U.S. Government Pats ISPs on the Back for Deliver Advertised Broadband Speeds
U.S. Government Pats ISPs on the Back for Deliver Advertised Broadband Speeds
Posted 08/03/2011 at 6:40am
| by Paul Lilly
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Here's a fun little test you can perform at home that won't take much time. Head over to SpeedTest.net and click 'Begin Test' to measure your broadband speed. Now compare the results with what you're paying for. Is your ISP delivering the goods? If not, count yourself among the unlucky few, at least according to data from a government study released this week.
The Federal Communications Commission examined the top three most popular broadband technologies -- DSL, cable modems, and fiber-to-the-home, which collectively account for approximately 86 percent of all U.S. wireline broadband connections -- and found that ISPs in the U.S. typically hit (or come close to hitting) their advertised speeds. During peak hours, DSL providers delivered download speeds that were 82 percent of maximum advertised speeds, while that figure rose to 93 percent and 114 percent for cable and fiber-optic links, respectively.
"For most participating broadband providers, actual download speeds are substantially closer to advertised speeds than was found in data from early 2009 and discussed in a subsequent FCC white paper, though performance can vary significantly by technology and specific provider," the FCC wrote in its report.
Things aren't as rosy for Cablevision customers, which showed a marked drop off in performance during daytime hours up until the wee hours of the morning. During peak periods, Cablevision only sustained its advertised speed half of the time at the 15Mbps tier.
You can read the entire detailed study here.
What speeds are you recording, and how do they compare to what you're paying for?
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SodaAnt
August 05, 2011 at 10:19am
I'm not really paying for it, but the best I've gotten is 428 up / 215 down.
http://speedtest.net/result/1387244162.png
Mibgranny
August 04, 2011 at 1:36pm
Paying for 1.5 Mbps down, usually get .90 or 1.10...
Business as usual...
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1417638650.png
ISP is BroadbandQ, because we don't get cable where I live.
greysonbotts
August 03, 2011 at 10:20pm
I have one of the FCC's free routers that they give you if you don't mind having hourly speed and reliablity tests conducted and the info gets sent to them directly
they give you access to a site that shows you the results of those tests
this is how i found out that earthlink(running on time warner's lines and equipment so it's acctually just TW without speed boost and cheaper...) upgraded my service from 7/.5 to 10/1(runs solid) here in lincoln NE.... kinda strange how they don't publicize stuff like that... it's nice tho :)
for you network nerds... I know time warners cable service in lincoln ne runs on a fiber sonet ring that loops around the city.... kinda neat
livebriand
August 03, 2011 at 6:32pm
I pay for 15mbps down comcast service. Thanks to turboboost, I get 24mbps (that lasts for about 20MB). If I download something right before the speedtest, preventing turboboost from kicking in, I get about 14mbps or so. About as advertised.
NoCtrl
August 03, 2011 at 3:11pm
Paying for 35up/35down from Verizon Fios
http://speedtest.net/result/1416100467.png
lindethier
August 03, 2011 at 3:10pm
I'm paying for 20 Mbps down, averaging around 15-23 Mbps, in Kennewick, WA. I'm happy with Charter for now.
Blues22475
August 03, 2011 at 1:14pm
I am getting what I am paying for. I pay for 8megs down I get 7.5megs (super close).
avenger48
August 03, 2011 at 12:35pm
I pay for 10/1, and get 9.13/0.87, so meh. I used to get 10/1 actual with the same ISP, but I moved so I don't anymore. Stupid suburbs.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1415905912.png
Joe The Plummer
August 03, 2011 at 11:33am
I have Cablevision and they suck now. When I first signed up for boost 30Mbs down 5Mbps up, I consistently got that speed. The past couple of months it steadily slowed to 15Mbps-20Mbps down and as of the past couple of weeks below 10Mbps during peak hours. Last night I was getting 3-5Mbps down. And they keep trying to push me to upgrade to their next tier. Makes no sense. If I'm not getting 30Mbps now how would I get 101Mbps???
Wish FiOS was available in my area. Just their DSL which wouldn't be an improvement.
vistageek
August 03, 2011 at 11:10am
I pay for 8 megs down and get 14. I pay for 1 meg up and get 1 meg up. Charter.
acidic
August 03, 2011 at 9:15am
i have TWC in PA and pay for 7.5Mb down 768 up. i get MAYBE 4 down sometimes i get 256 up. wish i could get FIOS but not available here. only other option around here is Windstream
SAND_CREATURE
August 03, 2011 at 8:59am
I'm supposed to be getting 15/5 from fios but I actually get 20/5
it's magic!
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1415580017.png
skirge01
August 03, 2011 at 8:49am
Yeah, GREAT JOB Cablevision!!! Thanks so much for the awesome speed you give me: 7.2 down and 2.3 up.
Plus, the added service feature of being throttled for too much usage, so in actuality, I can only use this "full" speed every other hour. That seems to be enough of a break for them not to throttle me.
PLEASE, Verizon, give me an alternative!!! Sadly, I'm willing to pay more for the same speed I'm supposedly already paying for. How's that for capitalism?
ItsNeverEnoughPower
August 03, 2011 at 8:07am
I have mediacom cable and internet I pay 25.00 bucks for a 15mbs connection and I avg 20 to 28 mbs. The support is also top notch. I was getting low speeds and drops they came out replaced all the lines and added a home amp at no cost to me. They also through in a free month and issued a credit for the poor service I was getting. A lot better then time warner
www.speedtest.net/results.php
szore
August 04, 2011 at 5:50am
I was having the exact deal verbatim with Optimum last month. I still had all the problems after the new lines, etc, so the last tech that came (the ninth) a supervisor came and looked and finally said, "Why don't you switch to fios?" So i did, and I have no problems, better service and faster speeds and better pings due to the fiber optic (i guess).
szore
August 03, 2011 at 7:53am
Fios. Verizon. Brooklyn, NYC. Advert: 20 down, 5 up. Actual, 20.66 down, 6.11 up. ping, 5ms
And this in not where you pay extra for 'boost' service (5 m down) like cablevision, that is basic service.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1415495551.png
praetor_alpha
August 03, 2011 at 7:32am
25.89 down/24.52 up. Verizon FIOS 25/25. Oh. Yeah. Baby.
http://www.speedtest.net/result/1370746559.png
Teh_tourist
August 03, 2011 at 7:18am
I must be super lucky, I pay for 20Mb/s from TWC and get 32Mb/s 90% of the time. I've actually never gone below 3.0MB/s when pulling from a server that can support my speeds.
avenger48
August 03, 2011 at 12:37pm
I suspect someone set up your service wrong and put you in a higher teir at the same price. So yeah, you're lucky.
szore
August 04, 2011 at 5:47am
Sometimes I get 30 - 35 mps dl on a 20 m per s account, so i dont think its setup wrong, sometimes you just get fast speeds, also last week i did a test, and I was uploading at 20 and downloading at 20. Go figure.
gogochicken
August 03, 2011 at 6:55am
I am paying for 7 Mbps down. What i actually get is 6 Mbps down.
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