Broadband download speeds

We think that our customers should know exactly what to expect from our broadband products - most ISPs restrict speeds in some way, but very few will share the details with their customers.

Here we'll show you the downstream speeds we aim for on Plusnet Value, Plusnet Unlimited and Plusnet Pro. There's a separate page for Upload Speeds.

To find out more about why we manage traffic, see our Traffic Prioritisation Guide.

1. Plusnet Value download speeds
2. Plusnet Unlimited download speeds
3. Plusnet Pro download speeds
4. Speed Problems

Please be aware that:

• The speeds shown here don't represent your overall line speed
• Activities not listed, such as web surfing, email and video streaming have no specific restrictions and are prioritised on our network at all times
• Online gaming needs low latency which is why we prioritise gaming traffic
• Few games need more than 2Mb of bandwidth, we address the ones that do individually
• Line speed means that you'll get the fastest speed possible at the time, subject to Traffic Priority
• Applications not using their standard ports may be classed as Other traffic meaning a lower priority may apply

1. Plusnet Value download speeds

Ideal for web surfing and email. It is not suitable for frequent gaming, binary USENET, Peer-to-Peer, VPN, FTP or lots of music and video downloads.

2. Plusnet Unlimited download speeds

Designed for serious Internet users and is ideal for all Internet activities.

3. Plusnet Pro download speeds

Ideal for all general Internet activities and occasional gaming and VPN. Designed to cater for some, although light, binary USENET, Peer-to-Peer, VPN or music/video downloads.

Key

• Peer to Peer - Downloading with a filesharing application
• Binary USENET - Downloading files from binary newsgroups (does not include text only services)
• FTP (non Plusnet) - Using FTP to move files to or from servers not operated by us
• VPN - A secure way to connect to a network at another location, often used by home workers to access work systems
• Download sites & servers - Downloading files from certain websites
• Gaming - Online gaming

4. Speed Problems

We can't guarantee that you'll always see these speeds, but if your line and the network are running properly then it's rare to see much lower - your broadband speed can be affected by a number of things. Read more about them here.

If you think there's a problem with your broadband service, take a look at our Slow Speeds Guide.

This page last updated 24th June 2009