[LINK] America's Internet Disconnect

[Pilcher, Fred]

Danny wrote:
> Adrian Chadd wrote:
> > I also think there's a bit of exagguration going on wrt 
> modem vs fttn
> > stuff.  If you've obtained a fiber connection and you're getting 
> > 64kbps then you should change carrier.
> 
> And anyone in the US getting better than 56kbps is NOT on "dialup
> modem", whatever they may say or think (barring some kind of very
> unusual multi-link setup).

You're right of course,  I'm being subjective. But by and large, ordinary surfing over their dialup felt like my ordinary surfing here; downloads were a little slower, but not hugely. If I can get 100Kb/s I consider it exceptional - they seemed to get the full 56Kb/s most of the time, which is certainly as good as or better than I get most of the time. 

Broadband was another thing. Cases in point: last night a US friend and I were downloading similar-sized files from the same US server at the same time. It took me an hour and a half - it took her about fifteen minutes. I sometimes VNC in to another friend's PC in the US to help sort out his problems - if I download a 10MB utility on his PC it comes down in a matter of seconds whereas it'd take a few minutes for me.

Of course this is no kind of technical analysis. I know that one swallow does not a summer make and, as I said, I don't expect identical performance. But I do get the distinct feeling that we're being diddled.

If I'm wrong and just deluding myself, then I apologise.

Fred 
  
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