Broadband Speed

[Baytownbud]

I currently have broadband access via cable modem.

I was just wondering who is "responsible" for the download speed/rate? The cable company that provides the connection or the ISP to which I connect?

Thanks in advance.

[JDoors]

Interesting but probably moot point as the disclaimers likely state the 'guaranteed' number is smaller than they led you to believe. Plus, cable high-speed is particularly vulnerable to slowdowns based on the amount of traffic at any given time, something else probably defined in the small print that immunizes all parties from any 'expected' speeds.

<edit> Since there are so many areas that affect speed good luck getting anybody to take responsibility for it. Your system, your local network, the local server, the area server, the identical but reverse path to the source of what you're trying to look at or download, and all points in between.

You didnt' state if you're unhappy with what you're getting. What speed are you paying for and what are you getting when you use a test site?

PC Pitstop Internet Speed Test Page

Edited September 1, 2005 by JDoors

[Andy_veal]

I would of guessed ISP, as different packages allow different download/upload speeds

Well thats a UK guess

[isteve]

Are talking about the maximum speed you could get, what speed your paying for. Or the actual speed of a given download. Any file you download depends on the server your downloading from it's like having a garden hose and a fire hose, if your feeding the water in with a eyedropper your going to get one drop at a time.

[thesidekickcat]

I have heard it also depends on how many people are logged in at same time in your neighborhood. The more there are, the less speed you get.

In fact our local phone company just ran an ad about that in today's paper.

As for me, I'm thinking of getting Dsl with Quest, just haven't figured it all out yet.

I am totally fed up with dialup at 28.8 Kbps.

Pat.

God bless everyone.

[isteve]

Any broadband is better then dial up. There is no reason that a well maintained cable system should slow down unless they oversold your local node, and you got to have a pretty bad cable company to do that. Most cable companies sell packages by minimum speed you will get. The DSL providers then started selling by maximum speed you may get. Then some cable companies started doing the same so it sounds like you will get more.

When you look for a broadband provider just read the fine print to see if there selling minimum or they say "up to".

[mikex]

Yeah you will get that "up to" at 3am when the world is sleeping and you just happen to download a file, but this is only for a short time. Burst speed is what they are selling. Just because your pinto registers 120 in the speedometer doesn't mean it will get it. If it does it will not hold it for long.

M