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When you switch to a new provider, the company should test your line and give you a speed estimate specific to your premises.Īnother useful resource is Ofcom - they're the people who look after everything communications-related in the UK, and they publish regular research about home broadband speeds. Thankfully, you don't have to resort to just picking a package you like the sound of and hoping for the best. The advertised speed is based on the speeds that at least 50% of the people with that package get at peak time, so there's an even chance that you'll get less. For example, if you see package advertised as offering average download speeds of 67Mb, there's still no guarantee you'll get that speed. Don't assume the speeds providers advertise are the speeds you'll actually get. Here's another important point - and it's a biggie. It'll tell you exactly what download and upload speeds you get, and confirm whether your broadband is as fast as a Ferrari fast or more like a moped in mud. There's a simple solution to that though - use our speed tester to find out. If you don't know what broadband speeds you currently get, knowing whether you should switch packages to get better speeds is going to be hard work - how will you know if you can get faster broadband if you don't know how fast the broadband you have is? What download and upload speeds do I get? Providers give 'downstream' data priority as most of us are more concerned with how quickly we can download stuff than how long it takes us to upload files. On typical home broadband, upload speeds are considerably slower than download speeds, so don't be alarmed if you see a disparity between the two. If you're interested in which providers have the best upload speeds, you can find out in our full guide. Upload speeds also determine how quickly you can send emails, post photos on Facebook or upload large videos or batches of photos to sites like YouTube and Flickr. The faster the upload speed, the smoother the online experience you'll have.
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Download speed: The speed at which information is transferred from the internet to your computer.Two terms are generally used when talking about broadband speeds: You can check the estimated speed to your property prior to purchasing. The speed you receive where you live may be lower than that listed above. Speed can be affected by a range of technical and environmental factors. *Average speeds are based on the download speeds of at least 50% of customers at peak time(8pm to 10pm).
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