Website speed test reveals local differences in broadband quality

A new broadband speed test developed by specialist website Top 10 Broadband enables web users to compare their service with those of their neighbours.

StreetStats works by collecting speed data from residents and displaying this information on a map so that users can see the range of different speeds available in their region.

The website has collected data from 170,000 users so far and wants to expand this to two million within the next few months, partly to put pressure on internet service providers (ISPs) that may be offering slower speeds.

Alex Buttle, marketing director at Top 10 Broadband, told the BBC: "One person [with a speed] at one megabit per second (Mbps) could be next door to someone receiving 8.5Mbps."

He acknowledged that a range of factors can affect broadband speeds received by any single user, but added the discrepancies the website has uncovered so far require further explanation from ISPs.

The effectiveness of VoIP hardware could be boosted with faster connection speeds.

In other news, Point Topic has supported BT's call for public funding to help develop next-generation broadband networks.