Sky BB stability and speed issues

[GaryK]

Hi,

I've been having lots of problems with my BB and having had many conversations with Sky Level2 + 2 BT engineer visits, things aren't any better!

Sky have said that there are lots of errors on the line and BT have reported that it is probably an internal cabling issue. I have unplugged all connections from the master socket except for the router and my telephone (micro filtered).
BT engineer did mention that it could be corrosion to the lead in cable, but as this is burried, it is unlikely that BT will do anything (as far as BT are concerned, I have a working telephone line).

I am currently getting anywhere between 0.5 and 3.5 mbps (sometimes no connection at all) and have the Sky DLink router. I'm approx 2.5 km from the exchange.

Here are my router stats:

Downstream

Connection Speed: 4288 kbps
Line Attenuation: 40.0 db
Noise Margin: 9.7 db

Upstream

Connection Speed: 416 kbps (getting approx 350kbps at speedtest.net)
Line Attenuation: 16.5 db
Noise Margin: 16.0 db

How do these numbers look? A 4288 connection with only upto 3.5 Mb max seems pretty poor - especially as it often drops to 2 Mb.

What is the likelyhood that it is a problem with the lead in to the house, and if so, what are the chances of getting BT to sort it out by digging them up?

Many Thanks
Gary

[IWasNotTheEnemy]

You using wireless?

[Isitme]

It looks like you have been put on G.DMT, probably in an attempt to stabilise your line. To rule out your internal wiring you must plug into the Test socket and post your stats from there. Link below, the master socket is not the test socket.. It does not matter whether you use cable or wireless to get the stats, but you must connect the router using only a filter and the ADSL cable supplied by Sky.

[GaryK]

At the moment, yes.
Normally I have the router connected to an extension lead from the master socket and then connect the PC directly to the router. However, to eliminate as many things as possible, the router is currently downstairs connected into the master socket (via micro filter).

[GaryK]

Ok, so now I have a micro filter plugged directly into the test socket (removed cover plate) and the router is in the filter. No other connected devices whatsoever.
Stats:
Connection: 4416
Attenuation: 39.5 db
Noise: 9.4 db

[IWasNotTheEnemy]

Do any of the other sockets still have dial tone? Go plug a phone in and see. If they do, that's also part of the problem

[Isitme]

That confirms you are capped at 4416 and that most of your problem is in the external wiring. Uncapped you would probably get another Mb+, but a good line would have given you 10-11Mb. Unless you can get the external line fixed, the best you can hope for is 5-6Mb.

[GaryK]

None of the other sockets have a dial tone (in fact, we dont have any other sockets, but have used extension cable before - obviously disconnected at the moment).

Yes, I am capped at various speeds generally between 4000 and 4800, but my actual download speed is nowhere near that - the most I have seen is high 3Mbps, but mostly 1 - 1.5 Mbps.

Anyway, just come off the phone to Level 2 (again) and we did extensive testing - including trying a new router that Sky sent on Monday. Still no luck (in fact it's worse).
The Sky rep cut the connection and then re-established it. He immediately saw that there were thousands of errors coming up.

So, the conclusion is that it is an external problem (contrary to 2 BT engineers trying to blame internal cabling). Thing is, they have tested from the cabinet in the street (10 yards away) to the path in front of our front garden and say that everything is fine. Both eluded to possible problem from the path to the house (buried cables), but neither of them put this on their reports - they only mentioned internal cabling must be to blame.

The problem is that (as one of the engineers told me), as far as BT are concerned, my phone line is working and therefore they will not come and check out / fix the cable that is buried under my garden. (in other words, they wont come and dig up the cable because of the costs involved) Does anyone have any comments on that?

Sky have booked yet another BT engineer to come round on Monday (3rd engineer visit). I really dont know what else to do to get this resolved.

Oh, and now my BB is dropping every 10 seconds or so!

[Isitme]

The problem is that (as one of the engineers told me), as far as BT are concerned, my phone line is working and therefore they will not come and check out / fix the cable that is buried under my garden. (in other words, they wont come and dig up the cable because of the costs involved) Does anyone have any comments on that?

They should have equipment that can test the cable from the front to your house without digging it up. The problem is that as long as the voice line is working that is all they are interested in. To get any further you need a broadband engineer, which hopefully Sky are now sending.

[GaryK]

That's exactly what the previous 2 engineers said - that BT are only interested in whether voice is working. At the moment Sky are not sending a broadband engineer round - they have booked a regular BT engineer for Monday.
This just seems to be going round in circles - I speak to Sky Lvl 2, they try a few tests, tweak a few settings and then refer to BT engineer. BT engineer runs tests from the cabinet in the street up to the house and try and blame the issues on internal cabling - something that we have categorically proven not to be the case over the past couple of days.
So, now I am expecting exactly the same from BT and then have to speak to Sky again, and so it goes on.
The Sky Lvl 2 guy today said that we may need a specialist engineer to take a look, but I'm not holding my breath in expecting such a person to show up on Monday.
Any advice on how best to get the right people involved, stop beating around the bush and get this damn thing resolved?

The only other option I have is moving to Virgin which would cost at least double teh £7.50 I pay to Sky. Yes, I know, whats the point in paying for a service that you're not getting? I would much rather stay with Sky (God knows why!), but I think I may be left with little choice.