Whether you rely on broadband for work, school, or just for playing on your xbox with your friends half way across the world, having a fast, reliable connection is essential for almost anyone these days who requires use of the internet.

There have been reports in the news recently that many home and mobile broadband users are not receiving the advertised speeds and it is also commonplace for customers to be signed up to contracts promising higher speeds than is possible in their area, but the good news is that by using a broadband speed test you can find out information about your broadband connection, including the maximum speed you can get in your area and which provider does it cheapest – this much needed information could save you time and money (possibly hundreds of pounds a year).

Top10 Broadband, the UK’s largest broadband comparison site, will be launching their new broadband speed test on October 19^th with exciting features such as StreetStats^TM, where you can compare your broadband speed with your neighbours and see who the fastest broadband provider on your street is.

With tools like this, it is simpler than ever before to ensure you get the best broadband speed for your area and save money by switching providers. There is no excuse anymore to be left in the dark when it comes to broadband terminology and knowledge on broadband speeds thanks to dedicated broadband sites out there providing information to equip every broadband user with all they need to have smooth, fast and uninterrupted broadband connection.

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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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According to broadband.co.uk, the average download speed for a Virgin user is now 6.13Mbps as compared to 5.32Mbps for O2.

The results were calculated from thousands of broadband speed tests taken on the broadband.co.uk during September 2008 by ordinary broadband users UK wide.

For full details including speed test results for individual suppliers please see the full results pdf.

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