Testing your Broadband speed

Many users of broadband service around the world think they get the fastest possible speeds. But many times this is not true and the speed they receive for uploading and downloading is radically different.

Most companies that provide broadband service also provide cable television as well as VOIP phone service. All of these services are usually sent over the same broadband wire and routed by a splitter. One connection would go to your television and another through a cable modem to use your VOIP phone and broadband Internet connection.

A free Internet broadband test, whether via a cable or DSL, is a great way to see how fast your connection speed is at your computer. Most companies claim very fast speeds but this really is determined in the optimum setup. Your speed could easily decrease based on how many people close to you are also on the same line or wire. The more people using broadband service or even DSL connection, the slower your speed will be to your computer.

If you are looking for a DSL online speed test, make sure your router settings are correct so that an accurate score can be found. Many high speed dsl and also adsl operators and providers put filters on the line as well to prevent users from using too much speed and bandwidth on their computers. Bandwidth costs money and they are not going to give it away for free. When using the adsl or dsl testers, please keep this in mind when looking at the score. A quick call to the company you have service with might just help you out and let you calculate a better avrage adsl speed.

Broadband speed is often confused with bandwidth. Bandwidth refers to the amount of data you are using and does not relate to the broadband speed. Some companies limit the amount of bandwidth users are allowed to use. If you download movies or other large files off the Internet, you may receive a call from your cable or phone company as they actively monitor and run bandwidth tests on the system

A new crimp in the broadband speed is use of VOIP phone service. The VOIP market is taking over since you can use the same physical cable to now get home phone service with VOIP. Many companies such as local cable companies, Vonage, and Tomato Vine offer these services. These VOIP phone plans are often quite cheap.

Please check for some of our other articles relating to free broadband speed testing and VOIP broadband service.