Broadband firms under scrutiny.

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Found this if anyones interested http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7037278.stm

 

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I think its about time ISPs were more honest about things like this. I am with Virgin Media and I should be getting 2.3MBps download (on a 20meg connection) but at times I am getting no more than 650KBps...I mean whats that all about? Back when they were telewest, there was no problem...even since they became Virgin media its just one big joke...I say they sort it out or someone wont be getting their monthly service fee!!

 

I think the problem is that our phone lines are poor quality plus the fact that these ISPs don't have the power on their servers to acommodate all their customers.

I am with AOL and am paying for 2 Meg I actually get I.87 so thats not too big a discrepancy son I am not that bothered.

But if I was paying for 2.3MBps and only getting 650KBps I would be kicking up a stink, its not right in my opinion.

 

Yep... there are... because it's not feasible to offer dedicated, guaranteed link speeds as fast as the customers are getting for what they are currently paying. All residential broadband access is oversubscribed, on purpose. If they want a dedicated connection with a guaranteed link speed, they need to pay accordingly.

If the broadband provider doesn't segment your neighborhood after you complain, then there's one sure-fire way to make your voice heard... cancel service and go with another provider. However, you may be jumping from the frying pan into the fire.

Not sure how things are in the UK... but in the US, broadband providers state in their customer agreement that speeds are a maximum and that actual speeds may vary.

 

its not like it happens at certain times...it just happens at random times...and since Virgin Media dont use phone lines I am very much miffed about this...although I am only paying about £27 a month for the first 12mths...and then after that its going back up to £37 a month...but if things dont improve by then I am not going to be paying £37 a month for just a measly 650KBps download speed...i may as well just go back to 2meg connection...shocking!!

 

On ISP contracts I have read over here in the UK they do actually say this is the maximum speed you will get but I have to say I don't think I have ever seen one that says your speed may vary.

 

Well they do...I mean fair do's I know I am on a cable connection...but the amount of capping they have done...I mean why am I paying for a high speed connection (since I am such a heavy user) if I can utilise the full amount? Tis shocking...but this is life I guess...

 

If everyone used the Internet as heavily as you did, they'd not be able to offer such high-speeds at the prices they do. You're paying for exactly what you're getting. If you want a dedicated pipe, you'd have to pay what businesses pay for a guaranteed CIR.

I pay $42.95/mo for my 3M cable Internet connection, and I can get a 10M connection for $79.95/mo. Know what my previous employer pays for a 10M dedicated Internet connection? A couple thousand a month. Is guaranteed bandwidth worth that much to you? Not worth it to me!

 

It's probably happening "randomly" because others in your neighborhood are sharing the full pipe. When they use it at the same time you do, you each get a part of the bandwidth.

Alternatively, they're capping you out after you've downloaded a certain amount within a download, an hour, or a day, depending on how they measure it. I know of one company who allows burstable speed for the first 10 megs (or however large they set) of a download, then cap the speed for the remainder. This cuts down on music and movie downloaders monopolizing the bandwidth... which WILL happen if they don't cap speeds. Sure, it sucks that you can't get your stuff as fast as you want... but the alternative would suck for everyone else.

For the record, 650KBps is not too shabby... that's 5.2Mbps.

Assuming you meant 650Kbps... I wouldn't pay £27 a month for 650Kbps, unless that's all there was available in my neighborhood.

 

The cop out is that most ISPs state you can get UPTO 8mb or what ever speed. This is the theorectical maximum on a perfect system that they will allow. In reality you would be lucky to get near this most times, what with contention ratios, line quality, distance from the exchange, the type of exchange etc etc.

My biggest beef with my ISP at the moment is, apart from i rarley get above 600KB/s on a 8mb connection, that they state a transfer limit of 50Gb. Now i thought that was good. That was until i realised it was 50Gb transfer in total, so for example 25Gb both ways or 15Gb upload and 35Gb download. The way it was shown on the advert have me the impression it was 50Gb download a month, now i know i missed read it. But still the fact remains i feel a bit miffed.

 

That would piss me off too, my ISP says I have unlimited downloads but I have heard of people with AOL getting told they have done too much and are being charged.

I think if its says 50Gb usage then it should say if it means 25Gb download and 25GB upload etc

 

600KB/s or 600Kb/s? 600KB/s isn't too shabby... that's 4.8Mb/s.

Gotta watch your B's and b's, guys... two totally different meanings.

 

Sorry yes GB gigabyte Gb gigabit, you know me its my crazy typing.

 

You wouldn't believe how many times I've had to answer the question, "Hey, my 2Mb connection is acting up... IE shows it's downloading at only 250KBps!!! What's up with that?!?!? WHERE'S MY 2 MEG SPEED???"

 

I suppose I should know better

 

come to think of it, I don't think I ever got a contract I know I never signed anything as I did it on-line.

My connect 2 meg I get 238 KBps as my highest download thats about 1.9 is it not?

 

Currently on Virgin 4Meg BB.

usually get about 450-500KB/s download speed, but at the moment it`s dropped to about 250KB/s due to increased use (ie local schoolkids doing "homework"/ gaming etc).


The thing that people forget is that there are 2 ends to the system, and just cos you are connecting at (say) 4 meg, it doesnt mean that everyone else is. Then of course there`s the time difference across the world; You want to get a big file from a US server? try between 5am and 2pm UK time, when America is (mostly) sleeping

I`m currently downloading some linux software at the grand speed of 8KB/s. Looks like it`ll be going overnight.

Mark

 

Yep, you are correct. Not bad, considering some data is "spent" in encaspulating data up and down the OSI chain...

 

500KB/s sounds like you're running full blast, most of the time. Sweet!

Sleeping? We don't sleep in America...