Virgin media 20mb / true speed !

[MRBILLYUK]

Is anybody on VM 20mb and if so what speeds do you see ?

A guy at work claims he gets 23mb even though he's only supposed to get 20mb . He's shown me a screen shot using speedtest.net and he's getting 7061 kb/s ( 6.89mb ) and he's shown me a screen shot from newsgroups and it's showing 23.3mb .

I'd say speedtest.net is pretty accurate as i get around 3.8mb on VM and it should be 4mb .

 

[richy22]

Id say he is not getting 23mb as the virgin 20mb offer is a bit of a farce. The modems customer side etc can handle it but the hardware on there side is not capable of acheiving such speeds. (at the mo)

All the hardware and cabling is pushed to its limits at the moment so id be surprised if he was getting that.

Where abouts are you/is he??

If he is actually getting that speed then i think he should enjoy it whilse it lasts! Depends how close he is to the exchange tbh... and if he is a new customer.

For the first couple of weeks they always seem to run on say the maximum speed the line will take, but after that they usually drop it down to an "optimum" speed for the line.

Thats actually hogwash and they have a formula for calculating your speed. They base it on

1. Distance from Line
2. Quality of line (they have grades like 1-9)
3. Usage avg per day
4. How there network is performing i.e DSLAMS in use
5. A few more factors they dont like to tell us

I could possibly check his speed but i might get in trouble.

Speedtest is generally pretty reliable though.

 

[JonnyK]

i love getting capped, oh how i love it

 

[john182rs]

im getting a reading of 21223kbs on speedtest.net an im only on the 20mb sevice.

 

[theduck]

Will check mine when I get home. richy22 if what you say is true, how can they be planning to roll out 100mb??

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Id say he is not getting 23mb as the virgin 20mb offer is a bit of a farce. The modems customer side etc can handle it but the hardware on there side is not capable of acheiving such speeds. (at the mo)

All the hardware and cabling is pushed to its limits at the moment so id be surprised if he was getting that.

Where abouts are you/is he??

If he is actually getting that speed then i think he should enjoy it whilse it lasts! Depends how close he is to the exchange tbh... and if he is a new customer.

For the first couple of weeks they always seem to run on say the maximum speed the line will take, but after that they usually drop it down to an "optimum" speed for the line.

Thats actually hogwash and they have a formula for calculating your speed. They base it on

1. Distance from Line
2. Quality of line (they have grades like 1-9)
3. Usage avg per day
4. How there network is performing i.e DSLAMS in use
5. A few more factors they dont like to tell us

I could possibly check his speed but i might get in trouble.

Speedtest is generally pretty reliable though.

He's in Darwen , Lancashire . He bullshits quite a bit so thats why i asked him to email the screen shots of his speed . He's been on ntl/virgin for a few years same as me and he lives a couple of streets away from me .

 

[richy22]

Try using this for your speedtests and see how it compares out of interest

Actually I lied my bad Speedtest is not a very reliable test..... try using this for speed testing lines....

http://tenmeg.myby.co.uk/

 

[Ibanezman]

Are you sure it's not just showing 23.3 mb for the early part of a download, where you get false readings ? I'd say there's no way he's getting above 20mb

 

[MRBILLYUK]

im getting a reading of 21223kbs on speedtest.net an im only on the 20mb sevice.

20.7255859375 mb

 

[Toypop]

I've had 20mb on one speedtest site but in real world downloads never anymore than about 12 or 13. It can take 5 hours to download a 100mb file from the PS3 Network or Xbox Live so whilst I think Virgin are providing me with 20mb, the content providers are not delivering!

 

[john182rs]

Been told that 20meg service is meant to be going to 50meg service in a couple of months.... COME ON!!!!

 

[john182rs]

Try using this for your speedtests and see how it compares out of interest

Actually I lied my bad Speedtest is not a very reliable test..... try using this for speed testing lines....

http://tenmeg.myby.co.uk/

With this one its still showing 19339 an says based on this information you have a 20mb connection or better.

 

[theduck]

Try using this for your speedtests and see how it compares out of interest

Actually I lied my bad Speedtest is not a very reliable test..... try using this for speed testing lines....

http://tenmeg.myby.co.uk/

Speedtest gave same reading within 2kb...

 

[richy22]

Will check mine when I get home. richy22 if what you say is true, how can they be planning to roll out 100mb??

This country will no way get 100mb speeds until BT's Mononpoly hold on the network is crushed.

Bt owns all the telephony rights etc for the uk right? All the other broadband providers are unbundled to either LLU (Local Loop Unbundling) or OLO (Other licensed Operators). These are in effect the same thing but just worded differently. Well LLU means the exchange is unbundles to accept other clients lines/access and OLO means the line is actually being operated by a third party. But you can have an LLU controlled by an OLO! Tal about confusion!

BT supposedly mantain the networks but with the ongoing saga of BT constantly outsourcing things, like BT Openreach, (shipping call centres to India etc) which are actually contractors and not directly with BT as such the hold up is BT not spending money etc to upgrade the networks to this 21CN b****cks.

So yes they may be planning to bring out 100mb but for the foresable future it will not happen.

Yes the hardware our side can handle it but the network infrastructure i.e cabling DSLAMS etc will not.

60% of this country is yet to be upgraded line wise and in some cases the lines running to premises are actually only capable of taking 36-64kb (YES KB!). So the lines are pushing speeds they are not capble of (this doesnt mean they will break just means it is un-reliable).

Certain companies like Virgin etc might be willing to spend the money hence why you get 20mb. 50mb at this point is probably pushing it tbh. In other words dont hold your breath!

 

[richy22]

Try using this for your speedtests and see how it compares out of interest

Actually I lied my bad Speedtest is not a very reliable test..... try using this for speed testing lines....

http://tenmeg.myby.co.uk/

Speedtest gave same reading within 2kb...

Speedtest is not always accurate though... it makes it look pretty etc but can give very inaccurate reading sometimes!

That other test site is good as it uses 2 files to download and calculates the speed that way.

Speedtest.net and other sites can sometimes make your speed way too good.

To give you an example Speedtest reckons 5501 for here at work, that other site was 5201.1.

Our actual max speed we have here is 5221.01778943 (blah blah blah) set from the exchange So that other site is closer.

 

[Darren S]

I only get between 1MB and 1.5MB as our house is a knat's todger from the limit of the exchange.

You young 'uns should count yourself lucky you can even get double figures! :rasp:

D.

 

[steelee]

Virgin and the cable companys use there own fibre networks and dont go near the old copper BT infastructure, at this moment in time they are more than capable of delivering 100MB speeds (innercity) only at the mo but you should see widespread rollout of 50Mb on the near future, there will be some contention but you will be able to achieve quoted speeds.

 

[theduck]

Virgin and the cable companys use there own fibre networks and dont go near the old copper BT infastructure, at this moment in time they are more than capable of delivering 100MB speeds (innercity) only at the mo but you should see widespread rollout of 50Mb on the near future, there will be some contention but you will be able to achieve quoted speeds.

Glad someone whoe knew more about this than me posted as I was pretty sure richy22 was wrong

 

[richy22]

Virgin and the cable companys use there own fibre networks and dont go near the old copper BT infastructure, at this moment in time they are more than capable of delivering 100MB speeds (innercity) only at the mo but you should see widespread rollout of 50Mb on the near future, there will be some contention but you will be able to achieve quoted speeds.

Correct a few areas will receive 50mb broadband speed due to the fact they lay there own cables etc... Only problem is what i said above.. Most areas are still a BT stronghold with there crappy copper wires.

The rollout for 100mb speeds said to be around 2010 (why is everything always bloody 2010!!)

Shame BT dont follow in all the others footsteps and actually "Invest" in there infrastructure.

I wasnt saying that the speeds are not achievable full stop... just ranting about BT really! They do have quite a hold on the broadband market at the moment (lines etc) Good to see there share prices up at £2 huh??!!

 

[richy22]

Virgin and the cable companys use there own fibre networks and dont go near the old copper BT infastructure, at this moment in time they are more than capable of delivering 100MB speeds (innercity) only at the mo but you should see widespread rollout of 50Mb on the near future, there will be some contention but you will be able to achieve quoted speeds.

Glad someone whoe knew more about this than me posted as I was pretty sure richy22 was wrong

What I said above ^^^^^^

 

[richy22]

Interestingly enough we are working with Orange on there Rollout for France Telecom Broadband and they offer speeds of 24mb + as standard!

 

[Andy.]

A guy at work is taking part in a 100mb test group in the next couple of months. It would be great to have a go on that! download a DVD in minutes!

 

[theduck]

problem is the places you download from tend not to support the speeds

 

[H182]

I read somewhere last week from a virgin spokesman that their technology is capeable of 300mpbs. Guess its just the bandwidth they would have problems with.

 

[richy22]

problem is the places you download from tend not to support the speeds

Indeed.... that is another one of the issues.

 

[richy22]

I read somewhere last week from a virgin spokesman that their technology is capeable of 300mpbs. Guess its just the bandwidth they would have problems with.

Everything is always capable of doing something or other! Reality is a wonderfull thing!

 

[thejoose]

Thats actually hogwash and they have a formula for calculating your speed. They base it on

1. Distance from Line
2. Quality of line (they have grades like 1-9)
3. Usage avg per day
4. How there network is performing i.e DSLAMS in use
5. A few more factors they dont like to tell us

I could possibly check his speed but i might get in trouble.

Speedtest is generally pretty reliable though.

This country will no way get 100mb speeds until BT's Mononpoly hold on the network is crushed.

BT doesnt even come into this mate

He is on virgin - virgin have there own network and dont use BT's telecoms equipment there for distance from exchange is irrelevent - they dont use exchanges!

fibre optics to the green boxes at the end of your street then coaxial to your door

 

[thejoose]

1. Distance from Line
2. Quality of line (they have grades like 1-9)
3. Usage avg per day
4. How there network is performing i.e DSLAMS in use
5. A few more factors they dont like to tell us

I could possibly check his speed but i might get in trouble.

Speedtest is generally pretty reliable though.


This country will no way get 100mb speeds until BT's Mononpoly hold on the network is crushed.

BT doesnt even come into this mate

He is on virgin - virgin have there own network and dont use BT's telecoms equipment there for distance from exchange is irrelevent - they dont use exchanges!

fibre optics to the green boxes at the end of your street then coaxial to your door