I use IB daily for day and swing trading. I've yet to have a problem, I've had no problem with support (contrary to what I've read, they pick the phone up within a minute and follow through is good) and the software works fine. Perhaps I'm just very lucky (but I doubt it, based on the rest of my life, LOL) but I sincerely suspect that most of the grumblings are from those of us who believe that technology is/should be perfect. It ain't. I initially didn't want to setup an IB account after all the bad things I heard here. I did anyway. I'm happy I did. The truth is, you have to test things out for yourself and make your own decision on matters like these.
Arzoo, Bundle -- a lot of us who complain are complaining, not about technology problems, but about how IB responds to customers when they try to get those problems resolved, about how IB implements serious policy changes overnight (e.g., margins, PDT rules) with no notice, etc. For example . . .
Maybe 1,000 trades and I have no complaints. Two things I like are that they are very fast posting wire transfers to your account and that we can get heard with them through Def on these boards. He's a huge asset to IB and Elite Trader users. Geo.
Been with IB 2.5 years. Reliability constantly seems to improve. Also maybe it's just me, but has anyone else noticed that Globex quotes on TWS have been much more fluid, i.e. less sticky in the last couple of weeks.
def Interactive Brokers Registered: Dec 1999 Posts: 1588 10-08-02 09:50 PM There is a new quote engine/delivery mechanism that has been making the rounds into the system. Looks like it hit globex. I did read the deep book would update more regularly (there used to be a purposlely timed delay). I don't know much else other than the quotes for all markets have been drastically improved.
I, too, have noticed increased hold times (maybe 5-10 minutes average, which still isn't too bad), even when there isn't a wide-ranging problem. I suspect IB may have gotten a lot of new biz from the PD fiasco and they might currently be somewhat understaffed as a result.