Broadband Policy

[Birchy]

Broadband advertises as being up to ten times faster than normal connection, but is this the only stipulation? If 'normal' connection slows to a stop (as mine does) won't the broadband multiplier become a complete red herring when it comes to suppliers flogging this 'service'?

[Reize]

I'm not sure I fully understand your question Birchy. The "10 times faster" relates to a "Normal" 56k connection verses a 512k broadband connection. If your 56k connection slowly degrades and slows to a halt (normally due to line noise) then the mulitplier would obviously increase. It would also increase if your modem only connects at 44k/36k/28.8k/14.4k. Did I get the gist right or did i totally miss what you wanted to know?

[Birchy]

Just natural suspicion of the telecomms industry. A bit like when TV firms use customers as guinea pigs, and iron out their product as more and more complaints are reported and rectified. If the broadband "feature" is ten times faster....you have to have something there in the first place to provide the base multiplier. If your base is c.a.k. then the ten times faster ploy counts for nothing. I'll probably go broadband when it's halved in price and actually works efficiently.

[j2buttonsw]

The broadband uses different technology to a dialup modem connections and has a 10 x greater bandwidth (512 k compared to 56 k). Sadly, you will not connect at the maximum bandwidth for either connections. You use different modems for the broadband cable and ADSL connections and the technology is relatively tried and tested. I have had a 512 k cable connection for 2.5 years and it is as fast and reliable as I first got it: it is never discernably "slow". If you ever decide to take the plunge you will be shocked as to how long you've put up with such a poor connection!

[cupra]

.....don't forget the contention ratio!!! Those who are enjoying B/B at the moment may get a shock as it gets more and more popular - a common ratio is 50:1, so if all 50 users are online using a large amount of bandwidth at the same time, you may slow down considerably! (....just sour grapes from someone who can't get B/B because BT used new technology to wire the local exchange!!)

[answerbok]

these little add on phrases like "up to" ; Up to 10 times faster does not mean 10 times faster, it means "once was recorded at 10 times faster but generally it is considerably less than that" Sales trick.