TalkTalk Superfast Broadband

Bradden

I was looking at the talktalk website earlier and noticed this:

What is Superfast Fibre Broadband?

Superfast Fibre Broadband is made up of Fibre Optic cables, which offer some of the fastest broadband speeds available. Fibre optic cables use thin strands of glass to transmit information at the speed of light, rather than using copper lines which transmit information at the speed of sound. This means your broadband connection will be so much faster and more reliable allowing you to download and stream HD video content without any buffering, download files and stream videos, as well as uploading photos in flash. The whole family can enjoy the internet the same time without your broadband slowing down.



Just wondered if copper cable is really that slow?

GunJack

Traditional copper all the way back to the exchange - up to 24 Megs on ADSL2+.

FTTC (Fibre To The Cabinet) - up to 100Megs VDSL2+

Obviously many factors to take into consideration, but yes the potential of FTTC is way more than traditional ADSL2+

yangptangkipperbang

Bradden wrote: »

rather than using copper lines which transmit information at the speed of sound.

Funny - yes.................but also most dispiriting as it shows the "depth" of knowledge of the overwhelming majority of the people involved in the broadband "industry"

At times, I wish that my broadband DID operate at the speed of sound rather than the snail like performance that it usually serves up.

penrhyn

Copper cable only transmit at the speed of sound, must be the most stupid statement of the day.
I guess the moron who wrote the copy had vaguely heard that the copper pairs were designed for audio transmission which had a bandwidth of around 300 to 3400Hz, pass the psophometer !

Bradden

Thanks for the replies.. it did make me chuckle when I originally read it.

It hardly fills me with confidence that they know what they are doing.

John_Gray

Bradden wrote: »

Fibre optic cables use thin strands of glass to transmit information at the speed of light, rather than using copper lines which transmit information at the speed of sound. [...] Just wondered if copper cable is really that slow?

At some times it seems even slower than that!

But perhaps TalkTalk are thinking of the drift velocity of electrons in copper wire?!

(Or not thinking at all...)

Later... I think "the speed of sound" comment has been pulled! See http://sales.talktalk.co.uk/products/broadband/fibre-optic/layout/faq/what-is-fibre-optic-broadband.html

Even later...
Bradden, I don't know where you got the quote from today, but it seems that it was "corrected" (by deletion) about 27 June!

Bradden

That is odd.. you are correct that the page has been amended. However if I log in to my account and then select "manage your contract" and then go to superfast broadband thne the original (incorrect) info is there. I guess it links to an older version on the page somehow.

I've checked just now and still have the rubbish about the speed of sound if I navigate to it that way.

I'm pleased they've realised it's wrong and have attempted to correct it though.