Decent Service Providers (UK) for 3 users

[kewlguitarist]

We live in a house with 3 of us and we have an 8Mbps service with Virgin Media split with a wireless router between the 3 of us. A lot of the time we can barely load a page, let alone do anything else. It tends to be from 4pm till 11pm but has now started occuring outside of those times. Obviously I know 4-11 is peak time but still those times are getting more like 3pm to 1am now and it is really annoying when you want to come back from work and sit and scan the net.

Can anyone recommend what I might be able to do to improve this? Would getting a 20Mbps help or should I change service provider? Also we have to have cable broadband as we don't have a phone line. Any help would be appreciated.

[Jay]

complain.... a lot. Why pay for more bandwith if your not getting what you already pay for? If they can offer you 20Mb they should be able to sustain your current 8Mb.

Also make sure none of the others are torrenting

[kewlguitarist]

Infact I think we may have a 4MB connection now as they don't do an 8 MB one but I'm sure we were on 8MB when they were NTL. Is 4Mbps between 3 people very little? And I think one person does use torrents. Would that slow it down a lot?

[Jay]

4Mb is fine for 4 people if they just browse and download the odd file. If a user has torrents then it will take as much bandwith as its been set to via the torrent program (probably all of it if possible)

Also if they torrent during peak hours you are going to have you speed capped to 1Mb I think (could be 2Mb). This is a little slow for 4 people and if they still torrent after the speed cap you are really going to feel it.

You need to sit down with the person who torrents and ask them to set their software to only use 1/4 of the upload and download speed, this should make things a bit better for you.

[peterb]

4Mb between 3 should be fine - but depends on what you are doing. Torrents will take up all the bandwidth available - so if three of you are torrenting, you will get !/3rd each - however for general internt access it should be OK. Remember that although you may be on a 4 (or 8) Mb service (I assume it is ADSL?) they are maximum speeds and in practice you may not get that. If you are on cable then you should be getting the stated speed. Check your acceptable use policy - if you have exceeded that, you may be being penalised.

[UltraMagnus]

i would say get the fastest connection you can get/afford...

either the fastest that you can get on cable or get a phone line and get Be broadband

[MadduckUK]

or get a phone line and get Be broadband

after an exchange distance check