Top 10 BB speed test

Paul K · 19-10-2009, 17:21

http://www.top10-broadband.co.uk/speedtest/
When it works it might be useful.
BBC

Quote:

There are big variations between broadband speeds in the same street, a new broadband speed test has revealed.

The test, launched by comparison site Top 10 Broadband, allows users to zoom in on their postcode area to see what speed their neighbours net runs at.

Callumpy · 19-10-2009, 17:23

Cool

webcrawler2050 · 19-10-2009, 17:30

Quote:

Due to overwhelming demand, we have had to pause our new StreetStats and speed test tools for the time being.

We are working flat out to get the service live again despite the demand, so please check back later!

Thats just funny!!!

Paul K · 19-10-2009, 19:21

Like I said.... when it works lol

top10chris · 27-10-2009, 16:18

Hi all

I'm Chris and I work at Top 10 Broadband.

Since launching the new test we have been overwhelmed with traffic and media coverage. Due to the newness of our technology and variety of broadband connection types we have also had some teething problems with the service which some of you have picked up on here.

Our speed test is now up and running, please give it a go and let me know your feedback. Speed testing is a complex subject and we really value your ideas as broadband experts in helping us build the best tool available.

Happy speed testing!
Chris

SnoopZ · 27-10-2009, 16:48

It's not giving good results for me, I'm on 20mbit and i can get around that on speedtest.net but on this i only get 12mbit. I know speedtests like this vary but its a little too low.

top10chris · 27-10-2009, 17:02

@snoopz Thanks for your reply. Would it be possible for you to tell me what operating system, browser and version of flash you have installed please?

dave6x · 27-10-2009, 17:08

My 10Mb VM cable service just tested out over 2 runs at 9.1Mb & 9.2Mb download, 0.42 & 0.45 upload although site has rounded up upload result to 0.5Mb on both tests. Wonder if the rounding errors are compounded across the results???

Information seems to be somewhat erroneous or misleading, on the Street Stats results page in one area it states "Cable Broadband (Up to 50Mb) Not available" for my postcode, yet further down the page states the 2nd best-selling fast broadband deal available to be Virgin Media XL (Cable). And the price comparisons erroneously omit the line rental cost for ADSL services.

All in all I'm not impressed

SnoopZ · 27-10-2009, 17:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by top10chris

@snoopz Thanks for your reply. Would it be possible for you to tell me what operating system, browser and version of flash you have installed please?

Windows 7 RC
Firefox 3.5.3
Flash 10,0,32,18

I tried 3 times with Firefox and all came to around 12mibit.

top10chris · 27-10-2009, 17:18

@dave6x Thanks for your reply.

Are the download and uploads speeds what you were expecting or are they too low/high? If you are not sure could you please take a speed test elsewhere (speedtest.net for example) and see how our results compare?

We are aware of some issues with the speed test and you can see a full list on this page. As you can see we are cracking through them and fixing things almost every day.

The main problem that most people have been experiencing is that the speed test is under-reporting your speed compared to other speed tests. We put live an update yesterday (26th October) which we think solves this problem.

I would like to reassure you that we are not using any data from the speed test on our StreetStats tool or speed test trends until we are confident the test is reporting speed accurately.

Our aim with the speed test is firstly to provide the most accurate, easy-to-use speed test available, and secondly to show you your speed in the context of other people in your area through tools like StreetStats. By doing this we are actually trying to make speed test data more transparent and useful for people.

It is absolutely not our intention to build a tool that is misleading or dishonest. Top 10 Broadband is a commercial website, and it is precisely for this reason that we have a bigger incentive than anyone else to make an accurate speed test. It makes no business sense for us to have a tool that doesn't work or that people are dissatisfied with so we welcome all feedback.

Thanks,
Chris

Stuart · 27-10-2009, 17:30

It sounds good. Can''t test it at the moment, as I am at Work, and being connected via JANET would distort my results a little..

One thing I'd like to ask: How does the site deal with different packages? If, say, an ISP offers 50 meg, 20 meg and 10 meg speeds, yet the average speed for an area is 8 meg, does that mean that the area has a lot of 10 meg customers who are getting an OK service, or a lot of 20 meg and 50 meg customers who are getting an abysmal service?

The service does seem good, though.

top10chris · 27-10-2009, 17:31

@snoopz Thanks for the information, we'll take a look on our end and see if anyone else is getting similar problems on that spec machine. Lastly, do you happen to know what % of CPU was being used at the time of the speed test?

dave6x · 27-10-2009, 17:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by top10chris

@dave6x Thanks for your reply.

Are the download and uploads speeds what you were expecting or are they too low/high? If you are not sure could you please take a speed test elsewhere (speedtest.net for example) and see how our results compare?

To be fair the results were much as expected for download, but appear to be a little high for upload, and I'm concerned that rounding up the results may be compounded and give optomistic results overall.

As my previous response stated I have concerns regarding the accuracy of information on comparative pricing of broadband services where ADSL services shown do not include the cost of line-rental. Also the erroneous indication of what services are available in my area. Can't beat Sam Knows for this info!!!!

SnoopZ · 27-10-2009, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by top10chris

@snoopz Thanks for the information, we'll take a look on our end and see if anyone else is getting similar problems on that spec machine. Lastly, do you happen to know what % of CPU was being used at the time of the speed test?

100% CPU on the download that time in Firefox and the speed was only 5mbit, it also didn't identify Virgin as my ISP.

Same results in IE 8 and get 12mbit.

I can get about 16mbit on speedtests london server, 10mbit on maidstone and 12mbit on Miltonkeynes, so this is the reason i don't use online speed tests as i find them VERY unreliable and always check my connection via Newsgroups from which i can get 20mbit.

top10chris · 27-10-2009, 18:00

@Stuart

Thanks for the reply. The speeds you see are an average of all speed tests for a provider in that particular area. Unfortunately the providers do not supply package information so we are unable to determine what this is automatically.

We did think about asking people to pick their package was but we found that the majority of them didn't know which we believe would have lead to more inaccurate data.

@dave6x

We are aware of some providers showing in areas that are not possible and hope to have it fixed soon.

@SnoopZ

That sounds like it might be the problem (CPU usage). Could you please clear you cache and try again to make sure you have the latest speed test flash file?