Broadband Speed

[Woo]

It states that my guaranteed download speed should be 46.5 Mbps but I keep checking and it is only around 30! Yes I am on Wi-Fi but this is not good enough for me.

[Jayach · Accepted solution]

Unfortunately, they make no guarantee on Wi-Fi speeds.

What are your sync speeds, and have you tried over Ethernet?

https://help.nowtv.com/article/broadband-speeds-explained

[Woo]

Hi Jayach.... they do guarantee the speed. Go to your account and you will see:  Download speed: Your minimum download speed is guaranteed, and if we don't stick to it, you can leave without a charge! Estimated 53.0-71.9 Mbps Guaranteed 46.5 Mbps

[Jayach]

By download speed they mean sync, or as they call it, access line speed.

From the link I posted earlier:

Actual speed

The actual download and upload speeds that you experience when using the internet will be slower than the access line speed for your line. This is because of various factors, including:

• The Wi-Fi connection between your device and your NOW Broadband Hub. Wi-Fi connections can be slowed down by thick walls in your home, other electrical items such as baby monitors or cordless phones, and local congestion if there are a number of connections using the same Wi-Fi channel in your neighbourhood.
• The number of people that are using the website you’re trying to access.
• Time of day - you connection might be slower at peak times (weekday evenings and weekends), when the number of people using the internet in the UK is highest.

[RoyB]

@Jayach 

Genuine question:

That’s all very well and good, but what’s to stop Now declaring a simply unattainable sync speed for your line and claiming that all those factors listed explain why you are not getting anywhere need that speed, and so no, you aren’t justified in leaving?

Wifi slowdown sure, overloaded websites sure, but the ‘time of day’ get-out could be used even if you were running a speed checker over Ethernet.

Is there anything that keeps Now honest here, beyond relying on their integrity?

[Jayach]

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@RoyB wrote:
Is there anything that keeps Now honest here, beyond relying on their integrity?

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Yes, it's called Ofcom, they are the arbiter's of last resort in any dispute.

[RoyB]

@Jayach 

We’re all doomed then. You would practically have to start a class action to get Ofcom to move on this topic, which is no help to any of the people here who have been told in the past that Now is delivering the stated sync speed, and Now’s tests show nothing wrong on the line, and yet they are only getting 50% or less of the stated sync speed, measured over Ethernet with a speed checker.

[Jayach]

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@RoyB wrote:
Now is delivering the stated sync speed, and Now’s tests show nothing wrong on the line, and yet they are only getting 50% or less of the stated sync speed, measured over Ethernet with a speed checker.

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I can't say I've ever seen any such posts.

If someone is losing that much speed over Ethernet, there is probably something wrong with their equipment/testing method.

There should not be a drop of over 10% on the sync speed.

If there is, where do you think that loss may be occurring?