Hello

I have read some disappointing news on the BT website ADSL checker, it
says this:


"For Telephone Number 02392xxxxxx on Exchange PORTSMOUTH
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line
indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband
service that provides a line rate up to 1Mbps. However due to the
length of your line the 1Mbps service may require an engineer visit
who will, where possible, supply the broadband service.


Our initial test on your line indicates that your line may not support
a reliable ADSL Max broadband service, with current technology.
However, an order for 250Kbps broadband speed will still be accepted,
but an engineer may need to visit who will, where possible, supply the
service.

Our initial test on your line indicates that your line may not support
a reliable ADSL WBC broadband service, with current technology.
However, an order for 250Kbps broadband speed will still be accepted,
but an engineer may need to visit who will, where possible, supply the
service."

This doesn't sound very promising, i have done a distance "as crow
flies" check and it says I am 3.5km from the exchange.

What service should I get?

I notice that NewNet offer ADSL2+ in Portsmouth - but will ADSL2+
really benefit me?

Am i better off getting ADSL Max, if so who with? Or a fixed service?

Ideally i don't want a 12 month contract, i want the fastest reliable
service available to me

Newnet offer 3 month contracts and LLU in portsmouth - maybe this is
the best bet?

Darren wrote:
doesn't matter who you go with if the network is crap, the network is crap &
there aren't anything you can do about it.

Best bet is choose the ISP which fits your bill & go with them, hoping that
they can sort out any 'snags' (don't go cheap)...

Darren wrote:
Have you tried looking at VirginMedia Cable.

Speed is governed limited by the physical line, it's resistance,
capacitance etc, and there is no way to get round this 3 or
more km..
What you need is an ISP with good UK based, preferably
free by email customer service, and cheap calls by
landline, and one month contract, Zen or IDnet are
possibles.
The higher grades of ADSL won't help, but a modem
with a long/difficult line flash might. I'm using the
UK2 line flash, as far as I can judge it just raises
the high frequency gain to try to lift what signal there
is at the high frequencies above the noise.
It improved my speed.
Then you need to make sure you local domestic
wiring isn't syphoning off the signal or picking up
noise. Fax machines, extension phones and ringers,
caller ID units don't help. Energy saving lamps,
switch mode PSU's, and various other devices
can produce noise.
Locate the modem/router next to the
incoming line and use CAT5 to carry the
ethernet, rather than use an extension phone
cable.
Sort out the filtering, I chained two filters
on the phones side, ADSL going straight
through the first, also use a filtered or premium
grade filter, or filtered NTE5 faceplate.
..

Been there done that, my line is 3.9km and subject to unpredictable noise
spikes.

As others said, there is nothing YOU or an ISP can do about the line, and BT
/ Openreach probably won't.
On the other hand the ADSL checker is often unduly pessimistic.
I would suggest that you go with www.plus.net:
a. go for the cheapest £9.99 option 1 to start with, you don want to pay a
lot for what might be 250kbps.
b. they are very good on customer service, via their website or ordinary
phone line.
c. while they are independently run, they are owned by BT, and know how to
get BT to do their job.

While ADSL2 will be of no help on any line with more then 49dB attenuation
(mine is 51dB),
some ADSL2+ capable routers work better on long / bad lines.
After trying different routers I found that BT1801HG (made in US by 2Wire)
works lot better on my line then other expensive routers (and has got a
great WiFi too). You can find one,or the later BT2700HG, on eBay at very
good prices.
Regards,
Martin
PS If you do go with PlusNet please use my ID 'wester' as a referrer and
save me few pence, thanks.

Darren wrote:
Since the majorty of ISPs will use BT's DSLAM and the line,it makes sod
all difference to what PEAK speeds you will get.

depends in teh area the line goes through. If its crossing a heavy
industrial area with lots of arcs and sparks, or passing under a MW
transmitter..if you have a friendly HAM in te area yelping his kilowatts
over the AM band etc etc..

On Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:25:31 +0100, The Natural Philosopher passed an
empty day by writing:
Man, is this uk.telecom.broadband.oldwivestales?

On Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:12:26 +0100, Martin² wrote:

I got a max of 2.4 Mbit/s on my 63 dB line with BT's standard ADSL. Since
moving to Be There I get up to 3.4 Mbit/s (typically 3), with a lowest-
ever figure of 2.5.

Chris

Klunk wrote:
Goes & checks............................................

Not this end it isn't

chris wrote:
Funny that I was on the top SKY package (LLU) & was getting a 'stabalish'
3Mbps. As you can see I'm now with BT Internet (standard Max DSL) & am
getting a very stable 5Mbps +.

Just goes to show each individual line has to be treated on it's own merits,
we can generalise till the cows have gone home & back out again but it won't
make any difference with what actually happens when service is applied to
the line...

On Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:25:31 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:

Given than BT have a direct interest in end users transferring as much
data as possible, I doubt they'll be using anything less than as much
power as they can. If you see what I mean.

--
<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) (UnSoEsNpEaTm@ale.cx)
21:17:26 up 2:47, 1 user, load average: 0.11, 0.09, 0.09
Convergence, n: The act of using separate DSL circuits for voice and data

"Darren" <googlegroups@dazzas.co.uk> wrote in message
news:85888cd6-3289-452a-a321-230590f25960@c65g2000hsa.googlegroups.com...
I'm getting 700~800K at a reported 8.6Km from exchange after initially
starting with 420K, but even that needed 71 phone calls and some letters to
BT directors.

Some personal views:

- Disconnect all equipment and internal wiring from the master socket and
connect only a simple phone to the master socket. Check the line is quiet.
Report a line fault if not. Remember sky boxes, burglar alarms, fax
machines, 'dial up' modems need disconnecting for this.

- Add extension wiring and again check it's quiet. Switch off circuits at
your fuse-box if there is interference to isolate the cuprit. Mine was a
coax carrying amplified TV next to the phone wiring - fixed by bonding the
coax outer to an earthing screw in a nearby 13A socket.

- Get ADSL Max ('up to 8 meg') - it 'negotiates' better at low speeds.

- Get a good filter and fit it on the master socket. Connect all extensions
off this. Locate the router next to it and distribute by hard wired ether,
wireless or ether over power. I get NO ADSL service with the router on an
extension.

- some suggest cutting the ring wire in extension wiring. Not tried that
myself - my filter should sort that out.

- Choose a router which others say is good on long lines. I have a
Thompson 585v6, but I've seen good reports of 2wire and or Zyxel. Home Hub
is poor.

- Occasionally things will go really slowly. Power the router off/on or
re-synchronise.

- Keep router well ventilated.

- Others will suggest tweaking s/n target ratios, but I've not tried that.
Not all routers/software versions will do it. All I can say is that the
important thing is the speed you can get with low error rates. If you have
low s/n ratio that leads to high error rates and then the link 'feels' very
slow.

- at the end of the day, remember you are probably limited by contention
ratio - if you have a 50:1 service then all you'll probably get is 8/50 Mbit
= 160Kbit/sec useful however fast your line synchronises.

Good luck - give us feedback.
Phil

Thank you for all the replies

I have since placed an order with newnet and following tests on the
line they predict a speed of 4mbps on LLU adsl2+

We shall see on Monday when it's activated

thanks