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Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

husk
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎10-03-2015

Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

I currently get 5 Mpbs through ADSL.
Supposedly 5 Mbps in the minimum requirement to stream HD content through Netflix, and iPlayer requires less.
Am I right in thinking that during peak hours my speed might be reduced therefore it would not be possible to stream HD content?
There is also the issue of the master socket, would this need to be moved to the same room as the streaming device and TV or would powerline adapters be sufficient? (I don't want to run extension cables).
There is roughly £160 difference between Plusnet ADSL and Fibre broadband packages over 18 months so I need to make sure it's worth it.
I am also worried that my could not be stable, and therefore would be in a worse position than if I had ADSL.
Any advice would be most helpful.
8 REPLIES 8
joclark
Grafter
Posts: 140
Registered: ‎09-03-2015

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

Good afternoon thanks for your quire, yes in honesty you can stream these on demand facilities with the speed. However what you have to consider that for every connection to you connect the speed can potentially reduce. Also when you as you have said possibly using powerline adapters, reduces the speed further.  So fibre would be the better service to use although more expensive.
With the powerline adapters you can pick them and would be sufficient I use them personally, I am yet touch wood to have any problems.
Stability of the line would be better with fibre but if you find you are having issues you can contact the technical team who will be able to run through some basic tests.
Hope this helps
Jo
dnpark38
Rising Star
Posts: 432
Thanks: 16
Registered: ‎24-02-2015

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

I thought you need Fibre to watch the streaming movies on a Smart Tv.
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/button/1476198475230638155-mini.png
joclark
Grafter
Posts: 140
Registered: ‎09-03-2015

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

Not at all, you can watch your smart TV with an ADSL connection as long as the speeds are available to you.
Jo
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

Good Powerline adaptors shouldn't slow things down but beware cheaper ones (even with good speed ratings) can.  House wiring can affect Powerline speeds.
Go for a brand such as Devolo (particularly the 'AV' ones) and you should be fine.
FTTC is most important if you have many users and several people want to be streaming different things at the same time (possibly while others are gaming / video-chatting etc.).
Congestion can slow both ADSL and FTTC (though it shouldn't be too serious if adequate exchange and network capacity is available).
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
husk
Newbie
Posts: 2
Registered: ‎10-03-2015

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

I currently live on my own so congestion on my local network is not an issue at all,
I'm not a gamer, but I would like to make sure that I can adequately stream films and other online content in 720p even during peak hours.
Is FTTC overkill in my situation or would it be useful?
jim:quote
JayG
Pro
Posts: 1,145
Thanks: 143
Fixes: 6
Registered: ‎30-10-2011

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

With a 5Mbps requirement for Netflix HD you obviously have little margin for error, but then again you have nothing to lose by giving it a go - you can always upgrade to fibre if you are struggling and it's important enough to you to be worth the extra cost.
I believe you can trial Netflix free for a month so wouldn't be incurring costs if you did have to upgrade.
w23
Pro
Posts: 6,347
Thanks: 96
Fixes: 4
Registered: ‎08-01-2008

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

I'd definitely agree, try it on your current service and see if it works problem-free.
Call me 'w23'
At any given moment in the universe many things happen. Coincidence is a matter of how close these events are in space, time and relationship.
Opinions expressed in forum posts are those of the poster, others may have different views.
Kremmen
Aspiring Pro
Posts: 559
Thanks: 15
Fixes: 5
Registered: ‎13-04-2013

Re: Do I need Fibre or should I stick with ADSL?

I was in a similar position where I was getting about 5mbps down but my up had deteriorated to 0.2mbps from a peak of 1mbps. I looked at the price increase from circa £10 a month to £17 a month but my speeds would increase 5 fold according to the checker.
Since the upgrade to fibre, even though it's not the quickest on record at 17mbps, which is only a 4 fold increase, but it is certainly smoother and less problematic for my security camera and smart TV's.
Use the speed checker to see if you think you would benefit.
Let's be careful out there !