Why do broadband speeds vary by provider?

Peterjones

I'm sure one of the techy people on here can explain this as it really seems strange to me.

Why will one provider say the line can operate at say 12meg and another 8meg when basically the same line is being used?

Take o2 they have given me 12meg over what is basically a BT wholesale package, yet Plusnet are telling me that only 8meg is possible on my line. Now they are a BT wholesale package as well.

Surly all should offer the same speed as isn't it the same technology used?

Don't they all use a 50:1 ratio as well?

iniltous

If different providers are using/selling the same technology then the speed will be the same regardless of provider, unless they limit the speed for their own commercial reasons, BT wholesale are quite a long way thru of turning off their legacy ADSL kit ( upto 8 meg) and migrating end users onto 21CN/WBC which is faster, but resellers can keep their end users at 8 meg if they want to, or in your case it could be O2 are quoting 21CN speed,because that's what they sell, or have their own ADSL2 kit, where Plusnet, don't have access in that exchange so only sell legacy connections, but if that were the case and they quote 8 meg on an upto 8 meg connection, you should get a lot more that 12 meg on an ADSL2/21CN circuit,because you would be on a very short line.
if you get 12 from O2, then you will probably also get 12 from Plusnet, perhaps they just underestimated what your line will deliver, as you say O2 also quoted 8 but delivered 12, they both use BT Wholesales speed estimating software which would appear in your case to be underestimating the line rate

Peterjones

Oh so is the speed quoted then based on the old system?

I know that both Plusnet and O2 claim to give the fastest speed possible on the line. I think both told me 8mb however I'm getting 12 off o2 at the moment.

Buzby

The figures quoted are primarily marketing tiers - not that you would actually receive the speeds promised.

The actual service received depends on so many factors ranging from whether you access via direct cable (Ethernet) or WiFi, the number of users in your area simultaneously accessing the service, and the bandwidth available to be distributed between them