now. This is due to multiple reasons. First of all, as you would know, there's an acute shortage of IPv4 addresses and its difficult to acquire them in any case. Moreover, the entire process related to static IP provisioning needs to be enhanced and revamped. Could you let us know what are the main reasons and motivations behind the requirement for a static IP, in detail? This would help us understand and channelize the exact reasons why a customer would need it.

(Posting this again in case you missed it @Excitel )Thanks for replying. I have multiple reasons for wanting a static or at least a dynamic public IP. I have security cameras at home that I would like to view from anywhere in the world and the same is only possible via port forwarding. I also run a VPN at home so I am able to remotely log in securely to my system. None of this would be possible without a static / public IP. Again, I am willing to pay for this service.
 
@Excitel
Just wanted to let you guys know that I have been a customer for like 5 months now and this is the best ISP I have ever used by far. I have used Airtel, MTNL, and Den before this and none of them come close to what excitel provides. Keep it up !

Asking on behalf of a friend - Any plans on expanding to Sant Nagar, Burari, 110084 ?
 
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