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Is this a fair support response?

I live 5-6 miles from exchange, on ADSLmax "up to" 8MB. I am with Fast4.


My initial query:

I feel my connection is under performing, it is supposedly "up to 8MB" but I am only achieving ~1.5MBps.

I have done speed tests on three different sites:


SpeedTest.net - London - 1414Kbps (Download) / 365Kbps (Upload) - 52ms


Thinkbroadband.com -

Speed Test Results
Date 17/07/07 00:13:24
Speed Down 1296.19 Kbps ( 1.3 Mbps )
Speed Up 369.78 Kbps ( 0.4 Mbps )
Port 8095
Server speedtest1.adslguide.org.uk


BT speedtester -

Test1 comprises of Best Effort Test: -provides background information.
IP profile for your line is - 1500 kbps
DSL connection rate: 448 kbps(UP-STREAM) 2528 kbps(DOWN-STREAM)
Actual IP throughput achieved during the test was - 1372 kbps

If you wish to discuss these results please contact your ISP.

If you are experiencing problems with specific applications, servers or websites please contact your ISP for assistance.

Your test has completed please close this window to exit the performance tester.

Response:

Good morning, x,

Telephone Number xxxxxxxxxxx on Exchange xxxxx

Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a line rate up to 2Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line should be able to support a potential ADSL Max broadband line rate of 2Mbps or greater.

The BT ADSL Line checker (the result for your line shown above) is a service which gives a rough idea of the maximum speed your line can support, based on the geographic location of the exchange in relation to your home: it is our experience however that the speed you will obtain is generally equal or slightly lower than the potential speed reported by the checker since your line will not follow a straight line to the exchange, rather follow a convuluted route as the cable also routes to your neighbours properties.

The fault raised in June suggested that your line is currently calibrated as best it can for your connection rate.

Kind Regards,
xxxx
Technical Support

What would you suggest I do?
 
The 8mb is sold as an upto depending on your line condition, distance from exchange. If your phone number says the line can support 2mb then that is the max you canget from it using ADSLmax. The BT speedtest results shows 2.5 mb you IP profile is a littl low but this could be due to your line sync being lower at some point recently.
 
The 8mb is sold as an upto depending on your line condition, distance from exchange. If your phone number says the line can support 2mb then that is the max you canget from it using ADSLmax. The BT speedtest results shows 2.5 mb you IP profile is a littl low but this could be due to your line sync being lower at some point recently.

Just found out my exchange is actually less than 2.2 miles away, thats just by using directions on google map.

Would this affect anything?
 
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If you are 2.2miles away as the crow flies it would depend on the length of line which could or would follow the roads.
 
would then depend on line what is your line stats from your router/modem. you shoiuld on a decent line expect more than 3MB
 
would then depend on line what is your line stats from your router/modem. you shoiuld on a decent line expect more than 3MB

DSL Status: Up
DSL Modulation Mode: GDMT
DSL Path Mode: FAST
Downstream Rate: 2304 Kbps
Upstream Rate: 448 Kbps
Downstream Margin: 12 db
Upstream Margin: 22 db
Downstream Line Attenuation: 49
Upstream Line Attenuation: 30
Downstream Transmit Power: 0
Upstream Transmit Power: 0


PVC Connection

Encapsulation: RFC 2364 PPPoA
Multiplexing: VC
QoS: UBR
PCR Rate: 0
SCR Rate: 0
Autodetect: Disable
VPI: 0
VCI: 38
Enable: Yes
PVC Status: Applied
 
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Hi otester.

I'd be delighted with your 1.5 Mbps speeds.

I live a similar distance from my local exchange as the roads run, but have very high line loss (around 63 dB). The BT wholesale checker also gives me the hope of a 2 Mbps service. However I only get an IP profile of 1000.

I've been told that "line quality" and "old aluminium cabling" that BT used to use are are the problems.

To answer your original question - sounds like F4's original response to you was quite reasonable - sadly BT line quality isn't something they can fix.
 
Last edited:
I wonder when they will finally fix the internet in UK, I know BT is owned by a big American corp. but it's still not the point.

Would old ADSL 2MB be a possible direction?
 
If you post your line loss (Im not sure how you get it), it would be a useful indicator as to what sort of speeds you could expect.
 
Downstream Rate: 2304 Kbps

Your current sync rate above is just high enough for the ip profile to automatically increase to 2000 if it is maintained for 3 days. (2272 is the minimum sync for a 2000 IP profile)

Chances are you sometimes/ often sync just below 2272, resulting in your current 1500 kbps IP Profile. If you have telephone extension (slave) sockets, I would suggest trying your router in the Test socket behind the master (if you have a modern NTE5)- as shown in Marks new article :) and see if your stats improve. If they do, then a small improvement to your wiring may improve your sync enough to give you a higher profile - eg start by disconnecting the ring wire (wire 3) for the extension sockets at the master.

Some makes / models of routers perform slightly better than others, although I wouldn't recommend rushing out and buying a new one unless you can borrow one and see if there is any improvement first.

BT are introducing some extra IP Profiles at the end of this month - 1440 sync = 1250 IP Profile & 2016 Sync = 1750. So hopefully your IP Profile should improve to 1750kbps even if you can't gain any improvements from your internal wiring.
 
Last edited:
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If you post your line loss (Im not sure how you get it), it would be a useful indicator as to what sort of speeds you could expect.

Hey Old Dude,

From otester's router dump earlier (@1.55pm) it looks to me as though his

line loss is 49 dB (Downstream Line Attenuation: 49)
SNR is 12 dB (Downstream Margin: 12 db)

What would you expect his sync rate to be ??
 
Not sure, it depends on other factors but at least the line loss isnt woefully bad (it could certainly be better though).

If it was higher then at least that could be ruled out as one of the things stopping him from having a higher speed.
 
BT are introducing some extra IP Profiles at the end of this month - 1440 sync = 1250 IP Profile & 2016 Sync = 1750. So hopefully your IP Profile should improve to 1750kbps even if you can't gain any improvements from your internal wiring.

I still don't understand why BT insist on using these damn IP Profiles - more trouble than they're worth if you ask me esp. if you're on a long line. I just love the way that Sky/Easynet have their lines set up - if you find yourself on a lower than expected Sync you can just reboot the router and Resync at a higher rate and enjoy instantly faster speeds - none of this faffing about for 3 days waiting for the IP Profile to reset.
 
Yeah, I've wondered about that too, it seems daft having the 3 day delay and the large steps. It is one of the reasons I went for a fixed speed product last year as my line is none-too-stable.

At a complete guess, perhaps BT have the delay to prevent rapid fluctuations in bandwidth requirements for the numerous links over their huge network :shrug:

If I ever get my MAC off of A-O(h no I've got to ring support again)-L, I'll be joining you at Sky -although knowing my luck their LLU DSLAM will be full by the time I get my MAC.
 
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Line loss already posted as Downstream Line Attenuation: 49

With that loss, and 12DB s/n on down side, I would expect at least double speed you are getting. I have a loss of 55DB (further away from the exchange than yourself) and with a 6DB S/N down, I regularly get over 4 Meg synch speed. Check your local wiring.
 
Hi twds.

A slightly off topic question - but you seem to get a very good sync rate on a phone line with a relatively high line loss (although not quite as high as mine) - and a very low SNR (I get about 8.5 - 9 dB).

Keep wondering if changing my old 3com router for something more up to date might improve my line speed - am interested to know what router you use.

Cheers - TP

(PS sorry for taking the thread slightly off topic :confused:)
 
Hi,

This is this mornings figures.

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 4096 kbps 448 kbps
Line Attenuation 55 db 15.5 db
Noise Margin 6 db 22 db

About three months ago I changed to the Netgear DG834, and the synch speed went up between 400 to 500K straight away, and the router hold in at night with a s/n of -1DB. Would thoroughly recommend this Netgear.

Means I can now get a 3.5M profile, which considering I live in the middle of nowhere is excellent.
 
hi, iam pretty sure your line atten up would be 31db, some routers show half the value, don`t know why,youve only got to lose a tiny bit of sync and you would be on a 3mb profile, am sure if you reset router at night you would drop down to about 3500 sync and your snr go back up to about 6, but they are brilliant figures for your line lenth
 
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