Thanks for advice, I've now got into my router and am displaying the statistics. What should I look for

This what the router is telling me. FYI switched it off and on a few minutes ago while I was trying to access it.

Line state: Connected
Connection time: 0 day, 00:08:26
Downstream: 2,016 Kbps
Upstream: 448 Kbps



ADSL settings


VPI/VCI: 0/38
Type: PPPoA
Modulation: G.992.1 Annex A
Latency type: Interleaved
Noise margin (Down/Up): 12.8 dB / 19.0 dB
Line attenuation (Down/Up): 55.0 dB / 31.5 dB
Output power (Down/Up): 17.2 dBm / 11.9 dBm
FEC Events (Down/Up): 4030 / 0
CRC Events (Down/Up): 13 / 0


Loss of Framing (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Signal (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Power (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
Loss of Link (Remote): 0
HEC Errors (Down/Up): 4 / 0
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / 0

kind of all of this
https://community.bt.com/t5/image/serverpage/image-i...

Specifically
Noise margin
Line Attenuation
Output power

Yep,
looks like you have a line at the limits, Notice the FEC and CRC events only having been connected 8 minutes.

http://www.kitz.co.uk/adsl/linestats_errors.htm

The Downstream attenuation is high which is pointing to a very long line.

Here is someone in the same boat with a few suggestions

http://ljangus.wordpress.com/2012/01/21/2-4mbs-55db-...

Is you line noisy? Crackles pops etc.?
Are you connected to the master socket with ADSL filters or with a filtered faceplate?
Have you tried disconnecting all the phone wiring and just connecting to the master socket in the house and see if this improves.
Unfortunately I expect you are not going to get Superfast as you are too far from the Cabinet - Sorry.

Feeding that into a calculator I got

http://www.coolwebhome.co.uk/calc/index.php?param=RG...

Basically on ADSL you should really be getting 2.5 Mbps to 3.5 Mbps sync. Not a lot more but everything helps.

I doubt anything you do will improve the stats, as the figures suggest the line has been banded, i.e. capped connection speed to ensure stability and only once that has been reset/removed will the various things like removing ring wire, or fitting an ADSL/VDSL faceplate give you the expected speeds.

Thanks for your interpretation of the statistics gregormac and your sympathy. I'm still puzzled though. If my line is at the limits now. Surely I would have had a significantly lower speed previously when I had 5.5.km of copper between me and the exchange instead of 3.5km of copper between me and the cabinet as I have now. Is it possible that my still line runs on copper cable between the cabinet and the exchange?

Unfortunately you still have 5.5Km of copper before you hit a DSLAM. Upgrading the cabinet makes no change to ADSL circuits, the ADSL DSLAM ( Modem) is in the Exchange, its the VDSL DSLAM that's in the Cabinet, linked probably to a bigger remote exchange via fibre and as you cant get VDSL you are copper all the way back to the Rural exchange.

Thanks again for the explanation gregormac - that makes sense!

Thanks for your advice MrSaffron. I dream of 3.5 Mbps!

How do I get my line unbanded / uncapped?

In reply to a post by MrSaffron:

I doubt anything you do will improve the stats, as the figures suggest the line has been banded,

Whoops - banded on 20CN? Care to rethink that response?