Fibre (FTTC) Speeds

Good Morning,

Just a quick question. If someone is on an 80/20 service, and usually get's around 74-76Mbps on average is 28.15Mbps considered acceptable? I don't consider it to be, but my ISP suggest's that it is acceptable!

Here is the screen shot of today's test: http://tinypic.com/r/2ds2te1/9

Also a previous one with the additional info showing what it can achieve : http://tinypic.com/r/zb06/9

Thanks in advance

Is it a one off slow down? Does it slow down at specific times of the day? Has the sync speed changed?

In reply to a post by ian72:

Is it a one off slow down? Does it slow down at specific times of the day? Has the sync speed changed?

Good Afternoon ian72
1: No it's done it a few times in the last few weeks, the last time I reported it I was told it was due to a network issue, today it's done to "traffic priority"
2: I am usually not in during the day (due to work shifts), but I cannot say for sure it's time of day based.
3: How do I check that? I am using a TP-Link TD-W8968 in router modem with an OR FTTC Modem.

Thanks in advance.

Of the tests you have done that are slower do they tend to fit within particular times of day - ie between 6pm and 12pm? It sounds like congestion so could be they have a network link running at capacity during peak times - is this with Aquiss?

And no, I wouldn't say it is reasonable but it may be within their terms as broadband is a contested service and in olden days it was quoted as 1:50 for residential - if that was still the advertised contention then you would expect anything over 2Mb/s would be "reasonable".

Wired or wireless?

Wired

It's happened at random times, once in the evening after their "business" period.

I have been advised that over 13Mbps is considered as "acceptable"

I of course can't say I am happy with a service that should be getting at most 74Mbps and would be OK at 50Mbps but is struggling to get 30Mbps at this moment....

No, not acceptable if it happens for extended period of time or on a regular basis. A one off, yes it can happen or if there is a major network fault.

You need to run speedtests from this site, which will be preserved. Try a few at various times of te day to see how close you do actually get to the 70+ Mbps. You can then link to those in your posts.

In reply to a post by CJT:

It's happened at random times, once in the evening after their "business" period.

Whose "business period"?

In a residential setting, internet access networks reach peak hour around 9pm, being most busy between 8pm and 10pm.
https://www.linx.net/london/tech-info-help/traffic-s...

Unless a business has bought something to guarantee throughput separately, it is likely to share the same network resources ... so be most prone to congestion at these hours.

If you are suffering from congestion, then you'd normally see latency problems arise too. If you have a static IP address, you might find running one of these helps:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/ping

In reply to a post by CJT:

I have been advised that over 13Mbps is considered as "acceptable"

An ISP that stuck to that (as opposed to one undertrained member of staff) wouldn't have my custom for very long.

Hi WWWombat,

The ISP advised as follows:

FTTC services have a minimum speed of 12Mbps for consumer products before considered in fault, therefore under a shared service which FTTC products are, the service at 30Mbps would still be within BTs acceptable ranges.

However, as mentioned before, during the daytime business customers are given network priority. Family packages network priority is from 6.00pm until 8.00pm weekdays and all-day weekends.

So far the connection is back to it's near 80Mbps speed, but if it's going to drop to 30Mbps each time their business customer's need priority then I cannot see how that's acceptable!