Does Optimum throttle internet?

Nothing is worse than a buffering website or icon that takes so much time to load, especially when you urgently need some information from the internet. However, knowing whether your ISP is throttling your bandwidth is a different matter – even in the best ISPs.

Optimum rarely has throttling issues thanks to their no-data cap policy on all their internet plans. However, it can happen periodically due to severalcauses. Therefore, it still helps to check whether they are doing so.

What is throttling?

Throttling is the process of your ISP slowing down your internet data transmission purposely. When it happens, you may see that speeds are lower than usual, and you cannot pin them down to an issue with the equipment. You may also never get notifications from your ISP that they are throttling the connection, and it can become a frustrating experience.

Optimum data usage and caps

As part of Optimum’s open internet disclosure (as the FCC requires), they apply a policy that prevents subscribers from consuming data when they use the internet excessively. You may notice decreased speeds – examples would be using peer-to-peer applications like BitTorrent or transferring large files.

To reduce throttling problems, you can upgrade your connection plan from DSL/cable to a higher-speed option like a fiber internet connection. Their packages will vary according to region, although they specify that performance will depend on internet traffic, cable modem, and device.

They offer the following plans, which will cover different user needs:

Plan	Connection type	Price per month	Highest download speeds	Highest upload speeds
Optimum 300	Cable	$39.99	300 Mbps	35 Mbps
Optimum 400	Cable	$64.99	400 Mbps	35 Mbps
Optimum 1 Gig	Fiber	$69.99	940 Mbps	50 Mbps

How to tell if Optimum is throttling your speeds

The best way to tell whether Optimum is throttling your bandwidth is by running a free speed test, usually available online. However, most ISPs can easily detect an online speed test and they will inflate your speed artificially to make it seem like they are not throttling you.

That brings up VPNs – they are the only reliable method of testing whether the connection is throttled or not. This is because an ISP can throttle specific content types only, and the VPN makes it easier to spot this by masking your IP address.

To test throttling, follow these steps:

• Run an internet speed test
• Download and open a reputable VPN
• Run another speed test to see if you get different results

If the speeds are much lower than usual and you do not know why the chances are that your connection is throttled.

Causes ofdata throttling

Thesereasons include:

• Connecting during ‘high traffic’ times – even though a major internet provider like Optimum does not experience bandwidth issues, bandwidth is still a finite resource. When there is a surge in internet traffic, this exceeds the data allowance, forcing the ISP to throttle some connections to provide high speeds to other consumers.
• The ISP wants to throttle your activities – thanks to the repeal of the Net Neutrality Act, ISPs have greater authority to throttle internet connections. This also includes throttling specific activities or content, and even charging subscribers higher fees to a major data user.

If you are unsure, it helps to log into your account or call Optimum customer care to find out if you are exceeding your data caps, and this will help you know whether to choose a higher tier or stick with the plan you currently use. Fortunately, Optimum does not have data caps, so this should not be much of an issue for you.

Fixing data throttling

Monitor your internet use

If you use a capped plan and exceed data limits, it helps to monitor your usage or change to a plan with a higher data allowance. However, this may not be an easy fix if your data is meant to be ‘unlimited’.

Use a reputable VPN

Using a good VPN might offer a solution to internet throttling. However, note that numerous online services are also getting better at detecting a VPN and they can restrict your access if they do not know your location.

Change your ISP

Some ISPs are notorious for their internet throttling, and some are not. If you notice this is frequent, it may be time to change your ISP.

Conclusion

Throttling is legal in most instances, and it commonly occurs when you exceed your data caps. Although Optimum does not have issues with throttling, you can still check periodically through a speed test and comparing the information over time.

FAQs

How can I tell if my ISP is throttling my bandwidth?

The easiest method is by running a speed test without a VPN connection and then doing so again with a VPN connection. If the connection is faster when you are using the VPN, then your ISP is throttling your bandwidth.

How can I bypass internet throttling issues?

If you notice that Optimum (or any ISP) is throttling your bandwidth, you can either switch providers or connect to a reliable VPN.