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Announcements => News Articles => Topic started by: waltergmw on May 27, 2009, 09:31:26 AM

Title: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 27, 2009, 09:31:26 AM
Gentlefolk,

You'll see there's lots today on Radio 4, Breakfast show and this which rather pleases me !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8068676.stm

Kind regards,
Walter
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: UncleUB on May 27, 2009, 09:47:35 AM


http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=5060.msg116222#new
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: UncleUB on May 27, 2009, 09:52:04 AM
Quote
To get speeds of 2Mbps or more homes need to be four kilometres or less from an exchange.

Is that as the crow flies or via street cabling.?

Only I am less on both counts and can't get 2MB.

Quote
Exchange: Attercliffe.     BT Code: SLAC
Location: Titterton Street,    S9 3TE
Distance:-    Direct:          1.85 km
     (appx)*    By Road:    3.54 km
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: roseway on May 27, 2009, 10:02:40 AM
The average attenuation of telephone cabling is about 14 dB per kilometre, so 4 km (cable distance) corresponds with an an attenuation of 56 dB. This is potentially capable of speeds up to around 3 Mbps if everything is in perfect order, so I suppose that it's fair to say that it's about the limit to be pretty sure of getting 2 Mbps.
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: HPsauce on May 27, 2009, 10:07:44 AM
There's a sizeable village not far from me where the phones are all connected to an exchange in the nearest town, with the result that pretty much everyone gets 512mbps or thereabouts. :(
I can see it as a nice little cluster of dots on the SamKnows map.

And of course Milton Keynes shines brightly due to the dodgy cabling.  :lol:
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 27, 2009, 10:08:59 AM
But in practice I know that BT O with no USO are letting quite appalling cable performance just rot (literally).

My list of Ewhurst Braodbanders performance, which is a minmum of 3.3 km from Cranleigh THCN, has less the 10% with more than 2 mbps and it gets rapidly worse from then on.

The younger generation is also quite peeved :-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/technology/newsid_8069000/8069617.stm

Kind regards,
Walter
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: UncleUB on May 27, 2009, 10:16:58 AM
I think since broadband technology was first introduced nothing has really moved on in terms of upgrading old copper cables.In that time BT has been quite happy to take the consumers money and not do enough investing in new cables.
Now as technology has moved on and everyone relies on the internet as a way of life we are getting left behind due to the fact that the network of old copper cables is just not up to it.
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: Imagine. on May 27, 2009, 10:29:14 PM
I think since broadband technology was first introduced nothing has really moved on in terms of upgrading old copper cables.In that time BT has been quite happy to take the consumers money and not do enough investing in new cables.
Now as technology has moved on and everyone relies on the internet as a way of life we are getting left behind due to the fact that the network of old copper cables is just not up to it.

But if BT were to upgrage the AGEING copper wires theres a lot of different aspects involved such as;

So really it wouldn't be fair to blame BT right away.
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on May 28, 2009, 12:04:49 AM
IMHO, one thing we can blame emphatically BT for is the inadequacies of their DLM algorithms.

On a long line, a 15dB SNR Margin, rather than 9dB (or even six) can easily reduce speed from over 3Mbps to less than 2Mbps.  Of course, DLM is there to serve a purpose (providing stability) but, as has been well-documented in many threads, there's a lot of folks on 15dB DLM target margins for no good reason.  Personally I'd like to think BT would be made to improve their DLM software, before we start digging up the roads all over again to overcome it's deficiencies.

Also, it's not just old copper that causes the problems.  In Milton Keynes, I believe, the problem was that they wired the town with aluminium as it seemed like a good idea at the time (not that long ago).
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 28, 2009, 06:21:07 AM
I beleieve that Milton Keynes is not the only area where aluminium cable is to be found.

I have been told that data on BT's network topology is not in the public domain - yes even where we have it overhead !
Ewhurst certainly did have some aluminium but wouldn't it be nice to know of a national campaign to replace all aluminium if FTTH is too expensive ?

Do we really want a National Carrier downloading firmware updates that restrict the enhancements that have been made to modem firmware ? Does the National Carrier not realise that some end users can provide useful evidence to help them eliminate faults more rapidly ?

Kind regards,
Walter
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 28, 2009, 11:57:18 AM
Here's today's ration of gloom !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8034359.stm

Kind regards,
Walter

Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: UncleUB on May 28, 2009, 12:14:29 PM
Quote
Semi-retired communications engineer Walter Willcox has been lobbying on behalf of Ewhurst residents to improve coverage in the area. So far he has 122 people signed up to his campaign to find better broadband for the village.

Is this 'our' Walter. ?
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 28, 2009, 03:55:59 PM
The very same !
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: UncleUB on May 28, 2009, 04:06:25 PM
Ah,fame at last Walter.  :)
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: sevenlayermuddle on May 28, 2009, 07:20:27 PM
The very same !

Aha, a hero of the revolution?

Seriously, congrat's Walter for trying to get something done about something.  Speaking as somebody who only talks about it, I feel humble in your (virtual) presence.   
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 28, 2009, 09:20:42 PM
Thank you very much good people,

Alas I suspect we've just about reached the end of the beginning to paraphrase somebody properly famous.

Kind regards,
Walter
Title: Re: BBC Broadband articles
Post by: waltergmw on May 30, 2009, 07:18:47 AM
This is another article of the current BBC series although no doubt this topic will run until such time as UK plc gets its act together.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/8069768.stm

Kind regards,
Walter