Sky broadband (LLU) upload speed

I know I am only on day 6 of the 10 day training period but I am concerned that I am only getting 0.7 Mbps upload speed where as on O2 (LLU) I was getting over 1 Mbps.

My download speed is also reduced from almost 4 Mbps to 2.9 Mbps but I know why this is and apparently it's because Sky use a 7 db SNR margin meaning a slightly slower download speed.

How about waiting until after day 10...

In reply to a post by 5km:

How about waiting until after day 10...

Yes I could do but I am just wondering if there is also a higher SNR margin on the upstream channel too, if so it would explain the lower upstream sync speed.

What are your line stats now and what were the before?

I expect the upstream will also have a higher SNR margin, probably 7db like the downstream.

In reply to a post by 5km:

What are your line stats now and what were the before?

I don't know as I can no longer use the DMT tool like I did when I was with O2.

From memory my downstream attenuation was 53 dB and my upstream attenuation was around 33 dB.

I wouldn't expect these values to change much if at all ?

In reply to a post by 5km:

I expect the upstream will also have a higher SNR margin, probably 7db like the downstream.

Thought so.

Oh well it isn't that important as when my exchange is upgraded to FTTC, I will upgrade assuming I am able to i.e. the green cabinet that my house is connected to gets the FTTC treatment !

In reply to a post by 5km:

I expect the upstream will also have a higher SNR margin, probably 7db like the downstream.

Of more significance is the upstream synch cap, which operates in addition to the target noise margin.

What's the cap these days? I think it used to be 768kbps some 4 years ago when I had Sky. Isn't it now something closer to 1Mbps?

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by 5km:

I expect the upstream will also have a higher SNR margin, probably 7db like the downstream.

Of more significance is the upstream synch cap, which operates in addition to the target noise margin.

I didn't even know there WAS a cap !

Just thought, after the 10 day training period is over, can I ask to have the upstream sync cap lifted ?

In reply to a post by 5km:

What's the cap these days? I think it used to be 768kbps some 4 years ago when I had Sky. Isn't it now something closer to 1Mbps?

Depends which line profile is currently in operation. Line profiles cap both the upstream and downstream together.

In reply to a post by CurlyWhirly:

Just thought, after the 10 day training period is over, can I ask to have the upstream sync cap lifted ?

You can try to get the down/up cap raised if your downstream noise margin is above 7dB, but sometimes they will tell the their systems will not allow it (it will just reject higher profiles if the "line conditions" are inadequate). Every downstream cap has a corresponding upstream cap.

It's just a pointless layer of limitation above the standard target noise margins.

In reply to a post by Oliver341:

In reply to a post by CurlyWhirly:

Just thought, after the 10 day training period is over, can I ask to have the upstream sync cap lifted ?

You can try to get the down/up cap raised if your downstream noise margin is above 7dB, but sometimes they will tell the their systems will not allow it (it will just reject higher profiles if the "line conditions" are inadequate). Every downstream cap has a corresponding upstream cap.

It's just a pointless layer of limitation above the standard target noise margins.

Thanks, I'll give them a ring after the 10 day training period - in 4 days time

In reply to a post by 5km:

How about waiting until after day 10...

The 10 day training period has now elapsed and I'm connected at 2.9 Mbps downstream and 0.7 Mbps upstream which is a bit less than I used to get with O2 where I used to get around 3.5 Mb and 1.1 Mbps respectively.

I'm wondering if anyone knows if the DMT tool will work with the 'official' Sky router and if so if using this tweaking tool I can once again tweak my connection like I used to do before ?

Not sure if this is any use but I just got myself a Netgear DGND3700

With this you can manually alter your SNR via telnet. Its around £100 to get but my sync has gone from 17MB to 19MB.
I even spoke to a nice support person who got his manager to get my 18MB cap removed.

So if you were to get a router that supports SNR tweaking you can influence the speeds yourself. Regards to the DMT tool I don't think that will work.

In reply to a post by mark90997:

Not sure if this is any use but I just got myself a Netgear DGND3700

With this you can manually alter your SNR via telnet. Its around £100 to get but my sync has gone from 17MB to 19MB.


So if you were to get a router that supports SNR tweaking you can influence the speeds yourself.

Thanks but I don't really want to pay £100 for a new router !

I already have a spare Netgear DG834GT router which I used to use when I was with O2.

My exchange is due to get FTTC sometime in 2012 and so I am planning to go down this route but if for some reason I can't get it (because the green cabinet that I'm connected to won't get the FTTC upgrade) then I will look at investing in a router that supports SNR tweaking to squeeze a little more speed from my line.

Thanks for the suggestion.

In reply to a post by mark90997:

Regards to the DMT tool I don't think that will work.

Oh that sucks