Help greatfully received

I recently moved into a new flat (4 weeks ago), and and about 2 weeks before moving in, I researched various broadband packages to try to find a) the best deal for me and b) which providers and deals would actually be available in my area.

Now, the ISP I ended up going with (albiet on their more expensive "access" package) was O2, who quoted me a speed of 2.5Mb based on the post-code I provided. Now I know 2.5Mb isn't too great but I thought it would be adequate. A few days after moving in, BT phoneline all set up and active, I again go through the various websites and deals before settling on O2 where I again tested the availability of their products based on my area and now, as I had the number at this point, my phoneline. I was again quoted a maximum speed of 2.5Mb.

Having signed up and been connected, I came off the "10 day adjustment" period to find speeds much lower than the 2.5Mb quoted. After several calls to customer services I was advised that BT had "revised their quote" of what the line was capable of, and it was now 0.5Mb. (Several tests on Speedtest.net later seem to suggest the line can actually run at up to 1.1Mb but most downloads only seem to run at 50kb/sec or so).

O2 say there is nothing they can do as they're just leasing BT's equipment in the exchange, and BT say there's absolutely nothing they can do, and that there are no plans for upgrade work in the area.

I've cancelled my contract with O2 whilst still within the cooling-off period, and will remain connected until 4th August so would like to at least have made the choice of who to go with before then.

Every ISP website I go though now quotes a max speed of 0.5Mb but I desperately would like more. Having read through some of the other threads here I tried UK Online, who quoted 1Mb.

On any "broadband checker" website, BE always comes up as a potential supplier, but on checking with their website and entering my phoneline it says "Sorry, but your phone line is unable to support our broadband. Please contact your telephone provider if you require further details." Anyone have any idea why/what this means?

Further confusion arises from the following: My nearest exchange is Aylesford (http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/NDAYL) where it states that cable is available?

The main reason for having broadband is to play online games - My WoW account has already been cancelled as the latencies I was getting made the game unplayable. I also (used to) play a lot of Left 4 Dead but now rarely get a ping below 300 and fequently it's over 1000, again making the game unplayable. I do also download the odd video, but with such a poor speed rarely do this anymore as well.

At present I'm confused, despondent and almost resigned to failure. Any help would be most greatfully received, and sorry if I've explained all this in a bit of a rambling manner.

Post your router stats. See http://www.dslzoneuk.net/adsl_line_stats.php

Check this. http://www.dslzoneuk.net/socket.php?type=html

On any "broadband checker" website, BE always comes up as a potential supplier, but on checking with their website and entering my phoneline it says "Sorry, but your phone line is unable to support our broadband. Please contact your telephone provider if you require further details." Anyone have any idea why/what this means?

Be have a reputation for not supplying service on poor phone lines. They probably use the BT database to check whether your line is good (high sync) or bad (low sync) for broadband.

In reply to a post by john2007:

Be have a reputation for not supplying service on poor phone lines. They probably use the BT database to check whether your line is good (high sync) or bad (low sync) for broadband.

On checking the OP's post, there is no Be LLU at that exchange which is probably the reason for the message they are receiving from the Be line checker.

In reply to a post by Supa_T:

Further confusion arises from the following: My nearest exchange is Aylesford (http://www.samknows.com/broadband/exchange/NDAYL) where it states that cable is available?

Cable might serve the general area.. but that is never down to street level.

You are best putting your postcode into the VM site at http://www.virginmedia.com/ to get a more accurate result.

Matt

Firstly, thank you all for trying to help.

john2007 my router stats are as follows:

Uptime: 2 days, 22:10:09
DSL Type: G.992.1 annex A
Bandwidth (Up/Down) [kbps/kbps]: 448 / 416
Data Transferred (Sent/Received) [kB/kB]: 0.00 / 0.00
Output Power (Up/Down) [dBm]: 11.5 / 14.0
Line Attenuation (Up/Down) [dB]: 31.5 / 61.0
SN Margin (Up/Down) [dB]: 15.0 / 14.0
Vendor ID (Local/Remote): TMMB / ALCB
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): 211 / 0
FEC Errors (Up/Down): 131 / 130,382
CRC Errors (Up/Down): 131 / 4,716
HEC Errors (Up/Down): 80 / 2,312

With regards the Extension wiring/disconnection guide, I was originally told about the "Master Socket" by the guy on O2 customer support when I first called about my slow speed. I don't appear to have a Master Socket in the flat, there are only 2 phone sockets, neither of which have a face-plate that looks like a master socket (or indeed more than one connection when the face-plate is removed).

They do however, both have orange wires running into number 3 - should I cut these wires anyway even though I haven't done anything regarding a master socket?

Thanks Xilonet for the clarifications

(Edited to say - I am apparently 2.41km from my exchange)

(2nd Edit - Checked LLU availability with ADSL24 and on putting my phoneline into the checker it says "There is currently an LLU ADSL2+ order or service on this line." So does this mean LLU is an option despite the exchange details stating no LLU?)

Edited by Supa_T (Fri 31-Jul-09 17:20:52)

If you really need broadband, I suggest next time you plan to move, draw a 1/2 mile circle around a local exchange and limit your house-hunting to those areas. Or make sure you find an area where there is cable.

It's sad, it's pathetic, but BT won't offer genuine braodband services anywhere in the UK anytime soon. Their so-called 21st century network (which means nothing to the end user!) really is last century technology, don't expect miracles from their old dangling copper wires. BT doesn't know how to dig up roads and put in fibre-optic lines, nor do they have a willingness to do business with customers who need genuine telecom services.

I'd lose the wires from terminal 3.

Could you grab some photos of your sockets (inside and out if possible)? If you upload the photos to something like http://imageshack.us/ you can post a link. There are posters who will be able to advise on how best to proceed.

try AAISP

john2007 - Pictures as requested. Again, thanks for taking the time to try to help.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/999/socket1a.jpg
http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/1101/socket1b.jpg
http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1218/socket1c.jpg
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/503/socket2a.jpg (I had already removed 1 screw)
http://img41.imageshack.us/img41/9777/socket2b.jpg
http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/6034/socket2c.jpg

Sidneyk - Thanks, I'd never heard of them but will be contacting them at some point today to see what they can offer