Broadband Consumers Get Advertised Bandwidth Depending on Pay Schemes

Are consumers getting the advertised bandwidth for their broadband internet connections? This is really something that needs to be investigated, right? NetForecast is ready with the answers. Their studies on the FCC’s Internet connection performance data reveal that generally the consumers get the full bandwidth depending on how much they pay for their connections. In short, higher the pay, more the bandwidth capacity.

Experts at NetForecast have found that higher bandwidth connection users receive the advertised or more bandwidth while using the internet. But, lower bandwidth consumers get the bandwidth less than what is advertised.

The FCC study shows that the mean bandwidth values for each service tier from all the ISPs deviate largely. An analysis of the bandwidth connections has been conducted by considering the two pertinent measurement periods: all the hours in the month, and the peak internet usage period of 7 to 11 PM local time Monday-Friday.  Among the 95^th percentile confidence range, the interval trend lines (lower and upper) for each ISP service tier have been highlighted in the stats alongside.

As you see the lower bandwidth tiers (left) get only less than the average advertised bandwidth. Meanwhile, the higher service tiers (right) receive more than the advertised bandwidth level. Users with 12 Mbps-plus service come under the higher bandwidth levels. But for both type of consumers, the performance level falls during the peak usage period.

Ofcom studies in the UK that used the same SamKnows measurement methodology point out that the US broadband delivery system is far better than the service in the country. The FCC’s measurement of ISP performance is an important step in calculating the internet resource economics and will surely improve the quality of bandwidth the users get in the coming days.

Which category do you come in?