Ofcom: legal right to 10Mbps internet begins March 2020

[HEXUS]

The new Universal Service Obligation (USO) also guarantees a >1Mbps upload speeds.

Read more.

[afiretruck]

So, because Virgin Media operate in my area, and are the sole provider able to sell us access to 'fast' internet connections, that's considered good enough even though they have no competition and can charge whatever they like without worrying about me going to another provider? Fun...

(FYI my BT line can do an astonishing 4mbps down. The up test timed-out so I have no results for it.)

I suppose it's a first step to getting something almost suitable to people with no options, however.

[Ttaskmaster]

Of course there are limits to what can be spent on individual customers to get a USO level connection.

And there's the kicker.....

We have 900Mbps fibre lines laid right outside my house. Got a connection pot all ready to go... and this has been ready for the past 19 months.
Apparently there's a problem at the BT cabinet or something, though, which I imagine will forevermore remain beyond this 'designated expenditure limit'........

With 100GB of mobile data and a massively faster connection, I just might start tethering my PC...!

[aidanjt]

So a guarantee without a guarantee. That's useful.

[philehidiot]

With 100GB of mobile data and a massively faster connection, I just might start tethering my PC...!

I do this with laptop and PC. The PC I'm cautious with as it'll update as it feels like it but the Mac I can trust to not download a massive update without my permission so I'll happily tether that.

You "Hello, BT, I'd rather like my 10Mb/s connection as per your legal obligation"
BT "Sorry sire but there's a fault at the exchange and to fix it would exceed the cost limitation"
You "So you can't be arsed and are lying about the cost, then?"
BT "Can you really put a price on motivation? Can you really put a price on tearing away a man from his family to 'fix' your internet connection? CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON HIM RISKING HIS LIFE DRIVING ON OUR ROADS IN HIS VAN TO FIX YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION? You FIEND! You BEAST!"
You "...."

[PC-LAD]

Tasky is right, but three do a good deal on router data deals atm. You get unlimited data and no speed caps, some people get 80mbps down for £20 a month (NO LANDLINE)

[philehidiot]

Tasky is right, but three do a good deal on router data deals atm. You get unlimited data and no speed caps, some people get 80mbps down for £20 a month (NO LANDLINE)

I suspect that BT and Virgin are going to see competition in the form of 5G mobile providers. Certainly for areas with poor access. Then it'll be Musky's satellite deelie I suppose. You won't be able to see a single star for all the satellites but at least high quality pr0n access will be unhindered by a rural location.

[Ttaskmaster]

BT "Can you really put a price on motivation? Can you really put a price on tearing away a man from his family to 'fix' your internet connection? CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON HIM RISKING HIS LIFE DRIVING ON OUR ROADS IN HIS VAN TO FIX YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION? You FIEND! You BEAST!"

Why yes... About half the price they put on tearing me away from my family and risk my life at 2am to come make sure you get clean water out of your office taps, and your office toilets don't spit everything back up, and the trains you catch to work every day don't derail and kill you....
Any questions?

Tasky is right

Oh hey, can I get this on a t-shirt, please?

but three do a good deal on router data deals atm.

Their coverage of my area is pretty worthless, though. I might get one bar on a good day if I move the PC outside and up the road....

[Zak33]

So, because Virgin Media operate in my area, and are the sole provider able to sell us access to 'fast' internet connections, that's considered good enough even though they have no competition and can charge whatever they like without worrying about me going to another provider? Fun...

(FYI my BT line can do an astonishing 4mbps down. The up test timed-out so I have no results for it.)

I suppose it's a first step to getting something almost suitable to people with no options, however.

I don't quite get the argument there. This is for people with utterly no useable speed conection.. but if Virgin WAS availabe....a fair comparison is this-

If the BT requirement will be £45 for a mere 10mbs down, 1 up (and don't forget line rental is on top of that), and Virgin is £44 per month for 54mbs 34 up and it INCLUDES a phone line....... then the price from Virgin is better, surely?

[Saracen999]

I don't quite get the argument there. This is for people with utterly no useable speed conection.. but if Virgin WAS availabe....a fair comparison is this-

If the BT requirement will be £45 for a mere 10mbs down, 1 up (and don't forget line rental is on top of that), and Virgin is £44 per month for 54mbs 34 up and it INCLUDES a phone line....... then the price from Virgin is better, surely?

Unless I misread him, afiretruck was getting at the situation where because a really fast but expensive service is available, there's no "USO" to provide a modest speed service for those with limited needs and/or restricted budget.

And he's right.

But so are you .... that isn't the objective of the USO. Though perhaps it ought to he part of it.

[Cr@ig]

And what's the minimum latency we are to expect? im forever getting request timeouts, makes that 10mb arrive just as quick as 1mb with 0 latency!

[kryton666]

Is this speeds you actually get at your pc or at the router?
When ever I've argued with sky they always quote what the router shows & s.o.l for what I actually get out of the router even with a cable.

[badass]

I do this with laptop and PC. The PC I'm cautious with as it'll update as it feels like it but the Mac I can trust to not download a massive update without my permission so I'll happily tether that.

You "Hello, BT, I'd rather like my 10Mb/s connection as per your legal obligation"
BT "Sorry sire but there's a fault at the exchange and to fix it would exceed the cost limitation"
You "So you can't be arsed and are lying about the cost, then?"
BT "Can you really put a price on motivation? Can you really put a price on tearing away a man from his family to 'fix' your internet connection? CAN YOU PUT A PRICE ON HIM RISKING HIS LIFE DRIVING ON OUR ROADS IN HIS VAN TO FIX YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION? You FIEND! You BEAST!"
You "...."

Or this old chesnut:

Customer:"Hi, our broadband line keeps dropping out, syncing at below 500Kbps etc"
BT:"We'll send an engineer"
Engineer 1 arrives
Engineer 1: "I've found a spare phone line and just connected you to that one instead"
Customer, 2 days later: "The quality is even worse"
BT:"We'll send an engineer"
The same engineer arrives:
Engineer 1: "I've found a spare phone line and just connected you to that one instead" (it's the other line that was faulty)
repeat ad nauseum with any combination of BT engineers.

[peterb]

And what's the minimum latency we are to expect? im forever getting request timeouts, makes that 10mb arrive just as quick as 1mb with 0 latency!

Latency is as much a function of the server you are connecting to as the line. To some extent that is true of speeds as well - if you did a speed to test to my server (for example) your download would be 10Mb/s, because that is my maximum upload speed on my line.

Is this speeds you actually get at your pc or at the router?
When ever I've argued with sky they always quote what the router shows & s.o.l for what I actually get out of the router even with a cable.

It has to be at the router, the ISP has no control over your internal network. Similarly the line speed is the speed to the ISP's forwarding router as again they have little control over what happens outside their network boundary, except that hey may have a say over the capacity of the connection for the aggregated data of all users at a particular network hub.

[daddacool]

This is only going to work if they END USER gets the fine/compensation from any breach.

[lodore]

Or this old chesnut:

Customer:"Hi, our broadband line keeps dropping out, syncing at below 500Kbps etc"
BT:"We'll send an engineer"
Engineer 1 arrives
Engineer 1: "I've found a spare phone line and just connected you to that one instead"
Customer, 2 days later: "The quality is even worse"
BT:"We'll send an engineer"
The same engineer arrives:
Engineer 1: "I've found a spare phone line and just connected you to that one instead" (it's the other line that was faulty)
repeat ad nauseum with any combination of BT engineers.

At my parents old house they had to send 3 engineers within a 3 month period.
At my parents current house the engineer said I have been told to move the cables around i have fixed 48 homes but I had to unplug yours to meet the quota you will have to contact bt again... My dad wasn't amused.. Luckily they did solve it the next day but it isn't really the point.

Openreach took 2months to get the phone line activated at my flat a few years ago..
Luckily in my house the phone line was active so it was transferred to me right away.

BT are abusing the monopoly they have as well as milking outdated technology which is exactly what Intel has been doing until Amd came along with Ryzen.

I have heard equally bad and good things regarding virgin media. If the area isn't oversubscribed you will get a great experience but if it is you will get a crap experience. I can't find a way to find out without joining them. I am currently with plusnet and get around 50-60mb. I could get higher speed with virgin but at a higher cost.