UPC real broadband speed map - comments please?

joe2010

Hi,
I was thinking of getting UPC broadband and was looking at the sticky thread:

Which Provider? What Type Of Broadband? Broadband In My Area? !!POST HERE ONLY!!

Seems that some areas have problems with UPC and some don't.

I though if I could map the actual speed vs advertised speed then people would know that UPC is either performing or not in their area.

I created a simple app that does this: http://upc.herobutton.com

You select your UPC Package, Actual Speed & Location.

Then it draws a circle around your position and displays all other UPC customers in a 20 mile radius. Icons appear in Red if <80% speed, green otherwise.

Would anyone find this useful?

Thor

Nice work buddy, Just filled it in there.

This definitely seems like its going to help a lot of people.

Just hope it doesn't get any abuse!

paddyk

I think its a great idea. My area is only getting upgraded by UPC at the moment, But once I eventually get BB I'll use it for sure.

joe2010

paddyk wrote: »

I think its a great idea. My area is only getting upgraded by UPC at the moment, But once I eventually get BB I'll use it for sure.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

I might limit it by either IP address or maybe login using Facebook widget... otherwise people can just post loads of junk.

It's just test data at the moment but I think maybe if the Mod is in agreement I could take any suggestions posted here and make it live.

Any suggestions appriciated.

Thor

I would say Facebook/twitter integration is a great idea, Would help will making it more widely available aswell.

joe2010

Thor wrote: »

I would say Facebook/twitter integration is a great idea, Would help will making it more widely available aswell.

Agreed, so for now let's say we Authenticate with Facebook...

I have already done both Facebook integration on a previous project so I can add it easily. Twitter too if needed.

I could add a link to the persons Facebook page on the map marker when they click it. Gives the tests a sense of validity.
I could also have their facebook photo appear on the map marker too?

F S

its a great idea. makes it much easier for people to know what they are getting

joe2010

F S wrote: »

its a great idea. makes it much easier for people to know what they are getting

Thanks for feedback.

I think it needs a time limit...

Maybe an option to say how many months in past to look.

No point looking too far in past

hightower1

I would add instructions on where and how to do a speedtest otherwise its just going to be filled with mis information. Perhaps include a link to http://speedtest.upc.ie/

Particularly if it goes to FB where average Joe could be testing off god knows what speedtest server or even any site :eek:

subway

Can you add the 100mb package and possibly a built in speed test?

DingDong

Why limit it just to UPC?. It would be a better resource if you included other ISP's . Submitting a speedtest.net link with your details would probably keep people honest too. Also add a filter to display when the results have been added.

joe2010

Thanks those are all good suggestions.

I can make it for all providers, add the 100mb package easily.

I need to think about how to integerate speedtest into it....

If I could "get" the result out of speedtest.net and insert it automatically it would be handy.

I need to look into this..

DingDong

If you could figure out how to have a program "read" the speedtest .png file you could also add a pingtest.net result. . I'm not sure what OCR package could do this for you though. Plus have an option to say if it was a wired or wireless test.

joe2010

DingDong wrote: »

If you could figure out how to have a program "read" the speedtest .png file you could also add a pingtest.net result. . I'm not sure what OCR package could do this for you though. Plus have an option to say if it was a wired or wireless test.

Thanks DingDong you have loads of good ideas

Freddie59

joe2010 wrote: »

Thanks DingDong you have loads of good ideas

Important to note that if you choose the Limerick server on speedtest.net then you will only achieve 10% of your ACTUAL speed.

rh5555

I also added my speedtest allthough I have to pick the Eircom Dublin Server where I usually get my advertised speed 19.7/20Mbit. Any other server in Ireland gives me much worse results especially if I use my local one in Galway.

I know i do get the full 20Mbit because if I download from a fast server my downloads get cut off at around 2.5 MB/sec and my Bandwidth Monitor just shows a straight line at this speed not going higher or lower.

If other ppl have the same issue they may have full advertised speed but by choosing their local speednet server they'll get incorrect results.

Not sure if UPC's own speedtest would be any better for comparison

Doesnt work. Page just keeps refreshing?

Tried it in IE 8 and Firefox 4 b12.

Any ideas?

joe2010

Deleted User wrote: »

Doesnt work. Page just keeps refreshing?

Tried it in IE 8 and Firefox 4 b12.

Any ideas?

Sorry about that - I'm constantly changing/breaking it.
I'll post here when I have implemented all the requested changes and integerated speedtest.net properly.

Okey dokey, thanks.

kiersm

Hey all, I'm not a UPC customer but wud be interested in knowing what is their bb like reliability wise and speed wise are you getting what they promised you would.

joe2010

I've updated the app with the following:

NEW URL: http://bbneighbourhood.com

Added multiple Broadband providers:
UPC, Magnet, Eircom, Vodafone, UTV, Meteor, O2 .. any more needed?

Facebook Integeration - click on a users photo to see their page
Clickable Facebook photo appears in maps marker.

Must login using Facebook before adding.
Only one entry per Facebook account - so no spam.

Display sortable table of results:

Thing I couldn't do:
When you do a speed test you must manually slide the actual speed.
I cannot get the speed from speedtest automatically.

Any other suggestions welcome...

Admin, if enough people agree it can we make the link into a sticky?

This is just for boards.ie and is 100% non commercial.

Please give it a go... and add your broadband

Xzen

Great job, Ive never seen a realistic speed map before. Should really have been done by the networks or some regulation authority years ago.

Though the newest version does seem to render weirdly on Firefox (see attached). A bit too much Facebook going on there
Also do we really have to use facebook? After about a year of trouble trying to close my FB account I'd rather not open another one, and I doubt I'm the only one

joe2010

Xzen wrote: »

Great job, Ive never seen a realistic speed map before. Should really have been done by the networks or some regulation authority years ago.

Though the newest version does seem to render weirdly on Firefox (see attached). A bit too much Facebook going on there
Also do we really have to use facebook? After about a year of trouble trying to close my FB account I'd rather not open another one, and I doubt I'm the only one

Thanks for the jpg !! there's a lot of facebook there alright

I guess it needs some browser compatibility testing...(I use firefox 3.6 linux)
I will submit the site to browsershots and see what work i need to do..

I'm not a fan of facebook either believe it or not but we are in the minority
The good thing about using facebook is that you could contact someone in your neighbourhood and ask them about the broadband... We don't have to use facebook but I dont know what to replace it with that would give as much functionality so easily?

Trevor451

Not keen on linking my facebook account OP. Otherwise its a pretty good site/ idea

joe2010

Trevor451 wrote: »

Have to link facebook account? No thanks :rolleyes: Otherwise its a pretty good site/ idea

Thanks for the feedback Trevor

Search is open/anonymous, only need to login with Facebook to add... otherwise people just post junk...What could I use instead?

Do most people have a problem using Facebook to login?

Is the problem with Facebook itself?
or with linking your location to your facebook account?(which I can understand) or something else?

Aside...
I "think" I've fixed that facebook bug mention earlier
but it needs more browser testing which I do over weekend...

Xzen

The only other ways I can think of are:
- Manage your own auth/login service,
- Maybe use Google's login thingy
- Or perhaps the guys at boards.ie could intergrate your design and use their login system.... The only system in the country that displays & tests the real speed in ones area - That'd be a sure way to generate more traffic for Boards.ie too

joe2010

Xzen wrote: »

The only other ways I can think of are:
- Manage your own auth/login service,
- Maybe use Google's login thingy
- Or perhaps the guys at boards.ie could intergrate your design and use their login system.... The only system in the country that displays & tests the real speed in ones area - That'd be a sure way to generate more traffic for Boards.ie too

XZen - those are great ideas.
If boards.ie had a way integerate I would use.
but I should be able to add Google pretty easy - thanks for the suggestion

Sponge Bob

There is a set of data on all DSL exchanges and non dsl exchanges somewhere, start off by downloading and integrating the coverage polygons from here

joe2010

Sponge Bob wrote: »

There is a set of data on all DSL exchanges and non dsl exchanges somewhere, start off by downloading and integrating the coverage polygons from here

Hi Sponge Bob...thanks very much for that...I'm looking into it now...
That website looks really impressive.

I plotted that data you gave me here's a link:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=http:%2F%2Fbbneighbourhood.com%2Fexchanges.kmz&ie=UTF8&om=1&source=embed&ll=53.32103,-6.893921&spn=3.055004,8.453979&z=8

What exactly is that data? and how can we use it?

Is it Eircom's network? i.e. which the DSL providers use?

joe2010

I've added the exchange data to the search page and a checkbox to turn it on/off.
Thanks again Sponge Bob.
It looks impressive but I'm not sure what it's telling me
Can someone explain it to me?

Here's a link to the search page:
http://bbneighbourhood.com/pages/search.php

or in google maps where you can turn on/off individual sections and click on them:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=http:%2F%2Fbbneighbourhood.com%2Fexchanges.kmz&ie=UTF8&om=1&source=embed&ll=53.32103,-6.893921&spn=3.055004,8.453979&z=8

I'm guessing it defines the area covered by the exchange?

If so... maybe I could show all users on the same exchange?
Then I could graph exchanges in order of performance?
I guess this would this only apply to certain providers like DSL ones?

Any clarification appreciated

vibe666

looks like speedtst.net may have beaten you to it with their site revamp and new user logins to keep long term track of your speeds even after IP changes.

hey also have something called speedwaves which seems to be some kind of collaborative group speed tests altho i'm not sure how they will work as i didn't go into it yet.

maybe we could get a bunch of us together and give it a go?

Sponge Bob

joe2010 wrote: »

What exactly is that data? and how can we use it?

Is it Eircom's network? i.e. which the DSL providers use?

That data shows the extent of area covered by a single eircom exchange per polygon. Naturally, being eircom, up to 50 exchanges are missing . It is largely correct to around Jan 2008 but out of date now.

It does not show the precise exchange location within the polygon but if you nominally centre it in the polygon and add a coverage radius from that nominal centre like this.

var radius = new XDistance(4.5 XDistance.KM); coverage at 1mbit to 4.5km radius from nominal centre of poolygon
var radius = new XDistance(3.0 XDistance.KM); coverage at 3mbit
var radius = new XDistance(2.0 XDistance.KM); coverage at 8 mbit
var radius = new XDistance(1.0 XDistance.KM); coverage at 24mbit

joe2010

Sponge Bob wrote: »

That data shows the extent of area covered by a single eircom exchange per polygon. Naturally, being eircom, up to 50 exchanges are missing . It is largely correct to around Jan 2008 but out of date now.

It does not show the precise exchange location within the polygon but if you nominally centre it in the polygon and add a coverage radius from that nominal centre like this.

var radius = new XDistance(4.5 XDistance.KM); coverage at 1mbit to 4.5km radius from nominal centre of poolygon
var radius = new XDistance(3.0 XDistance.KM); coverage at 3mbit
var radius = new XDistance(2.0 XDistance.KM); coverage at 8 mbit
var radius = new XDistance(1.0 XDistance.KM); coverage at 24mbit

Vibe666 - Speedwave might be good...anything is better than randomly posting speedtests in a huge thread, which seems pretty pointless...

Thanks SpongeBob you certainly know your stuff. I've contacted the mod (Cabaal) a few times about it and possibly making it a sticky, but I got no response at all, so there's no point doing anything further with it here, thanks everyone for all your input.