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Difference in speeds in same area

scubabeaver01
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎29-07-2011

Difference in speeds in same area

I am moving to a new area and am looking into broadband speeds etc. There is a difference of speeds from 0.2Mb for Plusnet at 593 metres away to 4.9Mb for BT at 841metres away and 9.8Mb for Sky at 570 metres away. As I cannot get an answer from Plusnet, guess where my custom is going to. Plusnet have been good to me here with an average 4.0Mb which for a village is the best we can hope for but to drop to 0.2Mb is not acceptable.Is this the lowest speed Plusnet give, I'd be interested to know
18 REPLIES 18
Oldjim
Resting Legend
Posts: 38,460
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Registered: ‎15-06-2007

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

Where are you getting those speeds from - i suspect speeds reported from a speed test site.
Basically you will get as fast as the line supports whoever you go with.
Have you tried putting the post code checker in http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/adslchecker.php
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

BT own Plusnet.  BT and Plusnet use exactly the same equipment so the best speed you can get with BT is EXACTLY the same as the best speed you will get with Plusnet.  Whether you can achieve your best possible speed can come down to the level of technical support you are given and I rate Plusnet technical support far above that offered by BT.
Sky often choose to install their own equipment in the telephone exchange so under the right circumstances they might be able to offer higher speeds than BT/Plusnet.  But I can get three times the speed of my neighbour three door away (50m ?) because, by some lottery, his line takes a longer route to the telephone exchange than mine does.  So don't count on those local speed results.     
scubabeaver01
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎29-07-2011

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

I have used USwitch to find these figures, without being an expert on speed finding websites I thought this site being well known should be OK
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

Rather than relying on uSwitch why not use Bt Wholesale's check at http://www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/adslchecker.welcome. Presumably you won't have a phone number to use so select the address or postcode checker as appropriate.
Why not check your own too, to get an idea of accuracy?
David
w23
Pro
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Re: Difference in speeds in same area

The speed you actually get depends very much on the telephone line - mostly the length to the exchange but also the quality of the line.  ISPs have little influence on the basic attainable speed but some are better than others at getting the best from a particular line.  I'd say that PlusNet are at least 'better than most' in this respect.  Individual results on comparison sites are not necessarily indicative of what you might really expect.  I would definitely not avoid PlusNet based on what you have seen on that site.
Call me 'w23'
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Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

Quote from: scubabeaver01
I have used USwitch to find these figures, without being an expert on speed finding websites I thought this site being well known should be OK

The the results, such as they, are are fine.  It is the inference you draw from the data that is questionable; in fact the way the Uswitch site presents the data is questionable.  Lies, damn lies and statistics, I suppose.   
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

@scubabeaver01
What are you looking for an answer to exactly? I'm happy to help with any queries you can throw at me Smiley
With regards to the BT availability checker, our estimates are actually based on that. I can see according to your account that you have a 6.5mb connection profile at present so do let me know if you have any concerns relating to that.
Adam
If this post resolved your issue please click the 'This fixed my problem' button
 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
scubabeaver01
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎29-07-2011

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

Thanks for that info Adam, I have just run a speed check via Plusnets own link and hey what do you know, from my 6.5mb connection I am getting a whopping 2094kbs download and a not so whopping 382kbs upload, I have tried this 3 times over an hour period and this is this best
scubabeaver01
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎29-07-2011

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

ReedRichards
And you work for / sponsered by ? to give that opion!!
Not USwitch thats certain
ReedRichards
Seasoned Pro
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Registered: ‎14-07-2009

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

Quote from: scubabeaver01
0.2Mb for Plusnet at 593 metres away

I'm self employed, fix computers for a living.  I spend a fair bit of time helping people with broadband problems so I know that many people only achieve a fraction of the speed that their line might be capable of.  The chances are that that poor Plusnet customer with only 0.2Mbps forgot to fit an ADSL filter to the Sky box, or some such.  The way Uswitch presents the data might be taken to imply that BT can somehow give you a faster broadband than Plusnet (or vice versa) when this just isn't true.   
adamwalker
Plusnet Help Team
Plusnet Help Team
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Registered: ‎27-04-2007

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

@scubabeaver01
In that case I'd say report a fault with us please: http://faults.plus.net
Let me know if you hit any difficulties beyond that.
Adam
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 Adam Walker
 Plusnet Help Team
scubabeaver01
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎29-07-2011

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

I cannot report a fault to an address that I'm about to move to without getting broadband installed. My point is I would like to know the upto speeds  of any provider BEFORE I commit. Would you go into a shop and buy the inferior of 4 products that do the same job for the same money
CX
Grafter
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Registered: ‎16-09-2010

Re: Difference in speeds in same area

The provider does not overly influence the "up to" speed, unless their own network is oversubscribed (with Plusnet this is unlikely to be the case, and they're fairly open about their operations). The determining factor is the length of your line, the quality of your internal wiring and any nearby sources of interference. Those people getting 0.2Mbps with Plusnet would be getting 0.2Mbps with any other provider on a BT line, if it's a dodgy line.
There's another possible reason they may be recording 0.2Mbps - this is the speed you get throttled to if you go over your usage allowance. Their "proper" speed would likely be significantly higher, as with the other results from the other providers. And this is the problem with sites like that - the speed result is not at all representative.
In my opinion you have nothing to lose by sticking with Plusnet because if your speeds turn out to be rubbish, then they would have been equally rubbish had you gone with someone else. At least with Plusnet you have a UK call centre and competent faults team to help you to get it resolved.
scubabeaver01
Dabbler
Posts: 21
Registered: ‎29-07-2011

Re: Difference in speeds in same area


cx23880
whilst I can see your point  why do companies like this link give what according to you is false information to somebody like me who has to bow to the results of a search engine for a unbiased answer
http://www.broadbandchoices.co.uk/area/somerset/taunton.html