Which ADSL2 provider

stuarts · 30-05-2008, 15:00

I have finally given up on VM and the non existant 20M service. My problem is that I am some way away from the exchange. BT reckon I will only get 3Meg with them. Other ADSL2 providers are saying 16 Meg no problem.

Can anyone recommend a reliable ADSL2 provider and what sort of ADSL2speeds are realistic based on the BT standard ADSL figure above.

cimt · 30-05-2008, 15:13

http://www.samknows.com/broadband/checker2.php

See what that says for where you live.

ceedee · 30-05-2008, 15:32

Stick your postcode into SamKnows Mapper and then select your road, and you'll find an indication of your likely connection speed for the ADSL and ADSL2 providers available on your exchange.

Many people are switching to O2 (cheap if you use their mobile phone services), Sky (very cheap if you use their TV service) and Be (expanding very, very rapidly -- sooner or later they are almost bound to have problems).

Central · 30-05-2008, 23:22

To be fair if ADSL can only give you 3mb I doubt you will get 16mb on ADSL2+

Take a look at this graph

danielf · 30-05-2008, 23:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by Be*

To be fair if ADSL can only give you 3mb I doubt you will get 16mb on ADSL2+

Quite. I'm on Be Unlimited (upto 24 MB) and I get about 16-17MB, and I'm 500 meters from the exchange. How providers can tell say 16Meg no problem to someone who's 3 miles from the exchange is beyond me.

Central · 30-05-2008, 23:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by danielf

Quite. I'm on Be Unlimited (upto 24 MB) and I get about 16-17MB, and I'm 500 meters from the exchange. How providers can tell say 16Meg no problem to someone who's 3 miles from the exchange is beyond me.

When I was on Be I used to get 23 mb

but I am 200 metres away. I now get full 16mb on Sky.

Best bet for the OP if you have a BT number you can ring up Be or O2 and they will give you a estimate. But dont raise your hopes for full speed or even 16mb

yorkshireborn · 31-05-2008, 00:37

i was 3 mile from exchange and nev er got more than 1 meg.

stuarts · 01-06-2008, 20:31

Well I've done, new O2 bits arrive monday, customer service nas been unbelievably good so far. There is a 50 day "return if not not satisfied with service" guarantee. They said speed would be 13.9 ( a bit optimistic me thinks). Going to run O2 and VM cable head to head for a month to see how they fare. O2 is only Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£10 a month!

danielf · 01-06-2008, 20:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by stuarts

O2 is only Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£10 a month!

For O2 mobile customers. Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£15 for others

CrowmanUK · 01-06-2008, 21:03

I wouldnt pay too much attention to the distance from exchange, its the line attenuation you need to pay attention to, i'm getting 30db and get around 14meg which is what I expected.

Edit, check this http://www.beforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8152 about removing the ring wire on the main bt socket, it made 3meg ish difference in download speeds for me.

Nicosia · 01-06-2008, 21:47

bethre have a nice 2.5mbit upload no other isp i have seen offer such a good upload

Central · 02-06-2008, 01:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrowmanUK

I wouldnt pay too much attention to the distance from exchange, its the line attenuation you need to pay attention to, i'm getting 30db and get around 14meg which is what I expected.

Edit, check this http://www.beforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8152 about removing the ring wire on the main bt socket, it made 3meg ish difference in download speeds for me.

Erm line attenuation is based on line length. Its how they work out the distance

CrowmanUK · 02-06-2008, 10:41

Well according to samknows i'm 665m from the exchange, i know thats in a straight line but i'm getting around 30db attenuation, which according to the chart is 2.1km, i dont think the cable is that curly, we're on a new estate too so the cabling on here is pretty good, i know that if you've got old cabling that can make a big difference to your actual attainable speeds as you get more noise on the line, so going on my own experience i'd ignore the line length and check against the attenuation reading.

Central · 02-06-2008, 11:25

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrowmanUK

Well according to samknows i'm 665m from the exchange, i know thats in a straight line but i'm getting around 30db attenuation, which according to the chart is 2.1km, i dont think the cable is that curly, we're on a new estate too so the cabling on here is pretty good, i know that if you've got old cabling that can make a big difference to your actual attainable speeds as you get more noise on the line, so going on my own experience i'd ignore the line length and check against the attenuation reading.

You dont know what route your line takes back to the exchange. Line attenuation is based on legth and not noise.
Just to confirm this
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats_explanation.htm
And
http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats.htm
This bit here

Quote:

Line Attenuation.

Line attention is in relation to the "loop loss" on your line.
The further you are away from the exchange the higher your attenuation figure will be as the signal loss increases.
The lower your attenuation figure the more chance you have of getting the faster speeds.

CrowmanUK · 02-06-2008, 13:00

Exactly so you cant rely on line length as you dont know what it is, the only thing you can see or measure is the attenuation on your modem, thanks for the links too mate, nice read up there

and if i'm only 600ish metres from the exchange its very tempting to run my own cable in to knock it down from 2.1km,

/runs to get soldering iron....