Ahmed Al-Zayani contributed this link to test your speed directly from Batelco’s servers; this of course does not reflect “real” speed tests when almost all content a user pulls from US-based servers and with the almost total absence of sites hosted in Bahrain, this speed is really more theoretical than practical:
http://speedtest.batelco.com.bh/meter/initialmeter.php
It’s good to know what you’re paying Batelco for though…
Thanks Ahmed.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:11 am
After you and everyone elses says and beleives that Batelco are a bunch of liers, you expect me to test my speed on thier servers?
HAH, I say.
Typed “Speed Test” in google and choose a speed tester of your own liking.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:17 am
I am getting 55% only from my speed.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:51 am
Redbelt I appreciate your frustration and we did not state that Batelco are liers. Like you, we are frustrated with some of their practices, and we further explained our view of these speed tests as to their practicality considering that most content is pulled from outside of Bahrain.
However, the speed test is an automated process coded in a programming language that simply sends a file to a destination and calculates how fast that file is downloaded and uploaded, and based on that calculation it displays a result which a user can use to ascertain the speed and quality of his/her connection. The results displayed normally also include comparative figures to show how your connection compares with others from dial-up to T1 lines.
So to answer your question, yes I would believe the results of this test, but I would qualify its applicability to real internet use. At best, it could be used to ascertain the connection speed a user enjoys with Batelco.
May 25th, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Well,
==
Your current bandwidth reading is:
247.60 kbps
Which means you can download at 30.95 KB/sec. from our servers
==
You are the judge !
250 kbps of 1.0 Mbps line ..what can i call this ?
Another point,
you can download at 30.95 KB/sec. from our servers
How many sites are hosted in your servers, Batelco ?
..Bullshit!
May 25th, 2006 at 12:22 pm
I read in the news that Google Ads will be in video mode shortly, and my question is - when these videos get played on websites will they affect our bandwidth? Will they encroach on our treshold limit? If so, we need to address THIS issue with Batelco because we dont want to end up paying more for no fault of ours.
May 25th, 2006 at 1:08 pm
Your current bandwidth reading is:
665.90 kbps
Which means you can download at 83.24 KB/sec. from our servers
==========
LOL!!
This is so lame!
May 25th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
“Your current bandwidth reading is: 863.00 kbps
Which means you can download at 107.88 KB/sec. from our servers”
Yeah, RIGHT! Not sure if any of you upload content regularly, but if you do, what speeds are you getting? I was on a 256k connection, with 64k uploads, now we’re on 1mbps with 256k uploads right? Someone tell me then why my barebones FTP client can’t achieve anything better than 5kbpbs uploads?!
May 25th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
this is what I got at home:
I did notice a huge improvement in downloading speed, as I did not upload anything of substance yet, I cannot vouch (nor do I know) for the upload side of the story.
I like the speed and want more of it, however I cannot accept the threshold limit and that shoud be removed.
May 25th, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Your current bandwidth reading is:
608.80 kbps
Which means you can download at 76.1 KB/sec. from our servers!
May 25th, 2006 at 2:38 pm
Here are the results testing from the USA:
So although the speed test is quite good from Batelco’s servers, in the real world it is less than spectacular, and completely unacceptable from the UK.
On the good side of things, as most sites actually reside in the States, the speed could still be improved by Batelco going through better routes to get to there than they do currently.
Less hops means a much happier bunny!
May 25th, 2006 at 3:04 pm
good conclusion.. I totally agree
as an internet speed testing, batelco’s website is very precise because you are connecting to a server in bahrain = near you
BUT as a connection with the world.. it sucks..
and I have some interesting point here. no matter how fast your internet is, the “connecting” to a server in europe or in america will always make you wait before downloading a page or anything. Well, Yes the internet speed play it’s part when downloading NOT when connecting to server.
and that’s something I really hate of batelco’s connection system with the world. and as everybody knows here. The Whole batelco’s line comes from Dubai!! not directly from the original internet line. and that’s has something to do with what I’m talking about I guess.
May 25th, 2006 at 4:25 pm
this is what I got
Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 30 seconds exceeded in c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\meter\meter.php on line 68
crappy website running on windows!!!
but this is not the point is it? I can confirm that i am getting better speed from my torrents, but I DONT WANT THE THRESHHOLD… this is stupid, our problem isn’t speed which always sucked, but having unlimited connection.. plz let us focus on the real problem
May 25th, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Your current bandwidth reading is:
859.70 kbps
Which means you can download at 107.46 KB/sec. from our servers
———————————–
Sadly not a real world test, I get half that from servers out of Bahrain.
May 25th, 2006 at 7:10 pm
Salam Guys…
Listen all, first, when you use Fashelco’s page to test your connection speed, you use a direct connection to their servers because it is only two hops (you can test it using TRACERT command in windows, in a command prompt type: tracert speedtest.batelco.com.bh) so you (theoritically) get the maximum speed under the link quality you have.
When you go abroad (out of Bahrain in the international lines) it is due to the way Fashelo is maintaining their Internet platform. Fashelco is using heavy Proxying and Caching layers to maintain first content filtering and then to save bandwidth through caching (when two or more users viewing the same content, the second user gets it locally through the cache). Every layer adds more and more latency in the process, and on the other hand, when Fashelco gets all users using the pipe to the net, it gets worse and worse. All ADSL providers publish their sharing ratio of users (like for residential ADSL the ratio is usually 1:50, which means every 50 ADSL lines sharing the same pipe, so you are not alone, and for business ADSL it is usually 1:20), Fashelco never published this ratio nor it is writen in any application form!!!! so what do you think?
So, many factors decide what speed you get in a connection, think about it like we are all drinking from the same water tank, if any user gets the pipe running all the night, we are all affected. And, if the water authority installed a rate reducer in the main pipe, all are affected also.
It is a simple idea, if anyone wants more information, let me know
Take care
May 25th, 2006 at 7:16 pm
I think some of you are confusing KiloBITs which is what the Telco’s adertise in and KiloBYTES which is your download rate is (ie, what Explorer/Firefox/etc tells you). You devide the Kbps by 8 to get the KBps.
Basicly, a 512KiloBITS (Kbps) ADSL gives you a maximum theoritcal download rate of 64KiloBYTES (KBps)
a 1Mb ADSL connection gives you a maximum theoritical download rate of 128KBPS.
This is the same anywhere in the world. Batelco speed is no better or worse than other parts of the world (in some cases its better as some providers do 50:1 contention on high bandwidth ADSL).
May 25th, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Salam Guys
Yes Loki, most people get confused about this issue, kbps and kBps. What I was talking about is something else
Take care
May 25th, 2006 at 7:24 pm
Batelco use 20:1 contention. It was mentioned in the forum meeting so its actually alot better than other ISPs. Also how does caching slow things down? Local caching is generally considered a good way of optimising download speeds. All major website use Akamai localised caching to generate higher response times (e.g cnn, etc). Telco’s use a similar technique.
Lastly Batelco does not have a “direct” link to the internet for that matter neither do any of the other registered ISPs.
PS: in my area i have gotten over 100KBps on the now 1Mb connecttion. So has my brother. Speed is not the problem, the problem is the limits.
May 25th, 2006 at 7:32 pm
Salam Guys
Loki, I worked 5 years in this field and still I am, there are many factors in this issue, yes caching does improve response time locally because is file is closer to the user, what I was talking about is layers of proxying and caching together add up to the latency.
What do you mean by Fashelo does not have a direct connection to the net?
Take care
May 25th, 2006 at 7:56 pm
I hit full 120KB/s on some very high speed ftp’s I have access to, but thats about it, most places hardly give me the speed I should be getting.
http://www.dnsstuff.com check that site to test Batelco.
However they have their proxy, it always causes terrible lag for long distance stuff. You’d think the BIX would make a difference…
May 25th, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Whether you have worked in this field is a bit besides the point. I’m not questioning your knowledge. The point is the speeds on their ADSL network is no worse and in some cases better than most providers. Before the upgrade I used to get 30-40KBps downloads ( typical anywhere in the world for 512). I’m now getting 100-120 (also typical for 1mb). The proxying has no noticable impact. NOTE: this my own experience others clearly my have other experiences.
Batelco is not a tier 1 internet ISP. It uses arrangments with other telco’s (presumably C&W) which in turn have peering agreements with other networks. Countries like Japan, Koreo, US, are tier one countries. ISPs in Bahrain at the moment connect either through SAT or land connections through the GCC to higher tier provides. Obviously, the further down the foodchain you are the more expensive it becomes and the slower it becomes.
May 25th, 2006 at 8:21 pm
You won’t get 128 or even 120 kb/sec download rate with 1 mbps line,
Speednet 1024 Kbps (1MB)
110 - 112 KB/Sec
as written in : http://speedtest.batelco.com.bh
related post : http://www.batelco.info/portal/comment.php?comment.news.28
May 25th, 2006 at 8:22 pm
Salam…
Loki, I agree with you about the tier(s). I asked the question just to clear the point. Originally, my point was that there are many factors which impact the speed including bandwidth throttling…
by the way, 1:20 as you said is for business or residential DSLs?
take care
May 25th, 2006 at 8:31 pm
Anwar-1:20 for res. I think 1:10 for biz (i’m not sure about biz though). I think it was mentioned in the forum meeting if anyone has a trasncript.
May 25th, 2006 at 9:51 pm
If I remember correctly from Adel Dailami’s presentation, the contention ratio for residential lines is 50:1 while business is 20:1
May 26th, 2006 at 1:17 am
Salam Guys..
I tend to agree with admin, Fashelco is going towards limiting threshold just to save their connections bills, it is not feasible for them to have 20:1 for res and 10:1 for business. It is costly (to their side) to do this…
Big players in ADSL connectivity all over the world are having 50:1 for res and 20:1 for business including C&W, AOL, MSN, and others…
Loki, when I heard about BIX I felt happy for a while, now, i am not, they have their own problems, Internet Exchanges all over the world make a direct impact on the customers (although they are not directly serving the end-users). Here in Bahrain, I think its still totally useless… anyway, Loki I would like to talk to you directly, it seems that we share a common ground
take care
May 26th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
794.9k …. what a joke.
May 27th, 2006 at 9:04 am
well talking about residential/business contention radios etc, here’s my test from the office which we pay BD 102 per month and it should be 512kbps/128kbps:
Is this BUSINESS service worth 102 Dinars?
May 27th, 2006 at 10:23 am
simply — i like the speed.. i hate the limit..
May 27th, 2006 at 7:07 pm
I whith Shist. I don’t see speed as an issue. Limits on the other hand….
May 27th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
OMG!!!! you call this a internet tester…
ok this means that they are 100% thievs…
1.66MB and i pay for 2MB!!!!! this sux… truely this sux…
May 28th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
i got 856.70 kbps
Which means you can download at 107.09 KB/sec. from our servers
May 30th, 2006 at 12:49 am
Your current bandwidth reading is:
63.80 kbps
Which means you can download at 7.98 KB/sec. from our servers
Well, it seems Batelco somehow calculated I used over 1GB of my limited threshold within a day already, and have capped me to 64kb/s This is truly SLOW.
May 30th, 2006 at 12:54 am
Welcome to the birth of the internet bro ;).
June 2nd, 2006 at 9:46 pm
Just rubbing salt into an open wound!
Speed
3.5 megabits per second
Communications 3.5 megabits per second
Storage 427.7 kilobytes per second
1MB file download 2.4 seconds
Subjective rating Awesome
Explain results
Info
Date & time Friday, June 2, 2:42PM*
Test type IDT4 Free
Connection type Cable
Region Ontario
June 2nd, 2006 at 11:42 pm
Thats evil right there SBG ;
June 3rd, 2006 at 10:28 am
is that rogers cable n wireless SBG? or Bell C?
June 3rd, 2006 at 12:30 pm
Well I know some people with 100mbit lines and some with 10/10mbit, its just depressing. But we have what we have, and atleast it WAS unlimited.
Now it just sucks.
June 3rd, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Thanks guys.. It is actually the Cogeco NORMAL service…and NOT THE UPGRADED ONE!
June 3rd, 2006 at 2:34 pm
Tested speed 3 times. Twice I got: Fatal error: Maximum execution time of 30 seconds exceeded in c:\Inetpub\wwwroot\meter\meter.php on line 68
Third time lucky: Your current bandwidth reading is:
42.00 kbps
Which means you can download at 5.25 KB/sec. from our servers
Life in the fast lane
June 3rd, 2006 at 3:32 pm
SBG, get a birth ready for us, we’re coming!
June 6th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
LOL! You are all more than welcome
June 9th, 2006 at 10:33 pm
http://speedtest.batelco.com.bh/meter/results.php?kbps=109600&downloadtime=8.733&KB=1&recorded=1
See my connection
Batelco!!!!
July 2nd, 2006 at 7:53 pm
HI Batelco,you have site to check internet speed online,wow,can you create another site where we can check how honest you are?
why you make our life so difficult,disappointed,and miserable and avoiding us to connect the advanced world of technology where people,and information is shared.
October 25th, 2006 at 6:01 am
arabic sites…
Interesting post. I came across this blog by accident, but it was a good accident. I have now bookmarked your blog for future use. Best wishes. Wael Kfoury….
November 2nd, 2006 at 11:51 am
Testing speed from a Batelco server to your home is not fair anyway. The DSL lines are capable of delivering 8mbps on the old ones and much more on the new exchanges.
The test should be on the uplink. So while they can swear to god and mean it that this test is totally honest, it is also totally meaningless. It’s speed to the core not to the internet.
Fahad.