which is the better broadband package?

longbrian1

hi there
i am currently on a 1 MB broadband package, contention ratio 12:1, cost 43 euro per month (live in rural area, only 1 provider, hence cost).

Would i be better off using the same company's 2 MB package, contention ratio 24:1, cost 50 euro per month? (Not fussed about the small price difference - am concerned with the speed).
Initially, i was told that the 1 MB package would probably be as good because of the contention ratio and the fact that very few users in my area had access to broadband.
However, many locals have since accessed broadband via my provider and my speeds seem to have dropped off noticably.
Would the 2MB package double my speed or would the increased contention ratio negate the benefit?
Thanks

seraphimvc

i m currently using 2Mbps broadband service from Digiweb,30euro per month with 20Gb traffic allowance!:D

i would recommend that;)

longbrian1

Rather than getting into the different providers, i am enquiring about the benefits of the 2 mb package being possibly outweighed by the poorer contention ratio...any thoughts?

Foxwood

longbrian1 wrote:

Rather than getting into the different providers, i am enquiring about the benefits of the 2 mb package being possibly outweighed by the poorer contention ratio...any thoughts?

It probably depends on where the contention is occurring. If the backhaul "pipe" from your local mast back to your ISPs network nodes is full, then your speed might improve tomorrow is they upgrade that backhaul (and if they have enough business to fill the pipe, then they should upgrade it). Switching to the 2Mb package might get you some improvemnet in your speeds, (because your "share" of the congested pipe will be bigger), but you won't really be solving anything.


If the problem is actually due to interference because of other people using the same system in your area, then increasing the speed of the package probably won't help at all.

longbrian1

thanks for that
i didn't that it's a wireless broadband set up (that probably isn't relevant, but i mention it just in case it is...)

Foxwood

longbrian1 wrote:

thanks for that
i didn't that it's a wireless broadband set up (that probably isn't relevant, but i mention it just in case it is...)

You mentioned that you're in a rural area, with a single provider, and it's obviously not DSL based on the prices you quoted.

That means you've got a wireless broadband service. .

It's likely that the problem is backhaul contention. Someone more experienced with wireless broadband services might suggest some tests that you can perform to tell you where the congestion is occurring, but increasing your local speed won't realy solve the problem.

layke

Gather round children it's learning time.

you have a 1MB line with 12 people sharing that with you, if you go 2MB you have 24... meaning there is a higher chance some one who miay be a heavy internet user is using that line when you are. You see most house holds just browse the net without actually downloading large files so they use FA bandwidth so you get to hogg it all.

It's throughput you have to worry about, 2MB line = 256kb max. Say some one starts a torrent file off and he is using say 128KB that leaves you to play with an additional 128K on your line and thats why speed drops. The line is still 2MB but you only have 128K throughput to play with. I know what your thinking, that marketing team deserves to be shot but all ISP's do this it's common.

This is the same for most residential houses however you may be lucky and share with people who just browse the internet or be unlucky and link up to a serious p2p user.

All in all, it's a gamble. The option is to go the same way I did and get a business line in, after 6pm no one uses it so out of my 8:1 @ 1MB I always get 127-128KB download without fail.

deckie27

I reckon it would be better
Why don't you ring them up and ask if you can be upgraded for a month or two to try it out?
If your happy stay if not go back to your current package

longbrian1

i didn't that it's a wireless broadband set up

Meant to say, "I didn't mention that it's a wireless bradband set up" - ie, a wireless ISP.
It's not that my speeds are dire - they're not bad. They used to be much better, however.
May just try the 2mb for a month - see if it improves things, although I'm doubtful, considering some of the comments posted.
Thanks for suggestions