Would like to sign the list...

[strey101]

Astraweb>giganews

kicks its ARSE!!!

was only getting speeds around 300 KB/s on giganews taking around 1 hour to download a x264 movie

now on astraweb getting anywhere between 3000- 10000 KB/s taking about 30 minutes to download an xbox 360 game.

so just saying everyone should get astraweb lol

[cola]

I max my connection on both, even though astraweb isn't peered with my ISP.

[Skiz]

I max my connection on both, even though astraweb isn't peered with my ISP.

As you should. If the OP was having trouble maxing out speeds, he/she should look at connectivity settings and how they are connected, not blame the host.

My four years with Giganews has been impeccable. Zero problems. Zero complaints.

[cola]

The only thing I've ever had problems with giganews, besides DMCA issues, is issues with PGP signed posts won't always show up after being posted. It was years ago, but annoying.

[Hypatia]

One should get it into ones head that its not just ISP and usenet provider that are responsible... the routing between them how the traffic goes is very important too.. ive got two providers.. A and B..same plan(¬6 MB)

A: during the night,in the afternoon ,in the morning the speed with AW is OK
in the evening it suffers like 1/5 time. BUT i can download at full speed from other sources as well as usenet providers

B: download speed is OK all day long (so not AW issue as it maxes out my 6MB)

I started having issues in the evenings on my first ISP when routing to AW servers has changed and traffic started going through different networks

The only thing I've ever had problems with giganews, besides DMCA issues

its not only excessive DMCA takedowns of HBO shows and console games...

GN/HW are also not safe to use for uploading stuff. back then GN banned posting on my accounts and some of them got disabled("repeated offense") I could put up with dmca as long i have blocknews account available but this? no, thank you.

Nothing of the sort happens on AW...

unfortunately AW is infamous for its periodical technical glitches

[cola]

Yeah, I never like posting from my main downloading account. I have an NL block account for doing that.

Whether you have GW or AW, a block account always comes in handy because of DMCA or random glitches.

[zot]

GN/HW are also not safe to use for uploading stuff. back then GN banned posting on my accounts and some of them got disabled("repeated offense")

Giganews is known for its "two strikes and you're out" policy. Sadly they dropped their $2 accounts a few years ago, which were just right for posting.

I'm not sure how Highwinds is "not safe to use for uploading stuff" - since it's mostly sold through resellers, which I'd assume all have their own individual policies regarding punishing uploaders. (maybe that's what got News-Service in such deep trouble - not kicking any copyright infringing posters off, since the company is only a backend reseller.)

Astraweb seems to have a rather relaxed attitude, even when it comes to abusive trolls/spammers. Much too relaxed in my opinion.

[jgjd2001]

i have to say i have been with astraweb for over 3+ years and its brill.....been the odd glitch here and there but nothing major

as for giganews....expensive and delete alot. astraweb is cheaper and free SSL.....and don't delete as much.....what more can you want ?

p.s:i hate anything highwinds (newsdamon, easynews, newshoting etc...)

[cola]

You shouldn't ever sign up with Giganews proper, instead sign up with a reseller like Supernews. But yeah, you'll still get the same DMCA takedowns. But between the odd glich with astraweb and the dmca takedowns on giganews, you'll still be better off with a block account thats on a different provider.