I've just followed on to ordering the package. Later in the process it states:

Estimated download speed range 37.80Mbps to 55Mbps, minimum guaranteed download speed 34.28Mbps

So I have gone from a guaranteed 55Mbps to now a guaranteed 34.28Mbps on the SAME package.

In reply to a post by ian72:

I've just followed on to ordering the package. Later in the process it states:

Estimated download speed range 37.80Mbps to 55Mbps, minimum guaranteed download speed 34.28Mbps

So I have gone from a guaranteed 55Mbps to now a guaranteed 34.28Mbps on the SAME package.

just did the BT checker :
WBC ADSL 2+ Downstream Line Rate : up to 17
FTTP on Demand Downstream Line Rate : 330
VDSL Range A (Clean) : Downstream Line Rate 80/73.5 (Downstream Handback Threshold : 66.1)
VDSL Range B (Impacted) : Downstream Line Rate 80/67.5 (Downstream Handback Threshold : 55)

thank you so much for your detailed help so far !

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

To confirm Vodafone guarantee is just sync speed, i.e. the app looks at sync speed of the modem inside the Vodafone router

if the Virgin service is otherwise good and its just price, I'd chase them for a deal.

called them up. only thing they can do is to lower pricing to 39/month + 50 GBP credit note for the same product

With results like that you will get 55Mbps from every provider and if it goes below that it will be a fault. I haven't used Voda but I'm not sure they are the best ISP around for speeds - some of the "good" ISPs would likely be able to provide you line speeds pretty much all the time which would potentially be an improvement over Virgin but I suspect Voda is too cheap to always give that level of throughput - they have to cut corners somewhere to keep the costs low.

All ISPs supplying via Openreach are going to be subject to the irregularities of the Open Reach network with it's connections in the wire between the local cabinet and your master socket. Each of these connections are subject faults creeping in from corrosion to damage occuring when adjacent connections in the wire bundle are disturbed. You are are also subject to the amount of traffic in the bundle of wires from your cabinet to the pole or distribution point to your premises.
You also have the influence of the internal telephone cabling in the property. The quaility of the internal wires and circuit has to be checked out as part of the debugging required when reporting a fault with ann Openreach service.

From what I can see for the Virgin service there is a dedicated cable with no breaks and connections from your local cabinet to the inside of your property hence reducing the opportunities for signal problems to occur.

As for the Virgin network upstream from the local cabinet I cannot comment apart a very consistent speed being reported by the Samknows White box

In reply to a post by DRW:

All ISPs supplying via Openreach are going to be subject to the irregularities of the Open Reach network with it's connections in the wire between the local cabinet and your master socket. Each of these connections are subject faults creeping in from corrosion to damage occuring when adjacent connections in the wire bundle are disturbed. You are are also subject to the amount of traffic in the bundle of wires from your cabinet to the pole or distribution point to your premises.
You also have the influence of the internal telephone cabling in the property. The quaility of the internal wires and circuit has to be checked out as part of the debugging required when reporting a fault with ann Openreach service.

From what I can see for the Virgin service there is a dedicated cable with no breaks and connections from your local cabinet to the inside of your property hence reducing the opportunities for signal problems to occur.

As for the Virgin network upstream from the local cabinet I cannot comment apart a very consistent speed being reported by the Samknows White box

alrighty. better stay with Virgin it seems if speed is my goal.

thank you all

Yes, aware of all of that. But, the overwhelming percentage of lines see very little issues on FTTC in which case it is primarily contention that is the issue for most users. Yes, errors can occur and the certainty of Virgin or fibre technologies for connection is useful but if seeking lower cost then FTTC is a viable option especially where the estimates are high.

Virgin Media has larger cabinets than the ones that are littered all over the place. AIUI those have DSLAMs like the Openreach FTTC ones. They have vents and humming fans.

The smaller VM cabinets are fed from those by copper Coax cable and then split to the copper wires that run (generally) below our pavements to just outside our premises.

When the first order for those premises is received they fish the wires out of the access hole and add wiring to join those to a further junction box on an outside wall of the house. Where phone, TV etc are again split to feed wherever you choose.

That sounds very similar to the Openreach physical network to me.

In a very broad sense, the difference is the data transmission protocols employed.

When they installed my connection they dragged a cable from the cabinet to the house, from what I could see it was one run of coax from the cabinet to inside the house. The cable used has a second cable attached alongside it to carry voice phone calls.

It is worth reading Wiki on the DOCSIS standards.

DOCSIS

You have 2 threads open on the same subject, and I posted the following in your other one:

In reply to a post by Discus:

Sorry, I can't recommend them on the Sandy exchange. On the guaranteed 55meg, sync at 48 meg with my own router as the VF one kept dropping the 5ghz wifi. My throughput has not risen above 20 meg, with as low as 7meg for the last 4 days, not just in peak times, even though wired and plugged to master socket.. I am using the 30 day guarantee to leave.