Interesting Statistics - Top to almost Bottom

[NTLVictim]

Any answer on the proxy and usage questions above?

[tweetypie/8]

Originally Posted by Bengie

http://www.dslzoneuk.net/isp_ratings.php

I think the placing holds up.

nice post.

[NTLVictim]

Most people who joined in February on here, seem to be fervently pro-Virgin...

[Welshie]

Originally Posted by Shaun

So you're telling me you believed the company that you were going to leave about how sky were going to perform?

That's logical.

And even if the 6 Meg figure is o.k. Sky/BE use ADSL2 which should increase the speed considerably

Actually ADSL2 only increases the speed if you're fairly close to the exchange. The further out you get, the less of an advantage having ADSL2 is...though of course by UK standards 2km is close to the exchange!!!

Useful graph here: http://www.internode.on.net/adsl2/graph/index.htm, many others around showing similar results

[NTLVictim]

Interesting..if my straight line distance is 2000 Metres, what's my actual line length likely to be? Half again?

[Carl J]

Originally Posted by Welshie

Actually ADSL2 only increases the speed if you're fairly close to the exchange. The further out you get, the less of an advantage having ADSL2 is...though of course by UK standards 2km is close to the exchange!!!

Useful graph here: http://www.internode.on.net/adsl2/graph/index.htm, many others around showing similar results

OK and what's the average line length in areas which are cabled?

I presume you have facts backing your assertion that by UK standards 2km is close to the exchange, yes, or is it based on the experience of friends, etc?

Line length is of course not the only issue, line noise, quality of copper, etc, can all also affect performance.

I will try and dig out some hard facts when I get the chance, however I'm pretty sure that the average UK line will do around the 10Mbit mark on ADSL2+.

EDIT: Please note for those accusing me of bias that I also commented negatively as well as positively - I didn't have to mention line noise and copper quality

My understanding with cable is that it makes no difference how long the line is unlike bt

[Pogo stick]

Originally Posted by Delta Whiskey

There needs to be some weighting to account for the number of user comments.
Vivaciti are top with only 44 votes, that is a very small sample, small enough for the company to have generated all the votes themselves. I'm not saying they did of course, but I'm wary of such a small number of votes being an accurate representation of their service.

DW

Good point. Best to trust an independent body actually testing the service, rather than subjective votes from small samples, such as the Internet Service Provider Association. As you'll see on the link below, Virgin Media (nee ntl:Telewest) have just been awarded the most coveted ISPA award of 'Best consumer ISP' based on actual, measurable, real data.

http://www.ispaawards.org.uk/categor...stConsumer.htm

[Carl J]

Originally Posted by Pogo stick

Good point. Best to trust an independent body actually testing the service, rather than subjective votes from small samples, such as the Internet Service Provider Association. As you'll see on the link below, Virgin Media (nee ntl:Telewest) have just been awarded the most coveted ISPA award of 'Best consumer ISP' based on actual, measurable, real data.

http://www.ispaawards.org.uk/categor...stConsumer.htm

Most coveted?

Previous winners including the stellar Bulldog, that same company that spent several months under Ofcom investigation for customer service, installation and billing issues.

The competition being the most complained about major ISP in the UK for years, Tiscali, and the far from stellar Orange, who still managed to win it the previous two years under their previous guise, Wanadoo.

It's a nice advertising point but I wouldn't wipe my **** on that award and you'll forgive me for not considering it so coveted.

Sources:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/09...og_ispa_award/
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/02/bulldog_probe/
http://www.ispreview.co.uk/new/complain/complain.shtml
http://www.uk-bug.net/Topic36.html
http://www.computeractive.co.uk/comp...top-ispa-award

[Pogo stick]

I think the point is that all ISPs with over 250,000 customers have horror stories. For instance Sky's service is not exactly perfect as can be seen here:

http://money.guardian.co.uk/internet...873477,00.html

The award, whether you have respect for it or not, shows that during the period of assessment the winner was the least worst on the criteria assessed. Although I don't know for sure but when Bulldog was assessed it maybe that it was prior to their customer numbers reaching a 'tipping' point where new investment was needed and new provision capability not yet coming on line.

[Carl J]

Originally Posted by Pogo stick

I think the point is that all ISPs with over 250,000 customers have horror stories. For instance Sky's service is not exactly perfect as can be seen here:

http://money.guardian.co.uk/internet...873477,00.html

The award, whether you have respect for it or not, shows that during the period of assessment the winner was the least worst on the criteria assessed. Although I don't know for sure but when Bulldog was assessed it maybe that it was prior to their customer numbers reaching a 'tipping' point where new investment was needed and new provision capability not yet coming on line.

'Least worst' to me doesn't make an award 'most coveted'. Purely an opinion and one that I would happily apply regardless of who won.

Quite agree regarding Sky, issues to be resolved there without a doubt.

[HiroofTime]

Its not as if NTL/Virgin can claim their 10MB line is exactly 10MB now is it, its probably less than 6 meg for me most of the time, unless I use it in the middle of the night like now.

[dontpannic]

This comment says it all really:

what a load ov crap...it used be very good wen was on the 4meg upgraded to 10meg last week and am still getting same speed no more that 2meg endless fone calles to them tell me it is on 10 meg it mite be youe eathernet cablwe ,it takes a week to update your account anit moddefided need doing and that was yesterday then ..the cable stoped working alltogether had fone again to get back on net but still only no more than 2meg canciling monday no wast of time virgin are

No editing done there.


ov? fone calles? anit moddefided? canciling? eathernet cablwe?

How old must he be? 12? 13? 14 at a push?

[Taf]

I appear to have lost my Chavspeak dictionary.....

[Carl J]

Originally Posted by dontpannic

This comment says it all really:



No editing done there.


ov? fone calles? anit moddefided? canciling? eathernet cablwe?

How old must he be? 12? 13? 14 at a push?

Does make me feel great seeing my tax money churning out such well educated people