Question about the Internet in Bahrain.

Hi,

All I can say is that we keep having issues with the Batelco broadband (both with it being quite slow at times, and with it dropping out frequently!) that the landlord provided so my husband has bought a 4G internet thing from Zain which has been very good.  I can ask him the full details later.  (We are in New Janabiya - opposite the Batelco site of all ironies!!!)

HTH

Dear JakeJ,

What type of connection are you using? are you taking about Wimax/4G or ADSL (Landline). If your using WiMax/4G the speed will vary at times based on your location/weather and many other factors whereas ADSL (landline) based internet is the most stable one. Referring to upload speeds Bahrain does not have the concept of DSL which is 1:1 speed (same upload/download) we primarily use ADSL here (higher download and lower upload speeds) and the maximum upload speed available with ADSL is 4mbps. If you would want more upload you  need to go with Batelco Fiber optic which as of now is available in these locations (
Saar, Riffa Views, Reef Islands, Juffair, Sanad, Khaleej Tubli, Ishbiliya and Busaitain) according to Batelco website, but again i would recommend you call them first/visit them and find more about the exact locations.

link for your reference : http://portal.batelco.com/blog/2014/10/ … -packages/

Good luck

T&R

I have Batelco Fiber Optics

Upload speeds are usually atrocious even with the Fiber Optic.  Anything near a GB will take 5 hours, so I found a good file compressor and shrink files to 10-20% before upload - the quality remains intact visually and in audio and I can get it uploaded in about 100 minutes.

My download speeds are not great usually, with certain bursts of actual advertised service.  Streaming a YouTube clip can sometimes be a little much for the fiber optics as well, but that is the exception and not the rule.

Overall it is good, but I downgraded the service I was paying for since down/uploads bottomed out so far away from what I was paying for.  It is still a work in progress here, but it is enough to keep me happy with a few workarounds.

Thank you all for the replies!

relwell wrote:

I have Batelco Fiber Optics

Upload speeds are usually atrocious even with the Fiber Optic.  Anything near a GB will take 5 hours, so I found a good file compressor and shrink files to 10-20% before upload - the quality remains intact visually and in audio and I can get it uploaded in about 100 minutes.

My download speeds are not great usually, with certain bursts of actual advertised service.  Streaming a YouTube clip can sometimes be a little much for the fiber optics as well, but that is the exception and not the rule.

Overall it is good, but I downgraded the service I was paying for since down/uploads bottomed out so far away from what I was paying for.  It is still a work in progress here, but it is enough to keep me happy with a few workarounds.

Fiber optic was my last hope even tho its way over priced and I'm 100% sure you still don't get what you pay for just like every internet provider in Bahrain.
The problem is I need minimum 3mbps-5mbps solid upload, and I give online lessons which I stream online 720p-1080p, and at this moment it's impossible. Uploading a good quality video to youtube is just as bad, you can't really compress them in any way for youtube other than downgrading the quality which wouldn't help either.

If you require a dedicated upload speed you will have to look at leased lines (my company requirement is also the same) but I am afraid that the cost will be substantial bigger. If you are interested in that 2 Connect is one of the provider of such service in Bahrain, Batelco is another one I know.

Kalaam also does a dedicated DSL connection. It's expensive (not more so than other providers), but their customer service is excellent.

unfortunately Adsl will not guarantee you constant speeds, its ok for download from torrents or for streaming online. The other option is to go for dedicated connectivity which is very expensive (mpls / leased line etc). I have heard about this concept have seen people using it called as Multi-wan/Multi-homing/Broadband bonding where in you could get ADSL links from different ISP's and then club it into a single link, there are few devices which could do this
http://dualwan.org/router.htmlhttp://www.peplink.com/products/balance/http://www.mushroomnetworks.com/product/truffle-lite

good luck!

T&R

That's strange.  I have Batelco fibre optic in Riffa Views.  I opted for a 25 Mbps connection for 50 BD a month and they automatically upgraded it to 50 Mbps after one month at the same price. 

I regularly check my speed on speedtest.net and the download varies between 35 Mbps to 50 Mbps with uploads around 4-6 Mpbs.  When I download torrents, depending on seeds/peers availability, this is the same situation there as well.

For the cost (with the free upgrade), this is almost the same or better value that I used to get in Dubai with Du.

If you use Wi-Fi (as Batelco routers are usually coming with Wi-Fi vs. wired), the trick is around optimization.  With so many routers operating around the place, if there are bands/frequencies which clash with each other, then you get speed drops.  Search on the internet for articles on how to change your router frequency for maximum performance. That's what I do - keep it operating on bands that most users are not on and I don't get speed drops.

Just adding on to this thread hoping someone can help...I pay 10BD for 25GB with Viva for their 4G lte wifi device.
Speed is fine but somehow and not sure how as hardly download movies etc have used 10GB in 2 days!!!! Once I hit my limit the speeds go down to practically unusable.
I am not on a contract as bought the wifi device outright. Their other packages are really bad value for money, but I don't want to go on to a contract.
Any ideas, better options?
Thought of changing providers but then I'm having to re-pay for a device.

Really annoyed at VIVA seem to be paying bill after bill for my postpaid phone as well, don't get itemised bills, they just make excuses to why my bill is so much, it's ridiculous when it would probably have been cheaper for me to keep my Australian number on roaming and use it here.

almost all of the isps providing internet are doing it on contract basis (atleast for an year), even if there is no contract like menatelecom, they charge you for the indoor cpe device ( http://www.menatelecom.com/en/residenti … ahome.html ). The device which u got from VIVA cannot be use with other ISP's (they lock it down to be used only with viva).

I'm not on a contract with viva I paid 65Bd for the device outright. Their contract downloads are much larger amounts. Maybe should just go on a stupid contract then and get more GBs/mnth!!!
Or
Sell my viva device and go with another provider.
Ugh confused with what's the best way forward.

You will be amazed how much you can burn through in terms of data.  It can adds up - and can be going even if you aren't there, (depending on your setup).  Updates alone on Windows 8 would chew through a ton of data per month, as with any operating system.  Add in any game systems and phone updates you may have going on, and it can go wild. 

Because I am single and am able to time downloads/uploads so they happen while I am asleep or away, I got a lower Mbps plan because I am the only one using it, but have unlimited data.

Hope you can get it figured out - but if you want things to be a set monthly fee and more reliable service, I think a contract may be the way to go.  Just my two cents, however.

edit: I spell like a stoopid at 7 am

Yet to find something with unlimited data. Internet seems expensive here. In Australia for $50 I had unlimited data.
Think contract is the only way to get more data!

Is it possible to get unlimited data, even on contract? It all seems to be capped!
We have about 15 devices between us all, 2 of which will be for gaming, so need as fast & as much as we can. Been looking into them all & it just seems so confusing!

as far as i know there is no unlimited data available for home contract, only business contracts have unlimited data.