As far as I know there is no learning period on the Free, Mid or Max Sky BB packages; learning is a purely BT IPStream thing (correct me if I'm wrong)...

And your other issue about lost connections and the Sky CS telling you that you are not ADSL2+ could be the issue here...

Get onto the phone with them and confirm the package that you are on, and grill them about why you[ve been told that you are not on ADSL2+ when that is the service you are paying for.

As for the point made that your connection is dropping every 5 minutes cuz you keep loosing the IP address, unless there is a problem with the router, this would indicate a problem on their end and could also be attributed to the reason of the speed you are getting (and the fact that they say you are not on ADSL2+).

Has anyone else signed up to MAX been told that they are not on ADSL2+ and have a sync on 8 constant?

IT might do. But you've really got to ask yourself is there any perceptible difference between 8 and 10 and is it worth sacrificing the potential stability of your line. I'd say no.

I'm confused.

How do you know if you're on ADSL2 or ADSL1? Is this the difference between mid and max packages?

As far as I know... The Free and Mid packages give a max speed of 8Mbps; this is the maximum speed of ADSL1 technology. To go faster than this, one has to be connected using ADSL2.

Of course line conditions dictate the rate someone gets, someone can be connected to the MAX package but due to attenu and noise, could get no more than 8Mbps - This doesn't usually mean that if someone on a Max package is getting 8Megs, it would be better for them to downgrade, as on ADSL1 they could get considerably lower.

Which is why it worries me when someone who is on the MAX package is told by Sky that they are not on ADSL2+ connection!

You can tell which standard you're on by checking the modulation type the router reports.

See http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/showthreaded.php?Cat=&Board=bulldog&Number=2494355