Internet speed

[Prudie]

Sorry if this has been asked before but I don't understand the ads for broadband providers - eg BT and their up to 20 mbs speed - when surely it depends on your locality. I have 0.5 ish in my area but I could be misled that if I switched ISP it would improve, or in fact does it depend on provider?

[ChuckFickens]

Any provider can only supply what your phone line will support.

you occasionally get a very small difference due to some companies being prepared to operated the maximum line speed with less margin on it (though this can result in an unstable connection)

you can also occasionally see a difference due to the router that supplied, some are better than others, but this could go both ways obviously.

TBH though if your line is currently only able to support 0.5Mbs then I don't expect you'd ever get a lot more than that no matter what provider you go with.

[Prudie]

Thank you CF very clearly explained and to me has only confirmed that the ads are misleading.

[ChuckFickens]

You can put your details in here and it will estimate the line speed you should be able to get

http://www.productsan...FURL_broadband/faster

I have found it to be good most of the time, it does occasionally get it really really wrong though!

[Prudie]

Yep i get 0.512Mb, presumably why youtube is in max 6 second blasts before the streaming circle thing and on-line TV/Films pointless.

[ChuckFickens]

Yep, that's a crap speed (I'm so lucky, I live in the sticks but I get 7Mbs!)

Youtube is not a huge problem, just pause the video as soon as it starts and wait untill the red bar gets a decent way ahead of the darker red place marker and then start playing it again.

Most other streaming sites won't work trying that method though :(

[redman41]

I've just checked mine Chuck and it's 7.5mb so I guess it is average. Not sure what Max speed is though......

[squarebear]

The magic words here are "up to".

0.5Mb is "up tp" 20 Mb.

Many advertisers use very misleading words.

[Mobius1]

This advertising is an ongoing issue. Ofcom (I think it's them anyway) have been receiving complaints for some time about the "up to" speed ratings. The actual number of customers, by volume, that attain the max advertised rate is very low as a percentage of people using the service.

It's nice how you can pay them the same as a person in another town and get half the speed that person does. I'd try cutting a deal. If you can give me "up to" 8Meg then I might consider giving you "up to" the full monthly payment... that'd go down like a lead balloon I'm sure.

[vascop]

This is also a good guide from the BBC iplayer site:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/diagnostics

[galeck1947]

HI
Have you ever tested your DNS server ? Download and run Name Bench from the net and it wiil tell if you have the fastest if you haven't the it will list the fastest one available and show you how to set it . The test takes a little while but is really worth it