Millenicom - Q4 2014 - RV-Dreams Community Forum

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Millenicom - Q4 2014

TheNewhalls · RV-Dreams Family Member

We've had Millenicom since June and haven't had any problems with internet speeds.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Yea, Some have good history..

I'm thinking maybe it has to do with usage? We are running heavy usage, with 2 computers.. at night mostly.. But wife is on facebook and stuff like that.. I'm surfing.. ebay seems to be a heavy download..On there all the time.

Not sure of the deal.. can only speak for us..

Edit.. I wonder if it is cause I have a booster ? Do these things knock lessor signals off, and can the provider see that? Maybe My signal is taking priority over other peoples here, and they don't like that, so they throttle me back? Just guessing?

-- Edited by The Junkman on Monday 6th of October 2014 08:12:04 AM

Jack Mayer · RV-Dreams Family Member

It has nothing to do with usage. It does have to do with Verizon NOT Millenicom. Millenicom has no control over the network They are a reseller. As has been pointed out in the past. But some people do seem to get throttled repeatedly, even after resetting. I have heard this before but it is extraordinarily rare. In any case, if you use a lot of data then the Verizon packages that are double data seem to be the way to go....but I'm waiting to see if Millenicom can/will offer something competitive.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jack Mayer wrote:
It has nothing to do with usage. It does have to do with Verizon NOT Millenicom. Millenicom has no control over the network They are a reseller. As has been pointed out in the past. But some people do seem to get throttled repeatedly, even after resetting. I have heard this before but it is extraordinarily rare. In any case, if you use a lot of data then the Verizon packages that are double data seem to be the way to go....but I'm waiting to see if Millenicom can/will offer something competitive.

Then I wonder if it's a marketing strategy by verizon to move people away from Millenicom...

Can you explain why Verizon would throttle a Millenicom customer, if Millenicom has already paid for that block? Seems Millenicom should be having a fit over this?

Lucky Mike · RV-Dreams Family Member

simple answer steve........if you buy a product from walmart.....and then buy the same product from target , nothing changes about the product just the supplier........neither store regulates the product only the pricepoint....if you have issues with the product you must return to the place of purchase because thats where you put your money down and normally they will deal with the downstream problem for you.

if your being throttled on millinicom.....there is a good possibility it will happen on verizon...if the traffic on the tower you are using is high rather than bumping you off like they used to do with your cell phone they cut your data stream down so everyone can stay onboard.......kinda like using WiFi in a campground the tower can only allow so many users in and out at the same time until it overloads into grid lock where someone has to slow down

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Junkman wrote:
If people have been following.. I have been have some issues with these folks..Last thread was shut down, and posts deleted.. not sure about those details..

Steve

If you've noted that the other thread was closed and posts were deleted, I suspect you read my comment at the end of the thread as to why those actions were taken.

Likewise, if this thread follows with the same results, "something" will happen to it as well.

Terry

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Junkman wrote:
Then I wonder if it's a marketing strategy by verizon to move people away from Millenicom...

Can you explain why Verizon would throttle a Millenicom customer, if Millenicom has already paid for that block? Seems Millenicom should be having a fit over this?

They are having fits over this. Each time it happens and it's reported, they have to contact Verizon to prompt the reset. The support burden alone is huge and increases their operating costs, never mind the negative publicity that results when upset customers, such as yourself, 'warn' others. (And I'm in no way implying that you're not entitled to.) I fully trust that if they had any control over this, it would be fixed.

Since this has happened to you multiple times and you've had several reports of it happening none or only once with other customers, if I were you, I'd ask to be bumped up the support thread when you contact them. Make it known this is happening repeatedly, and get to the bottom of it. Don't settle for another reset, if you suspect its just going to happen again. Ask to be put in touch with the owner, if need be and get a reassurance that you're getting what you paid for with minimum of hassle.

Or just do what you've been threatening to do, and cancel your account and move on. This has caused you far too much stress.. is it really worth it?

Max Signal · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lucky Mike wrote:
simple answer steve........if you buy a product from walmart.....and then buy the same product from target , nothing changes about the product just the supplier........neither store regulates the product only the pricepoint....if you have issues with the product you must return to the place of purchase because thats where you put your money down and normally they will deal with the downstream problem for you.

if your being throttled on millinicom.....there is a good possibility it will happen on verizon...if the traffic on the tower you are using is high rather than bumping you off like they used to do with your cell phone they cut your data stream down so everyone can stay onboard.......kinda like using WiFi in a campground the tower can only allow so many users in and out at the same time until it overloads into grid lock where someone has to slow down

Excellent explanation . I fear it will go right over some folks head though . Some folks are not happy unless they can complain about something.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

We sometimes find the Millenicom hotspot gets very slow and flakey in the morning, and just the morning. If we leave it alone, it goes back to full speed in an hour or so. A shutdown and restart normally fixes the problem if we are impatient, which means most of the times it happens. Now we have had a Verizon hotspot for a few day and guess what? Yes, it also can go slow and be flakey in the morning. It seems to recover a little faster, but I ended up doing a shutdown and restart today. The Millenicom is a Pantech 291 and the Verizon is a 5510, so it is not the hardware. It is Verizon since these are completely different plans. What gets me is this is a problem that is not location dependent, we had similar issues across the country. I have no idea why it hits us and especially why it hits us when my wife starts reading blogs. No problems when we use our AT&T hotspot. All of these are through our router and happened with the Cradlepoint MBR95 as well as the Pepwave Surf SOHO.

I was planning on doing a speed test comparison between Millenicom, Verizon, testing both direct to the hotspot and using the router. But the 4G speeds here at Elkhart Campground in Elkhart, IN, are just OK, so I am not sure values would meaningful. Hopefully we will be somewhere where the 4G speeds are faster and I will have the time to test them while I still have Millenicom.

Without a subscription to a streaming service, it is hard to use 65GB in a month (40GB Verizon, 20GB Millenicom, 5GB AT&T). It will be hard to use 45GB.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Terry and Jo wrote:
The Junkman wrote:
If people have been following.. I have been have some issues with these folks..Last thread was shut down, and posts deleted.. not sure about those details..

Steve

If you've noted that the other thread was closed and posts were deleted, I suspect you read my comment at the end of the thread as to why those actions were taken.
Likewise, if this thread follows with the same results, "something" will happen to it as well.
Terry

Ahhh.. but.... ahhhh... not my fault.. but... ahhh.. OK.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Technomadia wrote:
The Junkman wrote:
Then I wonder if it's a marketing strategy by verizon to move people away from Millenicom...

Can you explain why Verizon would throttle a Millenicom customer, if Millenicom has already paid for that block? Seems Millenicom should be having a fit over this?

Or just do what you've been threatening to do, and cancel your account and move on. This has caused you far too much stress.. is it really worth it?

Already have.. Already switched to Verizon direct..but paid for the month, and plan on Millenicom as a back up .. Since I already bought the mifi..

.. and still I think people need to warned. I will be hitting all the forums shortly..

Though , other fourms have threads like this ongoing, as they should.

It's our responsibility to let other rv'ers know what COULD happen, and has happen..

Maybe I'm wrong ? Maybe just let people find out for themselfs.. too much hassle to inform people of anything ...

No biggie.. no argument.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

bjoyce wrote:
We sometimes find the Millenicom hotspot gets very slow and flakey in the morning, and just the morning. If we leave it alone, it goes back to full speed in an hour or so. A shutdown and restart normally fixes the problem if we are impatient, which means most of the times it happens. Now we have had a Verizon hotspot for a few day and guess what? Yes, it also can go slow and be flakey in the morning. It seems to recover a little faster, but I ended up doing a shutdown and restart today. The Millenicom is a Pantech 291 and the Verizon is a 5510, so it is not the hardware. It is Verizon since these are completely different plans. What gets me is this is a problem that is not location dependent, we had similar issues across the country. I have no idea why it hits us and especially why it hits us when my wife starts reading blogs. No problems when we use our AT&T hotspot. All of these are through our router and happened with the Cradlepoint MBR95 as well as the Pepwave Surf SOHO.

I was planning on doing a speed test comparison between Millenicom, Verizon, testing both direct to the hotspot and using the router. But the 4G speeds here at Elkhart Campground in Elkhart, IN, are just OK, so I am not sure values would meaningful. Hopefully we will be somewhere where the 4G speeds are faster and I will have the time to test them while I still have Millenicom.

Without a subscription to a streaming service, it is hard to use 65GB in a month (40GB Verizon, 20GB Millenicom, 5GB AT&T). It will be hard to use 45GB.

I would be very interested in your results.. And I expect others may be too..If I knew how to do it, I would.

If it happens on the verizon direct network.. them maybe the ATT is path.. I can change my verizon plan back to 2gb anytime..and reup millenicom, anytime too..Maybe we just need to settle , as I find I have to do on soooo many things in a bad economy..

Please let us know how you make out. Even If you have to start a new thread.. as this one may be closed, deleted..

Thanks in advance.

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Lucky Mike wrote:
simple answer steve........if you buy a product from walmart.....and then buy the same product from target , nothing changes about the product just the supplier........neither store regulates the product only the pricepoint....if you have issues with the product you must return to the place of purchase because thats where you put your money down and normally they will deal with the downstream problem for you.

if your being throttled on millinicom.....there is a good possibility it will happen on verizon...if the traffic on the tower you are using is high rather than bumping you off like they used to do with your cell phone they cut your data stream down so everyone can stay onboard.......kinda like using WiFi in a campground the tower can only allow so many users in and out at the same time until it overloads into grid lock where someone has to slow down

Yea, I get that, Thanks..

What I don't get is why does the higher speed never return ? You are styuck on slow forever, and ever, .. unless you call.. them BAM.. light speed scotty..

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Ok.. did a test..

Went to load a video on Millenicom.. started good.. then Died.. went to dial up speed, and stayed there..

Swapped in my cell as a hot spot on Verizon.. movie downloaded and played in a second.. Did it 3 more times. No sign of throttling..

Don't know for sure .. seems the millenicom slow speed is triggered by a high bandwidth down load. Gonna wait a bit, and see if millenicom speed returns after a wait period..Maybe you just can't use them for video and big files?

-- Edited by The Junkman on Monday 6th of October 2014 05:14:56 PM

Max Signal · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Junkman wrote:
Lucky Mike wrote:
simple answer steve........if you buy a product from walmart.....and then buy the same product from target , nothing changes about the product just the supplier........neither store regulates the product only the pricepoint....if you have issues with the product you must return to the place of purchase because thats where you put your money down and normally they will deal with the downstream problem for you.

if your being throttled on millinicom.....there is a good possibility it will happen on verizon...if the traffic on the tower you are using is high rather than bumping you off like they used to do with your cell phone they cut your data stream down so everyone can stay onboard.......kinda like using WiFi in a campground the tower can only allow so many users in and out at the same time until it overloads into grid lock where someone has to slow down
Yea, I get that, Thanks..

What I don't get is why does the higher speed never return ? You are styuck on slow forever, and ever, .. unless you call.. them BAM.. light speed scotty..

No you don't . Verizon runs the network . Millenicom needs to call them when their network screws up . Millenicom has no control over Verizon's network . They are just a reseller. Everyone keeps trying to explain that to you and you say you understand .

The Junkman · RV-Dreams Family Member

Max Signal wrote:
The Junkman wrote:
Lucky Mike wrote:
simple answer steve........if you buy a product from walmart.....and then buy the same product from target , nothing changes about the product just the supplier........neither store regulates the product only the pricepoint....if you have issues with the product you must return to the place of purchase because thats where you put your money down and normally they will deal with the downstream problem for you.

if your being throttled on millinicom.....there is a good possibility it will happen on verizon...if the traffic on the tower you are using is high rather than bumping you off like they used to do with your cell phone they cut your data stream down so everyone can stay onboard.......kinda like using WiFi in a campground the tower can only allow so many users in and out at the same time until it overloads into grid lock where someone has to slow down
Yea, I get that, Thanks..

What I don't get is why does the higher speed never return ? You are styuck on slow forever, and ever, .. unless you call.. them BAM.. light speed scotty..
No you don't . Verizon runs the network . Millenicom needs to call them when their network screws up . Millenicom has no control over Verizon's network . They are just a reseller. Everyone keeps trying to explain that to you and you say you understand .

Yes, we all get that.. Thank you.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

The Junkman wrote:
Terry and Jo wrote:
The Junkman wrote:
If people have been following.. I have been have some issues with these folks..Last thread was shut down, and posts deleted.. not sure about those details..

Steve

If you've noted that the other thread was closed and posts were deleted, I suspect you read my comment at the end of the thread as to why those actions were taken.
Likewise, if this thread follows with the same results, "something" will happen to it as well.
Terry
Ahhh.. but.... ahhhh... not my fault.. but... ahhh.. OK.

Ahh, but you do fully well know who was at fault. Whose posts got deleted before the other thread was closed.

Oh, and I'm closing this one as well and for the same reason.

Terry