Hey everyone, I'm reaching out for some advice on a frustrating issue I'm facing with my ISP's handling of international internet traffic here in Houston, TX. I suspect there's some kind of traffic shaping going on or a strict limit on international upload speeds, and I'm not sure if it's related to my contract or if I need to discuss it with my ISP. I'm also wondering if switching providers or upgrading my plan could help.
Here's my setup: I've got a Corporate Fidium connection with a 1 Gbps symmetric plan. The problem arises when I connect to a server in Madrid, Spain via a VPN (like WireGuard or OpenVPN). Upload speeds to international servers, particularly those outside North America, are capped around 7 to 10 Mbps, while downloads are working fine at over 300 Mbps.
For context, I did some testing using speed tests and noticed that at home, with a different ISP but the same 1 Gbps symmetric plan, I was getting much better upload speeds (around 500 Mbps to European servers). I've been checking latency and packet loss too, and it seems normal—like around 135ms with no packet loss. However, tests with iPerf showed significant differences in upload speeds depending on the number of threads used, hinting at a potential cap on single-threaded uploads.
I'm suspecting that Fidium may have a per-flow rate limit for international traffic to reduce costs since I didn't have this issue with my previous provider.
So I'm looking for your opinions on a few questions: 1. Is anyone else using Fidium experiencing similar international throttling? 2. Would it be worthwhile to contact the ISP for this issue, or would I just be wasting my time? 3. I'm considering setting up a VPS as a 'Jump Server' on the East Coast to work around this—what do you think? Thanks for any help!
3 Answers
Consider using that VPS as a temporary fix! If national traffic is solid, setting up a jump server sounds like a smart workaround. Plus, it could lower your latency overall for those international connections. Definitely give it a try, it might save you a headache while you sort things out with your ISP.
Absolutely! And it gives you more control while you navigate the whole ISP mess.
From your tests, it looks like your connection can handle a lot more than what you’re getting, so it’s likely an intentional cap on their end. Traffic shaping for international services is unfortunately common with some ISPs trying to save on bandwidth costs. So when you talk to them, make sure to have your data ready; it’ll strengthen your case! Be assertive about what you’re entitled to with that 1 Gbps plan.
That’s a solid approach—having detailed test results could push them to reconsider. Don’t settle for less than what you’re paying for!
Yeah, but keep an eye on their customer support history. If they’re notorious for ignoring such issues, your best bet might still be moving on.
It sounds like you've done a lot of homework on this! It does seem like a classic case of ISP throttling, especially since you've had a different experience with another provider. It might be worth reaching out to Fidium’s support to see if they can clarify the throttling policies—they might surprise you. But if they’re firm on their limits, consider looking into switching to another ISP or trying that VPS route you mentioned. Good luck!
Yeah, contacting them can be a hit or miss, but it’s worth a shot. There's always a chance they have a solution that’s not on their website!
Totally agree! And if they don’t help, there are definitely other providers that can handle international traffic better.
Great tip! VPS can be a game-changer for these situations. Just make sure the one you choose is reliable!