Hes not really that far from the exchange.

Downstream line attenuation of 40 isn't bad at all IMO.

Do you have any extension sockets wired in?

Baffled at the moment.

As you have two lines with the same low original speed, and now this development, I don't see how it can be anything but external. I don't want the bill if you get one though. Are both lines supplied from one incoming cable - assuming it is overhead so you can see it?

Did you just report a noise on line problem?

The BT database line estimates are very often based on the historical performance of the line, basically as information perhaps for the next buyer/occupant. Notoriously inaccurate, as we see here. The attenuation is the measure of how much the signal has degraded between you and the exchange and is absolutely the prime determinant of the expected speed, give or take a bit. See this graph. The average figure is because it includes results from lines like yours. My observations on these forums are that 40dB attenuation gets 6.5Mbps+ connections speed. Throughput is of course lower.

WHy did you delete the earlier post?

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 14-Feb-11 08:44:30)

HI Robertp, there's not one other extension socket wired in to that master socket.

Indeed, wires run overhead to a box then straight over to the master socket.

Because this is a business, the government here in northern Ireland are requiring BT to e able to provide a service of 2Mbps in rural areas. They're currently fitting the equipment in my exchange and apparently theyll be calling me within the next week to arrange an order and date for installation. Should I cancel this engineer visit and wait until this guy that comes to install it gets around here and have him have a look at it? I really don't want to be charged £130 as our business has enough bills at the moment and I don't think I've done anything wrong to get a bill for that amount.

Do you want to see pictures of my master socket?

I live 1.9 miles from exchange. 1.5 on average download and 0.15 upload.
My brother who lives 2.9 miles gets nearly the exact same speeds as me and he's on the sane exchange.

-Jack

Ah - I thought that was your master socket. It's also a wierd one, never seen one like that.

Yes, a pic of the inside of yours might be useful. Just like this one. There shouldn't be any wires to the faceplate, but check for signs of damp.

Hi there,

Didn't see the point in posting a picture as there is no wires attached to the numbering section (the bit you showed me) except two wires screwed in to the bit behind another screw (this is because I have no extensions elsewhere).

I tried switching those wires around although made no difference what so ever.

On the other line in the house, there is a tiny bit of line noise although not nearly enough to compare it to the one on the line we're primarily talking about.

I've got about 40 minutes to cancel this BT appointment. Should I do it? I might call out my BT Engineer friend as I don't want to get hit with a bill.

On the other line (in the house, we're on Sky, the lines are just a few metres apart from each other). By the way, this is the 'Sky Connect' service, not the LLU service.

http://www.speedtest.net/result/1156908069.png

Router Stats:

http://i55.tinypic.com/etwt2b.png

Thanks

-Jack

If there is noise on the line then it needs fixing, and it clearly isn't your end. The risk of a charge is about as low as it gets, especially on a phone noise callout.

Clearing the noise has a good chance of radically improving the broadband. It's worth telling the engineer about the slight noise on the other line as well, it may give him a clue to where to look.

You shouldn't be touching the hidden connections! Shhhh .

Edited by RobertoS (Mon 14-Feb-11 11:29:16)

So if there is noise on the line then it definitely isn't my end?

Just re-reading - with the corded phone into the test socket inside the master, without broadband connected, not even the filter. If there is noise then, you are totally safe.

Yep that's correct - I'll see how I get on - I'm a bit stupid, cancelled that engineer visit as there's 4 minutes.

Should I reorganize it?

Jack

It isn't going to get fixed any other way, is it?

Just I hadn't spotted that the noisy line was with broadband connected. That defeated the object of the test.