Poss switch to O2 - re: speed problems?

Hi,

I'm thinking about switching from BT (Option 1) to O2's Standard 8Mb package, but I've been reading on other messageboards about recent speed issues on O2.

Does anyone know if that's only affecting the users of the O2 Access packages, or the LLU ones aswell. My exchange (Ilford North) is LLU enabled, so I'm hoping it's just the access ones.

Also - any ideas if it's worth my bothering to swap? I'm currently getting about 5Mbps daytime, drops to around 3.5 - 4 in the evenings, and BT have offered me that for £7.33p/m plus free wireless modem (currently got an old wired one) if I stay.

Cheers

I think Be/O2 LLU are pretty much problem free (certainly compared to non-LLU).

Search for user MKD and check his signature. It gives a link to a document comparing the O2 and Be packages.

I take it you don't download a great deal (Be/O2 have generous allowances before the FUP hits).

O2 Access has capacity problems, waiting for upgrades to resolve those. There are many customers suffering.

O2 LLU is basically fine though like any ISP there will be a few customers with problems. You may have seem poster 5km for instance. Looks like a general problem to do with Canterbury exchange.

Your full stats (sync speed, attenuation and noise margin/SNRM) from your router would be useful as we could then give you an indication of what speed you should get.

What you can be sure of is that in general O2 speeds hardly change in the evenings as long as you are not one of the few.

I suggest you try your phone number on the O2 web site and see what estimated speed, packages and prices you get offered. Then assuming they offer Standard, Premier and Pro, ask about Ilford North in the O2 forum.

In reply to a post by john2007:

I take it you don't download a great deal (Be/O2 have generous allowances before the FUP hits).

Has it ever hit?

Not that I know of, but as with the financial markets past performance does not guarantee future results.

Thanks, that's pretty much what I was hoping to hear.

O2 can offer up to 17Mb to my phone number, so no problems there. I'll check out their forums re:Ilford North in general though - thanks for the suggestion.

Line stats:

Statistics Downstream Upstream
Line Rate 7616 Kbps 448 Kbps
Noise Margin 6.2 dB 20.0 dB
Line Attenuation 25.0 dB 13.0 dB
Output Power 19.8 dBm 11.8 dBm

Thanks again.

Thanks,

I was going for O2 as my mobile phone is with them - plus the quidco discount if I act quickly makes that the best deal.

No, i don't download much - just regular podcasts, occasionally music plus I sometimes use iplayer or watch streamed football matches, but not a heavy downloader. Not whole films etc.

O2 can offer up to 17Mb to my phone number

Possibly 18Mbps sync. Instead of the IP Profile system you have now, which swallows the TCP/IP overheads of 10-12% but not the ATM overheads between you and the exchange of about 5%, you have a best possible download speed of around 85% of sync on O2.

I found the O2 Box gave 83.5% consistently, which basically means O2 was giving me full speed.

Thanks. Sounds likely that I should be able to get pretty good speeds then.

I took a look at the O2 forums - there are some reports of slow speeds from exchanges with LLU, but majority are on the Access package.

there are some reports of slow speeds from exchanges with LLU, but majority are on the Access package.

That's correct.

Slow speeds on LLU exchanges are corrected by O2 installing more kit, which is relatively quick and easy if there is room. Slow speeds on Access can be BT needing to upgrade an exchange, or supply more kit back at the ISP. The first is totally out of O2's control, the second is once they have ordered it.

As you are going LLU and there is the 30-day getout you have little to lose. The worst would be finding the cheapest route back to ADSL Max, which used to be Freeola, then migrate again from there.

It's not like Tiscali or TalkTalk where your phone line goes across as well. That's painful to get back from.

Edited by RobertoS (Sat 21-Feb-09 21:19:07)