Q&A in regards BT's 24 mb speed upgrade

Bohrio

Hello

I wasnt going to create a new threat but I think it might help.

This is what I have:

What has been announced?

BT has announced that all "Option 3" customers served by BT exchange equipment will have their service caps removed - that is to say we will run our customer lines as fast as they will go up to the effective 24Mb limit of ADSL2+ technology. In addition, line speeds to Option 2 customers in these areas is being upgraded to "up to 6Mb" service.

Which exchanges are affected?
Today: Tallaght, Dun Laoghaire, Dolphins Barn, Dublin North Main, Terenure, Merrion, Crown Alley, Beggars Bush, Swords, Clondalkin, Summerhill, Blanchardstown, Naas, Dooradoyle, Navan and Kilkenny City
Over the next two months - Douglas and Ballincollig (Cork), Whitehall, Belcamp, and Foxrock (Dublin), and Greystones (Wicklow).
Beyond Sep 08 - Unannounced

Yes, exchanges such as Navan and Kilkenny are up and running now. If you want to get the service just ring BT Sales and ask for an upgrade, the downtime should be no more than 15 minutes.

What is the "contention rate" on the new service?

Every operator seems to apply their own interpretation to this question. Mainstream Broadband intenet access is ALWAYS a "shared" service, and claims to the contrary should be treated with caution. Contention can happen at many levels within a network. We have two straightforward answers. The actual contention experienced by customers on our network is zero but all BT Broadband services have an end-to-end "network planning" ratio across our network of 48:1. BT's backhaul network is second to none, and is highly scalable.

I'm an BT Option 1 customer. Will my service be affected by this announcement?

No.

I'm an BT Option 2/3 Customer OUTSIDE the LLU area. Will my service be affected by this announcement?

Yes. As part of this announcement, we are increasing the usage caps for Option 2 customers to 30GB, and allowing all Option 3 customers unlimited usage. All customers remain subject to their terms and conditions and our Fair Usage policy. Our plans for speed upgrades for customers outside our LLU footprint have already been communicated.

This basically means that if you are not on a BT LLU exchange you will only take advantage of their cap increase, but not the speed.

What's your fair usage policy?

It can be viewed on our website - in short we don't want to have a small minority of very heavy users impact the service experience, we will act accordingly, and we reserve the right to restrict or withdraw service in these circumstances.

I'm a DSL customer with another operator within the BT LLU area, and my line is already maxxed out. Will BT service be faster?

Probably. The vast majority of DSL customers in Ireland are being serviced by first generation platforms connected to busy networks. Our analysis suggests that the majority will get a useful increase in sych speed from ADSL2+ service, and will also benefit from a superior network service.


What's my upload speed

For 6 mb is 512 kbps, for 24 mb is 1 mb (although most people will sync at ~812 kbps).

My exchange in on the list, why havent I been upgraded?

You are probably on one of the new exchanges, such as Dooradoyle, Navan or Kilkenny City. If this is the case, you might still be on the regular Eircom Bitstream service. Try to ring sales and ask them if the upgrade to the new 24 mb service is possible. Remember that these exchanges have just been upgraded but BT customer's on those exchanges haven't yet been migrated, the exchange is available, if you want to speed up the process ring BT sales and ask.


I am already on an LLU2 exchange but, after the upgrade, my modem is still synching at 8 mb, why?

It is possible that your line might not be able to go any faster. BT won't change the port profile for lines already at the their maximum speed. Nevertheless, you can always check your line stats, for example, use one of those on-line calculator to estimate your attainable rates, or you can also post them here and ask for advice, and if you still believe you should be on a higher profile let BT Tech Support know.

---

Hope this helps

vibe666

okay, you've got a fresh thread so I'll do my best to help you fill it.

I'm making assumptions that you work for BT in some capacity, but apologies if I'm wrong, you just seem to know an awful lot not to be an inside man.

okay, so wow that really didn't work out how I'd hoped.

I had to speak to 3 different people before I could get anyone who even knew what I was talking about (methinks you should be sending memo's to anyone in a customer facing role when you do these kinds of rollouts) and when I did I could hardly understand him and he knew less about their products than I did.

the only useful information I got from him (who could seriously barely speak English, I could literally only understand 50% of the words he spoke) was that I'm not on the main Navan exchange, but the Kilcarn one just outside Navan which (for me) really sucks as it does not appear to be LLU2.

He was also trying to tell me that from 'testing' my line that I wouldn't be able to get more than 1mbps currently, even when I explained I was looking at my modem status page that was telling me i was currently sync'd at 3072/384 and that I had been enjoying the fruits of the 3mbps option 3 package since day one of the last upgrade he was totally adament that that was not possible and even refused to concede when I said I'd done several speed tests which always confirmed download speeds of at least 2.5mbps.

I then asked him how I was supposed to have any faith in anything he was saying if he could not even get the basic information correct but he couldn't even give me a straight answer to that and just kept repeating the same scripted responses so eventually I just hung up.

so, no joy for people not on the main Navan exchange then? expect that'll come round in 5 years or so. :mad:

Bohrio

vibe666 wrote: »

okay, you've got a fresh thread so I'll do my best to help you fill it.

I'm making assumptions that you work for BT in some capacity, but apologies if I'm wrong, you just seem to know an awful lot not to be an inside man.

okay, so wow that really didn't work out how I'd hoped.

I had to speak to 3 different people before I could get anyone who even knew what I was talking about (methinks you should be sending memo's to anyone in a customer facing role when you do these kinds of rollouts) and when I did I could hardly understand him and he knew less about their products than I did.

the only useful information I got from him (who could seriously barely speak English, I could literally only understand 50% of the words he spoke) was that I'm not on the main Navan exchange, but the Kilcarn one just outside Navan which (for me) really sucks as it does not appear to be LLU2.

He was also trying to tell me that from 'testing' my line that I wouldn't be able to get more than 1mbps currently, even when I explained I was looking at my modem status page that was telling me i was currently sync'd at 3072/384 and that I had been enjoying the fruits of the 3mbps option 3 package since day one of the last upgrade he was totally adament that that was not possible and even refused to concede when I said I'd done several speed tests which always confirmed download speeds of at least 2.5mbps.

I then asked him how I was supposed to have any faith in anything he was saying if he could not even get the basic information correct but he couldn't even give me a straight answer to that and just kept repeating the same scripted responses so eventually I just hung up.

so, no joy for people not on the main Navan exchange then? expect that'll come round in 5 years or so. :mad:

Sorry to hear that.

You see, as you are not on an LLU exchange BT cannot check your line with 100% accuracy. They relay, as any other ISPs on what Eircom's Prequal test (is a test that measures the capacity of the line at a particular moment) says and that is the only visibility they will have.

Eircom's test is not 100% accurate, sometimes it will show a customer can get up to 3 mb but then wont sync at more than 1mb.

The best way to test this on a live connection is by accessing the router stats, and through your attenuation and noise margin.

If your modem is a BT Voyager then you can check your line attainable rates buy doing telnet.

Do you know how to do this?

That will give you your maximum speed.

kmurph

Bohrio wrote: »

Hello

I'm an BT Option 2/3 Customer OUTSIDE the LLU area. Will my service be affected by this announcement?

Yes. As part of this announcement, we are increasing the usage caps for Option 2 customers to 30GB, and allowing all Option 3 customers unlimited usage. All customers remain subject to their terms and conditions and our Fair Usage policy. Our plans for speed upgrades for customers outside our LLU footprint have already been communicated.

This basically means that if you are not on a BT LLU exchange you will only take advantage of their cap increase, but not the speed.

If you look at the Option 3 section on this page: http://www.btireland.ie/AtHome_bb.shtml the unlimited cap only applies in certain areas, and the 30gb still applies everywhere else. Any clarification on that?

Ah, so according to the other threads on this, the unlimited option only applies to the 8mb service and not the 7.6mb service?

Mikebyrne

So have the download caps on option 3 been removed or not?? If they have I'll order it tomorrow

vibe666

they've been removed for LLU customers on the 24mbps option3 package.

afaik, up to 50gb per month for 8mbps and still 30gb per month if you're still on 3mbps.

BUT it's common knowledge that (on the 3mbps / 30gb cap package) BT will leave you alone as long as you stay under 100gb per month but if you go over that expect to be throttled, unlike digiweb etc. who will throttle you the minute you break the cap.

Baneblade

can you get the 24mb package if you phone service is with a different provider?

Jonathan

Bohrio wrote: »

That will give you your maximum speed.

And Bohrio, is that accurate? Because when using DMT, there is an advanced options tabs that you can force your modem to use different SNRs. Fiddling around with it can give me max speeds of between 3500kbps and 7600kbps..

rc28

Baneblade wrote: »

can you get the 24mb package if you phone service is with a different provider?

I think so because they have a broadband-only option;
http://www.btireland.ie/AtHome_bb.shtml

LeperKing

Hi Bohrio,

Speaking to BT sales, I'm on a LLU2 exchange (Blanchardstown), but I'm told
"I'm not a LLU2 number", why is that? When they convert an exchange wouldn't all numbers be affected?

Thanks,
LK.

EireEV

Sorry for my ignorance but what is LLU & LLU2?

I did a line check on Smart Telecoms website and appears as though I'm on the Bettystown exchange in Co.Meath - never seen this exchange listed anywhere on the BT website?

Just wondering what this means for me?

Thanks.

Mark.

Joseph Kuhr

Hi Bohrio,

Can you tell me if the Sandyford upgrade on the 9th of August is an LLU upgrade or the regular Eircom/reseller upgrade?

thanks.

Bohrio

LeperKing wrote:

Hi Bohrio,

Speaking to BT sales, I'm on a LLU2 exchange (Blanchardstown), but I'm told
"I'm not a LLU2 number", why is that? When they convert an exchange wouldn't all numbers be affected?

Thanks,
LK.

Blanchardstown has several subexchanges (BDTC, BDTC, BDTD) depending on your telephone number could even be on a different exchange.

Send me your number if you want and I will get someone to check it for you.

EireEV wrote:

Sorry for my ignorance but what is LLU & LLU2?

I did a line check on Smart Telecoms website and appears as though I'm on the Bettystown exchange in Co.Meath - never seen this exchange listed anywhere on the BT website?

Just wondering what this means for me?

Thanks.

Mark.

Bettystown is not on BT's LLU2 list, this means that, for the moment, BT is not planning in equipping that Exchange with their own ADSL2+ equipment (that's what LLU2 is all about, an ISP can install its own equipment at the exchange, nevertheless, ISP must use Eircom's telephone network to send the signal from the Exchange to the customer's premises).

This means that you will not be affected by BT's speed upgrade and you will have to wait for Eircom's up to 7.6 mb upgrade.

Joseph Kuhr wrote: »

Hi Bohrio,

Can you tell me if the Sandyford upgrade on the 9th of August is an LLU upgrade or the regular Eircom/reseller upgrade?

thanks.

Eircoms upgrade, sorry.

Bohrio

Baneblade wrote: »

can you get the 24mb package if you phone service is with a different provider?

Yes

jmccrohan wrote:

And Bohrio, is that accurate? Because when using DMT, there is an advanced options tabs that you can force your modem to use different SNRs. Fiddling around with it can give me max speeds of between 3500kbps and 7600kbps..

When using DMT you can modify many different settings, for example, reducing your upload speed to increase your download bandwidth, or viceversa. Playing with the tones is useful when you have noise on a particular frequency appearing randomly, as you can configure the router not to use that particular tone(s). Normally all this is automatically dealt when using bit correction so most of the times is not necessary to fiddle around with this settings.

But despite all this, those attainable rates you obtain are not based on your bits per tone only, it will also consider other factors, it is a pretty accurate reading although is not a 100% infallible.

Also, it is important to know that it will give you the attainable rates for your current modulation type, so if you are on adsl1 (g.dmt) it will only give you the maximum speed your line can cope with using adsl1, making it a bit unusable if you were thinking of checking your asdl2+ max rates.

Hope this helps

Praetorian

Any medium term plans to unbundle Balbriggan? Im 100% sure there is fibre (BT Fibre) in Balbriggan so it always puzzled me that it was never unbundled. It's becoming a very large exchange!

Bohrio

Praetorian wrote: »

Any medium term plans to unbundle Balbriggan? Im 100% sure there is fibre (BT Fibre) in Balbriggan so it always puzzled me that it was never unbundled. It's becoming a very large exchange!

Hello

I will ask.

Ballbriggan could be a good option as its known its overpopulated and congestion can be horrible sometimes.

Joseph Kuhr

Bohrio wrote: »

Eircoms upgrade, sorry.

Thanks Bohrio. I was told by BT sales it was an LLU upgrade...I had a feeling they were wrong as its not on the list Is there any plans to upgrade Sandyford to LLU? Is the business park not on this exchange? Strange that its not a priority...

EireEV

Hi Bohrio - Thanks for the response but not what I was hoping to hear...

Eircom upgarde of Bettystown exchange is due to happen over w.e of 9th Aug so does that mean after this date I should be able to avail of download speeds of 7.6mbps (line permitting) ? Will this process be seemless in that I will not have to contact BT to ask for this upgrade once Eircom complete the upgrade?

Please tell me that there are plans for BT to install their own ADSL2+ equipment in the Bettystown exchange at some stage in the future - give me some hope :-)

May be silly but question if Eircom are the ones upgrading my exchange why would BT go to the bother of upgrading my line at the same time?

Thanks

EireEV

Jonathan

Bohrio wrote: »

When using DMT you can modify many different settings, for example, reducing your upload speed to increase your download bandwidth, or viceversa. Playing with the tones is useful when you have noise on a particular frequency appearing randomly, as you can configure the router not to use that particular tone(s). Normally all this is automatically dealt when using bit correction so most of the times is not necessary to fiddle around with this settings.

But despite all this, those attainable rates you obtain are not based on your bits per tone only, it will also consider other factors, it is a pretty accurate reading although is not a 100% infallible.

Also, it is important to know that it will give you the attainable rates for your current modulation type, so if you are on adsl1 (g.dmt) it will only give you the maximum speed your line can cope with using adsl1, making it a bit unusable if you were thinking of checking your asdl2+ max rates.

Hope this helps

I wish I could give multiple thanks

Much appreciated.

Not sure if I have asked already, I have a feeling I have, is there any sign of Malahide being unbundled?

Baneblade

thanks for the reply,

will this service have more normal ping times compared to the current adsl upgrades

Bohrio

Joseph Kuhr wrote: »

Thanks Bohrio. I was told by BT sales it was an LLU upgrade...I had a feeling they were wrong as its not on the list Is there any plans to upgrade Sandyford to LLU? Is the business park not on this exchange? Strange that its not a priority...

That's precisely why. I live in Sandyford Ind State myself but because there are so many business and they will normally go with MPLS or fiber services there is no market for the moment.

I am afraid that no upgrade anytime soon...

EireEV wrote:

Hi Bohrio - Thanks for the response but not what I was hoping to hear...

Eircom upgarde of Bettystown exchange is due to happen over w.e of 9th Aug so does that mean after this date I should be able to avail of download speeds of 7.6mbps (line permitting) ? Will this process be seemless in that I will not have to contact BT to ask for this upgrade once Eircom complete the upgrade?

Please tell me that there are plans for BT to install their own ADSL2+ equipment in the Bettystown exchange at some stage in the future - give me some hope :-)

May be silly but question if Eircom are the ones upgrading my exchange why would BT go to the bother of upgrading my line at the same time?

Thanks

EireEV

Yes, you dont need to contact BT, the upgrade will happen automatically on the required date.

The way it works is that before the upgrade is placed, Eircom will run a prequal test on your line, based on that prequal the system will decide what profile to give you as well as if to set you on what they call, high or low interleave.

So if your line's prequal is 4 mb the system will only upgrade you to that speed.

I really can't tell you what's the future is going to bring but if all goes well for BT and the LLU2 implementation I am sure the amount of LLU2 exchanges will be continuously increasing.

thanks for the reply,

will this service have more normal ping times compared to the current adsl upgrades

The good thing about this service is that BT has more control over the lines, interleave can be turned off if requested and if the line is capable of such.

Leaving bitcorrection off is not always a good idea so interleave is on by default.

Sparky

Just want to check here while I have the chance.

I'm using an eircom netopia 3347NWG for BT and at the moment im at 8064/1024 (kbps)

Do I need to upgrade my router come August 9th, so that it can handle adsl2?

Bohrio

Spankeh wrote: »

Just want to check here while I have the chance.

I'm using an eircom netopia 3347NWG for BT and at the moment im at 8064/1024 (kbps)

Do I need to upgrade my router come August 9th, so that it can handle adsl2?

If you are on a LLU2 line (as it seems) the upgrade should have already taken place.

The netopia might not work on speeds higher than 8 mb, but you can always try.

PM me I might be able to help you please

boardsdotie

I am a LLU2 customer on the dooradoyle exchange, my current settings are 8064/1024.

BT Customer service say my line can only handle 6MB broadband

My line attenuation is 33 which should according to online calculators give me about 14MB.

Am I missing someting

Netgear DG834G modem/Router.

Thanks

Bohrio

boardsdotie wrote: »

I am a LLU2 customer on the dooradoyle exchange, my current settings are 8064/1024.

BT Customer service say my line can only handle 6MB broadband

My line attenuation is 33 which should according to online calculators give me about 14MB.

Am I missing someting

Netgear DG834G modem/Router.

Thanks

check your mail

maclek

While we're all piling on with our exchanges, what about the Rochestown exchange in south dublin? That's got to be one of the bigger exchanges on the southside! Please? :rolleyes:

Bohrio

maclek wrote: »

While we're all piling on with our exchanges, what about the Rochestown exchange in south dublin? That's got to be one of the bigger exchanges on the southside! Please? :rolleyes:

Hello everyone,

I really dont know when BT will be rolling out new exchanges, Malahide and Rochestown are indeed large exchanges but I really can't help you, sorry

boardsdotie, I think you will need to set up your router to use ADSL2+ modulation, I have the feeling that you are on g.dmt.

Make sure your router is set to ADSL2+.

maclek

No worries. The info here is appreciated!

Are there ever any technical / physical reasons making an exchange not capable of being unbundled or is it strictly a marketing / business decision?
Thanks!

Bohrio

Normally business, but there are reasons that can speed it up, interlink connectivity, for ex, but in my opinion is mostly marketing/business... on my opinion...

paddyk

Bohiro, perhaps you can help. I was on the BT 3 Mb package and got the upgrade to the LLU of up to 8mb. My router will only sync at max about 5.5 down and.5 up. On speedtest .net i am getting about 4.5 and .42.

Was happy enough as I was told that is all my line is capable of. I am on the Tallaght exchange. After reading this thread i rang BT and asked about the upgrade to 24 down and more importantly to me the 1 up.. OOOps wrong move. Sales have told me my line stats are bad and I will be downgraded to 3 Mb down and 312 or similar up.

Asked NOT to be downgraded as i was happy with what I had just was hoping for a better upload speed for gaming.

All was well till i got a phone call about an hour later from BT saying They would have to downgrade me as I was not getting my full speeds. I asked, demanded and very nearly pleaded to be left as I am but was told it was not possible cause of my line. Now for the last 2 months or so I have no major problems, the odd dropped connection but nothing to get upset about.

How can I make them leave me on the package I am on OR am I missing something, I was told by downgrading to 3 Mb I would get a better connection.

philologos

Are there any plans to upgrade the Lucan Ballydowd exchange in the near future?