[Scotsman]

It seems the FCC is gathering statistics on actuall internet connection speeds by asking people to run a Java app from a webpage to test the speed.

Apparently this is in preparation to holding ISP's feet to the fire about not promissing speeds they don't actually deliver.

For any interested the FCC page is at http://www.broadband.gov/. The Wired article where I found out about it is at FCC Wants You to Test Your Broadband Speeds

[Cheiron]

Yeah, we had a little scandal some years ago in Denmark, when a TV-consumer program revealed that speeds can vary a lot and many times lower than promised. Since then internet service providers here have to state on their websites that you can expect fluctuation in up/download speeds.... they hid that fact before

The wise guys say that usually you can expect up to 10 % slower connection... but many factors are involved... ... where in system you are connected (physically where you are in network and how you are connected and how far you are from ISP), how much traffic is currently going on, the capacity of the server you are currently on. Also if you are on wireless, external factors can influence the signal.

I am promised/pay for 20Mbit down and 1.5 Mbit up.

We have various test sites we can log into here... and I just tested mine, current result on TDC (national phone company) :

17,58 Mbit down and 1,68 Mbit up


The danish "IT- og Telestyrelsen" which is the danish national agency that control/regulate all electronic radio- and tele-communication had following:

17561 kbit/s down and 1735 kbit/s up

AND they have a vulnerability test that checks your puter for open and closed ports.... mine came out green... it said that firewall was detected and working, it spotted no holes and I was doing ok.

... all in all that's ok I think on a saturday afternoon
_________________
Cheiron
______________________________
"Any scientist with respect for himself should start
the day by rejecting his own pet hypotheses".
(Konrad Lorenz)

"Wir müssen wissen
Wir werden wissen"
(David Hilbert)