The UK may not be at the top of the world rankings in terms of broadband availability and connections, but it is pretty close, with over 60% of households having access to a high speed broadband connection of at least 2Mbps, and with the government targeting 100% coverage in time for the 2012 Olympics in London.
However, some experts feel that this 2Mbps target is too low, and considering the advancements in speed that we are seeing across the broadband spectrum, everyone should expect to have access to faster and faster broadband as the millennium progresses. At the moment the fastest consumer broadband connection available is 50Mbps, made possible by the fibre optic cable networks installed by Virgin Media in certain areas of the country, but the levels of availability of the service are limited and the cost is of course high. Most other ISPs advertise their services as capable of download speeds `up to` a certain amount depending on the type of service, with the most common speed of 8Mbps on an ADSL connection using a copper land line wire solution. However, the actual speed that your line is capable of, both in terms of upload and download, will rarely be the advertised maximum, as the length of line and the number of people sharing the same connection at your local telephone exchange both contribute to slower speeds. As a result it`s important to check the speed of your broadband connection using an online broadband speed test, as this will not only help you find out the actual speed of your connection but will also allow you to inform yourself and decide on a new ISP or to pick up on any faults with your connection.
Broadband Speed Tests – How They Work
Broadband speed tests all work on a very simple principle. Most will simply ask you to select your existing provider and the speed at which your connection is supposed to operate, and then the test will begin. First a small file will be downloaded from a server to your computer and the download speed will be recorded, then a file will be uploaded from your computer back to the server and the speed at which this occurs will also be noted. You can then compared these two speeds with your advertised line speed, looking for discrepancies, and it`s advisable to do it at several different periods throughout the day in order to get a rough idea of when the connection is the best and whether there is a drop in performance around a certain time. Some broadband speed tests will allow you to choose which server information is sent and received from, and servers from the UK and around the globe are available for this purpose should your speed checking needs be more advanced.
Speed and Changing Provider
If you`re thinking of changing provider, it`s important that you run a Broadband speed checker on your current provider`s service and then use an internet comparison site to see which other ISPs offer faster speeds and whether these quicker services are available in your area on your telephone number or post code.
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