BT has temporarily suspended further bulk migrations onto its newer broadband ADSLMax ('up to' 8Mbps) technology after discovering an error in the software:

ISPs have been gearing up to begin the mass migration of punters onto BT's new DSL Max service, which gives broadband users speeds of up to 8 meg. But yesterday, the UK's former monopoly gave ISPs just 20 minutes notice that a key tool needed to migrate users was flawed and needed to be pulled.

Around 200,000 people have so far been switched to DSL Max, but it's been discovered that the key bulk migration tool that allows ISPs to switch their customers onto ADSL Max is unable to cope with these early beta test volumes.

One industry source explained that while the new 8 meg speed is set on the customers' line, the corresponding connection is not made on BT's core network. As a result, punters checking their setting can see that they should be on the higher speed, but in reality are getting 2 meg tops.

The Register's piece notes that it could be up to two weeks before bulk migrations are resumed, which has caused a considerable degree of anger among ISP's.

Regular readers will no doubt already be aware that the above issue only reflects one of several key problems being experienced by many MAX pioneers. Random disconnections and frequently slow (versus pre-MAX) speeds are among the others.

Meanwhile some ISP's probably deserve a degree of the blame too, for failing to properly recognise the problems soon enough.