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?