Is there any point in switching from standard BB to Fibre BB at similar speeds?

BennytheBall · 26-02-2016 03:27PM #1

Hi

I'm currently on standard Fixed line BB with Vodafone getting a speed of around 10Mb download (on an "up to 15Mb" max)

I'm told Fibre is available to me, but also told that I can still only reach a max speed of 15Mb download

I would have to pay 5e per month extra for this

Is there any benefit in me changing over and paying extra for what are likely to be similar speeds (of course they can't guarantee what speed I would get so I could be worse off!)

TIA

editorsean · 26-02-2016 04:08PM

It would be worth considering if you need a faster uplink, e.g. for sending large e-mail attachments, uploading video/photo content, etc.

You probably have a 512Kbps to 768Kbps uplink with your existing Vodafone service. The Fibre link will deliver a 3Mbps uplink if you get put on a 15Mbps profile or 1Mbps if you get put on a 7Mbps or 12Mbps profile.

BennytheBall · 26-02-2016 04:25PM

Thanks for that - useful to know

Running a few speedtests here I appear to get uplink speeds on average between 1Mbps and 1.5Mbps so perhaps that would increase a bit if it was "up to 3Mbps"

Not a compelling enough reason to switch I think.

bk · 26-02-2016 05:29PM

BennytheBall wrote: »

Thanks for that - useful to know

Running a few speedtests here I appear to get uplink speeds on average between 1Mbps and 1.5Mbps so perhaps that would increase a bit if it was "up to 3Mbps"

Not a compelling enough reason to switch I think.

That doesn't sound right, on regular DSL you shouldn't be able to get anything more then about 900kbps. What speed tester are you using? It might not be working properly.

Obviously it depends on your needs, but I would say going from 10Mb/s to 15Mb/s down and from <1Mb/s to 3Mb/s up would be well worth it.

10Mb/s is just borderline about enough for HD video streaming, but 15Mb/s would give you much more headroom to do other things while also doing video steaming.

To be honest, 10 -> 15 would be a more significant upgrade then some one else going from 100 -> 360.

BennytheBall · 26-02-2016 05:38PM

I used speedtest app on my mobile connected to wifi at home. See 5 recent attempts

Thanks for your comments - the only thing though is that my current package is "Up to 15Mb" and according to the line checker for Fibre I can get "Up to 15Mb" if I switch... but as there are no speeds guaranteed I don't actually know if I will get a better downlink (or uplink) speed...

bk · 26-02-2016 06:14PM

BennytheBall wrote: »

I used speedtest app on my mobile connected to wifi at home. See 5 recent attempts

Thanks for your comments - the only thing though is that my current package is "Up to 15Mb" and according to the line checker for Fibre I can get "Up to 15Mb" if I switch... but as there are no speeds guaranteed I don't actually know if I will get a better downlink (or uplink) speed...

Those upload speeds just aren't possible on ADSL. Perhaps try speedtest.net from a PC and try one or two other speed tester sites.

VDSL's "upto" speeds are a bit different then ADSL's

When ADSL says "upto" 15Mbps it can be any speed down to 1Mb/s or less.

With VDSL they put you are speed profile and you will actually get that speed. For instance if they put you on the 15/3 profile then you will actually get 15Mb/s down, 3Mb/s up or very close to it. If you call them, they should be able to tell you exactly which profile your line can support, which will give you a pretty accurate idea of what you will achieve with VDSL.

editorsean · 26-02-2016 07:14PM

Indeed, the Ookla Speedtest App can be way out. For example, I've seen it give a 1.3Mbps uplink result on my home DSL connection which is only synced at 384kbps. Even with faster uplinks, it can overshoot the real speed by a few Mbps.

The following is an example of a test I ran a month ago on my workplace VDSL connection which is synced at 30Mbps down and 8Mbps up.

TestMy.net is worth a try. Just be sure to run it near the router (or preferrably on a desktop PC as BK mentioned) as it does not attempt to speed ignore dips during the speed test as what Speedtest.net does (it discards 30% of the slowest measurements during its test) which probably leads to it overshooting the actual link speed if the Wi-Fi speed is unstable.

BennytheBall · 26-02-2016 07:27PM

Cheers again

I thought from what I read that distance to the cabinet was a significant factor of what speed you get with Fibre - and as a result they can only offer you "Up to x" as there can be major variance in speeds.

I ran a few tests from the laptop (near the router)

Speedtest.net
11.78 / 0.86
11.49 / 0.78
11.49 / 0.86
http://www.broadbandireland.ie/speed-test.php
13.22 / 0.83
11.92 / 0.62
12.58 / 0.86
http://testmy.net/results
11.90 / 0.73
11.80 / 0.81
11.30 / 0.82

ItHurtsWhenIP · 26-02-2016 07:46PM

BennytheBall wrote: »

Cheers again

I thought from what I read that distance to the cabinet was a significant factor of what speed you get with Fibre - and as a result they can only offer you "Up to x" as there can be major variance in speeds.

I ran a few tests from the laptop (near the router)

Speedtest.net
11.78 / 0.86
11.49 / 0.78
11.49 / 0.86
http://www.broadbandireland.ie/speed-test.php
13.22 / 0.83
11.92 / 0.62
12.58 / 0.86
http://testmy.net/results
11.90 / 0.73
11.80 / 0.81
11.30 / 0.82

I presume those were via wi-fi from the laptop (as you mention you were near the router). Can you connect the laptop with a cat-5/cat-5e cable to the router. This will give you the most accurate speed test as wi-fi is notoriously variable.

Also pop your telephone number in here and see what it gives you back (paste in the results to this thread - without your number).

BennytheBall · 26-02-2016 07:49PM

Exchange Code: Unknown

DSL Enabled: Yes - 15 MB

NGB Enabled: Yes - 15 MB

Fibre Enabled: Yes - 15 MB

LLU Enabled: No

I note it says Fibre enabled?!?!

I don't have that cable to hand but will see later if I can find one!

ItHurtsWhenIP · 26-02-2016 08:09PM

BennytheBall wrote: »

Exchange Code: Unknown

DSL Enabled: Yes - 15 MB

NGB Enabled: Yes - 15 MB

Fibre Enabled: Yes - 15 MB

LLU Enabled: No

I note it says Fibre enabled?!?!

I don't have that cable to hand but will see later if I can find one!

Fibre enabled just means VDSL/FTTC. As others have said on here, it's likely you will get the 15Mbps down / 3 Mbps up with reasonable certainty. Probably lower latency too. If you could afford the extra fiver a month, then it probably would give you a better browsing and streaming experience.

If it were proper fibre (i.e. FTTH) then there would be no up-to 15Mbps nonsense. You could get anything up to 1,000Mbps (if you were willing to pay) :eek::eek::eek::eek:

.

ED E · 27-02-2016 12:19PM

Try it, but be careful. The rating may say 15Mb but on long loops it can be generous, might only be stable at 7_1.

BennytheBall · 28-02-2016 01:05PM

Ok, ran the following tests with wireless turned off, and connected to the router via cable as suggested

http://testmy.net/results (Downlink/Uplink)

Test 1: 11.2 / 0.761
Test 2: 11.3 / 0.802
Test 3: 11.9 / 0.820

I think I'll take a chance on it and do the upgrade and see what I get. Hopefully in the near future much higher speeds will be available to me but I think there is some logistical reason why our estate hasn't been upgraded as all the estates around us have been and we're not exactly in a rural area (South Dublin)

ED E · 28-02-2016 06:36PM

BennytheBall wrote: »

Ok, ran the following tests with wireless turned off, and connected to the router via cable as suggested

http://testmy.net/results (Downlink/Uplink)

Test 1: 11.2 / 0.761
Test 2: 11.3 / 0.802
Test 3: 11.9 / 0.820

I think I'll take a chance on it and do the upgrade and see what I get. Hopefully in the near future much higher speeds will be available to me but I think there is some logistical reason why our estate hasn't been upgraded as all the estates around us have been and we're not exactly in a rural area (South Dublin)

You're direct fed. Unlikely that you'll see any change for more than 2yrs. Either you can get Virgin or stick with what you've got. Eir and SIRO are focusing most FTTH stuff around North County Dublin (Swords etc).

BennytheBall · 28-02-2016 09:59PM

@ED_E - what do you think are the chances I will get a significantly better downlink or uplink by switching to "Fibre up to 15Mb" from what I'm currently getting above?

limerickgirl16 · 28-02-2016 10:04PM

Is Ireland mostly copper cabling infrastructure or fibre optic? Living in the UK and read that they had the opportunity to roll out fibre in the 90s but decided to go with copper

ED E · 28-02-2016 11:24PM

BennytheBall wrote: »

@ED_E - what do you think are the chances I will get a significantly better downlink or uplink by switching to "Fibre up to 15Mb" from what I'm currently getting above?

Significantly? No. When you're at that end of the spectrum going from 12 to 15Mb still a +25% boost. Its definitely worth ordering, just be mindful that in the small chance that its troublesome it may be worth downgrading to ADSL once more.

limerickgirl16 wrote: »

Is Ireland mostly copper cabling infrastructure or fibre optic? Living in the UK and read that they had the opportunity to roll out fibre in the 90s but decided to go with copper

It started as Copper + Radio, now its Copper + Fibre and the copper loops are shorter for many.

A pure fibre network is foreseeable within 5yrs for more than a third of domiciles in my estimation.

Is there any point in switching from standard BB to Fibre BB at similar speeds?

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