OK, if you can't be brave enough to have a tinker with the sockets, due to it being rented, that's cool.

I still can't help but think that's a very low sync rate for such a short line, and the common cause for such things is internal wiring.

Does the router show any error count in it's stats ?

Here's the full router stats after a manual reboot:

DSL Connection

Link Information

Uptime: 0 days, 1:30:21
DSL Type: G.992.5 annex A
Maximum Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 1,253 / 16,340
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 1,257 / 15,060
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [MB/GB]: 62.67 / 1.96
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 17.5
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 8.0 / 13.5
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 6.0 / 3.5
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / BDCM
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
Error Seconds (Local/Remote): 0 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 0 / 17,378,329
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 65 / 2,427
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 84 / 14,020

1 hour and 30 minutes after a reboot, to get decent stats it needs to be within a minute or so.

The error stats show the line is not performing well, and may be part of the problem.

Okay, thank you.

Should I contact BT and request an engineer take a look at the line?

If the issue is the wiring in the property then you will be paying £130 to £200 for them to fix it

In reply to a post by lg56xbp:

Okay, thank you.

Should I contact BT and request an engineer take a look at the line?

No. Not at this stage. High downstream FECs are often due to the wiring in the premises.

You must check each socket and see if there is a master. If you haven't got an NTE5, where the bottom half of the faceplate comes off, then look for one like the LJ 2/1A on this page. The rest should be like the LJ 2/3A unless they are extremely old.

What was your previous connection? ADSL or ADSL2+, and what connection speeds did you get?

I'll just deduct it from next months rent.

Surely the fact that the Master Socket isn't functioning is a good reason for an engineer visit?

Very unusual to get identical connection speeds after a router reboot. I wonder what is going on to cause that.

Have you any other ADSL2+ router?

Also I have a funny feeling about 585v8 and error counts, I'll try to remember to check it tomorrow. But if those are correct they would explain both the low conenction speed, (lots of errors during the modem training), and the download speed fluctuation as the router spends all its time correcting errors and only occasionally passing data.

And they will simply contend that someone has fiddled with the wiring

In reply to a post by lg56xbp:

There are no phones, no alarms, etc. Line is silent when I plug in a handset to do the BT test.

Who are you paying line rental to? You are entitled to have a dial-tone and be able to make calls.