Virgin Media has slammed online broadband speed tests, claiming they are inaccurate.
The tests, which usually involve timing how long it takes to download a file to a PC, help consumers discover if the speed they're getting matches those promised by their ISP. However, according to the BBC, Virgin Media claims the files sent are often too small to provide an accurate result.
The comments come as Virgin Media prepares to launch its 50Mbps service, and the ISP fears that the error margin on current tests will be increased at faster speeds, resulting in even more inaccurate results.
The ISP has also voiced its concern over the bottlenecks and delays caused when a number of people use a particular broadband speed test at the same time, and said that tests using hardware directly attached to a modem, like those from SamKnows, gave more accurate results.
Comments
keith said: EDITThey say its until 9pm which is just a load of rubbish
keith said: Completely agree with bill Why cap you The severe time period your capped also really annoys me For eg I have been capped before from 4pm all the way to 2am is just disgusting They say its until 9am which is just a load of rubbish All I was doing was playing warcraft Thats almost literally half a day By the way this is when paying for the 20mb service alsoHeaven help us when they start pushing their extremely high priced so called 50mbStill dont know why they just cant increase upload speeds Some online gaming now use a lot more upload speed and you lag like hell and you cant play For eg if you had a 10mb line in sweden they give you a heck of a lot of upload speed for much much less moneyIm hoping the BT rollout can be good competition for virgin and drive prices down wishfull thinkingThen it would be proper optical versus Virgins coaxial
bill said: i get 10mb but only if i dot stream if i do i get capped at 15mbwhich of course is not what they say when you joinso virgin are capping people who use what they are paying forstating it is not fair on others well then do not start these services if you cannot provide them without capping
Pink Panther said: Im a Virgin customer on the 10meg service I use Speedtestnet as a spped tester and 10meg is the speed I receive Excellent No complaints
Jack Long said: I use Visualware My Speed PC LiteEdtion to test my Virgin 10MbBroadband and it finds it is allmostspot on all the time I also use theirVisualroute and it and it allwaysfinds it can come From Winersh toManchester in 7 Hops so no complaints from me Virgin is the BEST