Telkom Faster 512 - expected download/upload speeds

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Hi

I do apologise if the question has been asked before, but what typical speeds can be expected on a 512 ADSL ?.

Currently running on a 384 and this is the speedtest result :



UP : 40.8 kB/s
DOWN : 13.4 kB/s

Would love to upgrade to 4mbps/10mbps but financial constraints does not allow.

Kind regards
 
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With all due respect to Gordon_R and stevenv - i know the price differences and what not - what I want to know is what speed gain there wile be , if any, on the existing 40 kB/s I get
on the 384.

Thanks
 
It is better on 512, also to get unlimited 512 is not that much more than 384 and you can download a lot more.

Yes I know its not value for money but I can't get 4 meg in my area...

EDIT: I get about max 53k, on 384 I was getting about 36k
 
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if you're looking at it purely technical, disregarding overhead and such; then
8 bits in one byte. so 512/8= 64kB/s down and 256/8= 32kB/s up.
however real world values can vary vastly -dependent on many factors, even ISP
 
I've had a 512k line since 2002 and average download is 54KB and upload is 27KB
My neighbor has a 384k line and browsing is like a 56k modem :(
 
This pathetic 512Kbps should've been substituted by 1Mbps long ago. It's a waste of time and money just as 384Kbps is.
 
Thank guys for all the replies - made up my mind and it is not worth it. Will soldier on with the 384 with the "hope of a christmas present" - whereby all current 384 is bumped to 1mb and 512 to 4mb.

I know it wishful thinking, but one can only hope. My opinion is that we [384 and 512] are subsidising the lucky ones on the up to 10mb.

"Dressed in flamesuit on this monday and ready for incoming .. "

Have a great week :)
 
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If you read the thread on LATENCY, many of the 4Mbps users in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town are distinctly unhappy, with peak-time congestion (basically all day, from 8am to midnight) causing local latency of 150-250ms. It's not just the line speed that matters...
 
I'd like to hear more about the 512 bad value for money argument. I'm on 512, and not sure if is a good choice. Basically, 384 is too slow, and I downgraded last year from 4meg to 512 because I could only get a sync of 2meg and didn't see the point of paying extra for something I can't use. Also the price of 4meg data is more than 512.

For example.
on 4meg I was paying R799 including line rental and 15gb cap (unlimited use between 12am and 6am) Cybersmart
now on 512, paying R499 for same thing but slower speed. Cybersmart

That's R300 extra for a bit of extra speed. Not worth it in my opinion, and 384 is too slow since I do video calls on skype. What u think?
 
I suppose it depends on what you need it for. If you find 384 too slow and either can't afford 4mbps or need a little more speed, 512 is probably for you. But don't expect to get value for money:

R152 / 384kbps = R0.40 per kbps
R326 / 512kbps = R0.64 per kbps

And this makes it look worse:

(R326 - R152) / (512kbps - 384kbps) = R1.36 per kbps just to get an extra 128kbps!

So if you need the extra (theoretical) 16kBps then by all means ...
 
stevenv said:
I suppose it depends on what you need it for. If you find 384 too slow and either can't afford 4mbps or need a little more speed, 512 is probably for you. But don't expect to get value for money:

R152 / 384kbps = R0.40 per kbps
R326 / 512kbps = R0.64 per kbps

And this makes it look worse:

(R326 - R152) / (512kbps - 384kbps) = R1.36 per kbps just to get an extra 128kbps!

So if you need the extra (theoretical) 16kBps then by all means ...
Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining it. I understand now it's a bit of a waste, I just have a serious problem with parting with 'alot' of extra cash for 4meg. I only use about 15gigs per month, and I need a service where skype works (only just with video on 512). Paying over R500 for internet in general disgusts me, but perhaps that's something I need to get over :D
 
There are obviously situations (such as uncapped) where the total package for 512Kbps is better value for money, but not for the line itself (at least in terms of raw speed).

The only other factor I know of, is that the UPLOAD speed on 512K is guaranteed to be at least twice that of 384K:
http://www.telkom.co.za/products_services/dsl/dslaccesonly.html
For some category of users this could be significant (VoIP, e-mails, FTP etc).
 
andytl5 said:
Thanks for explaining it. I understand now it's a bit of a waste, I just have a serious problem with parting with 'alot' of extra cash for 4meg. I only use about 15gigs per month, and I need a service where skype works (only just with video on 512). Paying over R500 for internet in general disgusts me, but perhaps that's something I need to get over :D
Click to expand...

512 has double the upload. If multiple users game on it 512 is much better. 512 line is actually the recommended for BC2. As someone else said the uncapped 512 isn't much more expensive than 384. It can be worth it depending on your needs.
 
andytl5 said:
I'd like to hear more about the 512 bad value for money argument. I'm on 512, and not sure if is a good choice. Basically, 384 is too slow, and I downgraded last year from 4meg to 512 because I could only get a sync of 2meg and didn't see the point of paying extra for something I can't use. Also the price of 4meg data is more than 512.

For example.
on 4meg I was paying R799 including line rental and 15gb cap (unlimited use between 12am and 6am) Cybersmart
now on 512, paying R499 for same thing but slower speed. Cybersmart

That's R300 extra for a bit of extra speed. Not worth it in my opinion, and 384 is too slow since I do video calls on skype. What u think?
Click to expand...

Um... 2 meg is 4 times as fast as 512. If you look at it from a cost of line speed view (exclude cap) then there is only R170 difference between 512 and 2 meg. The difference between 384 and 512 is about as much IIRC. The reason you are paying R799 for the 2 meg is because you are on the unlimited package.

So the question you need to ask is how much data will I use every month.
 
Gordon_R said:
the UPLOAD speed on 512K is guaranteed to be at least twice that of 384K
Click to expand...

Qwikslver said:
512 has double the upload
Click to expand...

Very true, if upload is important for you then the improvement would be noticeable after moving to 512. But if you're a one-way user, I think my point still stands :D
 
Nerfherder said:
Um... 2 meg is 4 times as fast as 512. If you look at it from a cost of line speed view (exclude cap) then there is only R170 difference between 512 and 2 meg. The difference between 384 and 512 is about as much IIRC. The reason you are paying R799 for the 2 meg is because you are on the unlimited package.

So the question you need to ask is how much data will I use every month.
Click to expand...

Ok I'm with you, I need 15 gig at most, and I don't see anything under R799 for all that including 4meg line. R799 is way too much anyway, seems I have to settle for 10 gig for R599 including line rental at Web Africa.
 
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