UK Broadband

There are several companies providing speed tests.
To date I have been using ZDNET & Speedchecker.co.uk
Virgin Media seem to like Speedtest.net

While Speedtest.net provides almost a constant 9.800Mbps -ZDNET and other providers show considerable different readings MUCH LOWER and different every time.

Is Speedtest the only one which is accurate? All the time?

I probably need to explain my question.

Virgin Broadband is driving me mad. For over 7 weeks my Broadband line is cutting off. I get anything from 15kbps up to 10080kbps. Problem is that it is a 50/50 situation on speeds below 4000kbps and over.

The issue is - I cannot really use many Internet applications.

Virgin state that they cannot find anything wrong - but when the engineer turns up - he can't find a line either. So far they have change the modem, the cable and inserted some kind of dongle at the end of the modem. Last night we had 700kbps and down to 35kbps.

Speedtest.net may show 9400kbps - but I don't think it is a true reading.

Instead of going to these sites for testing your connection speed you should try Dan Ewell's test (Google it).. Its a small application which checks a lot of aspects of your broadband connection and checks speeds you get from different server locations and continents along with a lot of other relevant data.

Another thing you could try :

Start a few downloads from Microsoft and tucows and see what total speed you get after a min or so! this way as some times the server you test you speed against does not have enough bandwidth to use the full capacity of your own connection.

What is the advertised speed of your connection?

Do you know anyone in your neighborhood who has a Virgin media connection? Are they getting good speeds at the time when you are not?

My house is the closest to the main box on the street. Some road works have been carried out and it could very well be that the cable has been damaged.

Wrote letters and spoken dozens of times to Virgin - no can do! - Last letter was a 14 days legal notice. Today they phoned me accepting a 30 days cancellation. Breach of contract is not in their vocabulary.

Looking around at other Forums it seems that Virgin is offering a lousy service at the moment. Another few days and I will cancel all contracts with them - mobile, broadband, TV and home phone.

Thank you for tip on software.

Virgin statement “your broadband is affected by over utilisation in your area”.

I decided to browse the Internet and, Yes, many other Virgin users have had and are having the same problem with Virgin.

Most have left Virgin to move to other providers - legally I have to give them an opportunity to sort out the problem.

Virgin should give a warning to all of their customers

“please do not use our services too much as they may affect your connection at peak times”. (In my case, at any time)

How does Virgin get away with such a statement is beyond my comprehension.

As far as I know, virgin are good providers and I dont have found any problem in their connection, they are good anyways but, if the speed is affecting due to cut off several times than, for that there should be a provision.