When will I be able to get ADSL2+?

[robbo1]

Hi there.

I was wondering when I will be able to get ADSL2+ at my exchange (http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/EACHY). Will IDNET be able to supply it as soon as the exchange goes 21CN in Q3 2009, or will it be a while after?

Also, I saw there is a small charge (unless you pay by the year) for changing from ADSL2 to ADSL2+ but is it as simple as phoning IDNET and saying "please transfer me over"?

Finally, is it worth it? Looking on some websites they indicate that I will go from my current download rate of about 7 Mb/s to something in the region of 14-15 Mb/s (based upon SNR etc), is ADSL2+ really that good, or are there other issues due to it being a new service.

I don't know why I am too worried , I have only just moved from Orange where I was getting between 0.6 - 2.6 Mb/s on the same line (on an up-to 8 Mb/s package). There is no pleasing some people. :-)

Thanks

Robbo1

[Glenn]

Robbo, from Samknows you exchange does not have have a date set for WBC, only 21CN http://www.samknows.com/broadband/21cn_overview.php so you won't be able to switch anytime soon. I'm in the same position, only my line may actually go slower.

[robbo1]

Ahhh,

Thanks Glenn

So is there any way of finding out when it will change over?

Thanks

Robbo1

[D-Dan]

A word of caution - if you have a solid stable connection at a speed you can handle - think very carefully before switching. It's a one way street and doesn't necessarily go where you want it to.

Steve

[robbo1]

Dan

Thanks for your warning.

[sobranie]

Date here perhaps....

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/btavailability.html

I agree with steve and glenn too.

[robbo1]

Thanks all,

In the mean time, I don't think I have much to complain about with the stats below on an 8 Mb line.

Cheers

Robbo1



I do find that some websites freeze sometimes, but I am not sure what might cause it. My MTU is set to 1500, is that the best for IDNET (using a Mac if that makes a difference). It didn't freeze before with my old ISP, but then again, 20 seconds of inactivity was lost in the grand scheme of things when the connection was so slow 

[Rik]

MTU of 1500 should be fine, Robbo. Does the router log show anything to explain the freezing?

As to WBC, I echo what's been said. The speed gains most people experience are not as great as they might expect, and WBC is currently a bit less stable than Max, with some of us experiencing low throughput relative to profile due to BT's failure to set up their network properly. This is being worked on and my guess is that, in 3-6 months, the product will have matured. (Max was not without its teething troubles when it launched.)

By the time you can move to it, it will probably be fine. In the interim, IDNet will be moving people onto their hostlink using BT's IPStream Connect product in the coming months, so you'll be halfway there, but without the pain.

[Dangerjunkie]

A word of caution - if you have a solid stable connection at a speed you can handle - think very carefully before switching. It's a one way street and doesn't necessarily go where you want it to.

Do you mean that if I decide to switch to WBC and it doesn't work out for me that I can't switch back to the old product I had?

Thanks,
Paul.

[Rik]

That's it, Paul. Once you're connected to an MSAN, BT will not move you back to a DSLAM, instead they will profile the WBC service to 'look like' Max.

[Dangerjunkie]

At the worst case can I have another line put in and have it provisioned for Max or are all new installs forced onto WBC too?

Thanks,
Paul.

[Rik]

No, a new line, for the time being, can be provisioned with Max. I suspect that will cease at some point though, Paul.

[Gary]

No, a new line, for the time being, can be provisioned with Max. I suspect that will cease at some point though, Paul.

I take it thats solely on the cost of Dslams against the cheaper MSAN? Also if you have a date for 21CN but no date for WBC does that mean you may never get WBC? Although hopefully by then they will have worked out what equipment is really worth using, rather than the lottery of chinese ones now that are not so good.

[Rik]

I think BT wants to get people across onto the new network as fast as possible, Gary, rather than having to run two in parallel. Ultimately, I'm sure everyone will have access to WBC and, as you say, hopefully by then BT will have worked out how to run the service. 

[Fox]

hopefully by then BT will have worked out how to run the service.

.....and the trains will run on time, there will be no traffic jams, summer will actually be sunny and warm, and pigs will gain aeronautical abilities  

[Glenn]

Pigs already have, look on Pink Floyd, Animals, album cover