Speed tests with 3 multiple streams.

Does any one know how many simultaneous streams the BT Wholesale uses?

I am looking for a ways of testing if my broadband speed conforms to Ofcom's new codes of practice. Plusnet told me I should use the above BT Wholsale site but I suspect the results from that sight are low which makes me think that it might only use one stream.

The Ofcom code of practice is based around testing embedded into the router, so anything that is running within the web browser does not conform.

I would expect that to require a change to the router firmware and maybe the hardware if there is not much free memory. I wonder if the customer will be able to initiate the speed test from the router's web interface or whether it will be initiated by the ISP. If it dos not work in a standard way the test might well only work on an ISP supplied router.

Years ago it used to show it at the top in small type early in the run. 15 streams at that time, IIRC.

No way is it single-streaming. That's one of the reasons Plusnet will recommend it. It also has a few tweaks that can be applied to the routeing, cutting out some of the usual gateway type stuff.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I would expect that to require a change to the router firmware and maybe the hardware if there is not much free memory. I wonder if the customer will be able to initiate the speed test from the router's web interface or whether it will be initiated by the ISP. If it dos not work in a standard way the test might well only work on an ISP supplied router.

ISP supplied routers indeed. Initiated either by the ISP or in a similar manner to the SamKnows devices, periodic checks.

Unlikely to be a button there for customers to initiate speed tests much as customers can't initiate them via SamKnows boxes right now - the point is to try and present as fair a test as possible to ascertain ISP performance not to provide customers a new toy to play with.

Edited by deleted (Mon 04-Mar-19 21:18:21)

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

Does any one know how many simultaneous streams the BT Wholesale uses?

One. It times a test transfer, specifically a 4000x4000 pixel image in the first instance, and increases the size of the test file until the download takes longer than a set period by the looks of it.

Not going to go too much deeper into it but that seems about the way it is.

And when people moan about the annual price rises, doing all this integration and testing maintenance is another thing to add to the micro costs that all add up to the price rise.

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

I would expect that to require a change to the router firmware and maybe the hardware if there is not much free memory. I wonder if the customer will be able to initiate the speed test from the router's web interface or whether it will be initiated by the ISP. If it dos not work in a standard way the test might well only work on an ISP supplied router.

ISP supplied routers indeed. Initiated either by the ISP or in a similar manner to the SamKnows devices, periodic checks.

Unlikely to be a button there for customers to initiate speed tests much as customers can't initiate them via SamKnows boxes right now - the point is to try and present as fair a test as possible to ascertain ISP performance not to provide customers a new toy to play with.

Apparently, according to Plusnet staff, BT do now have a router that can run these tests.

I would hope hat customers could initiate the tests so that they can find out if they have an adequate service. Samknows boxes are trying to solve a different problem.

The testing described in the Ofcom document is about how ISP determine what allowance to make for peak speed, with the base line being the sync speed estimate for the line.

It is not about giving people a button to press and see if they can initiate the 30 day to fix process.

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

The testing described in the Ofcom document is about how ISP determine what allowance to make for peak speed, with the base line being the sync speed estimate for the line.

It is not about giving people a button to press and see if they can initiate the 30 day to fix process.

If that is the case how should customers ascertain whether the service they are getting is performing properly?

https://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest if you are connected via Ethernet and nothing else is using the connection and the multiple test is below the guaranteed figure then its time to raise questions with the provider. Along with numerous other sites.

Of course there are scenarios where site A is slow and site B is fast, or there are slow speeds for a very short period each on say Friday evenings every other week.

Remember the new rules only have been around for a few days and there is a 12 month implementation period. How it is implemented will vary and how the support teams cope will vary.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

If that is the case how should customers ascertain whether the service they are getting is performing properly?

Does it work? Is it doing everything you want/need it to? Does it feel appropriately snappy/responsive as it has historically?

Streaming good, no/minimal buffering and appropriate resolution unless of course your service has never supported higher resolutions?

Gaming smooth, no packet loss, rubber-banding?

Voice / video calls working as they have been?

Job done.

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Does it work? Is it doing everything you want/need it to? Does it feel appropriately snappy/responsive as it has historically?

Streaming good, no/minimal buffering and appropriate resolution unless of course your service has never supported higher resolutions?

Gaming smooth, no packet loss, rubber-banding?

Voice / video calls working as they have been?

Job done.

It is when things are not as you would like, that conclusive evidence, such as a multistream speed test from this website, that the service is poor could well be very helpful. You can then say please fix the service or let me out of the contract.

In reply to a post by Michael_Chare:

It is when things are not as you would like, that conclusive evidence, such as a multistream speed test from this website, that the service is poor could well be very helpful. You can then say please fix the service or let me out of the contract.

Then if the ISP is doing their job they run the test from their router. All good.

In reply to a post by Ignitionnet:

Then if the ISP is doing their job they run the test from their router. All good.

Plusnet said that BT have started to send out suitable routers, they themselves have not got that far yet.

There is a 12 month implementation period

Is this going to make it more difficult for people to use their own routers rather than the one supplied by the ISP?

As in 'you need to use our router so that we can run the tests' yes this might be an issue.

Or the old classic of 'there may be a charge if we send an engineer to test the line and the fault is found to be in your hardware, extension wiring etc' - at which point if someone worries and says no to engineer visit to check in house wiring the 30 day period probably resets.

As with all these moves to 'improve things' it is around the average consumer and not the many edge cases