contention ratio question

kronas · 30-12-2003, 01:28

ok i have a question on ADSL the contention can be say 20:1 or 50:1 what i want to know is, the contention shared for a specific loop of an isp on the exchange, say if there are 10 users on aol, 15 users on freeserve, and im on BT, am i assuming correctly that contention is only a factor if users are on the same ISP as me or not ?

**Paul** · 30-12-2003, 02:00

AFAIK you could be contending with anybody, it is not ISP related unless the ISP has their own equipment installed in the exchange - and I think very few do.

kronas · 30-12-2003, 03:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by pem

AFAIK you could be contending with anybody, it is not ISP related unless the ISP has their own equipment installed in the exchange - and I think very few do.

im not sure on this my understanding is that everyone uses the same exchange thusly it should mean the load will be 'balanced' between the providers who dont have there own equipment

atleast thats what i think

kronas · 31-12-2003, 07:08

so no one knows for sure how it works ?

etccarmageddon · 31-12-2003, 08:35

I think if it's 'datastream' then it's contended by the ISP but if it's the common method 'ipstream' then you are contended by the BT equipment at the exchange which is shared by all the ISPs on your exchange which use ipstream.

**Paul** · 31-12-2003, 14:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronas

so no one knows for sure how it works ?

It depends on your ISP - as already said in mine and etcarmageddon's posts.

"ipstream" is the system used by most adsl providers - i.e your share BT's equipment and contend with any other isp using it.

"datastream" is where the ISP has thier own equipment in the exchange - i.e. you only contend with others using that isp.

kronas · 31-12-2003, 14:45

ok great thats what i wanted to know a big thanks and a kiss from me to the both of you