Broadband Guide

Broadband speed checker

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If you want to see if your provider is living up to its speed promises, a broadband speed checker could tell you exactly what kind of download speeds you’re getting.

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How do speed checkers work?

If you’re suffering from slow download speeds - or simply want to know how your ISP is performing - then using a broadband speed tester is the perfect way to check your speed.

You can use online speed testers to check your speed whenever you want, or install a speed tester like the BroadbandChoices.co.uk Speed Tester that you can set to run tests once a day, every hour or just when you turn your PC on. That way you can see the differences in your download speed at peak and off-peak times.

Our speed checker sends a small file and measures how long your connection takes to download it. The size of the file will vary according to the speed your connection should be running at.

Are there any drawbacks to speed checkers?

Speed testers have been criticised in the past because some can’t accurately measure the new generation of superfast broadband speeds. However, the BroadbandChoices.co.uk Speed Tester is capable of measuring speeds of up to 200Mb and has been approved by Virgin Media (www.VirginMedia.com), which currently offers the UK’s fastest broadband package at speeds of up to 50Mb.

How can I increase my broadband speed?

Even if you’re still within your contract period and can’t switch broadband provider, there are some still steps that you can take to boost your broadband speed.

Setting up security on your router to stop neighbours piggybacking your connection, installing an iPlate on a slow ADSL line or simply talking to your provider to see if they can improve your speed can all help. However, if you find that you’re still suffering on a slow connection, try switching broadband provider to a faster, more reliable ISP.

Read our Complete guide to speeding up your broadband or run a Speed Test now.