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[burakkucat]

A quick question, to provoke some discussion and understand other users' requirements.

Rather than use the (location dependent) throughput speed metric, I would like this discussion to make use of the established sync speed between modem and DSLAM/MSAN.

As the only user of the various computers connected to The Cattery's LAN, I have no need for the typical FTTC speeds. My requirements are really quite modest. If I could have a symmetric service, 4/4 Mbps DS/US would be perfectly acceptable to me.

So what is the minimum sync speed that would be acceptable for your current situation?

[roseway]

I'm in much the same position as you, being the only user of my internet connection. I think if it were Hobson's choice, I would find 4/4 DS/US acceptable, like you. But 6/2 would be better, and I'm not really sure that I would take that in preference to my present 8/1. I sometimes download quite large files, so the higher downstream speed makes a significant difference.

[Black Sheep]

My area is just having FTTC installed as we speak, and I'm certain 40/10 will be suffice. As 'we' get DSL free as a company perk though, I may as well go for the 80/20.

Good question and it obviously boils down to the house demographic.

[burakkucat]

Having read Eric's response, another idea has come to me. 

I have suggested that a symmetric 4/4 Mbps would satisfy me . . . now suppose that it has an automagical ability to adjust itself from 1/7 to 7/1 Mbps, depending upon current activity initiated from my LAN side of the connection. Would that be something to consider?

[sevenlayermuddle]

Most of the time I only really need a few hundred kbps, enough to make web pages render reasonably fast.  But a few times in a year, I may want to download an iso image of (say) some linux distro DVD, and for that I think about 3-4 mbps is just about ok.  A 4.7 GB ISO download then takes 2-3 hours which is OK, just sit in front of the telly and forget about it.

I'm actually much more often frustrated by my 350k upload speed.  My mission this past week has been setting up cron jobs on the linux server, to back up all my systems overnight.  These backups (about 12GB in total today) are then replicated around various HDDs, and burned to BD-Rs that go in the garage.   But for even more peace of mind, I could upload them to Cloud.  In fact I have a fair amount of could storage at my disposal which would be great, if only I could upload 10-20GB in a sane time frame.

edit: darned typos

[broadstairs]

Although I'm the main users Mrs Broadstairs does use the laptop quite a bit and gets frustrated at times by slow response and that is even on our 8.5mbps download sync. I do find my 1mbps upload slow at times especially when updating my website and want to transfer large numbers of images, so I would prefer something like 8 down and 4 up. If I went fibre 40/10 would be great however the TT 40/2 just sucks!

Stuart

[Ezzer]

I had 0.8/0.25 in my house in Norwich. NEw nte with SSFP got 5.3mb
For something like a BBC I-player video steam non HD with say a e-mail page open you need at least 1.5 mb for one pc/laptop etc
Multiply this by each user who maybe on line, deducting the difference between the connection to the exchange and the online steaming from your provider at a busy time such as from pm week days (kids getting home from school and hitting the net on mass with businesses still busy as well)

My parents had 0.5mb ish, sorted the starwiring & the HR in the BT16. 4.5mb They got FTTC & 38mb. Way way more than they ever utilise, Just wish Skype (picture fair, sound fair-poor) or Facetime (great picture, sound intermittent) would keep up

Here in Colorado we originaly had 1.1/0.3. sorted the star wiring we get about 3.5/0.4. the deduction for the isp service can be a huge chunk of that. About 4.5km line lenght. No fibre and no hope of any. 

Our ealdest likes his online gaming, If we have a hd vid to watch that will about use up everything to the limit and maby a bit beyond. Never mind any one else going on line. Its also worth bearing in mind when they say how many in the US have broadband. An ISDN at any over .01mb is classified as Broadband here. Where as in Europe it's classified as Mid Band. 0.5mb being the threashold.

[kitz]

I guess it depends on what you use the net for.   As a site owner (d'oh) then upload has for me something I've always taken into consideration. Uploading files to a remote server can often seem to take forever.   It's one of the reasons I've always gone for the higher upstream ie Max Premium and now annexM (2.6 Mbps up)  If it wasn't for the site then I may not be  quite so bothered.