Is loss of bandwidth normal @ peak times?

speeduk · 5 May 2006 at 19:04

Hi guys. On my 2 meg connection with eclipse - I would always get 2mb's download no matter what.

I have now moved to wireless broadband (sobroadband) because I moved out of an adsl area and I am getting mixed results.

I am using a 3meg service and some times I can get 395k's and most often between 5-8pm the speed is stuck at 100k's which isn't even 1mb.

Should I keep pestering them or just downgrade to their 1.5mb service?

Burbleflop · 5 May 2006 at 20:13

Sounds like contention to me which is, unfortunately, normal. If you want to moan at them, check the T's & C's to see what bandwidth guarantee is in place.

If you think about it, it is normal at peak times. By defintion, more people will be using the service and there is only a finite amount of bandwidth to go around. More people using = less bandwidth per person.

speeduk · 5 May 2006 at 21:08

Burbleflop said:
Sounds like contention to me which is, unfortunately, normal. If you want to moan at them, check the T's & C's to see what bandwidth guarantee is in place.

If you think about it, it is normal at peak times. By defintion, more people will be using the service and there is only a finite amount of bandwidth to go around. More people using = less bandwidth per person.

Looks like I am downgrading then. Even now @ 21:05 I still get 105kb's which for 3mb is silly.

iwrox · 5 May 2006 at 21:43

I did warn you! I have recently left SO broadband after just 2 months for exactly the reasons you mention above. Whenever i queried the slow speeds which i got pretty much 24/7 they just blamed it on equipment, and that they was looking into it.

speeduk · 6 May 2006 at 16:16

iwrox said:
I did warn you! I have recently left SO broadband after just 2 months for exactly the reasons you mention above. Whenever i queried the slow speeds which i got pretty much 24/7 they just blamed it on equipment, and that they was looking into it.

Thing is though they are the only broadband suppliers in the area.

NathanE · 6 May 2006 at 17:01

speeduk said:
Thing is though they are the only broadband suppliers in the area.

Then you're stuck with them... Those speeds sound pretty good considering 1) it's wireless, and 2) there's no alternative except dialup...

speeduk · 6 May 2006 at 21:44

NathanE said:
Then you're stuck with them... Those speeds sound pretty good considering 1) it's wireless, and 2) there's no alternative except dialup...

Yeah but its pretty dodgy as I was getting a constant 395k's even at peak times from friday to monday and now I am trotting along at 85k's.

The fact is I am paying for 3mb (350k's+) not 0.7mb 85k's which is how slow it has been today.

Edit - it is now even slower @ 536kbps (67kbps). At this rate by monday I will have 56k speeds.

R4z0r · 7 May 2006 at 13:55

speeduk said:
The fact is I am paying for 3mb (350k's+) not 0.7mb 85k's which is how slow it has been today.

Log a support ticket? In all honesty I suspect they'll just refer you to the T&C's but still worth a shot.

speeduk · 12 May 2006 at 00:38

R4z0r said:
Log a support ticket? In all honesty I suspect they'll just refer you to the T&C's but still worth a shot.

Their support has been really good. I think its a combination of them being the only mainstream suppliers of broadband in our area and the fact that its new technology and still needs some tweaking.

It has been a lot better this week and especially today. Been downloading at almost 400k's this evening.

Download Speed: 3115 kbps (389.4 KB/sec transfer rate)
Upload Speed: 486 kbps (60.8 KB/sec transfer rate)

Its even better downloading through dap 400-407kb's which is like a 3.5mb connection.

Hope it stays like this.