It's worth using test.usenetserver.com as well as the usual server to add another 10 threads, you still wont get full speed, but you'll be a damn sight closer
As to whether we get out of the IP range NTL have decided to put us in, god knows, getting the truth out of NTL is a nightmare, I VERY much doubt they'll even admit we're in a "punishment" IP range, or even that such a thing exists.
It was quite funny listening to the guy @ NTL tell me "If you access newsgroups via ftp then you're dependant on their speed, so if usenetserver only have 1mb upload that's all you'll get as a download" roflmao - that gave me some indication of the technical level of some of their CS reps :lol: