Speed issues - can the upload be improved without FTTC

Hi all

Ok so we have quite good download speed with Eclipse:
http://www.thinkbroadband.com/speedtest/results/id/1...
(and I suspect recently improved by cutting some large branches off a tree that threaten to snap our phone line)

But the upload still sucks big time. Eclipse say there is nothing that can be done other than moving to FTTC, but the estimates on my line are strange - you'd have thought that for what I believe is a good ADSL connection an estimate of 14.1mb download and 4mb upload on FTTC isn't very good - thats a slower download speed than ADSL!

So I don't really want to speed a lot of money on FTTC if my upload can be improved somehow - does anyone have any tips or should I seriously consider moving to fibre?

The Openreach estimates represent worst case, so people generally get an awful lot better, call it expectation management, better to be estimate low and people be happy its faster.

You are on ADSL2+, only way to improve upload is

1. Bond two lines
or
2. Switch to a provider than offers Annex M on ADSL2+

Thank you MrSaffron.

Is there somewhere I can find out more about Annex M? i..e what providers do it and is it less cost effective than FTTC?

Your current speed is affected by the distance from the exchange.

On FTTC it is only affected by the distance from the cabinet, therefore it has to be faster.

The estimate is garbage. What is the estimate on your line for ADSL2+?

On the BT infinity website I put my phone number in and the following appears:
Faster Total Broadband - 14.3Mb
Faster BT Total Broadband Between 16.5Mb and 20.0Mb (Estimated speed: 18.5Mb)

On the eclipse website:
Fibre estimate comes back with the same 14.3Mbs download and with upload of 4.1Mbs
Broadband is identical to BT Total Broadband.

My router says: DownStream Connection Speed 19163 kbps and UpStream Connection Speed 903 kbps.

Edited by deleted (Tue 04-Oct-11 13:32:09)

What does this checker say about the line as a whole. That's what I was after. (Paste the whole result please ).

It does look as though they won't let you order Infinity though, only the under 15Mbps one. But you would still a higher download than now, but may be restricted to 2Mbps up.

Unless you go to one of the other providers, who will give you 10Mbps up as well.

There is something totally wrong with those estimates, as we all realise, given the current connection speeds.

Thanks RobertoS - bit new to all this as have been on ADSL with Eclipse since the wires only trial!

In reference to www.dslchecker.bt.com/adsl/ADSLChecker.TelephoneNumberOutput:

For Telephone Number 01628999999 on Exchange BURNHAM

Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 5.5Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 4.5Mbps and 6.5Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 18.5Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 16.5Mbps and 20Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 1.5Mbps and downstream line speed of 18.5Mbps; typically the downstream speed would range between 16.5Mbps and 20Mbps.

Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 14.3Mbps and upstream line speed of 4.1Mbps.

The actual stable line speed supportable will be determined during the first 10 days of use. This speed may change over time, to ensure line stability is maintained.

Thank you for your interest.

Please note that postcode and address check results are indicative only. Most accurate results can be obtained from a telephone number check.
Note: If you already have a Broadband service enabled on this line and you want to switch service providers, you will need to contact both your current provider and your new provider to get your service changed over new and existing service provider to have this service transferred.

Clearly rubbish, as we expected.

You needn't worry about the downstream, it will be better than now. But if you want over 2Mbps upstream I don't think BT will give it you. (Though I could be wrong about that - maybe ask in the BT forum here).

Most other FTTC ISPs will give you the "up to 10Mbps" upload, but they tend to be expensive. See the spreadsheet I link to on that page..

I'd be pleased to double my normal 700kbps upload speed. Which seems possible using something called AnnexM?

Eclipse FTTC is something like £25 per month with 2MB upload, and you can pay an extra £5 per month to upgrade to upto 10MB upload. Download limits apply but only during the day.

Annex M is a little hit and miss, and you lose some downstream to gain upstream.

At best its 2.5Mbps upstream, http://www.bewholesale.co.uk/products/
Available on Be retail and through providers who sell their wholesale products.

To be honest FTTC is the best in terms of Mbps per pound spent.

You would get 1Mbps or so upload on most LLU providers, even on Annex A. Only Be and its resellers provide Annex M so far as know, as Andrew said, and that tends to lower the download speed.

FTTC really is a better option.

FTTC it is then - thanks for your help. Both of you

In reply to a post by RobertoS:

Only Be and its resellers provide Annex M so far as know, as Andrew said, and that tends to lower the download speed.

I've seen annex M advertised by AAISP and Goscombe for BT ADSL2+ 21CN lines.
An extra 12 or 10 quid.

Indeed, you seem to be correct as far as AAISP goes. I haven't checked Goscombe.

Now you point it out, I've seen that before on AAISP, but it had completely gone from my (active) memory.

On FTTC it is only affected by the distance from the cabinet, therefore it has to be faster.

Not sure this is true at all times, bearing in mind that FTTC uses VDSL which has different performance characteristics to ADSL. For example, IIRC you will still get ADSL working over quite a few KMs, long after VDSL will have stopped.

In reply to a post by New_Londoner:

On FTTC it is only affected by the distance from the cabinet, therefore it has to be faster.

Not sure this is true at all times, bearing in mind that FTTC uses VDSL which has different performance characteristics to ADSL. For example, IIRC you will still get ADSL working over quite a few KMs, long after VDSL will have stopped.

You are quite correct, but I would emphasise the "at all times". In this case, given the speed on ADSL2+ he cannot be far from the cabinet, and it was on that basis I made that statement.

I should have made it clear it only applied to the OP.

Edited by RobertoS (Thu 06-Oct-11 00:26:52)

I suggest your re-read the specs for VDSL.

Over a 6 km long cable run the VDSL would have degraded to a sync probably the same as an ADSL line can manage.

the theory is such that the faster by removing E side run is true. No evidence to date of anyone seeing slower sync speeds after VDSL2 than having an ADSL(2/2+) service.