Downloading files not as fast as I thought

[#1]

I have FTTP installed and speedtest.net shows download speeds of up to 70 if I don't use wireless, so no complaints there. Iplayer works a treat and my son has stopped complaining about Xbox Live and WOW so all looks good.
However, when downloading files via VUZE I can't help but be a little dissapointed as the speed doesn't seem to be that much greater than before. If I download before 10pm, it is slow. After 10:30 it picks up a bit, but not that much. If I try during the middle of the night it is faster but still took 40 minutes to download a 1Gb file.
Anybody got any ideas, is it settings on VUZE (should I try something else as well?), is it settings with Plusnet or profiling. Does my son's gaming affect the traffic before I pack him off to sleep at 10:30? 

[#2]

Have you limited your upload speed? (I'm assuming this is a VUZE option). As you have a very fast upload I'm guessing other VUZE users will be choosing you as a good source.

[#3]

Unless you are on the Pro product the P2P restrictions will kick in and even if they aren't specifically restricted (after midnight) they will still be in the bronze queue

[#4]

jelv, I have limited my Vuze upload speed so that should deter people from flocking to my connection. I notice Vuze as a automatic speed selection option that matches what the ISP (Plusnet) is making available - which is showing as around 2Mpa. I have tried disabling the automatic speed selection but it keeps reverting to that for some reason. Should I be looking at something other than Vuze for downloading torrents - I wonder what is the most popular and easiest to use these days?
Oldjim, I am on Plusnet premium which is a superior package to Pro, I believe, as it gives me an 80GB download limit and prioritised traffic is shown as Gold Plated (odd not Gold though - what's the difference?) for Download sites and servers. I wonder if the download speeds are limited to the ADSL+ speeds and not what is now available to me on Fibre? But, with Fibre, is there a need to be shaping or prioritising traffic at all I wonder, since I am not tying up the copper lines any more? 

[#5]

On Plusnet Premium P2P (and this includes VUZE) is still restricted during the day and is in the bronze category http://www.plus.net/support/broadband/products/archive/plusnet_premium_archive.shtml

[#6]

Quote from: f513toy

I am on Plusnet premium which is a superior package to Pro, I believe,

No, on Pro (and BBYW Pro and the old PAYG) all traffic is Gold or better, ALL other products have some traffic in lower priority queues.

[#7]

Oh, so Premium and Pro are roughly the same price. Premium has an 80Gb peak time dowload allowance and pro has only a 20Gb allowance. But in the small print, it seems that whilst Premium is shown as gold plated for downloads - which for use non techies assumed including download sites, it is actually crippled for P2P which affects torrents from sites like BTJunkie etc? So those on Pro must be downloading during off peak times anyway to keep within the miserable 20GB allowance anyway. Hmm, no one told me that before?

[#8]

Well I'm on the old PAYG which has a 15GB allowance, this month looks like being one of my heaviest ever, with a day to go my peak is 11GB and off-peak 4GB. So although there are a lot of people taking advantage of the off-peak it's by no means everyone on the Pro or equivalent packages.
When you said middle of the night, what time was it? I'd only expect P2P to be near full speed after 2am or so.

[#9]

Jelv, between 12am and 8am, my package apaprantly should be on line speed (70Mpa?) for everything. You might be right that at 2am, there should be no restriction but unless I am downstairs letting the dog out for a pee again!, I am generally fast asleep at that time. I was hoping to be able to take advantage of my new speeds during waking hours to be honest   I am looking at the product info for my Premium package right now and it shows that between midday and midnight, for everything other than gaming and streaming, I cannot expect anything more than 1MB at best!
Maybe Plusnet need to rethink some of the old ADSL restrictions now that they are moving people onto fibre?

[#10]

Thousands of people kick things off at midnight so for an hour or two speeds are down. As their downloads finish speeds on the lowest priority traffic picks up.
When the packages are launched for fibre, if there are improvements in the allowed speeds or bandwidth it's odds-on that it will mean a higher price!