The number of people connecting to the Internet at the same time in your local area can have an impact on how fast your broadband is.

Home broadband connections are usually provided with a contention ratio of 50:1 – that means 49 other people will be sharing the same connection as you – and when all these people come online at the same time – which is more likely to happen during peak hours – the network can get congested and slow down.

Peak broadband time is often defined as being between 8pm and 10pm – when people come home in the evenings and are most likely to either stream TV or play games.

Unfortunately there’s little we can do about having to share the Internet or that most people log on in the evening. However, if this is the most likely cause of slow broadband, switching to a faster broadband deal may well be the best bet as a dip in speed during peak times is less likely to affect your overall connection on a 50Mb package than it would if you were on 17Mb one.

But be warned, even the fastest packages can be hampered at these times, and actual speeds may be quite a bit slower than those advertised. For this reason, the Advertising Standards Agency is looking to make providers advertise their speeds for peak times.