# Broadband download speed



## TarfHead (13 Jan 2010)

I was a customer of BT for broadband (residential fixed line) , but am now a customer of VODAFONE. Not by choice - BT sold 'me' to VODAFONE.

Under my BT package, I was promised up to 1Mb and usually got around 300 kps for downloads.

Under the VODAFONE package, I am being promised up to 3Mb.

All other things being equal, is it fair to assume that I should be able to get a download rate of around 900 kps for downloads, i.e. a multiple of 3 over what BT provided ?

By downloads, I mean content such as podcasts, downloaded using right-click 'Save File As' & Firefox browser.


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## jhegarty (13 Jan 2010)

3mb is 384 kilobyte per second

Are you sure you only have 1meg at the moment ?


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## TarfHead (13 Jan 2010)

According to BT, I was getting up to 1Mb.

My assumption is that 300kps is one-third of what is possible, i.e. 1Mb = 1000kps.

Or is my assumption incorrect  ?


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## jhegarty (13 Jan 2010)

TarfHead said:


> According to BT, I was getting up to 1Mb.
> 
> My assumption is that 300kps is one-third of what is possible, i.e. 1Mb = 1000kps.
> 
> Or is my assumption incorrect  ?



No , it's divide by 8. There are 8 bits in a byte. They sell it in bits , but your computer shows the speed in bytes.

So 1 megabit per second is 1024 kilobits per second or 128 kilobytes per second.


Try running this test (http://speedtest.net/) and post what results if gives.


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## SparkRite (13 Jan 2010)

jhegarty said:


> So 1 megabyte per second is 1024 kilobits per second or 128 kilobytes per second.


 
I think what you meant to say was 1 mega*bit* per second is 1024 kilobits per sec.............


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## Bumper22 (13 Jan 2010)

We got sold to VF also. Broadband speed has decreased dramatically in the evening time. Any ideas why that might be ?


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## jhegarty (13 Jan 2010)

SparkRite said:


> I think what you meant to say was 1 mega*bit* per second is 1024 kilobits per sec.............



I did , thanks.

Updated.


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## jhegarty (13 Jan 2010)

Dutchy said:


> We got sold to VF also. Broadband speed has decreased dramatically in the evening time. Any ideas why that might be ?



Contention ratio is too high.

Give them a call and complain.


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## TarfHead (13 Jan 2010)

According to speedtest, 2.61 Mb/s

Yet downloads seem no faster than when with BT (Speedtest identified me being with VODAFONE).

So, BT were giving more than advised ?

Or VODAFONE's contention rate is 3 times higher ?

Or ..


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## jhegarty (13 Jan 2010)

TarfHead said:


> According to speedtest, 2.61 Mb/s
> 
> Yet downloads seem no faster than when with BT (Speedtest identified me being with VODAFONE).
> 
> ...



Based on the download figures it would appear so.


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