Broadband speed variations
Broadband is the way most people access the internet today. It offers
much faster access than the old dial-up connections, and it’s usually
faster than any mobile network too. Broadband usually offers a very
stable connection and allows you to use your phone line for calls at the
same time as you’re browsing the internet.
Broadband is usually charged for on a monthly, all-you-can-eat
tariff, which allows you to use the internet as much as you want. Mobile
tariffs do the same, but also often charge for data used – so if you go
over a certain limit in a month, you’ll be charged depending on the
amount of extra data you use. Watching a video online will use up
considerably more data than reading an email.
Speed variations
ISPs usually offer several different packages with different
connection speeds – faster connections cost more. However, broadband
providers’ ‘advertised speeds’ can be quite a bit higher than the speed
that you actually receive due to several factors:
Type of connection
Broadband is usually delivered either through your regular telephone line (known
as an ADSL connection) or through cable connections (usually associated
with cable TV services). Speeds of ADSL connections can be affected by
the distance to the telephone exchange – the further away you are, the
slower your connection will be. Cable connections can be faster,
particularly if you’re in an area served by fibre optic cables.
Personal equipment
Your computer, laptop or mobile may affect the speeds available to
you. If you’re using a Wi-Fi wireless connection, the fastest speed your
wireless router is capable of transmitting is the maximum you can have
wireless access to, regardless of how fast the wired connection is. Some
devices and operating systems are also only capable of supporting
specific broadband speeds. Viruses and spyware can also cause your internet speed to slow down.
ISPs’ equipment
While broadband ISPs may claim to supply a specific speed, local
factors such as the quality and condition of cabling can affect the
speed that you actually receive. Your ISP should be able to tell you
about the fastest available connection for your area.
Local traffic
The number of people using your ISP’s local network can have an
effect on the speeds you receive. At peak times, internet speeds will
usually slow down, as the provider’s network deals with the strain of
lots of people connecting at once. This shouldn’t cause too many
problems, as it’s the responsibility of the ISP to make sure they have
enough equipment to cope with higher numbers customers, but the effect
may still be noticeable. ISPs often have their own “traffic management
policies” as part of their terms and conditions that explain how they
try to ensure the best possible service at peak times.
Multiple users
If you’re accessing the internet on more than one computer or device,
using the same connection, the speeds of each will slow down. All
devices connected to the same internet connection will share the full
speed available.
Broadband speed tests
You can test the actual broadband speed you’re receiving by using an online broadband speed test tool:
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Standard broadband speeds may be as little as 512kbps (still almost
ten times faster than dial-up), to over 20Mbps (that’s 20,000Kbps). As
fibre optic cables continue to be rolled out throughout the UK, speeds
of 50Mbps are becoming more widely available. This provides speeds
almost 1,000 times faster than dial-up connections, and allows you to
view HD video and sophisticated graphics.
Choosing the right package
Choosing the right broadband speed is a personal preference and you
should think carefully about how you plan to use the internet before
committing yourself. If you just want some basic web browsing, emails
and downloading a video or music files from time to time, you’ll only
need a basic package.
If you plan to frequently download full movies, sophisticated video
games or any other large files you may need to consider faster speeds.
Have a chat with the ISPs available in your area before choosing to make
sure you get the best package for you.