Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

Another newbie here with a catalogue of frustrations with BT.

To start with, it's probably best to say that unfortunately my rural location means I have to use BT for my broadband..

My 2mbps ADSL broadband was connected 2 weeks ago, and I was immediately getting a meagre DSL connection rate: 128 kbps(download), 64 kbps(upload)..

I called BT, who told me this would speed up considerably over the next 7-10 days. So I waited..

After 7-10 days, and daily checks, the upload/download speeds still stayed the same . Called BT and their unenthusiastic Indian help desk fella told me that I should be happy with this connection speed and that it is 'normal to received this speed on a 2mb connection package which I am paying for??

Now, call me crazy, but I am paying for 2mb connection and not even getting half a meg.. It'll be like ordering 2 pounds of spuds from Tescos home delivery and only having 1 spud delivered, and Tesco telling me 'its normal'.

Can someone please advise? This ain't normal right?

T.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

Sounds to me like your line isn't really up to the job, are you connected via a router or a modem?

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

I'm connected using a NetGear wireless router which is plugged straight in to the ADSL phone line connection...

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

My first suggestion would be to plug your modem directly into the BT Test Socket (found by taking the faceplate off your master socket), turn it on, leave it for two hours and then see what speeds you get.

Here are some links that have proven invaluable to me in learning about ADSL and how to improve my connection speed. Most of the time the problem lies within your house, and a few simple tweaks can vastly improve your speed.

http://www.beforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8152
http://www.kitz.co.uk/
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/faq.html
http://community.plus.net/blog/2007/...w-to-diagnose/

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

thanks guys. appreciate the advice. I'll run the socket test, and go through the advice on the links. Hopefully it'll all help..

BTs incompetence has been unbelievable. May as well call Pizza Hut and ask them for IT advice... :)

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

I'd really recommend plusnet; although you won't get a faster broadband speed (uses the same phone line of course) their support has been incredible! However as you mentioned you are a new BT customer I fear you may have just entered into a long contract.

Additionally you should connect your computer directly to your modem via an ethernet cable to ensure that the router isn't the cause of any problems.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

Sounds like the Helpdesk agent was confusing Kilobits with Kilobytes.
sounds to me like a fault and unless its the exchange equipment changing ISP will not help that.

Did they send you a homehub, does that sync any better (If at all) than the netgear?

If you have one would you mind plugging it in and trying it, ideally with a new filter and a different cable between you and the test socket.

also try http://www2.bt.com/faults there is an option there called "think you have a fault" that will hopefully get the system to run a line test.

P.s I've sent you a PM.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

You might want to go into the router and post something useful like attenuation, SNR and sync stats for us, that will help us see what speed you should be getting but as with all ADSL services speeds are UP TO XMb depending on distance from exchange, condition of line etc.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

If you are in a rural location, how far are you from the exchange?

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

What ADSL company are you with, BT Broadband? You must know by now that with ADSL the speeds are dependant on the line length and condition, plus as with ALL broadband services, you are paying for UP TO the stated speed. They cannot guarantee the speed, so broadband companies always put up to xMB.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

If the Op is syncing at 128kps/64kps then it needs looking at.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

OK I think all this needs to be sorted :)

This is not about ADSL limitations nor is it aobut being 'up to'.

There's a bug with some of BT's equipment not holding its' line configuration. OP needs to raise a fault through his ISP to get his line reset. The BT kit should not even be able to sync this low, and it's failed to take its' configuration properly so needs sorting by BT Wholesale.

It's that simple. It's a fault in the exchange, the ISP needs to raise it with the part of BT that manage the equipment, then it'll get fixed. End of.

If BTBroadband continue to be no help I suggest you go to http://www.thinkbroadband.com and post on the forum there, you may find that you can get some support from a BTB staffer or one of the staff there who have contacts within BT.

The only instance where a DSL modem could sync at 128/64k is when it's on a 21CN service, which OP is not. Minimum sync for standard DSL is 256kbps downstream.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

If the router is syncing with the exchange then everything after the master needs checking also you will need to check if the router is working.

As for syncing below 256k yes some have recently the fact BT used to sell BB with that as the lowest sync rate doesn't stop a router syncing lower if the SNR is too high.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

Florence, routers sync lower if SNR is too low, and BT's MSANs aren't configured to sync at 128k/64k apart from the 21CN ones, which only a very few people on a very few ISPs are connected to BTBroadband not being one of them. With the exception of the 21CN MSANs the rest of the network usually will not sync at all if a 256kbps downstream sync is not possible.

The 128/64k issues are down to BT's Marconi DSLAM line cards not taking their initial setup configs properly so defaulting to the lowest level. This needs to be faulted out to ISP and in turn BT Wholesale so that they can reconfigure the line card and/or bounce OP's line.

OP - you may get some joy if the reconfig has already been done out of disconnecting the modem totally for 30 minutes then reconnecting.

Re: Bloody BT! My supposed 2mbps connection! advice please!
 

how many lines do you have in your house,

i.e one for business and one for home use ?