FTTC a little slower than expected.

I've just had FTTC installed in my new home, and the BT wholesale checker states the following:
http://i.imgur.com/NrmLkjS.png

It was an engineer install, so no issues with extension wiring etc.

My current sync is:

Stats recorded 10 Jul 2015 10:59:16

DSLAM/MSAN type: IFTN:0xb204 / v0xb204
Modem/router firmware: AnnexA version - A2pv6C038m.d24j
DSL mode: VDSL2 Profile 17a
Status: Showtime
Uptime: 46 min 3 sec
Resyncs: 0 (since 10 Jul 2015 10:59:12)

Downstream Upstream
Line attenuation (dB): 21.9 0.0
Signal attenuation (dB): Not monitored
Connection speed (kbps): 46752 6721
SNR margin (dB): 6.4 6.0
Power (dBm): 12.9 3.4
Interleave depth: 1 1
INP: 0 0
G.INP: Not enabled

RSCorr/RS (%): N/A 0.0002
RSUnCorr/RS (%): N/A 0.0000
ES/hour: 0 0

I feel this is unexpectedly low, especially the upstream which is below even the impacted low estimate.

I'm actually due a 2nd line installed on the 16th, which I'm hoping will make a difference, as the current wire (at least from where the line reaches the house, if not where it leaves the pole) is a single pair and so will need replacing with a proper cable.

Is there anything I can do?

You say "no issues with extension wiring etc" - were those stats taken at the test socket which will remove everything from the line.?

The drop wire - is it the old style "figure of 8" type wire? If so it is not twisted pair and that could be picking up some noise. It does have an advantage of being fairly large diameter when compared to current drop wire and thus offer less attenuation although on up to 50 metres it will only make a small difference. When a new one is installed, they may use the old one to pull through if there are trees or other difficulties in the way.

Overall, you may not see much of an improvement in the upstream on that line.


It will be interesting to compare the two sets of line stats when completed along with Bit Loading and SNR per Tone graphs from DSL Stats.

You say the drop wire coming from the pole to the house is a single wire, would you be able to see if it is an old looking green wire or a rounder looking black cable?

If it is the first one then yes when the second line is installed and they install what is known as drop wire 15 (four pair drop wire) it'll be twisted newer wire that should improve your speed.

How far in metres would you say from your NTE/SSFP socket to the pole? The longer it is with the old grey cable the more likely you'll get a speed increase with the newer drop wire.

In reply to a post by MHC:

You say "no issues with extension wiring etc" - were those stats taken at the test socket which will remove everything from the line.?

It's a filtered faceplate, but as I don't use the only extension anyway I've disconnected it from the thing entirely now, this seems to have increased me to 6.8dB SnR but I haven't bothered resyncing at the moment, don't want to upset DLM. I don't have any old-style microfilters anywhere so can't disconnect the faceplate and try in the test socket itself (as the modem cable is RJ11).

I've already resynced a few times today (engineers test device, the ECI modem he brought, swapped to my HG612, rebooted that twice to tidy wires, etc) so will leave it for now.

The drop wire - is it the old style "figure of 8" type wire? If so it is not twisted pair and that could be picking up some noise. It does have an advantage of being fairly large diameter when compared to current drop wire and thus offer less attenuation although on up to 50 metres it will only make a small difference. When a new one is installed, they may use the old one to pull through if there are trees or other difficulties in the way.

Hadn't noticed that, but from at least the roof attachment point (there is some sort of joint box there) it is flat cable that looks like speaker cable (two cables joined in the middle) so I guess not twisted pair, this may hopefully be resolved when the 2nd line is installed?

Depending how old that cable is (known as drop wire 6) it could make an really big difference. On all managed installs engineers are required to replace this redundant cable for newer drop wire 11. If there is a above ground closure (black thing near bracket on fascia board or near guttering) then it will probably only be a few metres of old drop wire 6 so might not make a huge difference but will need to be replaced when second line gets installed anyhow.

In reply to a post by nemeth782:

Hadn't noticed that, but from at least the roof attachment point (there is some sort of joint box there) it is flat cable that looks like speaker cable (two cables joined in the middle) so I guess not twisted pair, this may hopefully be resolved when the 2nd line is installed?

That is generally called "figure of 8" - look at it end on and you will see why.

The joint box is quite normal to convert from drop wire to internal.

No it's not its for when replacing the drop wire from pole to house to rectify a fault with drop wire (tree rub etc) when the customers not in it gets terminated to that closure which is an above ground closure.

A new one has just been released: http://youtu.be/sOAvPSJDOOc

In reply to a post by unknown101:

You say the drop wire coming from the pole to the house is a single wire, would you be able to see if it is an old looking green wire or a rounder looking black cable?

If it is the first one then yes when the second line is installed and they install what is known as drop wire 15 (four pair drop wire) it'll be twisted newer wire that should improve your speed.

How far in metres would you say from your NTE/SSFP socket to the pole? The longer it is with the old grey cable the more likely you'll get a speed increase with the newer drop wire.

The part on the wall is coated in many layers of paint, and the part in the air currently has the sun as a backdrop so I can't really see I'm afraid

However, the wire on my wall going from a junction box I can see behind the guttering to the master socket is flat two wire cable that looks more like speaker cable or the DC power cable for the HG612 (two wires stuck together)

In reply to a post by unknown101:

The longer it is with the old grey cable the more likely you'll get a speed increase with the newer drop wire.

Not always true ... There is the potential for less noise to be picked up however attenuation will decrease. It could go either way - and even if it does the change will only be small.

In reply to a post by MHC:

In reply to a post by unknown101:

The longer it is with the old grey cable the more likely you'll get a speed increase with the newer drop wire.

Not always true ... There is the potential for less noise to be picked up however attenuation will decrease. It could go either way - and even if it does the change will only be small.

Thought I'd provide some pics. The round wire on the wall is actually the extension wire. In the last one you can see the long run to the pole.

http://imgur.com/a/L9X4h

So the one coming from the junction near the bracket down to the NTE/SSFP is drop wire 6 and will need to be replaced if your having the second line near the existing socket.

If the drop wire going from the bracket to the pole is a one pair (drop wire 11) then it'll need to be replaced in that case try and get the engineer to replace from pole to both sockets in one continuous span (no joint at bracket). If it is already 2 pair (drop wire 10) or 4 pair (either drop wire 14/15) then this won't need to be replaced an in that case the engineer will just renew from bracket down to socket.

You should see a small improvement in speed on your existing VDSL service when that section from bracket to NTE is replaced.

If your having your second line in a different location the engineer won't replace that section as he will need to run two separate drop wires then for only one task he has been given.

In reply to a post by unknown101:

So the one coming from the junction near the bracket down to the NTE/SSFP is drop wire 6 and will need to be replaced if your having the second line near the existing socket.

If the drop wire going from the bracket to the pole is a one pair (drop wire 11) then it'll need to be replaced in that case try and get the engineer to replace from pole to both sockets in one continuous span (no joint at bracket). If it is already 2 pair (drop wire 10) or 4 pair (either drop wire 14/15) then this won't need to be replaced an in that case the engineer will just renew from bracket down to socket.

You should see a small improvement in speed on your existing VDSL service when that section from bracket to NTE is replaced.

If your having your second line in a different location the engineer won't replace that section as he will need to run two separate drop wires then for only one task he has been given.

Excellent info, thanks.

I'll put the sockets next to each other, they are going to be going in to a Draytek 2860ac, so this is most convenient anyway.

I do expect that any gains I see will be offset by the crosstalk between the two lines!

I'll hope the overhead cable is drop wire 11 then

Cable from the pole is 2 pair, so probably drop wire 10.

Engineer is replacing the wire and junction box from the point it hits the building, so will still have a junction

Waiting on the final bit now. I have casually thought to myself that if I ordered a 3rd line, the overhead would HAVE to be replaced.....

Oh, and it's been raised as a copper only install, so I suppose TT are going to do wires only for the FTTC part at some unspecified future date. Wonderful, now I have to buy a faceplate....

edit: Post install stats, only one line provisioned, but this is with the replaced drop cable.

Max: Upstream rate = 6674 Kbps, Downstream rate = 50952 Kbps
Bearer: 0, Upstream rate = 6434 Kbps, Downstream rate = 50953 Kbps

Link Power State: L0
Mode: VDSL2 Annex B
VDSL2 Profile: Profile 17a
TPS-TC: PTM Mode(0x0)
Trellis: U:ON /D:ON
Line Status: No Defect
Training Status: Showtime
Down Up
SNR (dB): 6.3 6.0
Attn(dB): 21.9 0.0
Pwr(dBm): 12.8 3.6
VDSL2 framing
Bearer 0

SNR Per tone graph:

http://i.imgur.com/J5qngNe.png

Will post the other line once provisioned with VDSL

Edited by nemeth782 (Thu 16-Jul-15 12:03:32)

2 lines in!

Load Balancing

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/4509245169

http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results.html...