Broadband speeds: Are you getting what you pay for?

Feb. 11, 2009 - PRLog -- Recent research from telecoms regulator Ofcom suggested 83 per cent of broadband users were, overall, satisfied with their broadband service. But how many consumers are simply being complacent? The same research also reported average actual broadband speeds reached just 49 per cent of the headline speeds suppliers use to promote their deals. Just because your broadband or mobile broadband works, it doesn't mean you're getting what you're paying for, or value for money; for example, on lines advertising speeds 'up to 8Mb', Ofcom claims the reality is an average speed of just 3.6Mb. Thankfully, it is very easy to test how your broadband is performing.


Broadband Genie was one of the first websites to experiment with broadband speed testing back in 2004, and its previous version (which went live in 2007) has been used by hundreds of thousands of people running more than 1.7 million tests. The new release, powered by Think Broadband, has been recognised by Virgin Media as the only online test ready for testing speeds up to both 20Mb and 50Mb nationwide, which means you can quote our results at your broadband provider with confidence.


"Nobody wants to pay for something they're not getting, especially in a recession," said Broadband Genie editor Chris Marling. "Factors such as closeness to your nearest telephone exchange and the quality of your ISP's equipment (or network coverage if you're using mobile broadband) can hugely affect your broadband speeds."


Consumers can test their home broadband speeds at http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk/speedtest and their mobile broadband speeds at http://mobile.broadbandgenie.co.uk/speedtest


Think Broadband co-founder Sebastien Lahtinen said: "We've developed our speed test platform in-house from the software to the network it runs on, so we can achieve a level of control unlike other speed tests available on the Internet. We are pleased to be working with Broadband Genie to provide users with the most accurate of results, even on super-fast 50Mb broadband services and beyond."


Marling continued: "An Ofcom workshop last week suggested there was 'genuine differentiation' between suppliers on the actual speeds they supply, but its supplier-specific data may never reach the light of day. This means it is up to the individual to reach their own conclusions. It takes about one minute to run the Broadband Genie speed test; what have you got to lose?"


Top 5 things that can affect your broadband speed

1. The length, and quality, of line between your house and the exchange (ADSL only).
2. The quality of phone extension wire inside your house (ADSL only).
3. The time of day; peak times can slow speeds, especially if your provider has a lot of
   users locally.
4. The speed of your PC or laptop; a slow running machine can affect performance.
5. Traffic 'shaping', or management; when a provider slows your connection because it
   prefers one kind of traffic over another (for example, streaming video over downloading).



ENDS

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NOTES TO EDITORS

1. Broadband Genie is the UK's leading independent broadband and mobile broadband comparison website, providing consumers with an unbiased source of information on broadband prices and contracts and allowing them to compare broadband providers in an independent. Broadband Genie was launched in March 2004 as the first dedicated consumer comparison site for broadband, while Mobile Broadband Genie was the first independent mobile broadband comparison site, launched in October 2007. Both sites are among the most popular sites in their respective fields, and regularly feature in the national press. http://www.broadbandgenie.co.uk / http://mobile.broadbandgenie.co.uk


2. All queries and interview requests should be directed to Chris Marling at Broadband Genie:t 0844 415 5531 / f 0871 6618553 / m 07908 327303