Everyone wants faster networking speeds for communication and work, but the internet speed you’re getting may be far slower than promised by your internet service provider (ISP).
The data provided by ConsumerReports shows that internet speed may be transferring 3 times slower than the advertised figures . It’s also worth noting the rate of transfer was much closer to their advertised speed in premium packages. This means that the high-end services advertised by ISPs are more likely to be false advertising.
The survey was conducted by asking all the participants to take an internet speed measurement test on a site called Measurement Lab. From the results, the team analyzed 6,284 bills to find how much difference there was between the ISP’s advertised internet speed and the actual internet speed they were providing.
By seeing the graph featured below, we can figure out that the internet packages below 125 Mbps were close to their advertised speed. But, when you start going up the graph from 150 Mbps, the difference between the advertised amount and the tested speed increases.
In the graph, we can see that the advertised package of 400 Mbps only delivered 256 Mbps speed in reality. Similar examples can be seen as you go up the spectrum of the graph. The most significant difference comes from the 1200 Mbps internet package, which only gives 360 Mbps speed in actuality, more than thrice the speed advertised by the ISP.
But what is the reason for such a massive downgrade in internet performance? Well, the answer to that is network congestion. When you use the internet in a densely populated region or a city, the network becomes overcrowded, resulting in a slowed internet speed, doubly so if you’re using it during peak usage hours.
Internet speed is also dependent on a user’s hardware. For example, Chrome browser relies heavily on hardware acceleration which significantly boosts its performance. An old network card or a slow CPU may reduce your network transfer rate.
You might’ve also heard of ISPs’ fair usage policy, where many service providers limit your bandwidth after you’ve reached a specific allotted limit to allow the network to function smoothly and control the stress inflicted on it.
There are a few ways that you can go about increasing your Internet speed for faster browsing. Do an internet speed test and see if you’re receiving the intended speed advertised by your ISP. If not, contact them and ask them to resolve the issue.
Another way of improving internet speed is through a VPN, which can use a less crowded server to reroute the traffic and stop your internet service provider from limiting your internet speed. But this can also work differently and cause your internet speed to slow down instead, so be aware.
If you’re using a wireless connection to communicate with your router, then you should use a wired option as it’s more reliable and faster. Moreover, restarting the router might fix this issue if you’re getting slower speeds than you usually get.
Read next: Password Sharing On Streaming Devices Like Netflix Is Now A Crime
The data provided by ConsumerReports shows that internet speed may be transferring 3 times slower than the advertised figures . It’s also worth noting the rate of transfer was much closer to their advertised speed in premium packages. This means that the high-end services advertised by ISPs are more likely to be false advertising.
The survey was conducted by asking all the participants to take an internet speed measurement test on a site called Measurement Lab. From the results, the team analyzed 6,284 bills to find how much difference there was between the ISP’s advertised internet speed and the actual internet speed they were providing.
By seeing the graph featured below, we can figure out that the internet packages below 125 Mbps were close to their advertised speed. But, when you start going up the graph from 150 Mbps, the difference between the advertised amount and the tested speed increases.
In the graph, we can see that the advertised package of 400 Mbps only delivered 256 Mbps speed in reality. Similar examples can be seen as you go up the spectrum of the graph. The most significant difference comes from the 1200 Mbps internet package, which only gives 360 Mbps speed in actuality, more than thrice the speed advertised by the ISP.
But what is the reason for such a massive downgrade in internet performance? Well, the answer to that is network congestion. When you use the internet in a densely populated region or a city, the network becomes overcrowded, resulting in a slowed internet speed, doubly so if you’re using it during peak usage hours.
Internet speed is also dependent on a user’s hardware. For example, Chrome browser relies heavily on hardware acceleration which significantly boosts its performance. An old network card or a slow CPU may reduce your network transfer rate.
You might’ve also heard of ISPs’ fair usage policy, where many service providers limit your bandwidth after you’ve reached a specific allotted limit to allow the network to function smoothly and control the stress inflicted on it.
There are a few ways that you can go about increasing your Internet speed for faster browsing. Do an internet speed test and see if you’re receiving the intended speed advertised by your ISP. If not, contact them and ask them to resolve the issue.
Another way of improving internet speed is through a VPN, which can use a less crowded server to reroute the traffic and stop your internet service provider from limiting your internet speed. But this can also work differently and cause your internet speed to slow down instead, so be aware.
If you’re using a wireless connection to communicate with your router, then you should use a wired option as it’s more reliable and faster. Moreover, restarting the router might fix this issue if you’re getting slower speeds than you usually get.
Read next: Password Sharing On Streaming Devices Like Netflix Is Now A Crime
