Download speed too fast

I have been running some speed tests, mainly via this site. They seem to produce results that are better than my service supports. Can anyone suggest why?

thinkbroadband (flash based) 14.6Mbps
broadband-speed-test.uswitch.com 15Mbps
broadbandspeedchecker 12Mbps

My exchange is THWA/WARGRAVE. My ISP is Pipex. I am using a BT ADSL line, am near the exchange and can expect a speed of 7-8Mps. TalkTalk do have a faster LLU service in the exchange, but I'm not using that. So how can I get the speeds measured above?

I assumed there must be something wrong with my use of the tools, so timed the download files available on this site. I got:
200MB 232s=6.9Mbps OK
50MB 34s = 11.8Mbps ?
50MB 37s = 10.8Mbps ?
100MB 40s = 20Mbps ???

Windows does indeed confirm the file sizes of these zip files. How can I be getting these speeds on a line with a max speed of 8Mbps?

TalkTalk bought the Tiscali UK group some time back (that includes Pipex). So you may well have been moved to TalkTalk equipment at the exchange and put on an ADSL2+ line profile.

Interestingly SamKnows doesn't show any LLU being available in your exchange http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/THWA - although it's not always up to date and TT have been expanding their LLU footprint lately.

Getting the line stats from your router would be conclusive.

Are you using Kaspersky anti-virus (which caches data and often gives stupid speedtest results)?

Edit: Of course, your maximum speed may not be 8Mbps (that's just a very conservative BT estimate and has no actual impact on your connection speed - which will naturally go as fast as it can achieve).
Best to also check the speed your ADSL router is connecting at.

Edited by adebov (Thu 18-Aug-11 22:10:07)

I know Wargrave exchange very well,(just behind the Bull, in Backsideans) and there's no LLU stuff in there, and only 'up to 8' Wholesale stuff.

Then it truely is a mystery I was just going by what the OP stated w.r.t. the TT LLU.

Clear your cache and history and try a 500MB file. I've seen speed meters and testers mis-report smaller files, but when timing it the clock seems to get it right (funny that). Also some file downloaders start downloading early I've noticed. Not sure if it's some caching or efficiency. Might be that.

Adebov mentioned Kaspersky AV as screwing up many speed testers.. Avira does the same.

If you can find and post your line stats, see here for help, we can see what your line is actually connecting at, plus other useful information.

The BT Performance tester also gives other useful info. Please post the results as far as the end of the upstream figures.

Well, I can clear up most of the mystery.

I was on an 8Mbps max line with Pipex. My router stats now show 18.5Mbps downstream, ADSL2+.

I was aware that Pipex were due to be migrated to TalkTalk, but because of what I'd heard of TalkTalk's customer service, I decided I wanted out. So last Friday 12th August, I started investigating broadband alternatives.

However, I did get a quote from TalkTalk showing I could expect 9-18Mbps 15Mbs average on their LLU sevice, but this required me to switch my phone line to TalkTalk, and there was the customer service issue, so although tempting I decided no, even though everything else in the exchange is on BT max 8Mps . Late Fri pm, I spoke to Zen, and on checking my potential speed, they said there was a broadband cease on my line due to complete on the 16th - two working days away. This was news to me.

I thought it might be due to the migration to TalkTalk, but the Pipex cancellations dept said no the move to TalkTalk was just a billing change at the moment, and my supply would cease on the 16th, very sorry, but unless they could stop it I would be without broadband for some days. They couldn't tell me why there was a cease on the broadband supply, very very sorry, but it was probably too late to stop it. After a lot of frantic calls to Pipex the broadband cease did get removed just before the 16th.

I asked Pipex for a MAC yesterday and received it today. I thought I'd try running speed tests today, so I could check how much my speed had improved when I switched to Zen, and got the above confusing results.

So what appears to have happened is that when the cease was cancelled, TalkTalk switched me to their ADSL2+ service without telling me, and I'm now running about 3 times faster than before. Maybe this WAS all part of the planned migration from Pipex to TalkTalk and the Pipex cancellations team hadn't been told. Who knows?

Now I don't know what to do. TalkTalk said they could not offer me their ADSL2+ broadband unless I switched my phone to them as well. Pipex said I would hear about what packages TalkTalk would offer me soon when the migration was complete. If ADSL2+ is on offer as an ex-Pipex customer, but keeping my BT line, then I would be very tempted, in spite of the customer service issue.

Sorry this has all been so confusing. It was only when I was urged to look at my router stats that I realised what had happened.

That could potentially be very bad news. Just going by what you stated - TalkTalk said that they could only give you ADSL2+ speeds if you gave them the line rental as well. The primary reason for that is that they do not offer broadband only packages. The concern is that they may only have full MPF LLU in your exchange i.e. only capable of delivering both voice and broadband (as opposed to shared MPF (SMPF) which can be used by LLU operators to provide broadband on other telephony providers lines).

So I envisage two possible scenarios:
1. TalkTalk processed a sales order to take over both voice and broadband despite you indicating you did not want to proceed. That would cause your line to move from WLR with whatever provider you are with now to TalkTalk's full MPF. This would also generate a broadband cease that Zen would be able to see on their BT systems.

2. Both MPF and SMPF (or maybe just SMPF) capacity has been installed in your exchange by TalkTalk and as LLU is far less costly for them to supply they have migrated just your broadband from BTWholesale IPStream to SMPF LLU. This could be done without necessitating a move from Pipex (brand) to TalkTalk (brand) and still retaining your current telephony provider. The cease of the IPStream during the migration would also be visible to Zen in this scenario.


If scenario 1. were the case you should have received a "We're sorry you're leaving" letter from your current line rental provider. Check your post It would also make it more tricky / expensive to move onto another provider for voice and/or broadband. Although you'd have a good case for recompense as they effectively "slammed" your line.

Personally I think that scenario 2. is more likely and it is in fact just coincidental timing that you called Pipex to discuss leaving and MAC codes etc. just at the time there were orders flowing through there internal systems to move you from IPStream to SMPF, so the agent quite possibly misinterpreted what they had in front of them. SMPF is no harder to migrate away from than IPStream - it uses the same MAC code process.

I've never been a customer of either company so can't comment on any customer service issues from my own experience. All I can say w.r.t. TalkTalk is from the comments made by posters on this forum is that the TalkTalk members' forum is often more expeditious than the telephone route in. Can't attest to the veracity of that, it's just hearsay.

Let us know how it goes - might be worth giving it a few days for internal sytems to sort themselves out then give Pipex a call back and confirm you are still active with them. They should also be able to confirm that they can see that you are now on LLU or not - although I think we know the answer to that already!

Edited by deleted (Fri 19-Aug-11 01:35:21)

GeeTee

I thought of possibility 1 this morning before I read your post. I also think it's unlikely, but a possibility. I guess a call to BT should confirm the phone is still with them, and I guess there should be other ways I could check myself if the phone line has been switched to TT?

Assuming it's only the BB service that's been switched to TT, I have a difficult decision in front of me. Even if I decide to move to Zen, I will have a week or so running at about 18Mbps before the transfer takes effect. Then my line speed will drop by a factor of two to three after I've become used to the faster speed. Not a nice prospect!

Thanks to everyone for their help. I'm out this morning. Will keep you posted.