Anuraag

Why ‘AT-Tester’ is ‘slow’ is it downloads relatively bigger files from three servers. This time can be reduced by selecting smaller files, but that compromises accuracy. We need it because speedtest.net (or any other tool available in the net) does not give what we look for.

Anyway, we consider developing a cut down web based version for doing ’quick’ tests, though it will not be a substitute.

Sameera.

Rohan has replied your first question in detail, so I will not take it.

Answer to 2: We don’t do manual traceroots in our tests now – did it only once. Anyway, I do not think local server resolving will have any significant impact on any quality parameter. It reduces the RTT first time, but then two servers communicate directly.

Also @ Rohan Samarajiva: Do you have the exact price for international Bandwidth price in Lanka?

The price of international bandwidth is determined by the interplay of supply and demand. International bandwidth from Sri Lanka comprises several segments with differing levels of competition (simplified to the most common Pacific route to the Internet cloud):
1. Colombo-Singapore. Here, I would guess that the suppliers are SLT, VSNL and Dialog. SMW 1 and 2 are long dead. The real game is in SMW 4, lighted in 2005-06. But cables themselves are not enough to give you competition; who is allowed to carry traffic on it; who has access to the cable station on what terms, etc matter. This is an area that could do with a lot of attention by the TRC. Satellite is there, but mostly as backup because of latency and price issues. Bharath Lanka can play a role (by connecting to cables going out of India to the West) as can Flag (Lanka Bell). I have no data but would guess that prices have come down since the cable was opened for competition in early 2004 (this was not a full opening), but not by enough.
2. You’d see more normal markets in the Singapore-US segment, but the fact remains that trans-Pac capacity is lower than trans-Atlantic capacity and therefore the prices will not as low as we’d want them to be. I understand new cables are coming into operation so prices should drop.

The bottom line is that SLT’s control of the essential facility of the cable station connecting everyone to SMW4 must be regulated. If that happens, there will be lower prices. This is one area where the regulator must act.

Appreciate if you share the presentation done at the seminar with us.

This is regarding the Broadband Quality War seminar

Comment

You were talking about the traffic going out of the country. I think one reason for that is lack of locally developed and hosted contents. I am optimistic that there will be more and more useful contents developed and hosted locally in the future.

Question 1;

I think we have international connections, SEA-ME-WE 1, 2, 3, Barthlanka link, satellite links and many more. So why do we have a bottleneck while we try to access international networks?

Question 2;

Couple of months back SLT got the opportunity to host an iRoot server here in Colombo. Is there a considerable impact on web surfing? Have you considered our current capability to resolve domain names locally in your testing? I think it improves the response time.

Best regards,
Sameera.
http://ict4d-in-srilanka.blogspot.com

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Singapore’s IDA provides a good example of what a pro-active forward-looking regulator should be doing to advance consumer interests and ensuring QOS standards are maintained. LirneAsia’s regional Broadband QOSE testing service is effectually fulfilling a vital role in that regard.

and the following quote from the article is also very important which most times are overlooked by many of the regulators/policymakers.

“we also want to see what performance people get from the government servers.”