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[waltergmw]

Hello everybody,

Does anybody know how the BT Speedtester operates ?

http://www.adslchecker.bt.com/pls/adsl/adslchecker.welcome

I've just done three tests off the same exchange. One line which has a length of about 4.5 km and a fixed 500 service on it states:-

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 fixed line rate up to 512Kbps. However, due to the length of your line, an engineer visit may be required, who will, where possible, supply the broadband service.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a potential ADSL Max broadband line rate of 500Kbps or greater.

Your exchange is planned to have ADSL2+ by 31st March 2010. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a potential ADSL2+ broadband line rate of 500Kbps or greater.


The next line which is on the same cable and is 2 km longer has a Max service running with a sync rate of 1728 and a bRAS of 1500 states:-

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 fixed 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 test also indicates that your line currently supports a potential ADSL Max broadband line rate of 1Mbps or greater.

Your exchange is planned to have ADSL2+ by 31st March 2010. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a potential ADSL2+ broadband line rate of 1Mbps or greater.

The implication being that if the line already has an ADSL service on it the checker uses the known performance as a guide ?

However ther third line test which is at least 1 km shorter than the first, but had the same number moved from a house right out in the sticks gives the following:-

... your line indicates that it is VERY UNLIKELY you will be able to receive fixed 512Kbps or 256Kbps broadband service due to the very long length of your telephone line.

Kind regards,
Walter

[HPsauce]

I think that just confirms what most of us think is the case:
1. The BT database is almost by definition out of date
2. If it is updated it's not very frequent

[mr_chris]

What HP said, basically. The BT database is often ropy. I still remember back to when I moved in here and tried to get ADSL in summer 2004. The BT checked said I could only get 512k. I tried ordering a 1Mb service anyway and it was rejected, so I had to order 512k.

MrSaffron from ADSLGuide (as it was then) kindly used a contact he had at BT to get the checker updated, so I was able to upgrade to the dizzy heights of 1Mb!

I'm now syncing at ~10.5Mb with Be - all on a line that BT once said would only support 512k

Have you tried putting your current line stats into here and see what it comes up with?

[jeffbb]

HI

Last year the BT checker first gave me an estimate of 5Mbps ,then 2 Mbps then 0.5Mbps . The last was after I had supposedly been upgraded by Tiscali to 8max. Then after 3 months connecting at better than 6Mbps and a profile of 5Mbps it is reporting 4.5Mbps or greater !!.


Regards Jeff

[mr_chris]

> 0.5Mbps .... after I had supposedly been upgraded by Tiscali to 8max

How ironic...

[b4dger]

It does seem to work in rather a strange way, which is a shame as it could be a useful tool 

For my line normally it normally says "3Mb or greater" for Max. I've been syncing over 5500 since December.
But just recently it now says "1.5Mb"

I do hope they haven't started predicting the future! 


I guess Bt's "Availability Checker" was written by the same *@~#¬¦^* that wrote the rules for ADSL Max