How can I get/find a faster broadband?

jap200

Due to the distance of our line from the exchange we only get a measly slow broadband - which should be about 500kbps, but over the last few weeks has been painfully slower. I did a speed test at lunchtime and it gave a download speed of 130kbps and an upload speed of 34kbps! - but even worse, 10 minutes ago the download speed was 76kbps and the upload was so low that it didn't register, which might explain why I haven't been able to upload photos to Ebay today.

I work from home and need a better/faster connection than this - not to mention all our non-work uses as well of course.

My questions are:
1. Why is it getting slower and should I expect BT to do something about it?

2. How do I find out if there is any way we can get a faster broadband? i.e. which supplier to move to etc. I have been to samknows, but don't really understand what it is all about.

penrhyn

How far from the exchange are you, and what exchange are you on?
Have you tried plugging your modem/router into the test socket that can be found under the faceplate of your master socket, and seeing if that improves things.
Can you also post your router statistics.

DatabaseError

who do you use now, what does samknows have in the LLU column, is VM cable available, search this (and other) sites for bell (or ring) wire, follow the instructions.
Do you have your modem plugged into the master socket or an extension, whichever, could you find your router stats (attn, SNR and sync) and post them, ideally then trying the modem in the test socket (behind the nte5 faceplete) and posting those results.
Should keep you busy for a few minutes

jap200

OK - lots of questions!

Distance from exchange is apparently 4.75km
Exchange is Ashford in Kent

Router statistics - had to google to find out what this means, but managed to locate them. I'm not sure which ones are useful - the top half don't mean anything to me, but the rest are:

Connection speed: Downstream 576kbps, upstream 288 kbps
Line attenuation: Downstream 63.0db, upstream 31.5db
Noise margin: Downstream 15.5db, 16.0db

We are with BT at the moment on Option 3 (ridiculous I know given the speed that we are getting, but my work was paying up until recently)

Modem is plugged into master socket. I'm not sure how to go about plugging it into the test socket - do I unscrew the faceplate?

I will go and find the info on the bell wire thing - do you think it will help?

jap200

According to DSL zone UK, ADSL and SDSL is available and my line is capable of 0.25Mbps on both - I don't know the difference between these

According to Sam knows
The following services are available in my location:
BT Wholesale ADSL
BT Wholesale ADSL Max
BT Wholesale SDSL
AOL LLU
Bulldog LLU
TalkTalk (CPW) LLU
Sky Broadband / Easynet LLU
Tiscali LLU
Orange LLU (Formerly Wanadoo)
Orbital / VFast Wireless

We are not in a cable area

DatabaseError

The good news, Your router 'only reports 63db ATTn, the bad news, 63 is as high as they report, so it is likely to be higher
test socket...yep, remove the 2 screws and the faceplate pulls away...but...I can't see it making a lot of difference, but worth a try, i suppose.
If you lived in the same timezone as your local exchange, then the adsl2+ service form sky/easynet would be a suggested option, but at that length...??
The only option which looks interesting is the orbital/vfast wireless, but I know nothing at all about them, so I can't recommend them, but a quick look at TBB came up with this thread it looks really good, so check pricing, and if work are prepared to pay

jap200

Thanks for help so far - will carry on looking into this tomorrow

DatabaseError

what do you mean..."so far"? That's it!
the wireless does look a good option, join the forum (there's a link in the tbb thread) and ask questions

penrhyn

Tony has covered all the relevant points, the downstream noise margin of 15.5 db suggests that there may be noise on the line. I would have thought the router would sync down to 6 db or so.
Re measuring the router stats from the test socket may shed more light.