What is a contention ratio?
Contention ratio refers to the maximum number of users you could be sharing your bandwidth with. PC Docs uses the lower
contention ratio of 20:1. If you have a 20:1 contention ratio then in theory another 19 users could be competing for the 512kb
you have. In practice this very rarely happens and even on the slowest ADSL product users typically see a 10x improvement
over a 56k modem.
Why is the download speed greater than the upload speed?
ADSL is Asymmetric which means it runs at different speeds for upload and download. BT is currently trialling a SDSL (Symmetric
Digital Subscriber Line) service which runs at the same speed for both upload and download.
What type of phone line is required for ADSL service?
A standard BT PSTN analogue line is required for ADSL. Certain BT services and/or configurations are NOT compatible with
ADSL, these include:-
- PBX Switchboard
- ISDN 30(PRI)
- Surftime
- BT Data Stream
- BT Video Stream
- None BT Telephone Line
- Redcare Alarm Monitoring
- Pulse Metered Line
- Coin/Pay Phone
Question: Cable Speed - How Fast Is Cable Modem Internet?
Cable modem has long been recognized for its superior speed compared to other forms of Internet service. Is cable modem
speed really that much better than alternatives? If so, how much faster?
Answer: Cable modem speeds vary widely. While cable modem technology can theoretically support up to about 30 Mbps, most providers offer service with between 1 Mbps and 6 Mbps bandwidth for downloads, and bandwidth between 128 Kbps and 768 Kbps for uploads.
