Used to have 8Mbps, now only have 1Mbps

I am on an "up to 8Mbps" service. I used to get the full 8 Meg and would
connect at 8128kbps. Downloads were easily 600 - 700Kb/sec and I was a happy
bunny.

Then the other day my router refused to train the line and it was down for
several days so I phoned my ISP. They said that there had been some
"essential maintenance" in my area that would have affected my line. It was
supposed to have been completed several days ago, but still the router
wouldn't connect.

I dug out my old SpeedTouch modem that I had years ago when I had 512k and
surprisingly this could connect. It only reported a network speed of
1.1Mbps, which I didn't think anything of at first, assuming it was a
limitation of the modem.

So I updated the firmware of my router and then that was able to connect
too. The DSL modulation has changed to ADSL2+ instead of GDMT, but more
significantly the line now only connects at 1156kbps. Downloads are a little
over 100Kb/sec, as to be expected from a 1 Meg line.

Anyone else experienced this?

I've reported it as a fault, but it is very strange... I'm wondering if
hours/days of failed connection attempts while the line was down has caused
it to think there's a problem and reduce the line speed. Kind of how when
you first get ADSL it starts fast and reduces the speed if there are
reliability issues.

"Andrew" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>I am on an "up to 8Mbps" service. I used to get the full 8 Meg and would
>connect at 8128kbps. Downloads were easily 600 - 700Kb/sec and I was a
>happy bunny.
>
> Then the other day my router refused to train the line and it was down for
> several days so I phoned my ISP. They said that there had been some
> "essential maintenance" in my area that would have affected my line. It
> was supposed to have been completed several days ago, but still the router
> wouldn't connect.
>
> I dug out my old SpeedTouch modem that I had years ago when I had 512k and
> surprisingly this could connect. It only reported a network speed of
> 1.1Mbps, which I didn't think anything of at first, assuming it was a
> limitation of the modem.
>
> So I updated the firmware of my router and then that was able to connect
> too. The DSL modulation has changed to ADSL2+ instead of GDMT, but more
> significantly the line now only connects at 1156kbps. Downloads are a
> little over 100Kb/sec, as to be expected from a 1 Meg line.
>
> Anyone else experienced this?
>
> I've reported it as a fault, but it is very strange... I'm wondering if
> hours/days of failed connection attempts while the line was down has
> caused it to think there's a problem and reduce the line speed. Kind of
> how when you first get ADSL it starts fast and reduces the speed if there
> are reliability issues.

"Essential maintenance" is a Tiscali euphemism for transferring you to their
LLU broadband kit. If your minimum contract is up with Pipex ask them
for a MAC.


--
Graham

%Profound_observation%

On Sat, 26 Jan 2008 16:46:25 +0000, Graham. wrote:

> "Andrew" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote
>> I dug out my old SpeedTouch modem that I had years ago when I had 512k
>> and surprisingly this could connect. It only reported a network speed
>> of 1.1Mbps, which I didn't think anything of at first, assuming it was
>> a limitation of the modem.
>>
>> So I updated the firmware of my router and then that was able to
>> connect too. The DSL modulation has changed to ADSL2+ instead of GDMT,
>> but more significantly the line now only connects at 1156kbps.
>> Downloads are a little over 100Kb/sec, as to be expected from a 1 Meg
>> line.
>>
>> Anyone else experienced this?

Judging by recent posts in this forum, yes. It would have helped other
readers if you'd mentioned Tiscali, but we worked it out anyway I suppose.

> "Essential maintenance" is a Tiscali euphemism for transferring you to
> their LLU broadband kit. If your minimum contract is up with Pipex ask
> them for a MAC.

This seems to be a suspiciously common complaint from Tiscali customers
who have been LLUed. Perhaps it's a way of reducing their bandwidth
bills? Traffic shaping is a political nightmare, so screw up everyone's
lines, then it can be treated as a purely technical matter.

--
<http://ale.cx/> (AIM:troffasky) ((E-Mail Removed))
16:50:22 up 21 days, 7:15, 2 users, load average: 1.25, 1.17, 1.06
2x Broadband/IT/Telecoms support positions in Newcastle city centre.
For more info call 0191 229 8870 and ask for Steve. No agencies.

"Graham." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fnfo50$47m$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Andrew" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>>I am on an "up to 8Mbps" service. I used to get the full 8 Meg and would
>>connect at 8128kbps. Downloads were easily 600 - 700Kb/sec and I was a
>>happy bunny.
>
> "Essential maintenance" is a Tiscali euphemism for transferring you to
> their
> LLU broadband kit. If your minimum contract is up with Pipex ask them
> for a MAC.

Ah, so I've been unbundled. Presumably I am now connected to different
physical equipment.... damn!

Bizarelly, although I have been stuck at 1Mbps for days and regularly
rebooting my router to check for improvement, just after I hit send on my
original post, the line dropped of its own accord and it has now reconnected
at 6752Kbps and 288Kbps upstream. It's reporting GDMT again now, instead of
ADSL2+. Previously I had a massive 882Kbps upstream, so whatever they've
done has degraded the connection. If I disconnect and reconnect a few
times, is the speed likely to improve?

If I move from Pipex, where would you recommend I go to? Wouldn't the
problem be the same? I can honestly say that in the years I've been with
Pipex, this is the first and only time there has ever been any noticable
downtime on the line.

Andrew wrote:
>
> Ah, so I've been unbundled. Presumably I am now connected to
> different physical equipment.... damn!
>
> Bizarelly, although I have been stuck at 1Mbps for days and regularly
> rebooting my router to check for improvement, just after I hit send
> on my original post, the line dropped of its own accord and it has
> now reconnected at 6752Kbps and 288Kbps upstream. It's reporting
> GDMT again now, instead of ADSL2+. Previously I had a massive
> 882Kbps upstream, so whatever they've done has degraded the
> connection. If I disconnect and reconnect a few times, is the speed
> likely to improve?
> If I move from Pipex, where would you recommend I go to? Wouldn't the
> problem be the same? I can honestly say that in the years I've been
> with Pipex, this is the first and only time there has ever been any
> noticable downtime on the line.

cannot recommend anything without knowing a few basics,
which services are available (samknows.com)
do you have sky Tv or an o2 mobile
what do you use the internet for (games, vpn, p2p, downloading, just surfing
and mail)
how much do you use in a month (1 Gb, 100Gb etc (unlikely on a tisc
connection, i know)
how much are you prepared to pay?

On 26/01/2008 17:49, Andrew wrote:

> If I disconnect and reconnect a few
> times, is the speed likely to improve?

More likely to convince the DSLAM at the other end that your line/router
can't cope with the current speed, so it will lower the speed I'd have
thought, just leave it be for a week and see what speed it reaches.

"tony h" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fnfups$r67$(E-Mail Removed)...
> cannot recommend anything without knowing a few basics,
> which services are available (samknows.com)
> do you have sky Tv or an o2 mobile
> what do you use the internet for (games, vpn, p2p, downloading, just
> surfing and mail)
> how much do you use in a month (1 Gb, 100Gb etc (unlikely on a tisc
> connection, i know)
> how much are you prepared to pay?

Fascinating reading that samknows.com. My connection problems are outlined
with frightening accuracy in that post on the front page.

If by services available you mean cable, Virgin Media, wireless etc, we have
none of those. Just ADSL / SDSL.

I don't have Sky TV, but wouldn't mind a combined TV/broadband package.
Don't have O2 mobile, but wouldn't mind paying the extra £5er a month for
their 16Meg broadband if I could actually get that speed.

Use internet for VPN, web (including occasional large file downloads, eg.
Linux distros), usenet and email. Oh, and PlayStation Network. I use a few
apps (eg. Lotus Notes) that use odd ports, so wouldn't want any lite
products that only allow basic email/web/etc.

Never gone over the 15Gb limit imposed by Pipex. No idea of actual usage
since they don't tell you, but I'd be surprised if it were more than 5Gb
average.

Current ADSL is £20 a month; certainly wouldn't pay more than £25 even if it
included TV.

Thanks for any advice!

PS. If I went for BT Broadband, would I get off this LLU rubbish and back
onto BT's kit?

"Andy Burns" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> On 26/01/2008 17:49, Andrew wrote:
>
>> If I disconnect and reconnect a few times, is the speed likely to
>> improve?
>
> More likely to convince the DSLAM at the other end that your line/router
> can't cope with the current speed, so it will lower the speed I'd have
> thought, just leave it be for a week and see what speed it reaches.

Thanks, will try that then.

> PS. If I went for BT Broadband, would I get off this LLU rubbish and back
> onto BT's kit?


Unbundled DSL isn't a bad thing per se
It just depends on the ISP.

--
Graham

%Profound_observation%

"Graham." <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:fng8d6$irs$(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>
>> PS. If I went for BT Broadband, would I get off this LLU rubbish and
>> back
>> onto BT's kit?
>
>
> Unbundled DSL isn't a bad thing per se
> It just depends on the ISP.
>
> --
> Graham
>
> %Profound_observation%

Depends on both the ISP and the equipment.

When I was on BT ADSL a couple of years back, 1 meg was all they could
manage. I thought it was due to the length of my line. However I recently
connected to O2 LLU and they got me straight on at 4 meg no hassles! No
retraining necessary either.

Other people have found O2/Be not so good, however.

Even better, the only reason I wanted some of the faster speeds was for the
upload speeds (VoIP and web server traffic). I am now happy to say that I
have 1 meg up, which is the same as I would get with VM 20meg connection.

So in summary, find what is right for you and your line/exchange. It has to
be said that yours appears to be the first post in recent memory where the
criticism about Tiscali has been mitigated by some positive comments about
them. General consensus up until now has been ditch 'em (even
mid-contract).