ADSL2+

[Den]

My exchange is being upgraded later this month to ADSL2+. Any thought on this, is it a good move to go across, do I have a choice and what speed should I expect?

My readings from my router are

Current DSL Connection:
   Down    Up
Rate:    7616 kbs    448 kbs
Max Rate:    6200 kbs    980 kbs
Noise Margin:    4.0 dB    23.0 dB
Attenuation:    41.3 dB    26.0 dB
Output Power:    19.7 dBm    11.9 dBm

Protocol:    G.DMT Annex A
Channel:    Interleaved
DSLAM Vendor Information    Country: {3840} Vendor: {ALCB} Specific: {0 }
ATM PVC:    0/38

Rate Cap:    6200 kbs
Attenuation @ 300kHz:    41.3 dB
Uncanceled Echo:    -12.4 dB    Ok
VCXO Frequency Offset:    0.0 ppm    Ok
Final Receive Gain:    20.5 dB    Ok
Excessive Impulse Noise:    0    Ok

I usually achieve round about 6000kbs.

[Steve]

Looking at the downstream attenuation your line performs  a bit better than expected on adslmax. A downstream guess for adsl2+ would be around 8200-8500 . In the end you'll have no choice you'll be moved across with an adslmax profile but at least it comes with the increased bandwidth allowances.

[Niall]

Your exchange is getting fiber this month isn't it Den? I know you're being done before the exchange in town, as that's listed as June. They've already started fiddling with the phone cabinets now. We've gone from having the more modern versions of those old chunky ones, to those slim boxes you see stuck on the side of the fiber cabinets. BT are all over the place around here lately too, which explains my my line keeps moving from 6mb to 15mb with no warning.

[Gary]

Looking at the downstream attenuation your line performs  a bit better than expected on adslmax. A downstream guess for adsl2+ would be around 8200-8500 . In the end you'll have no choice you'll be moved across with an adslmax profile but at least it comes with the increased bandwidth allowances.

I was told you had to pay £11 to be put onto an ADSL 2+ profile by support, Steve. Has this now changed?

[Steve]

Sorry Gary no idea.

[Technical Ben]

I thought the upgrade/downgrade charge only applied to the Top package (IE Business) and even then, only if changing more than once as they waiver the first fee?

[Christopher]

Morning all.I switched over on 1st of this month and I did have to pay £11.00+VAT,my d/l speed went from 7mb up to 15mb+(I have always had a good consistant d/l speeds)That and the extra allowance,I think is  worth 11 quids 

[Steve]

Thanks Chris , so if you request adsl2+ it costs £11 but a non requested switch to adsl2+ profiled as adslmax is free I would assume.

[Christopher]

Thanks Chris , so if you request adsl2+ it costs £11 but a non requested switch to adsl2+ profiled as adslmax is free I would assume.

Hi Steve,to tell you the truth I had not considered that,I'd hate to think that had I not requested the upgrade and waited to be "put" on it that I would I would have got it for free,I was never given this information by IDNet when I enquired about the upgrade,
oh well

[Steve]

But they could still charge for the profile change on adsl2+, the forced switch is like for like i.e. adslmax , it's just profiled that way on adsl2+ with the same sync as previously on 20CN. To get the full benefit for those lines with low attenuation you need the adsl2+ profile.

[Rik]

I was told you had to pay £11 to be put onto an ADSL 2+ profile by support, Steve. Has this now changed?

If you ask for the switch, and it's done individually, BT raise a charge. If you wait until BT are doing a batch switch, there's no charge.

[Christopher]

If you ask for the switch, and it's done individually, BT raise a charge. If you wait until BT are doing a batch switch, there's no charge.

Fair enough Rik,as I said before it's well worth 11 quids anyway

[Rik]

I agree.

[Den]

Your exchange is getting fiber this month isn't it Den? I know you're being done before the exchange in town, as that's listed as June.

Niall, I cant find were I spotted that Gresford was going across to fibre,  Why would BT upgrade to ADSL2+ just before they swap to Fibre?

[Glenn]

Den, BT upgraded my exchange to Fibre, then 2 months later added ADSL2+, they work in strange ways.

[Rik]

They may not be planning to do the majority of cabinets, Den.

[Glenn]

You may have seen it here, Den http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/assets/fibre_map/index.html just click on Wales.

[Den]

Just checked now and BT say that Fibre will be up and running in June (sounds like the runs  ) Now why would they do that just after spending on ADSL2+ ?

[Niall]

Your exchange is getting fiber this month isn't it Den? I know you're being done before the exchange in town, as that's listed as June.

Niall, I cant find were I spotted that Gresford was going across to fibre,  Why would BT upgrade to ADSL2+ just before they swap to Fibre?

Oh I didn't realise you were that far out. It's the Wrexham north one that's being upgraded first. I don't know a post code off hand for the llay area, but apparently that area is the test bed for BT, with the central exchange in town being done in June.

[Niall]

I've just checked Sam knows, and in the space of a week the status has changed from June to 2012...

[Den]

I have just used Glenn's link and it states June 2012 on there.   

[Ardua]

You may have seen it here, Den http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/assets/fibre_map/index.html just click on Wales.

I do not think that this map has ever been updated. Malvern is showing Dec 11 and whilst we have cabinets, power and fibre to the cabinets we still wait for final OR installation and testing. Not surprisingly, the checker now shows 31 March.

[Gary]

If you ask for the switch, and it's done individually, BT raise a charge. If you wait until BT are doing a batch switch, there's no charge.

It was well worth the £11 here too. I went from 8128 on adsl max to 14250 on adsl max 2+ 

[Niall]

I have just used Glenn's link and it states June 2012 on there.   

That's odd. Yours was before that, and mine was June. Ah well, I'm in no real rush at the moment anyway.

[Christopher]

Morning
I thought it was too good to be true,speeds so eratic since late last night and this morning (sometimes as low as 1.5 mb) but I got this message while trying to do a BT speed test
and I really don't know any thing about messing around in routers.Can anyone help or advise please

[Rik]

Leave it be for the 10 days and let the line find its level. Nothing can be done during that period and you'll just give yourself grief if you try any tweaking.

[Christopher]

Ok thanks Rik,I'll give it a couple of weeks and if it does not settle I'll give support a ring rather than tweaking the router myself,something I would never attempt not without guidance at any rate

[Christopher]

Well from the 15meg I was getting at first after upgrading to 21cn,now after just 3 weeks I'm lucky to  get 4meg,3meg LESS than I was getting when I was on ADSL MAX complete waste of 13 squids. Going to be put back on ADSL MAX tomorrow (I hope) and get the speeds I have always enjoyed all the time I have been with IDNet otherwise it's a MAC for me.I have been in touch with support but don't want to comment on that for the moment. 

[Steve]

Obviously that's a shame has you had good performance initially plus you have a short line so would usually expect to do well. We know adsl2+ is more susceptible to noise/interference because of the higher frequencies used.

[Christopher]

Hi Steve,yes it is a shame,I have been told to make a few minor adjustments to my wiring,which I will do but if I don't get my speeds back to at least 6meg after reverting back to ADSL MAX tomorrow then I'm off.Already been in touch with a few ISP's who reckon they can sort my probs out easy peasy.

Cheers

[Lona]

I was told that if you upgrade to Adsl2+ you can't go back to Adslmax

[Christopher]

I was told that if you upgrade to Adsl2+ you can't go back to Adslmax

Well they are doing it for me tomorrow so I don't know who told you that

[Lance]

You can't have your line moved back to the old equipment. BT simply won't do it. What happens is that your line will be modulated as ADSL Max but is still delivered over the new adsl2+ equipment.

[zappaDPJ]

My line was a prime example of that. I moved to ADSL2+ with an initial sync of around 14 Mbps but instability brought it down to 256 kbps. My only option at that time was to have the line modulated as ADSL Max (7 Mbps approx). I believe an LLU service might have more scope to provide better throughput but going backwards is definitely not a option, at least not an option I've ever read about.

[Christopher]

You can't have your line moved back to the old equipment. BT simply won't do it. What happens is that your line will be modulated as ADSL Max but is still delivered over the new adsl2+ equipment.

Hi Lance,
My account page says I'm on ADSL Max and I'm now getting 7mb.I don't care how or why,just care that I'm getting it,just like when I flick on a light switch I'm 99.9% sure I'm gonna get light.If it stays like that then I have no reason to leave IDNet.Today I am happy 

[Simon]

I wish I was as sure as you about getting light.  I have about one bulb pop a month at my place, and when they go, they trip out the fuse box, so the whole place is in darkness.  And, of course, this only happens when it's dark, so I have to keep torches handy. 

[zappaDPJ]

Ah the good old days, a fuse box full of rusty nails and light bulbs that actually lit up the room when you turned them on

[Simon]

Oh, this is a new fuse box with trip switches, Zap.  I might use some tape...