Uk Members Help Me

[FluffyPanda]

Okay, ADSL has a thing called a contention ratio, it basically means you are sharing the line with others. For example, if the service is contended or oversubscribed at 20:1, it means that you share the bandwidth with up to 19 other users. Basic ADSL services in the UK (mainly using the BT network) typically have a contention ratio of 50:1 with the more expensive or business packages having 20:1.
That 1 or 2 Meg you should be getting, is shared. Keep this in mind when testing your connection as it is the same for everyone.

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That's a little oversimplified. 1 meg at 50:1 might be 500 people on a 10 meg line, capped at 1 meg. So your neighbour loading up bittorrent isn't going to cut your connection speed by half, it most likely won't affect it at all. Broadband is so fast that normal use (i.e. browsing, downloading songs, etc) doesn't tie up the line for long at all. A 50:1 contention ratio isn't amazing, but it's not too bad either.

 

[FluffyPanda]

Do NOT go for NTL. We asked the guys to install the cable for us. Scheduled it. They didn't bother coming. Scheduled it again. They came, then told us that thay needed more equipment. Scheduled it again. Didn't bother again. Scheduled it again. They came and told us they couldn't do it for some reason.

Eventually we gave up and went for Tiscali.

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NTL actually stole money from me. Literally.

When I moved out of my shared student house I went to the local NTL shop with the guy who was moving in in my place to get the contract transfered.

A couple of months later I noticed on my statement that they were still taking money from my account. I'd forgotten to cancel the DD with my bank. I went back and asked to see the direct debit agreement and they showed me the one for his account, but their system still had my account details in it. They were taking money from my account using his name and signature - totally illegal. They actually told me that they wouldn't refund me the money and that I should get it from the other guy! I did, just to avoid the hassle, but I wasn't best pleased with the way they dealt with me.

 

[WarmFluffyUK]

Okay, ADSL has a thing called a contention ratio, it basically means you are sharing the line with others. For example, if the service is contended or oversubscribed at 20:1, it means that you share the bandwidth with up to 19 other users. Basic ADSL services in the UK (mainly using the BT network) typically have a contention ratio of 50:1 with the more expensive or business packages having 20:1.
That 1 or 2 Meg you should be getting, is shared. Keep this in mind when testing your connection as it is the same for everyone.

​

That's a little oversimplified. 1 meg at 50:1 might be 500 people on a 10 meg line, capped at 1 meg. So your neighbour loading up bittorrent isn't going to cut your connection speed by half, it most likely won't affect it at all. Broadband is so fast that normal use (i.e. browsing, downloading songs, etc) doesn't tie up the line for long at all. A 50:1 contention ratio isn't amazing, but it's not too bad either.

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Excuse me but trying to make it an average by 5*10 isn't actually a real figure. Fifty to One is a real figure, you're sharing a line with 49 other people. fact....

 

[Goity]

I feel sorry for those other 49

 

[FluffyPanda]

Excuse me but trying to make it an average by 5*10 isn't actually a real figure. Fifty to One is a real figure, you're sharing a line with 49 other people. fact....

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It's a ratio, not an exact statment of the situation. I'm afraid you're the one who's mistaken. Broadband companies don't just install lots of 1 megabit lines and rent them out in groups of 50.

Read this for a good (if lengthy) explanation.