| Of all the problems that people have with their home | | | | Many fewer of the people asked by the survey said |
| internet connections 'too fast' certainly isn't in the top 10. | | | | they primarily used the internet for high bandwidth |
| Actually, scratch that, it wouldn't be in the top 100. | | | | activities. |
| However, according to some researchers having | | | | This might indicate that not only do people not need as |
| broadband that is too fast for your needs could be a | | | | high speeds as they have currently they might be as |
| problem because it could mean that you're | | | | well served by smaller download allowances - such as |
| considerably overpaying for your broadband deal. | | | | that offered 3 Mobile Broadband 15GB - than was |
| According to the researchers, although most people | | | | previously thought. |
| now have broadband that's advertised as 'up to 20Mb' | | | | Either way, the broadband deals are likely to be much |
| most would be better of with 'up to 8Mb' and, if they all | | | | faster than is required. |
| switched down a notch when it came to their | | | | However, there are some problems with this. |
| broadband speeds, they'd save around £700 million a | | | | First, it assumes that consumers are actually getting |
| year. | | | | the broadband speeds that are advertised to them |
| The researcher say that the average prices of an up | | | | which hardly seems to be the case. |
| to 20Mb broadband connection is £76.33 more | | | | Second, you might only watch tv online once a week |
| expensive than slightly slower broadband deals. | | | | but that doesn't mean that you want it to be in poor |
| So how do you know if your broadband is too fast? | | | | quality: that's like saying you only need a car that does |
| Well, it all depends on how you usually use the internet | | | | up to 20 Miles an hour because that's the speed you |
| - low bandwidth activities don't really need high speeds | | | | travel at most often. |
| but activities that require a lot of bandwidth require | | | | Whatever the problems with the research, anecdotally |
| greater speeds. | | | | it seems to be the case that many, many people in the |
| When the researchers asked people for how they | | | | UK misunderstand their broadband deals and end up |
| most frequently used the internet 77% answered with | | | | overpaying as a result. |
| checking their emails, 74% said general browsing of | | | | Much of broadband advertising is based on speeds |
| webpages and 51% said they used it to do their | | | | despite the fact that the infrastructure is not set up to |
| banking online. These are all low bandwidth ways to | | | | deliver the top speeds that advertisers are touting and |
| use the internet and a computer too as many a | | | | often way under delivers even when it comes to |
| samsung r530 review has pointed out. | | | | average speeds. |