TalkTalk or Be broadband?

mosey99

Hi,

I've been with TalkTalk LLU for 20+ months and while the service is well priced and works ok, I've found the bb speed too slow. I get 6meg down (using router tweaking) and 0.4meg up on a connection which is 2km from the exchange and in theory should have me in the 10meg range.

It's an issue for me as I have several members of the family sharing the connection (surfing, streaming, on-line gaming) and the impression i have is that TT has an isp is not one of the best for speed and performance.

I've had home phone wiring thoroughly checked, installed best faceplate filters, changed routers and cabling and as of last week, had my telegraph cable to my front door changed - but nothing seems to improve this to what i would expect.

I'm considering going back to BT for phone and then get a BE broadband line. Don't mind paying more, but will my speeds and performance be better? I sort of hear they are better for this. Any downsides?

Thanks

dylanuk

It is likely that TalkTalk have more congestion on their network that would slow down your speeds.

BE broadband kind of pride themselves on having very little congestion and not squeezing too many people onto the same line. You can also get the BE Pro package which has increased (up to 2.5Mb) upload speeds, which might make a difference for gaming.

I think it's a probably a fairly accepted assumption that TalkTalk aren't one of the best ISP's for speed and performance - because they're really a very large cut price ISP. They have come along way from the 'free broadband' days when they basically just put too many people on their network and everyone suffered as a result, but I would imagine congestion is still very high.

kwikbreaks

Are you talking about the speed the router is syncing at or the download speed. If it is the sync then as you will be on exactly the same line with any ISP swapping will not alter that. Doing some work on you internal wiring may though - http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/socket.htm

Apart from that the comments above about Be being better are correct.

fjsfjs

O2 and Be share the same LLU infrastructure. O2 is cheaper for the same product.

As you state, you would have to move to a BT Wholesale line.

mosey99

Thanks - this is just what I'm suspecting. Unless someone shouts otherwise, I suggest I need to give this a go. Now I have to go through the hassle of switching back to BT to kick this off...pray for me...

fjsfjs

mosey99 wrote: »

Thanks - this is just what I'm suspecting. Unless someone shouts otherwise, I suggest I need to give this a go. Now I have to go through the hassle of switching back to BT to kick this off...pray for me...

The alternative is to go with someone like Primus, and pay 79 GBP line transfer.

They also have a 12 month autorenewed contract, with a 10 GBP per month leaving penalty.

mk-donald

kwikbreaks wrote: »

Are you talking about the speed the router is syncing at or the download speed. If it is the sync then as you will be on exactly the same line with any ISP swapping will not alter that.

Swapping landline broadband ISP can significantly change that modem synch - by as much as say 200%.

If your ISP only provides a regular ADSL/ADSLmax service then your modem can only synch at 8Mbps down and 448kbps Up no matter how short/perfect your landline is.

If your ISP provides enhanced ADSLs - eg Be/o2 LLU kit supports upto ADSL2+ Annex M with upto 24Mbps down and 2.5Mbps up (synch) - as long as you're prepared to pay for it of course (otherwise even though a line might be capable of the modem synching at say 24Mbps it might still be capped at say 8Mbps because of the subscription level chosen).

Finesse wise: Even within an ISP's service changing the ADSL standard can further tweak that line's synch - eg I'm with o2 on an ADSL2+ Annex A subscription but by using an older/lesser standard (I've a long/poor line) my modem synch can be tweaked up 300-500kbps further - which would/could be possible either only with the right modem and/or an understanding/helpful ISP (which o2 proves to be).

So bottom line - hopefully more & more landline broadband ISPs are offering ADSL2+ with upto 24Mbps synch (and soon 40-100Mbps with fibre some/all of the way) ; but some are stuck at 8Mbps and changing ISP could help with that.

MKD

kwikbreaks

mk-donald wrote: »

Swapping landline broadband ISP can significantly change that modem synch - by as much as say 200%.

If you'd taken the trouble to read the original post the o/p says he should be getting 10Mbps which is in ADSL2 territory already.

====

Still waiting on the answer about speeds - sync or download?

mk-donald

kwikbreaks wrote: »

If you'd taken the trouble to read the original post the o/p says he should be getting 10Mbps which is in ADSL2 territory already.

He mentioned "in theory should"... ie " I get 6meg down (using router tweaking) and 0.4meg up on a connection which is 2km from the exchange and in theory should have me in the 10meg range."

The reason he wasn't might well be is isn't on a service/subscription that could get over 8Mbps ?

Don't let's bicker - I just didn't read your statement (which you've now explained) gave him best clue on differenetiations between ISPs, but happy to accept your argument that ADSL2+ technology = ADSL2+ tech = modem synch regardless of ISP - then of course throughput DOES become an issue.

MKD

kwikbreaks

I certainly don't want to argue but equally I don't want the o/p to run away with the idea that just swapping ISP will solve what are probably line problems. He did mention a filtered faceplate so it is possible or indeed likely that his own internal wiring is OK but there is no guarantee everything was checked properly.

TalkTalk certainly used to be dire but I have recently seen quite a few very positive reports on them and they are very cheap - not that I'd ever take the chance of moving to them from my BT line and O2 LLU but given they are the current ISP moving away can be a real PITA and after all that if there was no improvement in sync then we'd have one very unhappy bunny.

BTW I checked and it looks like TalkTalk no longer offer plain ADSL packages - it's all ADSL2+ - http://broadband.talktalk.co.uk/products/broadband

mosey99

All,

Interesting posts and my thanks - let me clear up some questions:

1. I'm using the TT ADSL2+ product - it's free for all LLU subscribers.
2. My attentuation figure down is 31.5 - defo 10Meg range and upwards
3. I've spent a lot of time working across the chain to get the most of my line Examples are:

-Getting a trusted (ex-BT) engineer to thoroughly check home wiring across master socket and extension sockets (all ring wires removed).
-Testing against master sockets with different filters (BT faceplace, ADSL nation faceplate, Microfilters)
-Using 3 different Routers (2 x Netgears, TT supplied brands)
-Using Surge protected dockets with EMI filters
-Turning off all appliances except the router to check for something called REIN
-BT picking up a voice fault on the line and replacing the telegraph cable from the street to the house and confirming the signal loss is down to 2.8db

But after all that, I occasionally get 8.5/0.45meg (sync) using a tweaked SNR down to 3db on the downstream. If there's a surge in noise, then the best I'll get is a 6/0.4meg after re-sync. I expect better without all my tinkering to bleed out extra speed. Without tinkering, I'd probably be at 4-5meg syncing (6db profile).

I'm certain that while a generally ok service overall, there's something up with TT from my exchange. The congested exchanges or less capable kits (compared to Be) from TT's end makes sense to me.

You guys are the experts - I just have a strong feeling of trying another ISP who recovers the cost of the extra effort they put into a better performing service. But I realise there are no guarantees, which is why it's been important to remove any local issues at my end first.

That still true?