IDNet "Important Facts About Home Max"

[Jeff]

Home Max is a Rate Adaptive service. This means that it will operate at the fastest stable speed that your phone line can support. The operative speed range is 288kbit/s - 8128kbit/s.

The service is a "best efforts" product. No guarantee is given that data throughput will be increased in comparison to the 2Mbit/sec fixed-rate service (our Home 2000 service).

Data throughput at busy (high network usage) times will be similar to that of the current speed fixed-rate service irrespective of the line rate achieved.

Data throughput for Home Max enabled lines that operate below the 2Mbit/sec speed will be similar to the equivalent fixed-rate service. e.g. a Home Max service that has rate adapted to 576Kbit/sec should provide a service no worse than the fixed-rate 512Kbit/sec service at busy times.

Outside of busy network usage times the service may take advantage of any increase in line rate.

The upstream speed is also Rate Adaptive and independently so of the downstream rate. The Home Max service upstream range is 64Kbit/s - 448Kbit/s.

During the first 10 days of service the BT equipment at the exchange will monitor your router/modem and if it sees constant drop-outs ("retrains") then it will step-down your connection speed until an acceptable level of stability has been reached: the Maximum Stable Rate. The are many factors that determine the MSR and therefore your speed. The MSR can fluctuate over time.

Modems connected using the USB connector may cause limitations or issues with the service. It is important to check that you have the appropriate drivers/firmware for your modem or router.

Product trials have indicated that around 25% of all phone lines are capable of receiving speeds greater than 6.5Mbit/s.
40% are capable of speeds up to 6Mbit/s.
78% are capable of speeds up to 4Mbit/s.
93% are capable of speeds up to 2Mbit/s.

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What we can do at IDNetters is "Pre-Max" your set-up if you are unsure if your equipment etc is not up to speed. Ask in the help forum but I will say this, if you`re using a "Frog Modem" such as the Speedtouch 330, bin it and get a router which connects to ethernet port. IDNet offer suitable hardware to purchase but a good local computer store (if you can`t wait) should be able to offer a decent router for as little as £35.