There are limiting factors to the broadband speed you will be able to get. They include your proximity to your telephone line and the area in which you live.
You can actually get an estimate of what you can expect up to 16Mb as long as you realize that it will fall slightly once it is installed. The estimate uses comparisons with similar lines throughout the UK where figures of actual use are available.
Broadband Speed Test gives you the picture.
Varying speed
When you are looking at the range of packages for broadband you will inevitably see them advertised with a speed up to a certain level. The level is a maximum and provides a better indication of what you are buying than advertising an average figure. If you decide on a quality provider you can be certain that every effort will be made to maximize your speed.
Speed does vary day and night. Peak time in the UK is in the evening when households may be permanently online. It is simply a matter of maximum demand around the world with North American daytime use simultaneously. If you can do some of your things outside those peak hours you will see the benefit; any large file downloads are examples of this.
The Test
If you do the speed test it will tell you a number of things:
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The Connection Rate is the top speed your line can achieve and it will be affected by everything from your internal wiring to the quality of your line between home and the exchange.
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You will see the maximum speed that it is possible to achieve on your current service; it is known as the IP Profile. It changes if you make alterations to improve your speed but it will always be generally lower than the Connection Rate because it judges likely performance.
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Download Speed is the actual when you do the test. It is likely to be different again especially if you have multiple users in the house and if you do the test during peak hours.
Some things to consider
A cable is a more reliable connection than wireless simply because it is less likely to suffer from interference. However, you do lose the flexibility that wireless provides within your home. Your enjoyment of a video will depend upon having good speed; if you have an inadequate service you may suffer from freezing or stuttering while you play it. The larger your bandwidth the more data it can handle and the quicker it will travel and the more you will enjoy your film.
Services are improving all the time but of course demand is rising at the same time. You should take a look at what is available and decide on a package based upon your general use bearing in mind the advantages of being able to do some things outside the peak demand period.
The broadband speed test will give you a general indication of your current service and the possible improvements you can get. Speed is always a real benefit and you should go for the best.
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