We often have people ask, "Why is my Internet connection so slow?".  Well, it's not your imagination, nor is it necessarily your computer that's at fault.  Actual broadband speeds lag behind advertised speeds by as much as 50-80%, according to a September announcement from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Advertised speeds can be reached if all conditions are right, but many problems that are beyond your control can slow data transfer speeds considerably.  The following factors can influence the speed of your connection:

Type of Connection - If you're using a dial-up connection or a modem, your Internet connection will be much slower than if you're using any other type of broadband connection.

Distance from Line's Point of Origin - If you're using DSL, your speed will be slower if you are farther away from the central node.

Time of Day or Day - When more people are online, servers and Internet connections can become overloaded, causing delays.  Times when people are at home (typically from 7 to 10 P.M., Saturdays and Sundays, and when kids get out of school at 3:00 P.M.) tend to be the slowest times.

Location of Server or Website - Speed of the Internet can be determined by the location of the web page you're visiting.  If the web page is across the world, access to it can be slower than if it's closer to home.

Number of Visitors on Site - A server or website can accommodate only so many people at the same time.  If too many people are trying to access the website at any given time, connection speed will be slower, or some pages may not load at all.

Downloading While Browsing - If you're downloading a file and trying to do other browsing while the file is downloading, your Internet speed will be slower.

Network Site Maintenance - When either the ISP or the host of the website performs maintenance, speed-related issues can occur.

Major Events Are Occurring - Sporting events such as the Super Bowl or the Olympics, or breaking news about such things as terrorist attacks or weather-related disasters, can overwhelm websites.  Response is slow, and sometimes the website may not load at all.

The idea of restricting heavy Internet users to reduce lopsided usage that slows speeds has been examined, but has enraged many Web surfers.  Perhaps the best option for businesses at the present time is to be aware of the above-mentioned problems and to subscribe to the fastest ISP plan available in your location.

If you have further questions about this topic or about your CounterPoint POS System, we're here to answer them.  Call us at 800-672-4806 or email us.