1st post...ranting already :-~

[MrGrey]

Where do I start with Sky broadband...?

Ok, finally got connected a few weeks ago and after initial decent speeds on the Connect package, everything went downhill: the router kept losing wireless connections, and when it was connected the speeds dropped through the floor to below 256kbps. I followed a lot of advice from these very pages and connected the router to the master socket and got a very decent noise signal ratio thingy, so it wasn`t that. Then I started phoning tech support...what a joke! They didn`t have a clue what they were talking about, not that I could understand much of what was said with fairly strong scottish or asian accents. I eventually got put through to tier 2 and who confirmed what I had been telling them: the line had been capped. I was promised they`d get it uncapped, totally blaming BT and several days later the connection was up and a stable 5-7 Mbps...I was finally happy(ish).

At one point through the numerous conversations I was informed that my local exchange had been upgraded to enable Max connections, so several days later I enquired and placed an order (what`s an extra fiver, hey?)

I subsequently had a letter of confirmation informing me it would be up and running after midnight on the 10th July, but to allow 3 days just in case. It`s now the 16th July, and I don`t notice any difference. Speed test after speed test, it stays around the 5-7 Mbps mark, and my downstream on my router still says 8096 kbps, so no change there. I`ve rebooted numerous times and no change. So I got onto the dreaded tech support again: firstly I was told that my line was only rated for 4.5 Mbps so I wouldn`t be able to get Max anyway and to get in touch with sales. So I phoned up sales and asked why they accepted my order for Max when tech support reckoned I wouldn`t be able to get it anyhow. Sales said I should be able to get it and that in fact I was already on Max. I then asked why I had no speed increase and was then put through to tech support again, only this time an asian fellow who was obviously reading from a script promptly told me, after he checked my line with BT, that I was only getting 2.5Mbps.. I patiently explained that he was speaking rubbish as I did a speed test as he was on the phone and got 6.8 Mbps. So I was put onto hold while he consulted his script and promptly went through the mantra `change the line filter, use master socket, plug pc into router, reboot pc, reboot router` etc etc.

Basically what I want to know is this: how can I tell if I`m on Max, what difference should I see in my router stats and if I can`t see and difference between Connect and Max, have I been done up like a kipper by paying twice as much for the same level of service?

Also, how long from initial connection do I have to cancel my contract with sky broadband without any penalties, as my fuse is getting pretty short now.

Thanks for your patience in reading this far

[MrGrey]

Current router stats:

/usr/sbin/adslctl: ADSL driver and PHY status
Status: Showtime Channel: INTR, Upstream rate = 768 Kbps, Downstream rate = 8096 Kbps
Link Power State: L0
Mode: G.DMT
Channel: Interleave
Trellis: ON
Line Status: No Defect
Training Status: Showtime
Down Up
SNR (dB): 11.9 14.0
Attn(dB): 15.5 22.5
Pwr(dBm): 19.8 7.1
Max(Kbps): 9952 1280
Rate (Kbps): 8096 768
G.dmt framing
K: 254(0) 25
R: 12 16
S: 1 8
D: 64 8
ADSL2 framing
MSGc: 1 1
B: 254 25
M: 1 8
T: 1 1
R: 12 16
S: 1.0470 8.6153
L: 2040 208
D: 64 8
Counters
SF: 13349 13347
SFErr: 0 0
RS: 1815566 113449
RSCorr: 0 0
RSUnCorr: 0 0

HEC: 0 0
OCD: 0 0
LCD: 0 0
Total Cells: 4335724 0
Data Cells: 477 0
Drop Cells: 0
Bit Errors: 0 0

ES: 0 0
SES: 0 0
UAS: 21 0
Total time = 4 min 14 sec
SF = 13349
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Latest 1 day time = 4 min 14 sec
SF = 13349
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Latest 15 minutes time = 4 min 14 sec
SF = 13349
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Previous 15 minutes time = 0 sec
SF = 0
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Previous 1 day time = 0 sec
SF = 0
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0

[acoolwelshbloke]

You are on MAX!!!

The clue is here: Upstream rate = 768 Kbps

You would be on Upstream rate = 416 Kbps if you were on mid! (or so I belive)

Going form mid to max will make no difference to your download speed if your line is only able to speed along at 4-5MB! Switching to ADSL2+ may help.

[Cube623]

Originally Posted by MrGrey

Current router stats:

/usr/sbin/adslctl: ADSL driver and PHY status
Status: Showtime Channel: INTR, Upstream rate = 768 Kbps, Downstream rate = 8096 Kbps
Link Power State: L0
Mode: G.DMT
Channel: Interleave
Trellis: ON
Line Status: No Defect
Training Status: Showtime
Down Up
SNR (dB): 11.9 14.0
Attn(dB): 15.5 22.5
Pwr(dBm): 19.8 7.1
Max(Kbps): 9952 1280
Rate (Kbps): 8096 768
G.dmt framing
K: 254(0) 25
R: 12 16
S: 1 8
D: 64 8
ADSL2 framing
MSGc: 1 1
B: 254 25
M: 1 8
T: 1 1
R: 12 16
S: 1.0470 8.6153
L: 2040 208
D: 64 8
Counters
SF: 13349 13347
SFErr: 0 0
RS: 1815566 113449
RSCorr: 0 0
RSUnCorr: 0 0

HEC: 0 0
OCD: 0 0
LCD: 0 0
Total Cells: 4335724 0
Data Cells: 477 0
Drop Cells: 0
Bit Errors: 0 0

ES: 0 0
SES: 0 0
UAS: 21 0
Total time = 4 min 14 sec
SF = 13349
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Latest 1 day time = 4 min 14 sec
SF = 13349
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Latest 15 minutes time = 4 min 14 sec
SF = 13349
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Previous 15 minutes time = 0 sec
SF = 0
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Previous 1 day time = 0 sec
SF = 0
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0

I think it's because your on G.DMT mode which I think is only limited to 8096kbps. To get the maximum you can you need to be on ADSL2+. Not sure though can anyone else confirm that?

Unfortunatly you need to get back onto Customer Support and tell them that as they are the only ones that can change you. A pain I know

[reddwarfcrew]

i think welshbloke means 468 for mid.

can you reboot your router and repost your stats as they line attenuation of 15.5db is a known bug. You are on g.dmt which means that the max you'll get is 8Mb. Once we know your true attenuation, we can comment.

Don't forget there are other advantages to max than just dl speed. IE the increase upload speed that you are getting and also unlimited (suject to fup) downloads, unlike mid that will be a lower upload and capped download limits.

[reddwarfcrew]

ps you may be on g.dmt for a very good reason, which is why we need to know the true attenuation figure.

[MrGrey]

Ok, rebooted and took new stats:

/usr/sbin/adslctl: ADSL driver and PHY status
Status: Showtime Channel: INTR, Upstream rate = 768 Kbps, Downstream rate = 8096 Kbps
Link Power State: L0
Mode: G.DMT
Channel: Interleave
Trellis: ON
Line Status: No Defect
Training Status: Showtime
Down Up
SNR (dB): 12.6 13.0
Attn(dB): 35.0 22.5
Pwr(dBm): 19.8 6.8
Max(Kbps): 10112 1280
Rate (Kbps): 8096 768
G.dmt framing
K: 254(0) 25
R: 12 16
S: 1 8
D: 64 8
ADSL2 framing
MSGc: 1 1
B: 254 25
M: 1 8
T: 1 1
R: 12 16
S: 1.0470 8.6153
L: 2040 208
D: 64 8
Counters
SF: 4175 4173
SFErr: 0 0
RS: 567820 35470
RSCorr: 0 0
RSUnCorr: 0 0

HEC: 0 0
OCD: 0 0
LCD: 0 0
Total Cells: 1363654 0
Data Cells: 39 0
Drop Cells: 0
Bit Errors: 0 0

ES: 0 0
SES: 0 0
UAS: 21 0
Total time = 1 min 38 sec
SF = 4175
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Latest 1 day time = 1 min 38 sec
SF = 4175
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Latest 15 minutes time = 1 min 38 sec
SF = 4175
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Previous 15 minutes time = 0 sec
SF = 0
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0
Previous 1 day time = 0 sec
SF = 0
CRC = 0
LOS = 0
LOF = 0
ES = 0

Oh, and to acoolwelshbloke, I am getting speeds up to 7 Mbps, not 4-5

[MrGrey]