broadband news

Google to expose whether ISPs are keeping their speed promises

It's been an issue for a couple of years: there simply isn't enough information available on bandwidth speeds. The speed an ISP says that it can offer can be a significant factor in your choice of broadband provider. But are you really getting the speed you think?

Well Google, true to their open ethos, are championing transparency from all providers. They have devised a system that will let consumers see exactly what kind of connection they are really getting.

A Senior policy maker from Google said that his company believe the net should be more open, as this allows creativity to flourish. He said "We are trying to develop tools that allow people to detect what's happening with their broadband connections. They can then let ISPs know they are not happy with what they're getting and that they think certain services are being tampered with."

Is the slow down self-imposed?

This is significant as there have been accusations that ISPs deliberately throttle bandwidth. Comcast in particular, has been named for suspiciously blocking some file sharing sites. There are no doubt companies who would prefer that customers didn't know about their bandwidth management practices.

The new tools would also mean people could test a connection speed, taking advantage of the cooling-off period before signing the contract with a broadband provider.

In actual fact, there can be multiple reasons why you won't get the speed you think. The distance of your house from the local telephone exchange, the quality of wiring in the house, the type of modem or router you use and the time of day, can all affect broadband speed.

No one knows what these new transparency tools are. But they can only be a good thing for a feeling of general openness about broadband and the net.

02/07/2008
Author: CompareBroadbandUK staff writer

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