New user. Is there a fault on my line?

[CaptainSwing]

Good evening everybody. Thank you for putting together a fantastic forum for Sky users. I've read the FAQs and hope this is the right subforum to get some advice. Apologies if I ask a question that has been answered elsewhere as I'm having a little trouble keeping track of all the FAQs.


The situation

I've recently moved into a new property (a new build about a decade and a half old, as far as I can tell) served by the Bishopsgate exchange in London. I'm currently nearing the end of my DLM training period and I'm not happy about the sync speeds I'm getting. Postcode estimations gave me very good speed quotes roughly ranging from 13MB upwards. Sky's own postcode checker gave me a speed quote of around 11.8-18.00 Mb but I'm currently getting real world speeds of around 6Mb.

My router stats (plugged into CORRECTION: test socket with ring wire disconnected):

ADSL Link	Downstream	Upstream
Connection Speed	8191 kbps	796 kbps
Line Attenuation	42.5 dB	24.4 dB
Noise Margin	7.5 dB	11.5 dB

That attenuation figure of 42.5 dB looks a little suspect to me. According to the router stats FAQ that should put the length of my line at over 3 kilometres and I should be reaching the upper limits of the speed my line can handle. However, I live just over 700 yards away from the Bishopsgate exchange. I understand there's a fair bit of leeway with cabling routing but a quadrupling of the line length seems a little extreme to me. I'm currently trying to get hold of an analog corded phone so I can try and listen for line faults (if anybody knows a good one to get recommendations would be appreciated).

I've also kept an eye on the noise margin. It varies as high as 13-14 dB during evening hours although it's been a few nights since I've checked.

Advice?

I'm not sure what other factors affect line attenuation. Is this possibly a sign of interference or a fault? If so, who should I contact? What sort of costs are involved in fixing a faulty line?

If I am unable to increase this speed, would switching ISPs offer a possible solution? I'm not sure how much different LLU services actually, um, differ. Is Sky relatively lenient with letting users out of contract should their speeds fall far off the sales quote?

The speed is currently unusable for the household in which I live. There's a lot of problems with connection saturation and if two users or more are using the connection it becomes untenable. I have very little experience with home networking but will a router with QoS be able to alleviate this? I know that it's against Sky's T&C and that there's really currently only one router out there which works with MER and that it costs over a hundred pounds, three facts which I'm not happy about.

Thank you for your time.

If anybody can help I would much appreciate it. I wish I had done more research (and found this forum) before moving in, as it seems this area isn't very well served by broadband infrastructure. We're not even scheduled for FTTC implementation yet, despite being bounded by areas which were at the top of the queue.

[IWasNotTheEnemy]

Plug into your test socket and post your stats again. If the SNR goes up/attenuation goes down then you have an issue at your end

[williammorris]

My noise is 43.5DB and I get sync of 7776kbps max. oh what a difference 1DB less seems to make! ( Yes I always have and always will be in the test socket)

[User05]

The first thing I'd do is refer to your welcome info on what sort of speeds you were told at the point of sale. If it was indeed 11-18mbps, then definitely pursue it with Sky. If your line is performing within the estimates, then Sky can't/won't do anything.

First off, as you've mentioned, get hold of a phone and try it direct at the test socket. Check for any noise on the line; if there happens to be, then ring your line rental provider and inform them of this.

If there is no noise, then connect another filter, the short grey dsl cable and router into the test socket. If still slower than expected, give Sky a call with the equipment at the test socket and pursue it that way. Both ways will likely end in an Openreach engineer being booked.

[CaptainSwing]

These stats are in fact from the test socket. My apologies, I got that wrong when I typed up my post.

I've also noticed a weird interference issue when using my mobile phone, purely within the premises. It scrambles nearly every call I make. A possible link, there?

[Isitme]

I've also noticed a weird interference issue when using my mobile phone, purely within the premises. It scrambles nearly every call I make. A possible link, there?

Could be a faulty filter. Try changing it.

[CaptainSwing]

Could be a faulty filter. Try changing it.

Thanks, didn't think of that. Unfortunately no change. I'm going to give Sky a ring once 10-day training is up.

[CaptainSwing]

ADSL Link	Downstream	Upstream
Connection Speed	10625 kbps	796 kbps
Line Attenuation	42.5 dB	24.4 dB
Noise Margin	2.8 dB	12.0 dB

My new stats after ringing Sky support.

I suppose there's little more that can be done? I'm happy to be over 10Mb at least but not happy to still be under the speed quotes that I was offered (11.2-18) as I based my moving decisions on that. What sort of infrastructural changes might affect this speed long term? Does BTO do much maintenance and upgrading on exchanges?

I got a corded phone and did a quiet line test. No noise so I guess the line's good but just slow.

Would investing in a 7800n or faceplates make any difference at all?

Thanks for all your help so far.

[Scubbie]

As it stands, that looks to be as good as you'll get on your line for the present time. I would no recommend reducing the Noise Margin artificially lower than what it is at the moment in your specific case.

You'll have to wait until next year before FTTC becomes available, then you'll be able to consider ordering SFU or SFUP.

Of course Urban Wimax and VM are also available in your area.

SamKnows - Broadband Availability - Bishopsgate (CLBIS) Exchange

[CaptainSwing]

Yeah, I'm happy to be north of 10Mb (or 8Mb real world speeds) as I know a lot of places elsewhere have it worse. Just used to more from living elsewhere in the capital and abroad. Unfortunately, Virgin aren't able to provide cable to my area.

I wasn't going to tangle with the noise margin if I got a 7800n (is that what you meant?). I want one more for my own home networking needs (not looking forward to paying for one, though). Is there any possibility they might reduce the speed?