Need faster broadband

STEVED_2

Just got a new compiter and need faster broadband

Got 4MB broadband with AOL, i think it comes to Download 3008Kbps Upload 316Kbps
AOL said they could upgrade to 8MB but my BT line wont do it.

so I need a Broadband provider who does more. Virgin Media offer a fibre optic broadband that doesnt need a phone upto 10MB for 17.99 a month. Would I get 10 MB? I notice it says upto. Is that my best option?

STEVED_2

Would this be better?

http://www.onspeed.com/en/?A=CJ

weegie.geek

All onspeed will do is act as a proxy, and compress the data before sending it to you. It'll speed up downloads of heavily compressible stuff, like plain text, html and stuff, but anything that's compressed already, which is anything you need faster internet FOR, will be just as fast/slow as it was before.

Factor in the fact that you're adding another hop onto the data's journey, and a hop where processing is done, not just routing, and it's pointless imo.

It's fine for people on dialup, where the actual loading of html pages would slow them down, but you being on broadband, you probably wouldn't notice it.

You say you NEED faster broadband. Why? You're running at just under 3mbit just now, and that's not great, but it's more than enough for browsing. It's when you start to download larger files that it matters. Maybe using iplayer etc.

The problem with VM is that if you download too much during peak hours they'll throttle your speed down.

If you can get VM in your area you'll potentially get better speeds, depending on how oversubscribed your area is.

To be honest, I'd rather get moderately fast unthrottled O2/Be, with a much faster upload speed, than get fast VM with a bad upload speed and evening throttling.

Check samknows.com to see who's available in your area.

dreamypuma

STEVED wrote: »

Just got a new compiter and need faster broadband

Got 4MB broadband with AOL, i think it comes to Download 3008Kbps Upload 316Kbps
AOL said they could upgrade to 8MB but my BT line wont do it.

so I need a Broadband provider who does more. Virgin Media offer a fibre optic broadband that doesnt need a phone upto 10MB for 17.99 a month. Would I get 10 MB? I notice it says upto. Is that my best option?

I assume that because of the distance between you and your local BT Exchange, your maximum line BT Line speed for broadband is going to be 4mb. Due to this distance and the limitations of this decrepit copper network, I doubt your going to get broadband any faster through a BT line by swithching ISP's on ADSL.

Going down the Virgin Cable route if available would more than likely give you faster speeds. This is down to the Fibre Optic network they use.

STEVED_2

I want to watch live streaming of sports events on the net without it buffering every 5 secs and being slow. Is my current broadband speed enough for that?

If I got 02/Be wouldnt it still be using the same BT line?

dreamypuma

weegie.geek wrote: »

All onspeed will do is act as a proxy, and compress the data before sending it to you. It'll speed up downloads of heavily compressible stuff, like plain text, html and stuff, but anything that's compressed already, which is anything you need faster internet FOR, will be just as fast/slow as it was before.

Factor in the fact that you're adding another hop onto the data's journey, and a hop where processing is done, not just routing, and it's pointless imo.

It's fine for people on dialup, where the actual loading of html pages would slow them down, but you being on broadband, you probably wouldn't notice it.

You say you NEED faster broadband. Why? You're running at just under 3mbit just now, and that's not great, but it's more than enough for browsing. It's when you start to download larger files that it matters. Maybe using iplayer etc.

The problem with VM is that if you download too much during peak hours they'll throttle your speed down.

If you can get VM in your area you'll potentially get better speeds, depending on how oversubscribed your area is.

To be honest, I'd rather get moderately fast unthrottled O2/Be, with a much faster upload speed, than get fast VM with a bad upload speed and evening throttling.

Check samknows.com to see who's available in your area.

Well said. Whilst I agree with the above poster, most ISP's use a form of network shaping or throttling. Those that don't will soon start. So your choice of ISP is also a factor.

dreamypuma

STEVED wrote: »

I want to watch live streaming of sports events on the net without it buffering every 5 secs and being slow. Is my current broadband speed enough for that?

If I got 02/Be wouldnt it still be using the same BT line?

You really need to check the above links to find out the distance from your local exchange. This will probably be your biggest bottle neck on a copper line.

bingo_bango

I'm on the Virgin 10Mb BB and the speeds right now are


Considering the time, there are quite a few people online, so the results are good. Press for a better deal if you go with them though. Tell them you've had better offers (check uSwitch for current offers) and try to get them to beat the prices.

fatnbald

STEVED wrote: »

Just got a new compiter and need faster broadband

Got 4MB broadband with AOL, i think it comes to Download 3008Kbps Upload 316Kbps
AOL said they could upgrade to 8MB but my BT line wont do it.

so I need a Broadband provider who does more. Virgin Media offer a fibre optic broadband that doesnt need a phone upto 10MB for 17.99 a month. Would I get 10 MB? I notice it says upto. Is that my best option?

The wording on the ADSLMAX blurb is "up to 8 Meg" it does not mean you will get anywhere near it, distance from the exchange and the line quality are the main limitations, you should try one of the more expensive quality ISP's who do monthly contracts to see what up to 8Meg actually means for you - try Zen, their customer support is second to none and they do rolling monthly contract and then you will se what you get, signing up to a 12 month or longer contract when you do not know what it means in reality is perhaps a false economy.

aliEnRIK

You will get FULL speed with virgin but as they guys above have said, if you download TOO much they throttle anytime between 10 in the morning and midnight (But again, the throttling is CONSTANT, no variation)

Conor_3

Just to point out that you can only use Virgin if you live in an area with cable access.