BT is faster than Virginmedia Broadband

[henpecked]

Hi guys and gals,

As somebody who runs a website and has had very slow speeds from Virgin for 8 months I decided to have BT Broadband activated on my BT line.
After 3 months now of running both services in parrallel on the same machines I can honestly say that BT broadband is 4 times faster than Virginmedia, is much more stable and the customer service is fantastic.
I am not a BT worker or anything similar, just a totally fed up Virginmedia customer.
I have the XL TV package, paid for my upgrade to 10mb on virgin before it was given free, and have the virgin phone (as well as Bt phone).

At the moment I am running and paying for both services with Bt and Virgin. This is partly due to my wife originally wanting BT and me wanting Virgin, and my need for an internet connection for my website that I could rely on.

Well in the next 2 months after my experiences with Virgin & BT , I WILL be cancelling ALL my services with Virgin and sticking with BT Broadband, transferring to SKy TV and have only the BT phone line.
So if any virginmedia customer service people are reading this then it's goodbye from and a goodbye from her.

All statements above can be proven

Ian
:p:

[Jameseh]

There are too many variables but the majority of people receive faster broadband from Virgin, but there will inevitably be those that find BT to be faster.

[henpecked]

There are too many variables but the majority of people receive faster broadband from Virgin, but there will inevitably be those that find BT to be faster.

I agree to a point but most people on my street approx 3 miles from virginmedia's office's and main control centre at colwic,k Notts, would expect better. We are all now considering changing back to BT as getting an engineer out is impossible. You phone up, their coming a certain day, no one turns up, you phone back, they have no record of previous call etc etc etc.
It's just poor all round.

[broadbandking]

It might faster for you, which if your happy then great, but not everyone gets a fast BT internet connection, I had BT for a few year's and all I got was 1.1Mb and they couldn't go any faster, I have had VM 2,4,10,20 and 50Mb and always has fast rock solid service.

So I am glad you have connection worth the money you pay, but not everyone is in the same boat.

[Hugh]

henpecked, some specifics would be useful.

For instance, were you on National or Cable Broadband, and if so, what package?

Which BT package did you compare this with, and was the cost like for like?

This info will help CF'ers have a more informed discussion on your post (imho).

[Placemat]

I have just moved from a 0.9Mbit/s BT line to a 20 Mbit/s line with Virgin Media.

Given that my old telephone exchange isn't even 21CN enabled yet, I will be amazed if BT will be able to offer me 10Mbit/s in the next 5 years.

I have nothing but contempt for BT in the way that they treat rural and sub-urban customers.

[kwikbreaks]

The problem I found with BT was an inability to fix a line fault - 5 visits and it was exactly the same as when I first complained. If they had fixed it I would still be with them for phone and on O2 LLU rather than their abysmal offering naturally. The line would have managed ~ 16 or 17Mbps so still less than my 20Mbps VM though.

With a phone line so long that it will only run at ~ 1Mbps it really doesn't make any difference what BT do at the exchange unless they take fibre to the local cabs which is very unlikely for rural exchanges.

The telephone infrastructure was designed for voice and has been press-ganged into providing broadband up to 24Mbps on very short lines with an average of maybe 4 or 5 Mbps which is a remarkable achievement.

The CATV infrastructure was obviously designed for providing TV and as that already required much more bandwidth than voice had a head start when adapted for broadband delivery as well as TV.

The phone infrastructure is going to top out at around 40Mbps with the BT Infinity product but cable is already trialling 200Mbps. I can't see me ever going back to BT unless VM foul things up for me big time.

[darkm]

The problem I found with BT was an inability to fix a line fault - 5 visits and it was exactly the same as when I first complained. If they had fixed it I would still be with them for phone and on O2 LLU rather than their abysmal offering naturally. The line would have managed ~ 16 or 17Mbps so still less than my 20Mbps VM though.

With a phone line so long that it will only run at ~ 1Mbps it really doesn't make any difference what BT do at the exchange unless they take fibre to the local cabs which is very unlikely for rural exchanges.

The telephone infrastructure was designed for voice and has been press-ganged into providing broadband up to 24Mbps on very short lines with an average of maybe 4 or 5 Mbps which is a remarkable achievement.

The CATV infrastructure was obviously designed for providing TV and as that already required much more bandwidth than voice had a head start when adapted for broadband delivery as well as TV.

The phone infrastructure is going to top out at around 40Mbps with the BT Infinity product but cable is already trialling 200Mbps. I can't see me ever going back to BT unless VM foul things up for me big time.


I can see plenty of people going back to BT. With the BT infinity upgrades happening, up to 40mbps is not bad and especially if you do get it, plus the upload speed is greater than what virgin offer. Not to mention its cheaper to have sky tv than it is virgin. Why wouldnt you change provider...

[kwikbreaks]

Why wouldnt you change provider...Well I wouldn't personally because they are totally clueless and it would cost me more to get my BT line reinstated than to upgrade to 50Mbps with VM.

Upstream? I don't run any servers and don't use torrents. My current upstream usage is < 5% of downstream and a lot of that is because I have programs uploading weather satellite pictures and weather station data 24x7 to a website I run.

Then there is the 40GB cap that was mentioned above but has since been deleted which I comfortably exceed every month. I think the 40GB is correct as I've seen a complaint elsewhere about it (this is the supposedly unlimited deal not the pointless 20GB one).

I rarely watch TV so neither Sky nor VM offerings interest me.

Then finally there is the minor problem that Infinity isn't available in my area and no date has been set for when it will be.

The only use I am likely to have for BT Infinity is for blagging a better deal from VM :)

[Mick]

"BT is faster than Virginmedia Broadband" :rofl:

One should read the following independent review of ISP Broadband speeds in Britain, done by Ofcom and see which ISP performs better overall - The review was about customers not always getting the speeds advertised, Virgin Media faired better than DSL providers:-

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2010/07/27/ofcom-research-reveals-increase-in-uk%e2%80%99s-average-actual-broadband-speed-but-consumers-still-not-achieving-advertised-speeds/

[Harlow CM20]

Not sure why you're rolling on floor laughing Mick?

When it comes to sending information on a VM connection it is much slower than BT in general.

Sure VM has the ability to Download at superfast speed but that's not what makes a great connection in my opinion.

One could argue that VM is the fastest and one could argue that BT is the fastest but as far as I've notice nobody has stated the reason in this thread for one being faster than the other.

When VM finally upgrade their customers to an upload size that approaches BT's on a like for like package I will roll on floor laughing with you but until then....

[Mick]

Not sure why you're rolling on floor laughing Mick?

When it comes to sending information on a VM connection it is much slower than BT in general...

Not here it isn't - I have both A VM connection and BT ADSL connection - the BT connection is way slower than it's intended speed for me all the time than my VM Broadband connection which remains consistantly just below the intended speed.

[Harlow CM20]

I see, must be area dependent then I guess.

On my 10Mb VM connection my max upload speed is around 512KB compare that with BT's 10Mb connection and I see more than double the upload speed, 1.1Mb upload.

Maybe that's why the OP is claiming BT is faster, I know what I'd rather have, 10% of my DL or a mere 5%.

Hurry with them upgrades VM so I can join Mick and we can roll on floor laughing together.

[alwaysabear]

I have a 20 mb connection the average download speed over the last year is 16.49 mb and upload is 0.73mb. These readings are usually taken early or late evening, so I am very pleased. BT in my area can only dream of such speed I believe there average speed here is about 4mb .
It always makes me die with laughter every time a Sky rep tries to tell me I can get up to 20mb with them, but when pressed for the average download speed the go quiet and say good bye.:D

[roughbeast]

.........

When VM finally upgrade their customers to an upload size that approaches BT's on a like for like package I will roll on floor laughing with you but until then....


Free VM upgrades to a ratio of 10:1 have already started to be rolled out I understand.

[Harlow CM20]

Free VM upgrades to a ratio of 10:1 have already started to be rolled out I understand.

Can't wait for this to reach the area I am in and I know I said I'd roll on the floor with Mick but unfortunately I must take back that offer as I'm not a fully abled person. I could smile across the internet politely though :)

[Kymmy]

Free VM upgrades to a ratio of 10:1 have already started to be rolled out I understand.

I wonder what's gonna happen to the business 10Mb once this is rolled out??

[j0rdan]

"BT is faster than Virginmedia Broadband" :rofl:

One should read the following independent review of ISP Broadband speeds in Britain, done by Ofcom and see which ISP performs better overall - The review was about customers not always getting the speeds advertised, Virgin Media faired better than DSL providers:-

http://media.ofcom.org.uk/2010/07/27/ofcom-research-reveals-increase-in-uk%e2%80%99s-average-actual-broadband-speed-but-consumers-still-not-achieving-advertised-speeds/

I love how Ofcom find that Virgin Medias Upto 10Mb is actually faster (on average) than BT's upto 20Mb.

But of course download speeds doesnt appear to be what this man wants, as
running a website he will value upload more than his download speed. And of course if it is upload speeds he desires than any isp will recomend a business line, not a home line as that is not what they are intended for.

[pip08456]

I love how Ofcom find that Virgin Medias Upto 10Mb is actually faster (on average) than BT's upto 20Mb.

But of course download speeds doesnt appear to be what this man wants, as
running a website he will value upload more than his download speed. And of course if it is upload speeds he desires than any isp will recomend a business line, not a home line as that is not what they are intended for.

That's easily done, VM's "up to" 10Mb is FTTC, up until now BT's offerings have been hampered due to copper from the exchange, further away, slower your speed.

Now BT Infinity are rolling out FTTC at long last. Strange when BT have been more involved in development of fibre optics than VM.

[Sirius]

Now BT Infinity are rolling out FTTC at long last. Strange when BT have been more involved in development of fibre optics than VM.

Please stop its making me split my sides :rofl::rofl:

BT have had no choice or there broadband would stay in the dark ages. What they are about to offer is nothing new to be honest, Cable have been doing fibre to the local cab for ages. All Bt are doing is copying what cable have already done, Most of what BT is doing is fibre to the cab, with the last km in copper. However i feel VM has a few things up its sleeves, ;)

BTW i have designed and implemented over 30 km of fibre in one town alone in the northwest in the last 3 months for VM Business, That's in and carrying traffic, Fibre is nothing new to vm.

[Peter_]

I think that everyone posting here should try this link, just put in your postcode and it will tell you the average speeds for each supplier in your area, I wonder who will on average be higher.

http://www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk/broadband_speed_in_my_area_v2.aspx

[pip08456]

Please stop its making me split my sides :rofl::rofl:

BT have had no choice or there broadband would stay in the dark ages. What they are about to offer is nothing new to be honest, Cable have been doing fibre to the local cab for ages. All Bt are doing is copying what cable have already done, Most of what BT is doing is fibre to the cab, with the last km in copper. However i feel VM has a few things up its sleeves, ;)

BTW i have designed and implemented over 30 km of fibre in one town alone in the northwest in the last 3 months for VM Business, That's in and carrying traffic, Fibre is nothing new to vm.

This comment just goes to show how good the hamstringing was when the GPO was segmented and privatised.

You will find, if you look, that BT (or previously the GPO) played a much bigger part in the research and development of the miniscule amount of the technology that you have spent 3 months installing, and continue to do so. VM just use it.

Goes back years

"Newman, looking to solve the problems with Robinson, was put in touch with Tommy Flowers, a talented electronics engineer working for the Post Office at Dollis Hill.

Tommy Flowers’ design solved the problems of Robinson in an innovative way. Rather than using paper tape to store the pseudorandom sequence, Flowers replicated it electronically using a huge array of valves. This saved using two tapes and solved the synchronisation problems. The use of valves for digital switching was also a groundbreaking step which offered a huge increase in operating speed over mechanical relays (valves at the time were regarded by most as unreliable components used for amplifying analog signals.)

Design of Colossus started in March 1943 and the first unit was operational at Bletchley Park in January 1944. Colossus was immediately successful, and the Colossus – Tunny combination allowed ‘high grade’ German codes to be decoded in hours. This proved immensely useful during the D-Day landings. The parallel design of Colossus made it incredibly fast even by today’s standards, a modern Pentium PC programmed to do the same decoding task taking twice as long to break the code."

The GPO as was and BT as is continue to lead the way in R&D but are still hamstrung by successive governments.

2004

BT is begin limited trials of fibre-to-the-home to assess its technical and commercial viability.

Up to 1,500 homes and businesses in Martlesham Heath in Suffolk, Milton Keynes and London's Docklands are to have fibre lines up and running in October.

New fibre optic cables are to be installed between BT exchanges and the properties of those taking part in the year-long trial.

See also

Significant research efforts and early manufacturing investments
came from many UK-based companies including Standard Telephones
and Cables (STC – now Nortel Networks), British Telecom (BT), Plessey
and GEC in the 1980s. The early development of the fibre-optics
industry owed much to BT, which pioneered the development of
modern “singlemode” fibre optics in the 1970s, and R&D support
programmes from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) nurtured
the industry’s growth.


Source

http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file26390.pdf

[ccarmock]

Will be interesting to see just what BT Infinity really offers though. It's due to be available in my area on 30th September. Due to distance from the exchange I used to get a maximum of 3 Mb/s with ADSL, despite the BT checker claiming 4.5 Mb/s should be possible.

The BT infinity checker claims I should be able to get a download speed of 15.7 Mb/s and an upload speed of 7.1 Mb/s. Seems a bit lower than I'd hoped, especially since the new FTTC box for BT is about 200m away, and is next to the one I know my BT line passes through as it was pointed out to me by a BT engineer when I had a line fault.

So I for one won't be moving away from Virgin. For me their 10 Mb/s business sevrices has been very good. Though the service is startign to look dated with 768 Kb/s upload. I am hopeful they will revise this in the later uarter of this year when they offer the 50 Mb/s business service and fixed IP option onthe 20 Mb/s service.

[kwikbreaks]

I don't think Infinity will tempt many away from VM if this post is correct...
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2668513
Mis-sold BT Infinity - What next? Legal action?
I am writing this in the hope that some one is in the same situation as myself.

At the end of July, I ordered BT Inifinty Option 2 which I had installed in due course. All was going fine until I received an email advising my that as I had now used over 100Gb for the month, my speed was being capped from 40Mb/s to 2Mb/s, with my upload speed reduced also.

Now I'm assuming Option 2 is the "unlimited" BT product and not the ludicrous 20GB cap offering.

The only reason for needing higher than ~ 2Mbps is to enable high speed downloads. A 100GB cap is going to go nowhere with a family just using iPlayer let alone one with teenagers downloading huge game demos regularly etc. etc.

====

A later post in that same thread now says BY have increased the cap to 300GB. This probably will be enough for many users but falls a long way short of VM.
http://community.bt.com/t5/BB-in-Home/WHERE-IS-OUR-USAGE-MONITOR-BT/td-p/35371/page/5