Why do some companies advertise 10Mbps download speeds for internet?

Question

Here's what I don't understand: The company I thought had fast transfer rates (I thought up to 100 Mbps was showing when I looked at my connection) is advertising for 10Mbps and saying that its fast...is it? Why do wireless cards claim such high speeds (e.g. 54Mbps) if there's no service that provides such fast transfer. Basically, is there something different about that (company's) speed than on the wireless cards' advertisements? Is 10 Mbps fast for a service?

Thanks

Answer 1

The 100 Mbps that you are referring to is the connection speed from your computer to the modem and not to the Internet.

Answer 2

First of all, make sure that they are advertising Megabytes per second and not MegaBITS per second. Totally different speeds.
Example: A typical modem is labled as a 56K modem. In order to reach those speeds you would have to have a perfect phone line, be right next to the local station AND have the server very close. (Virtually no one has this scenario).

A DSL or cable connection is capable of doing (depending on your location, age of cables and lines etc...) up to 500KBps if they dont give you a cap on speed.

All in all, as the saying goes-"Caveat emptor" (buyer beware)

Answer 3

When it comes to computer networking, 50% performance is the rule-of-thumb. If you can get 50% of what the equipment is rated for, you're doing well. That's just "theory-versus-reality."

Answer 4

Get FIOS and you'll never question speed again.