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[RossCo]

I should apologise up front, this question is probably amazingly stupid :-)

I have recently had adsl set up in my flat. Whilst I have got (and am certainly paying for) an up to 8mb/service the line is consistently at 1mb/sec download speed max. I realise that I am still within the max training period, but the impression I got from reading up on this is that during the training period after a reset the modem would attempt to connect at higher speeds, dropping down until it achieved a stable connection. This does not happen, I am at 1mb straight from the reset.

The stats from the home hub status menu:

Downstream attenuation: 40db
Downstream SN margin: 26 (please forgive the approximate naming, I am entering this info from memory at work).

Again from reading these forums it would seem that this line is quite capable of supporting a significantly higher data rate.

The final piece of concern (and very low tech!) is that is I go to the "my account" section on the bt yahoo website my speed (the line under the option and usage allowance) is set to 1mb.

I am just over reacting and misunderstanding the training process, or should i start wading my way through the glorious Indian call centers?

Thanks in advance

Ross

[roseway]

Hi Ross and welcome.

If your downstream noise margin really is 26 dB, then almost certainly you're on a fixed speed 1 Mbps connection and not the ADSL Max 'up to 8 Mbps' service. If you can post the rest of your router stats here we'll be able to confirm that.

Eric

[RossCo]

Thanks, I will do as soon as I get home (pesky work, getting in the way of my geekery!).

The noise margin is certainly 26, I checked that several times as it seemed significant.

As I recall the rest of the info was pretty much what I would expect to see:

The three different categories of error were all very low.
The connection speed was something like 1152 down / 256 up (not exactly, but close to those figures)

If it does turn out I have had a 1mb fixed line installed instead of an 8mb max, what would be my best course of action?

I have dealt with BT CS before, and their standard approach seems to be to have untrained people deny everything until you curl up into a ball in the corner and start weeping :-)

[mr_chris]

If it was 1152/288 then that's a 1Mb fixed line, and that certainly looks like it from what you've said about your SNR margin. Normally on Max, especially for your attenuation, you would expect it to be down at around 6, (or 9 or 12 if you've had line issues in the past).

What you need to do is ring up BT Customer Services and ask to be transferred to a Max speed, explaining that you're syncing at 1Mb and your SNR is 26dB. They will try to fob you off with the 10 day training period etc... or give it 3 days for the profile to update. Don't accept any bovine droppings!!

Just keep saying that you are definitely sure you're not on an ADSL Max line and could they please submit a regrade order to Max for you. Also you can say the upstream sync speed should be 448 on Max instead of 288, which is another reason that you know you're not on Max.

I have found with BT call centres, if you persist in a calm way, they will generally help you out (unless I've just got lucky a few times )

Good luck

[RossCo]

Thanks very much for your help guys.

As you said the BT call center tried to fob me off with the training period, and also as you said a calm but solid approach has resulted in them confirming that the line is set to a fixed 1mb/s.

I am currently on hold as they try to sort it out, quietly dreading how long my service may be interupted for :-)

Thanks again

[kitz]

If your stats are

> The connection speed was something like 1152 down / 256 up
> The noise margin is certainly 26

Then its a sure bet that you are on a fixed 1Mb service.

> If it does turn out I have had a 1mb fixed line installed instead of an 8mb max, what would be my best course of action?

Contacting your ISP saying that you are on a fixed 1Mb service as confirmed by your router stats.  The 10 day thing wont affect your sync speeds and it should have been rate adaptive from the start.
It would be worthwhile posting a copy of your router stats pointing out to them the sync speed, and there is more than sufficient Noise Margin to handle the higher speeds.

It should be a simple matter for them to put in a request for BTw to upgrade your account to MAX, depending on which way they do it, then you should be on Max in about 7 working days.

Good luck


PS..  Just thought you could try doing a BTw performance test (if its not busy).  If you are on MAX then it will give you an IP profile.   If it doesnt give you an IP profile then you are on the fixed service.

[RossCo]

All sorted now, after being bounced through several different call centers and finally greeting by a nice young sales woman who uttered the phrase "oh my, you seem to have the wrong service" (my sanity at that point threatened to snap, but I think I reeled it back :-) ).

It is being changed over to the 8mb Max service, and the upside of this whole process is that I know a whole lot more about DSL than I did two days ago :-)

One final question, why does it take 5 working days to switch service types? Surely it would be some form of networked system and a quick flick of an electronic switch. Not that I mind, I'm just curious at this point.

[kitz]

>> All sorted now,

 

>> why does it take 5 working days to switch service types

Depends on which way BTr (your ISP) have processed it.  Theres 2 different ways...  the "normal route" though does take 5-7 working days.

Youre quite right though it is more or less a case of flicking a switch in most cases - however not all.
1) It depends which DSLAM at the exchange you are on.  BTw appear to be physically "running down" some of the older DSLAMs and moving the MAX users on to shiny new MSANs.
Maxdsl is doing away with the traditional concept of adsl where many of the VPs from the exchange to the RAS themselves were only say 6 or 10Mb.  -  afew MAX users would soon saturate the backhaul of that particular VP.

If you are already on an MSAN, or a DSLAM which has been configured to have "SuperVPs", then its a case of changing your adsl profile which is done remotely. However theres still many ISPs that are still ongoing upgrading their customers to MAX.  There is an "official limit" as to how many the ISP can process per day/week.. and BTw "queue" the non-urgent requests for batch processing.