I don't think I have high quality twisted pair cable. I believe it's bog standard

"a new NTE5 master socket where you want the router to be, and extension wiring (if required) from that via a fully filtered faceplate. Anything else is a compromise."
Thanks for confirming my bottom-line conclusion to sort this once and for all !
In my speke - BT master faceplate rewired to be immediately adjacent to the router and computer in my lounge. Only rub is, I don't think for one minute that BT will do this for free

The BT OpenReach Engineer has come and gone this morning. The second phone line connection has been removed, with no significant gain in speed to my router. Needless to say, a stiff email has already been fired off to Orange, requesting "What now???"................... and if they can't pull one last trick out of the bag to give me this so called 14 Mb down the line, then MAC number PLEASE!
Latest readings recorded since my upstairs phone as been ex-communicated, are:
Speedtest Results
Date Day Downstream Upstream IP Address Connection
14/03/11 10:27 Mon 3329 Kbps 509 Kbps 91.104.161.178 my home DSL
14/03/11 10:15 Mon 3309 Kbps 510 Kbps 91.104.161.178 my home DSL
14/03/11 10:02 Mon 3327 Kbps 509 Kbps 91.104.152.206 my home DSL
14/03/11 09:40 Mon 3317 Kbps 509 Kbps 91.104.178.153 my home DSL
14/03/11 09:13 Mon 3300 Kbps 508 Kbps 91.104.178.153 my home DSL

14/03/11 08:46 Mon 3417 Kbps 510 Kbps 91.104.178.153 my home DSL 13/03/11 13:36 Sun 3257 Kbps 329 Kbps 91.104.141.188 my home DSL
12/03/11 22:13 Sat 3282 Kbps 336 Kbps 91.104.141.188 my home DSL
12/03/11 00:13 Sat 3332 Kbps 507 Kbps 91.104.171.150 my home DSL

I have included three older readings for comparison to before so called fix

As you have been advised previously, the best way to get any help on this forum is to post your router stats.
Please post them now the wiring has been removed...

Here you are ........... thanks BatBoy.

Device Internet
Connection status: Connected (0:02:03:12)
Connection mode: Always on
IP address: 91.104.161.178
MAC address: 00:21:04:90:61:A1
Default gateway: 91.104.128.1
Preferred DNS server: 193.36.79.100
Alternate DNS server: 193.36.79.101
Downstream rate: 4093 kbps
Upstream rate: 606 kbps
PPPoE pass-through: Enabled
ADSL Line
Status: Cable connected
Line mode: G.992.5 (ADSL2+)
Maximum line rate: 4093 kbps (downstream) / 606 kbps (upstream)
Noise margin: 27 dB (downstream) / 22 dB (upstream)
Line attenuation: 25 dB (downstream) / 13 dB (upstream)
Output power: 21 dBm (downstream) / 12 dBm (upstream)
Address Translation (NAT)
Status: Enabled
NAT table: No entries
Dynamic DNS
Status: Disabled

That's terrible, I think there's something wrong with the router. Can you try another one, preferably a Netgear DG834GT or a Speedtouch 585 v7?

Would the high noise margin be due to frequent reboots?

Fair play...that noise margin is huge! You should easily get 14meg with that attenuation.

The only alternative I have to hand is an old LINKSYS WAG54GS. However, I have asked Orange for a new router, and I think they will come across.
Bottom line is, I'm really 99% decided to get the MAC and go to O2. If I listed Orange's Customer Service responses, which included the "you're getting 14Meg and 7 Meg is coming down to one of your telephone sockets, and the other 7 Meg is coming down to your other phone's socket, which you are not to using for Broadband". Well their bluff has been called on the latter, 'cos OpenReach BT removed the other extension line and socket this morning; RESULT = no change in upload or download speed whatsoever to/from my router. Plus of course we have now lost the use of our extension phone upstairs. I know we can get the up-to-date setup of a cluster of phones on a hub downstairs, which will enable a remote fone in every room - but that's more money, to replace a perfectly adequate system we already had ...... until this morning!
My final comment b4 I get my head down, is Orange ain't bottom of the B/band ISPs league table for nothing !

Well, you chose to believe Orange CS and not us and logic; cost you money + loss of a phone

Perhaps I've got money to burn
But then again, I can assure you that if any bill comes my way from BT Openreach, it will be forwarded to Orange, along with my request for a MAC number, which they are "a home banker" to get the latter anyway. Still, the BT Openreach engineer cheered me up this morning, by declaring without being prompted - that our local "cabs" are stuffed with fibre optic kit, so Rayleigh, Essex could be on "The Super Highway" soon, and all this faffing about with Broadband speeds will be history; just like "Dial Up". I won't get too carried away though, as I'm sure Fibre Optic will be priced @ a premium, like most new technology gadgets ........... e.g., HD TVs & service providers like SKY.