Some local information. Abbey St Bathans is a tiny exchange that had Exchange Activate equipment in it for a long time, which can only provide 0.5 Mbps. I don't know on what basis SamKnows claims that it was upgraded to ADSL Max in 2005 but from conversations back around 2008 I believe that it was after that date with some spare money left over in a Scottish Government program.

The figures that have been given for backhaul bear no relationship to the situation at an exchange like ASB. There will be no more than 40-50 ADSL customers at the exchange and I doubt whether there is more than a 10 - or just possibly 20 - Mbps circuit from the exchange to (probably) Duns or Berwick. I suspect that SSE would only buy a 1 Mbps of backhaul capacity or they would buy an end-to-end service from BT Wholesale. As a consequence sync speeds, occasional speed tests and reliable speeds during peak periods will differ by large margins.

The point is that ADSL services from small, rural exchanges in the South of Scotland or the Highlands have a completely different character from those that 95% or more of TBB readers experience. The truth is that SSE probably doesn't want you as a customer unless it has a number of other customers at the same exchange, which, given its & the exchange's history, is unlikely. So specifying an old and uncompetitive speed is a good way of saying no politely.

I am surprised that Plusnet took the bait - presumably their software is not discriminating enough to work out when customers would be unprofitable. Several companies claim that their service is not available at current or former Exchange Activate exchanges because they don't want the costs and hassle.

0.5 Mbps was a very welcome upgrade from dialup and seemed fast at the time. The next upgrade was Spring 2011. Currently I get a speed of 6 to 7 Mbps - even at peak times. Does that say anything about capacity of the (fibre) line out from the exchange?

Plusnet accepted an order from me in 2008 - but then backed out, so perhaps they are not as dim as you think. Presumably the exchange is better for them now.

In reply to a post by asker:

0.5 Mbps was a very welcome upgrade from dialup and seemed fast at the time. The next upgrade was Spring 2011. Currently I get a speed of 6 to 7 Mbps - even at peak times. Does that say anything about capacity of the (fibre) line out from the exchange?

Plusnet accepted an order from me in 2008 - but then backed out, so perhaps they are not as dim as you think. Presumably the exchange is better for them now.

It could be a microwave link.

I would hope it's a fibre link though and if so would be 100Mbit minimum

Edit> I've done a bit of digging and found a post on this very forum. Apparently Exchange Activate bonds multiple copper lines (EFM basically). Depending on the distance to the larger exchange the speed of Exchange Activate backhaul using these bonded pairs is between 2Mb and 34Mb.

Edited by deleted (Thu 14-May-15 17:43:54)