What to Do ?

Hi all, sorry if this is in the wrong box...
I've noticed significant slow down in my speed. Going from 3.5 / 4mbps two and a bit years ago to less than 1mbps as I type this. I've done all the usual filter changes, cable changes, router reboots etc etc. When I complain to my provider they tell me it's all down to line length, quality etc etc, but no one seems to know why my speed has dropped as dramatically as it now has.

So, given that I'm paying £20 a month or so for <1mbps service, why shouldn't I switch to Sky £10 a month or Virgin Broadband £15 a month, as even if I get the same speed, I'll still be paying less for it ?

Can any of you beleive that we're having to put up with this ridiculously slow connectivity ? Places like singapore, thailand, australia etc, they've had 30mbps broadband for years. I think it has a lot to do with the virtual monopoly BT has over the infrastructure.

Either monitor your line stats as reported by your router for problems, then try to fix them.
Or migrate and see if that helps; if not, start again.

Which ISP is it? Some have a pattern of restricting speeds either deliberately or simple congestion in their own system.

We also need at least one of, and preferably all of:- connection speeds up and down, the full results of a BT speed test, and full line stats - see here if you don't know how to get them.

How much do you download and upload in a month normally and at most, and what's the most you want to pay?

Edited by RobertoS (Tue 10-Mar-09 08:47:38)

thanks, well the provider is entanet, my stats since 2006 show that my speed decreased below 3mbps in July 2007, then again under 2mbps 18th August 2008 and now under 1mbps literally just this week.

The upload speed seems to have remained constant. The speed tests I've done confirm that I'm getting between 0.6mbps and 0.9mbps or as I like to put it pathetic!

I don't mind paying the £20 a month I currently pay, but I object at having to pay 100% of the cost for effectively 1/4 of the service I signed up to...

I am a heavy downloader, my kids play a lot of online games, download music etc etc... so I want a truly unlimited or obviously limited service... i.e. an allowance... still at <1mbps there's a limit to how much it's possible to download!!

I'm more or less decided to switch so thanks for your interest. If there's anything earth shattering you think I can do to increase my speed then let me know.

thanks.

my stats since 2006 show that my speed decreased below 3mbps in July 2007, then again under 2mbps 18th August 2008 and now under 1mbps literally just this week

That doesn't look like stats, it looks like speed test results.

The stats tell us what speed you are actually connected at, and we can also work out what it should be if that is low. The BT Speed test also gives us an important figure called the IP Profile. Not only can that get stuck, but Entanet hold a copy of it that can also get stuck even if the BT one is OK. Your sync speed doesn't directly control your download speed. The IP Profile does.

Entanet are having major problems at the moment with evening and weekend speeds which you may be aware of from the forum here. I don't see a quick resolution to that. But without seeing the stats we cannot confirm it isn't a problem that has developed at your end. If it is then it will go with you.

If you give us the link to what samknows says about your exchange then we can make sensible suggestions of where to move to.