Downgrading my broadband speed - any pitfalls?

talk2alex

Hi

Due to my area and the fact that I live in a flat, my max broadband speed is quoted at around 4MB by BT.

However, I'm with o2 Broadband and paying £10 for a 20MB service, instead of £7.50 for up to 8MB.

It seems a bit obvious that I should just downgrade. My current speeds are around 3.2MB. But could this actually reduce? Are companies known to reduce the priority of my connection?

I don't want to downgrade if it means I get an even crappier speed than I have at the minute.

Thanks

macman

I have the O2 standard 'up to 8MB' service and get the maximum my line can support, around 7 Mbps. I very much doubt if yours will reduce-you are just wasting money paying for a service that your line cannot support.
O2 tend to be conservative on their speed estimates if anything. If BT say you can get 4MB, then I would expect you to get at least that on O2. Have you checked your internal wiring/filters/speed tested from the BT test socket?
Suggest you post your router stats so someone can advise further.
PS" what is 'crappy' about 3.2Mbps? That's higher than the national average.

talk2alex

Cheers macman. Seems like you are answering all my queries today. Much appreciated!

I'm not at home at the minute, but I will try and post when I get back. I know 3.2Mbps is pretty decent. But, in terms of comparing it to fibre-optic or even cable, it's quite slow.

The wiring in the flat is appauling anyway, so I won't be expecting miracles.

kwikbreaks

O2 would normally have suggested you downgrade to standard if your speed was less than 8Mbps during the short monitoring period when you first got it. Are you sure that your speeds haven't reduced since then? If so the chances are that the reason lies with your own phone wiring and should be correctable.

macman

Which is why i suggested that the OP should start with a speed test from the BT test socket, that will eliminate the 'apalling' internal wiring.

talk2alex

I'm 99% sure. The reason I went for the 20MB line was that it was actually cheaper at the time than the 8MB (you got 3 months free and a reduced monthly bill as I was on o2 mobile)

But now I'm not on o2 mobile, but just fancied staying with them as their home phone + broadband deal seemed pretty good for £22.50 or something. I called them up a few times and their service was (maybe emphasis on was, I haven't called for a while) excellent and very helpful.

I'd be shocked if I could get better than 4MB anyway

weegie.geek

Dodgy internal wiring can really affect your speeds, so I wouldn't rule that out yet. BT quoted your speed as 4mbit, but it estimates mine as 6.5mbit. BT don't do adsl2+ in my area so they're estimating based on(guessed) line quality, for standard ADSL. O2/Be do, the same as yours.

I actually get over 20mbit. Should be more but there's some noise on my line affecting the speed and it's a pain to get BT to fix it.

Point is, if BT don't do adsl2+ in your area and your current ISP does (which they do) then BT's estimate is worthless.

If you're getting 3.2mbit right now then you probably won't be able to tweak it to above 8mbit so downgrading is still probably the sensible thing to do, but you never know. Cheap filter + badly wired extensions can wreck sync speeds.

talk2alex

Wow, ok. I think I'm out of my knowledge depth here a bit.

I'll downgrade anyway I think. Seems like the best move.

I'll post my router info tonight if I have time. Thanks for your help anyway

O2_Company_Representative

Hi talk2alex,

If you're looking for a package purely to match your connection speed, then the Standard package will be best for you - as you get up to 8mbps with that package.

The more you pay each month, the more additional 'extras' you get as part of your package. E.G increased web texts and more McAfee licenses.

Paul

KillerWatt

talk2alex wrote: »

Due to my area and the fact that I live in a flat, my max broadband speed is quoted at around 4MB by BT.

Was that before BT started their LLU service?

If so, 4Mbit is the maximum your line can sustain using the standard Access platform and that bears no correlation to what you can get using LLU (which is what you are on at the moment).

Check your router stats to see what your connection speed is, and do a speed test to see what you are actually getting.

http://www.speedtest.net/