Reliable Accurate Broadband Speed Test?

Chrisblue1962

Hi, I am looking to change from Virgin Media as their current package of 10GB broadband, basic TV (which amounts to Freeview) and Anytime calls is costing us £40.00 per month, and that's before we make non-geographic calls, which are a rip off on Virgin Media.

Does anyone know of an accurate, reliable broadband speed test which may help me choose another broadband provider?

Many Thanks

bod1467

A speed tester will only say how well your CURRENT connection is doing, not how well OTHER ISPs perform. And the performance is unique to each connection, based on the physical properties of the phone line (quality, length, etc.) - unless it is a cable connection. (Are you on VM cable or VM via the BT phone line)?

Your first port of call should be http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange_search ... put in your phone number and it will tell you which exchange you're on. Then click on the exchange name and you'll get a page that advises which ISPs are available.

If you're NOT on VM cable, post your router stats and we can estimate what sort of speeds you should be able to achieve.

aerostar

Your computer, type of browser and AV/malware will also make a difference to speedtest results.

To get the most accurate speeds, use a wired connection, not wireless, start your computer in Safe Mode WITH networking (will NOT work with wireless as the drivers do not get loaded), then do your speed test.

macman

You can't switch from VM cable unless you get a BT-based line installed. And until you do that you can't test your line speed on ADSL broadband either. All you can do is go to samknows and get an estimate of likely speed. The speed will be whatever your line can support, and not really based on your choice of ISP.
There are no cable providers other than VM.

spike7451

What you could do is ask your neighbor to put their phone number into the link below,it's the system BT use to tell what speed a line is capable of giving.The speed that is shown should be exactly the same for you.

BT Wholesale ADSL Availibility Checker

bod1467

But be aware that the BT database is known to be inaccurate or incomplete in several cases, so take it with a pinch of salt. (e.g. It says I can only get 6meg ADSL ... I presently have almost 18meg ADSL2+. And even when I was on ADSL I could get 8meg - the router would sync at 8188kbps).

If you have VM cable, then getting and posting a neighbours ADSL router stats will let us estimate what an ADSL connection could achieve for you. Otherwise, if you have VM ADSL then post your own stats.

spike7451

bod1467 wrote: »

But be aware that the BT database is known to be inaccurate or incomplete in several cases, so take it with a pinch of salt. (e.g. It says I can only get 6meg ADSL ... I presently have almost 18meg ADSL2+. And even when I was on ADSL I could get 8meg - the router would sync at 8188kbps).

If you have VM cable, then getting and posting a neighbours ADSL router stats will let us estimate what an ADSL connection could achieve for you. Otherwise, if you have VM ADSL then post your own stats.

Apologies...miss read the quoted post...old age.

hareng

Bods saying use next door neighbours number if they are using ADSL variants.
Failing that ask them to run the check for you.

moonrakerz

bod1467 wrote: »

And even when I was on ADSL I could get 8meg - the router would sync at 8188kbps).

You were getting 8mbs ? Very clever ! If you were on an 8mbs ADSL link the max this will provide is about 7.2mbs. (7.15 according to Wiki)

If you are more than 20 yds from the exchange it would be appreciably less than this................. about 6mbs would be about the best you could reasonably expect.

I was getting about that on my ADSL (with Zen on BT line), I now use o2 LLU and get 13.5mbs on a 16mbs link.