25mb download speed... doesn't exist
fourbyfourblaze
Enthusiast - Level 1

My mom purchased  Verizon's package for phone, internet and tv and I did many speed test that claim that  she's getting close to 25mb download speed and 15mb upload.

But i've never see this happen when I actually download any thing off the internet.  The maximum speed is 2.33mb/per sec  Why is Verizon advertising and selling 25mb download speed when it isn't even possible to get near that speed.  Isn't this false advertising? I'm willing to listen but I find it very hard to understand.

0 Likes
Re: 25mb download speed... doesn't exist
abhi_col
Contributor - Level 3

When you downlload something, it shows you the transfer rate and not the download speed.

Advertised speed is 25Mbps. Notice the capital 'M' and lower case 'b'. It stands for megabits per second.

But when you download something it shows the transfer rate which in your case is 2.33MBps which stands for Mega Bytes per second.

For your reference :- The Bits vs Bytes confusion.

Re: 25mb download speed... doesn't exist
whiskeylover
Enthusiast - Level 3

8 bits = 1 byte. Do the math.

0 Likes
Re: 25mb download speed... doesn't exist
philhu
Contributor - Level 2

Actually 10 bits should equal a byte.

Don't forget the start and stop bits for overrun.

0 Likes
Re: 25mb download speed... doesn't exist
spacedebris
Master - Level 2

Also remember that your speed is not the only one in question. The question is how fast can they send it to you?

As an example. Lets say you have 20/5 and I have 20/5

You can take it from me at 20 but I can only send it at 5 so you will only get 5.

But that leaves you 15 left over that you can go out and play with. So you can get many files all at the same time until you reach your 20 limit.

So no matter how fast your connection is, if the other side is slower, you get it slower. Your only as fast as the slowest link in the chain.

Re: 25mb download speed... doesn't exist
jumpin68ny
Master - Level 2

The larger bandwidth comes noticeable not when you surf the web but having the ability to run multiple  applications through your Internet Connection.

Since I've switched to FIOS I can simultaneously run 3-5 computers all running email, surfing the internet, Internet Radio, stream youtube videos, a VPN connection downloading email and connecting to a widows server etc., have 3 simultaneously VOIP telephone calls and a VOD movie running.  I can run all of this without seeing any slowness on any pc or any of the phone calls getting stepped.

If I tried this on cable internet, my voice calls would be stepped on, the radio and you tube video's would stop and buffer.  Not good.

The benefit of the FIOS is the ability to run lots of traffic through your Internet connection while maintaining connections to all your applications.  

Remember as someone indicated the fastest you can go is as fast as the slowest link.  Not a fault of Verizon but the hops in between.

Jim

0 Likes
Re: 25mb download speed... doesn't exist
jmw1950
Specialist - Level 2

Start and stop bits only apply to asynchronos communications. There is some overhead in the framing of the packets and in the check code for the packet, but it is nowhere near 20%..

2.33 mBytes=19.5 million bits per second.

Keep in mind all that Verizon provides at 25million bits per second is the internet 'On Ramp' and 'Off Ramp'. There are lot of things that may limit your actual speed to considerably less than the link between you and the Verizon Central office. 

If you want to see where the limitations are, I suggest you use Argonne National Labs speed tester/analyser,

http://ndt.anl.gov/