ISPs still 'mislead' on broadband

[denphone]

Broadband speeds in the UK now average 6.8Mbps (megabits per second) but there is still a huge gap between advertised and actual speeds, according to Ofcom and this does not surprise me at all as there is still a huge gulf between Virgin's Fiber optic network and the others ISPs networks in speeds and reliability.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-14295046

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/broadband/8663592/Advertising-vs-reality-Broadband-speed-gap-widens.html

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/gadgets/virgin-media-broadband-faster-than-advertised-other-isps-still-misleading-50004539/

[General Maximus]

yeah it is a joke when they say "up to 8mbit" on adsl and you can only get between 2 and 3. I know we all love to moan at VM but I'll give them credit where it is due, I have always been able to hit my max speed over the last 12 years no matter what tier I have been on. I think it is all going to change though over the next couple of years when we get FTTH.

[kwikbreaks]

It's often physics to blame when ADSL doesn't deliver the headline speed and the culprits when people are mislead are the marketing department for not pointing out clearly enough that speeds will be limited by distance from the exchange.

With cable it's mostly the finance department to blame rather than physics when it doesn't deliver the advertised speed. The poll on this site suggests that 17% of VM customers consider that they don't get the advertised speed. Until VM get their own house in order on that I think they should stop stirring.

[Ignitionnet]

there is still a huge gulf between Virgin's Fiber optic network and the others ISPs networks in speeds and reliability.

In terms of raw speeds yes, in terms of reliability and quality of service (jitter) no.

[denphone]

In terms of raw speeds yes, in terms of reliability and quality of service (jitter) no.

Well obviously l cannot speak for others but mine has always been superb but maybe it depends on where people live and several other factors as well as to the quality of service.:)

[Ignitionnet]

Well obviously l cannot speak for others but mine has always been superb but maybe it depends on where people live and several other factors as well as to the quality of service.:)

Ditto ADSL, and I was actually referring to Ofcom's own statistics on jitter / QoS.

Check http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/research/telecoms-research/bbspeeds2011/bb-speeds-may2011.pdf figure 8.33 onwards - VM score fine for downstream jitter, by far the poorest for upstream jitter and worst overall.

They also have the worst packet loss during peak times, see figures 8.15 - 8.20.

Hence my comments on QoS or QoE as Ofcom call it.

[piquet41]

yeah it is a joke when they say "up to 8mbit" on adsl and you can only get between 2 and 3. I know we all love to moan at VM but I'll give them credit where it is due, I have always been able to hit my max speed over the last 12 years no matter what tier I have been on. I think it is all going to change though over the next couple of years when we get FTTH.

And just think how much quicker it could get if the fibre optic went right to the "front door" .

[downquark1]

I am confused why they are listing the speeds by company and not the technology used and distance from the exchange. Have the results been fairly calculated based on a standard distance?

[Ignitionnet]

I am confused why they are listing the speeds by company and not the technology used and distance from the exchange. Have the results been fairly calculated based on a standard distance?

Average across the tested user base Mr elementary particle. The VM stats apply to the cable product only.

[downquark1]

Average across the tested user base Mr elementary particle. The VM stats apply to the cable product only.

Doesn't really sit well with me, are we sure the averaging across the userbase doesn't introduce a distance from the exchange bias (not all exchanges have the LLU stuff each company).

And all the cabling actually belongs to BT (exception of cable).