rolf
for the nth time, you need to improve your bull**tting skills. Train yourself to sound important on the phone, eventually, tech support will end up answering with a little voice and granting your requests.
In most developed countries, the car coming from your right has priority over you at an intersection. This is Lebanon, the biggest car has priority. Old mercedes trucks have priority over whatever moves on the road.
The more sound you make and the more terrifying you look, the more they listen to you.
hussam
In Ashrafieh, if you try to cross the road in front of your building, cars will intentionally try to run you over. It's like if you get to cross the road alive, somehow they're getting screwed over. It's as if they sold them the road with their cars and no one else gets to use that road.
teodorgeorgiev
You know what? I know why.
It is Israel, the bloody enemy, who is teaching them to do this. And to throw the cigar trash out of their cars on the road!!!
May God condemn the eternal enemy (6)
nuclearcat
battikh wrotenuclearcat wroteIf you RENT a car - it is like that. And end-user account is indeed is not full price of all this bandwidth.
EXACTLY. and it is explicitly written on the terms and conditions of the papers you sign AND the dealers sits with you and explains it and stresses on it very well before you sign those papers.
when you rent a car, the dealers make sure to very well explains all these stuff, maximm kilometers, what happens if u do an accident, scratches, failures, insurance, .... and then you sign on papers on which everything is stated and explained, again.
Well, with cars it is somehow easy, because they need just to limit themself from people who take cars for 1-2 days and use it till last drop heavily. They don't pay directly for amount of kilometers you drive. With ISP case is different and system much more complicated, and ISP pay for bandwidth that you use. I was just telling it as example - that broadband account, it is when you don't own this 256Kbit/s, you share them with other users, you dont own this 256K on dedicated basis. And you have to use your 1/10 or 1/20 or whatever it is sharing ratio, otherwise you will be throttled, because you are using other people bandwidth.
The issue to explain policy clearly ISP needs to know how much all users will use this month (because system nature is dynamic). Safe value to tell is your sharing ratio, but it will be small. Let's say if Ogero sell $1200/meg, means $300 at least. You pay $39, $9 go to various expenses (almost all to Ogero, for line and DSLAM collocation). Means sharing ratio in best case is 1/10. I expect 1/20 because of Lebanese reality (license fees, bribes, excessive loss of equipment because of electricity and etc).
256K is 79GB of traffic MAX. Means you have 3.95GB (/20). BUT if you use them equally all the time (means not exceeding 25.6Kbit/s 24 over 24). 131MB per day. But if you want them to use at few hours at evening, well u lost. Because all users want to work at evening, when they have few free hours from work/school/etc.
I won't go to deep explanation, but nature of traffic division in Lebanon means that all users want to use their bandwidth at 1/4 time of day. Just it means 3/4 of day is lost for nothing. This means at evening each day you can use only around 32MB.
Most of ISP who don't have decent Fair Use system will stay on safe side and put around 32Mb/day. VISP system is more complicated and i am putting my efforts to give time when you don't have to worry about FUP. As soon as i finish i will publish details at customer cabinet page.
hussam
I don't mean to offend anyone here but I think the whole Internet situation in Lebanon will not improve until Lebanon improves when it comes to technology. Lebanon is drastically still lagging behind the Arab world, Europe and North America when it comes to technology. The whole standard needs to be raised. The problem is that the Lebanese don't realize that they are falling behind. The Lebanese people live in a bubble. They think that as long as they have money and as long as they can afford cars and going to night clubs, everything is fine. This is all an illusion.
I go every other month to geotechnical seminars and workshops all over the world. Here are some of the places I've been to.
Last September, I went to Cairo, Egypt to attend a seminar and for a small vacation. Did you know that you can use a mobile broadband connection there (3.6Mbit connection) for only 20$ per month?
Before that, I went to Portland Texas also for seminar. 2Mbit connection for 40$ but with a 60Gbit monthly restriction.
I've also been to the UK and used SKY connection. 16Mbit connection (but also a monthly restriction).
On another trip to the UK, I used Virgin media broadband connection. They FUP is brutal. They throttle you every night and there is monthly bandwidth allowance.
Do you guys see my point? Don't blame ISPs. Blame the government that keeps Lebanon living in the dark ages while the whole world including the Arab world is way ahead when it comes to technology. Tell your government and people to give up the false act and start bringing Lebanon into the 21st century.
Always act professional. You have no idea how much of a difference that makes.
When Ogero tries to pull all that crap and when Bassil goes on TV and lies, tell them to their faces that you're not stupid and that you don't fall for their lies. The whole standard will not get raised until people start acknowledging that there is a problem that needs to be solved. If you act ignorant, Bassil will think he can lie to you. But you are not ignorant. You are smart. Why let him think he can lie to you?
Xsever
I totally agree with hussam! We need to do something for our voices to be heard!
hussam
Xsever wroteI totally agree with hussam! We need to do something for our voices to be heard!
Exactly. It's becoming absurd how someone like Bassil can go on TV, lie, make up dumb stories and expect everyone to just suck it up just live with the current situation. He needs to realize that people know there is something wrong.
nuclearcat
hussam wroteWhy let him think he can lie to you?
There is many people at FPM sold their votes just for few bucks per month for simple cell prices drop.
Other politicians but maybe worse, they don't do anything at all, but swearing to other politics give them votes.
J4D
why don't we go visit bassile ? in a civilized way ? and tell him what we think and our solution to the problem or if you want we can wait till the next minister , and go to him when he is assigned and work with him on a plan to improve the Lebanese internet all off us as professionals regardless of politics to improve the internet in Lebanon ??? i can set this up hopefully . but i would not go alone ! :P so who is with idea ??
teodorgeorgiev
Guys,
it is not that easy as you think - just pick up your asses and go. Sorry if it may sound offensive but I have much more experience in anyone here in such activities.
1. Speaking in a civilised way? Oh, come on. It is not that the ministers do not know how to improve the situation. If they wanted, even if
they had no idea how to improve, they could easily find people here in Leb or outside and get the needed information.
If Bassil was so stupid he would not be a minister, but a shoes-seller or would change tires in some garage. Same goes for the people in
Ogero. As you see, when they want to do something - they do it. They made a tender, got someone to teach them how to implement
the xDSL system, how to put quotas and stuff.
So, forget speaking in a civilised way. It won't work. You will just get the next portion of lies and sweet fake promises. Believe me!
JUST FORGET !!! In the very best way they will make a nice PR out of your visit. They will show on the TV meeting you, giving promises
and showing off that they care about the situation and listen to people's voices. After that, they will come up with yet another excuse!
2. The best way to act is in a way to make the politicians scary. They should know that they will suffer if they do not do what you ask.
This counts for all government employees who have forgotten that their job is to serve the peoples, and not that their job is a God-given
privilege to stay forever on the cushy seat and collect bribes:
AS SOON AS THEY UNDERSTAND THAT THEY WILL HAVE MORE HEADACHES IF THEY DON'T DO SOMETHING, RATHER THAN TO DO IT, YOU WILL HAVE IT DONE!
3. So, what is that thing that would make the politicians scary? Really easy - losing "voices" and supporters. Even if they lose 5000 of their
orange (onion)heads, they would go mad. The entire party would be furious at Bassil. They will claim him as a black spot, kick him out the
party and cut all relations with him. Aaaand... this would be a really clear sign for the party of the next minister, who would be warned by
his brothers-in-arms not to jerk off, but to do whatever has to be done!
4. Sounds more clear so far? Good, but the bad news is that it is STILL NOT THAT SIMPLE! If you just go around and start putting your
finger against Bassil and his party, it won't work. He will be prepared with a set of really slicky and cute excuses that would make him
look as a hero who has took the hard task of battling everything unfair in the government and how the bad Siniora and Hariri (not to mention that they are to blame as well for the situation due to a lot of reasons. Sitting, doing nothing and ignoring the problem is a crime as well!).
Just believe me here as well - he will go on his Orange TV and will start explaining to the people how hard is to bring more Internet, how
many obstacles are to be faced and removed, how is battling them on after one... ...
5. What has to be done first is to go around and explain what exactly has to be done in order to improve the situation. How much time it
takes, how much would it cost and stuff like this (check the Lebanese Internet project document that I put here some time ago). WITH
RAW FACTS, DEADLINES AND $$$.
It should be explained in such a way that even people who are not networking experts (but everyone who has some average user experience
with PCs - the youth at least) to understand this clearly.
THEN, since they already know, it would not be easy at all for Bassil to hide his sorry-ass behind the next pack of excuses (or the current one).
THEN, it will be easy to raise the question - WHY YOU HAVE NOT DONE THIS??? And then - applying all kind of pressure against him.
And if you warn in a undoubtful language that the next minister will face the same and even more furious attack, he (the next one) would be
really careful. Even if he is from the government, why not to set up a new short-coming elections due to the failure of the current government?
Any comments?
J4D
im talking about the upcoming minister of comm !!!! why don't we go to him from the start ! we will get some inside info and maybe give him tips !! and teo you will get a chance to blow out your fury on him don't worry ! if we never try we will never succeed all you do is talk talk talk in huge paragraphs lets act for once ! who is ready for a meeting with the minister to discuss the internet / communication issues in Lebanon ? (not bassile but the upcoming one )
nuclearcat
We need to organize first and get large group of supporters.
teodorgeorgiev
jadberro wroteim talking about the upcoming minister of comm !!!! why don't we go to him from the start ! we will get some inside info and maybe give him tips !! and teo you will get a chance to blow out your fury on him don't worry !
I can not shout/insult/blame someone who hasn't even got a chance to try fixing/improving anything.
hj88
jadberro : that is the most productive idea i have ever seen on this forum
rolf
Like he is minister but he doesnt know what to do right? He got elected yet we have to go and tell him what his duties are. Like Mr Bassil, we need to improve the speed of the internet.
-The inter-what?
-The internet you, know, msn? www?
-Aaaaah! yes, what do you want again?
Come on guys if we a bunch of undergrad amateur geeks need to spoon feed the minister of telecom about what his goals should be, dont you think something is wrong here?
Still, if you want to send a Lebgeeks delegation, then have fun and enjoy yourself :D
Kareem
I feel it's like Ziad Rahbani.. fakhamit ra2is joumhouriyeh lebneniyeh Elias Sarkis..betla3 la 3ando bisifateh 3ayzo droureh.
J4D
ok then lets organize this thing !!! who is in ? come on we will lose nothing :) we will feel important :P
Xsever
I am with Jad's move. Doing nothing will result in nothing, but doing something could lead somewhere. A bigger scale operation maybe. I know that a lot of ministers are pro at lying and fooling people, but those people are not as knowledgeable as us.
I also hope they lower the voting age to 19. Then, and hopefully, we will be able to kick where it hurts.
J4D
ok we are two now :) who wants to join also ?
battikh
usually in civilized and developed countries, when people don't get what they want, they go to the streets.
making a sit-in in front of the telecom ministry with some banners would get some attention from media and all. once it gets mediatised, minsters will feel the heat, and will even work harder to solve it to look like the heroes.
the main problem with internet s that people NEVER officially complained about it. why would the government consider it a priority if no one complains about it?
and again, for the few in here who are saying that bassil doesn't know what to change to make things better and that they have to tell him what to do (i wonder if they watch the news and speak objectively based on facts or just blindly say unbased things to people they are politically opposed to, coz as good lebanese, they HAVE to criticize ANYONE who is not with their side WHATEVER they do or say or under whatever circumstances), basil exactly said what were the changes needed to improve things, things that have been discussed in lebgeeks, ... problems don't reside ONLY in the telecom ministry, but also at the finance ministry and with the prime minister.
