broadband and long line

I have had Broadband for 15 months now with PIPEX on an "up to 2Meg
"package.

I am a long way from the exchange and only get 576Kbs download speed (as
indicated by the modem an Alcatel 300)

Recently on checking I find that I should be able to get up to 1meg speed.
(the plusnet checker)

I presume that there has been a change at the exchange. Is it possible to
get my modem to adjust itself to a higher rate.

Am I possibly limited by my filters?

Sorry if the questions are a bit simple.

Alec

On 9 Feb, 12:02, "Alec" <alechop...@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
> I have had Broadband for 15 months now with PIPEX on an "up to 2Meg
> "package.
>
> I am a long way from the exchange and only get 576Kbs download speed (as
> indicated by the modem an Alcatel 300)
>
> Recently on checking I find that I should be able to get up to 1meg speed.
> (the plusnet checker)
>
> I presume that there has been a change at the exchange. Is it possible to
> get my modem to adjust itself to a higher rate.
>
> Am I possibly limited by my filters?
>
> Sorry if the questions are a bit simple.
>
> Alec

You might want to check if you can get SKY (easynet) or another ADSL2
provider from your exchange. My pipex / zen on standard ADSL was 1
meg but on the same BT phone line with SKY i get 6 meg a second.
Looks likes ADSL2 is just better at using the existing lines.

Rich

"Alec" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:L-(E-Mail Removed)...
> I have had Broadband for 15 months now with PIPEX on an "up to 2Meg
> "package.
>
> I am a long way from the exchange and only get 576Kbs download speed
(as
> indicated by the modem an Alcatel 300)
>
> Recently on checking I find that I should be able to get up to 1meg
speed.
> (the plusnet checker)
>
> I presume that there has been a change at the exchange. Is it
possible to
> get my modem to adjust itself to a higher rate.
>
> Am I possibly limited by my filters?
>
> Sorry if the questions are a bit simple.

576K is the *sync* speed for a 512K set-up.

My Claranet package is "up to 2MB", and was provided as a 512K, as
that's what BT told Clara the line would support. It may well have
been true at the time; later, however, an aluminium section was
replaced, and my SNR/attenuation suggested the line was well within
limits for 1MB. I explained the situation to Clara, and asked them to
make my service 1MB - in a few days they did. AFAIK they actually have
to ask BTW to make the change, but I stand to be corrected on that
detail.

If you explain your situation to Pipex, you should get the same, and
your sync speed then will be 1152K.

Good luck...

Martin

Thanks for the info, I have spoken to pipex and they say they can no longer
"regrade fixed rate services" and I therefore have to change to a different
contract (does this mean rate adaptive and a new modem?).

The new contract will of course be more expensive and not include telephone
calls!

Alec


"GM6TRS" <gm6trsATclaradotcodotuk> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Alec" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:L-(E-Mail Removed)...
>> I have had Broadband for 15 months now with PIPEX on an "up to 2Meg
>> "package.
>>
>> I am a long way from the exchange and only get 576Kbs download speed
> (as
>> indicated by the modem an Alcatel 300)
>>
>> Recently on checking I find that I should be able to get up to 1meg
> speed.
>> (the plusnet checker)
>>
>> I presume that there has been a change at the exchange. Is it
> possible to
>> get my modem to adjust itself to a higher rate.
>>
>> Am I possibly limited by my filters?
>>
>> Sorry if the questions are a bit simple.
>
> 576K is the *sync* speed for a 512K set-up.
>
> My Claranet package is "up to 2MB", and was provided as a 512K, as
> that's what BT told Clara the line would support. It may well have
> been true at the time; later, however, an aluminium section was
> replaced, and my SNR/attenuation suggested the line was well within
> limits for 1MB. I explained the situation to Clara, and asked them to
> make my service 1MB - in a few days they did. AFAIK they actually have
> to ask BTW to make the change, but I stand to be corrected on that
> detail.
>
> If you explain your situation to Pipex, you should get the same, and
> your sync speed then will be 1152K.
>
> Good luck...
>
> Martin
>
>

On Fri, 09 Feb 2007 12:02:52 +0000, Alec wrote:

[SNIP]

> Am I possibly limited by my filters?
>

You say filters in the plural. If you are a long way from the exchange,
then a NTE5 based filter is your best option. When BT did the long reach
trials they found that NTE5 filters made a huge difference to signal to
noise ratios, and enabled about 90% of properties that where not able to
initially get broadband to actually get broadband. Most of the noise comes
from the extension wiring in the home.

JAB.

--
Jonathan A. Buzzard Email: jonathan (at) buzzard.me.uk
Northumberland, United Kingdom. Tel: +44 1661-832195

Alec wrote:
> Thanks for the info, I have spoken to pipex and they say they can no longer
> "regrade fixed rate services" and I therefore have to change to a different
> contract (does this mean rate adaptive and a new modem?).

For "can no longer" read "no longer wish to".

"Alec" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Thanks for the info, I have spoken to pipex and they say they can no
longer
> "regrade fixed rate services" and I therefore have to change to a
different
> contract (does this mean rate adaptive and a new modem?).

If I were to ask now, I suspect my ISP would say the same, since they
don't now offer fixed rate 512K, 1M etc options, only MaxDSL in three
flavours, depending what monthly download cap you want. This appears
to be the case with Pipex too.

The prices seem reasonable, so if you're happy with them otherwise,
why not go for it? If your line *is* capable of 1M fixed, you'll get
at least that on a MaxDSL, probably more.

No, you won't need a new modem.

Martin

Thanks for the replies and observations .

Their prices seem OK until I note that if I change I will not get free UK
phone calls within the price. It will cost about £4 per month more.

I suppose you have to expect to pay more for a faster service.

Strangely since my 3 e-mails to Pipex last week my actual download speeds
have increased!

From 150 to 250kbs now at 450 to 490kbs, I wonder if someone has looked at
the system and unblocked something?

Alec G7WBU



"GM6TRS" <gm6trsATclaradotcodotuk> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Alec" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>> Thanks for the info, I have spoken to pipex and they say they can no
> longer
>> "regrade fixed rate services" and I therefore have to change to a
> different
>> contract (does this mean rate adaptive and a new modem?).
>
> If I were to ask now, I suspect my ISP would say the same, since they
> don't now offer fixed rate 512K, 1M etc options, only MaxDSL in three
> flavours, depending what monthly download cap you want. This appears
> to be the case with Pipex too.
>
> The prices seem reasonable, so if you're happy with them otherwise,
> why not go for it? If your line *is* capable of 1M fixed, you'll get
> at least that on a MaxDSL, probably more.
>
> No, you won't need a new modem.
>
> Martin
>
>