"Upgrade" from Everyday to Unlimited reduces speed?

[FFoxSake]

Just had a long call yesterday (over 90 minutes!) with the support guys at sky and to be honest i'm still not understanding what has happened to my line since i agreed to upgrade from Everyday to Unlimited.

Until Jan 9th 2010 i had been on the Mid/Everyday package with 2 years of solid connections at the maximum allowed for Mid (first 8mb then 10.2mb).
I don't have saved stats from the recent 10.2mb connection (but trust me it's been up there the whole time) - when i first moved in 2 years it was over 11mb before they capped it at 8mb for Mid. These stats were taken on the same connection back in July 2008 for comparison...
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 8189 kbps 412 kbps
Line Attenuation 24 db 6 db
Noise Margin 15 db 19 db

So i agreed to upgrade to unlimited (6 months free, 6 months at £10 = same as 12 months at £5 = no brainer on cost) plus i was also told that my line could take 12.5mbps, so i would also gain there.

However the reality has been that my line dropped in speed from 10.2mb to 7.5mb after the switch over. Even with some manual tweaking last night by the sky guys they say i can't get better than 8.1 as per these current stats...

ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 8160 kbps 768 kbps
Line Attenuation 21 db 5.5 db
Noise Margin 7 db 15 db

I asked how can my speed reduce by switching to Unlimited. They said that's because as part of the switch over i've now been put on a new system which "behaves differently" and to move me back to the old system would take 90 days(!??!).

It was like getting blood form a stone to find out what all that really means. I think what they were saying is i was on BT equipment but now i've been switched to Sky's own, which despite being connected to exactly the same line to my house and the same internal cabling means i end up with a much slower speed than before.

Can someone here please explain what's going on and if this is really the best i can get now? I'm still baffled...

[FFoxSake]

ps before the manual tweaks last night (after DLM) these were the stats...
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 7548 kbps 944 kbps
Line Attenuation 23 db 5.5 db
Noise Margin 13 db 12 db

As you can see they've even managed to lower the upstream speed for me now!

[dsldude]

Are these stats from your BT test socket if not
can you connect to this and post new set of stats

[dsldude]

FYI if needed
Sky User - How to test your Master Socket

[FFoxSake]

Stats were taken from Master socket.

The sequence was as follows (i may have confused you with my ps message) so as you will see the upload is reduced since my chat with the sky team...

July 2008 for comparison...
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 8189 kbps 412 kbps
Line Attenuation 24 db 6 db
Noise Margin 15 db 19 db

Jan 2010 after upgrade to Unlimited and after DLM (but before call to sky)
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 7548 kbps 944 kbps
Line Attenuation 23 db 5.5 db
Noise Margin 13 db 12 db

Then after call to sky...
ADSL Link Downstream Upstream
Connection Speed 8160 kbps 768 kbps
Line Attenuation 21 db 5.5 db
Noise Margin 7 db 15 db

Thanks!

[IWasNotTheEnemy]

you're now back on gdmt, hence the lower SNR...need to call again...

[FFoxSake]

Sorry if this is obvious, but how can you tell from looking at that?

Also with my posted stats what do you think should be the speeds i should be capable of getting?

Having only a "partial knowledge" of the subject made my call with sky the other night really difficult. Being told repeatedly that my "upgrade to a new system" has now reduced my experience and is something that i will have to live with did not (and still does not) make any sense to me!
Can anyone suggest why a line that i was told would support 12.5 download now can only support 8.1 without any other variable changing (apart from me upgrading to Unlimited)?

[Isitme]

Sorry if this is obvious, but how can you tell from looking at that?

Because he is ex-Sky CST and has a lot of experience.

Do you have Sky Phone Rental? If so this is probably the problem, plus you have been unfortunate enough to get an agent who is not very well clued up. Call them again and ask them to put your line back on ADSL2+. You should plug into your Test socket to get the best result.

[FFoxSake]

Yes we do have Sky Line Rental too. How would that make a difference?

My master socket is the old type (the old "T" logo bottom right and no separate test socket). Need to renovate the room where it's in soon, so will look to get a new faceplate and split the ADSL out at the master like i had in my last place.

My experience of the Sky Customer Services is they don't like being told how to do their job (who does?!) If i knew what the possible options for Unlimited were called - is it just GDMT and ADSL2+ ? - then that would help.

Is there a good question to open with when i call them back to find out exactly what they have me on?

(....and thanks for all your help).

[Isitme]

For some reason, those with Sky Rental who have been moved to the SVBN, which is Sky's own network, sometimes experience a drop in speed and have more difficulty in getting it fixed than they did on the old network.

If you have an old type socket all you can do is remove the ring wire from the terminal 3 on the faceplate. This is the wire used to power the bell on older phones and is not required. It can cause an imbalance in the main wires which badly effects broadband.

Sky official only use ADSL2+ and G.DMT. With your low attenuation you should be on ADSL2+. Just call and ask them to trouble-shoot your line for speed. The agent should realize that you are on the wrong mode and pass you to CST to have it fixed. You could mention in the passing that you think you should be on ADSL2+ but are on ADSL1.