Hub Download Speed vs Device Download Speed?

[MGrieg]

I was wondering why the difference between Hub Download Speed and Device Download Speed - hopefully someone can explain? My Broadband was advertised as "49Mb Download speed" but these are the figures I get when I use the BT Speed Test.

Hub Smart Speed Test
Download Speed 51.94 Mbps
Upload Speed 9.24 Mbps

Device Speed Test
Download Speed 39.87 Mbps
Upload Speed 9.05 Mbps
Jitter 2.19 ms
Latency/Ping 23.60 ms

I asked BT support who have said that the "guaranteed" speed is my Hub speed, and that it is impossible for my devices to have the same speed as the hub.

[licquorice]

There are several reasons, but mainly it's due to protocol overheads.

Think of the speed to the hub as the envelope and the speed to your device as the card inside. The card obviously has to be smaller than the envelope.

[imjolly]

the speed advertised is your connection speed to your hub not the actual download speed to your device are you ethernet connections to device?

[MGrieg]

The fact that the broadband plan was advertised as "49Mbps download speed" seems like deceptive advertising to me, fortunately I am still in the 14 day cooling off period.

[imjolly]

The BT T&C clarify the download speed is actual speed to your hub

you probably like most just tick the box to say you have read the T&C

[Keith_Beddoe]

@MGrieg 

You would get closer to the actual speed by using a fast PC connected directly to the home hub, using an Ethernet connection.

You will not find any ISP that will guarantee a speed to a customer device.

[MGrieg]

Checking out the Broadband deals page as a new customer (with the same postcode) I get the "49Mb Download speed" claim for Fibre1 with below it "46Mb Stay Fast Guarantee". The important information that this is only the speed to the hub is buried at the bottom of the page underneath the heading "BT Broadband" and the subheading "Important information". So technically, yes, the information is indeed there.

Plus, regarding using an Ethernet connection, would it offer much of an increase over 600/52 (Mbps) wifi?

[licquorice]

@MGrieg First read message 2, second your speed is determined by the laws of physics and will be the same whatever ISP you choose.

In the real world, you will never be able to tell the difference between 49M and 46M

[MGrieg]

I appreciate that, it is just the deceptive advertising that has "got my goat" in this instance.

[licquorice]

It's not really deceptive. An ISP can only be responsible for the speed within in its own infrastructure, and not for the vagaries of items beyond its control.