I'd like to pre-order Stormblood but...

[Zer0]

The issue isn't your ISP, or Square. The issue is actually the connection between the two. SE uses level3 for it's core provider to the internet. Their servers are physically located in Montreal Canada, and the connection Level3 uses is well to put it plainly shit. So it's nothing either side can do. The real core main source of the problem. Square picking a horrible city to host all of it's NA/JP servers. Instead of like Los Angeles where one of the core internet hubs is and several dozen mega clusters and practically everyone hosts out of. Nobody uses Montreal except for it's Canadian server, like steam for example uses it but also uses LA, Chicago, Philly, Dallas other known mega centers for internet traffic.

[Callinon]

The issue isn't your ISP, or Square. The issue is actually the connection between the two. SE uses level3 for it's core provider to the internet. Their servers are physically located in Montreal Canada, and the connection Level3 uses is well to put it plainly shit. So it's nothing either side can do. The real core main source of the problem. Square picking a horrible city to host all of it's NA/JP servers. Instead of like Los Angeles where one of the core internet hubs is and several dozen mega clusters and practically everyone hosts out of. Nobody uses Montreal except for it's Canadian server, like steam for example uses it but also uses LA, Chicago, Philly, Dallas other known mega centers for internet traffic.

Yeah that's what I've found as well, but it doesn't change my situation. I live in Chicago, so hardly the boonies. I don't have this problem with any other online service including other MMOs.

Hell I get better connection quality playing FFXI and I have to connect to f'ing Japan for that.

I'm not expecting a solution to magically appear in this thread. I've done all the things you do including running traceroutes and continuous pings to the server while I'm playing to identify trouble spots; none of it does any good. My ISP can't/won't create custom routes for me around problem areas and SE just throws up its hands and disclaims all responsibility for the performance of their game.

What I'd like is for SE to acknowledge that the problem exists and start taking action to do something about it. I realize that's exceedingly unlikely but it really is all I want. Just SOME indication that they're aware that this isn't working and are trying to fix it.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

My ISP can't/won't create custom routes for me around problem areas and SE just throws up its hands and disclaims all responsibility for the performance of their game.

What I'd like is for SE to acknowledge that the problem exists and start taking action to do something about it. I realize that's exceedingly unlikely but it really is all I want. Just SOME indication that they're aware that this isn't working and are trying to fix it.

The issue here is that neither you nor SE is in direct contact with Level3. SE CAN'T do anything other than go to their ISP, and that will probably lead nowhere since Level3 is a huge backbone provider and has outages on almost a weekly basis it seems. They clearly do not have the want to upgrade their service.