BT Wholesale Checker - are BT fiddling the figures to push FTTC

[#1]

Just used the BT Wholesale checker to see what the status on FTTC availability is.
Got some very strange results ...
Says my line can support  3Mb on ADSL MAX , 3.5Mbs on ADSL2+ and supports FTTC now ( it didnt before!).
Now when I tried it a few weeks ago it said 7Mb ADSL MAX and about 13Mb ADSL2+.
Now my line has about 28db DS attenuation and has synched at 8128k for ever. It still is I believe, although I'm not at home I tried a BT Speedtest ( from the office connection ) using my phone number and it says synched at 8128k with an IP Profile of 7150, just what I would have expected.
So what's with the silly speed estimates, are BT trying to get people to migrate to FTTC and deliberately giving false estimates for ADSL1 & 2 ? or am I just being paranoid ?

[#2]

Hi mister W,
I've checked it on BB checker and via samknows and get the same as you, I've no idea why it should have changed.
Jojo

[#3]

Thanks for looking Jojo

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I've checked it on BB checker and via samknows and get the same as you

They will all use the BT Wholesale database in some form won't they ?
It just seems strange that it should change the estimates for conventional ADSL.
It seems to think I have a much longer line than I actually do...

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Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 1Mbps. However due to the length of your line the 1Mbps service may require an engineer visit who will, where possible, supply the broadband service. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 3Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 3.5Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 500Kbps and downstream line speed of 2.5Mbps. Your cabinet is planned to have WBC FTTC by 31st December 2010. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 17.8Mbps and upstream line speed of 7.7Mbps.

Whereas Kitz says for the line length ( from phone no and postcode )

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Distance:-      Direct:              818 metres       (appx)*    By Road:    1.61 km

There's no way that should give the BT estimates, particularly the one about requiring an engineer vist for 1Mb fixed speed! its as though someone (BT) has fiddled with its database to modify the estimated line lengths. Even so, I always thought that, if there was a current service on the line, then it would use that as the estimate, so I'm very confused as to why it doesn't at least show 7Mb for ADSL Max, since that's whats currently being obtained. 
It just seems a bit too coincidental that it happened at the same time as FTTC became available

[#4]

Hi MisterW,
Although I see what you're saying I'm not sure about the conspiracy theory. I imagine BT would get into big trouble if they did things like that so my guess would be no, unless Elvis now works for them

[#5]

Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 7.5Mbps.
Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 5Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 500Kbps and downstream line speed of 3Mbps.
I just think their way to Lazy to update their scripted predictions..   O i meant estimate.
Postcode checker works better...
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial check on your postcode indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.
Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 7.5Mbps.
Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 15Mbps.
The actual stable line speed supportable will be determined during the first 10 days of use. This speed may change over time, to ensure line stability is maintained.

Address checker
Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial check on your address indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps.
Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 7.5Mbps.
Our check also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 15Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 750Kbps and downstream line speed of 6.5Mbps.
The actual stable line speed supportable will be determined during the first 10 days of use. This speed may change over time, to ensure line stability is maintained.

[#6]

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Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 7.5Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 5Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 500Kbps and downstream line speed of 3Mbps.

Its worrying that the information, which everyone ( ISP's) relies on and will be used to confirm that a line is operating within expected performance levels, can be complete and utter garbage. As you say Paulalex, the post code checker returns more sensible results.
I suspected that, in my case, I might have had a 'low synch' in the past few days, and not noticed, which may have affected the 'estimate'. Anyway I checked my router logs and NO, its been rock solid at 8128k just like it always has been.
So I am completely baffled by my latest 'estimates'...

[#7]

i believe the estimates are pure nonsense. It could not be a true real time checker.
I tested alot of broadband line speed checkers. And the ones i used my phone number with give me estimatesbetween 5 - 7 Mb, but when i checked them with my postcode i got results of no less than 15 Mb,
So i believe once we are tied to a provider, we are supposed to assume the speeds we get are the best they can provide us. And for any new clients looking for an ISP get higher results to entice them in when testing.

[#8]

And now its back to what it should be.!!

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Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 8Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 15Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 1Mbps and downstream line speed of 9Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 28Mbps and upstream line speed of 6.2Mbps.

How strange...

[#9]

Sorry to dredge this thread up but I have noticed something funny going on with the BT Wholesale checker too.
My estimate used to be 6.5Mbps, as was my immediate neighbour's.
We all suddenly now seem to be estimated at 2.5Mbps, even though our sync speeds have remained unchanged at about 6.8Mbps.
Thing is, we are on a rural exchange and I doubt we'll be getting FTTC any time soon.
Database fubarred, or something else?

[#10]

Yep, mines now gone back to the stupid figures I got in October!

[#11]

I tried every version and each was reaonably good, What I would not expext would be a variation between tel no. and address varsion, but there was.

[#12]

The address lookup is using the postcode and this can be covered by several green cabinets and may also be a large area. The phone number look-up is specific to a single green cabinet and location. As a result you will never get the same figures.

[#13]

If the address look up is using the post code why do the two not agree? The full address and telephone number versions too, as surely BT know where their numbers areactually located.
BTW as it happens my postcode covers only 14 small estate residences, so I'd expect less variation than normal.

[#14]

... and now its back to something sensible again. Well almost sensible except that my lines currently synched at 13.5Mbps!

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Your exchange is ADSL enabled, and our initial test on your line indicates that your line should be able to have an ADSL broadband service that provides a fixed line speed up to 2Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL Max broadband line speed of 6Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 5Mbps and 7Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports an estimated ADSL2+ broadband line speed of 6Mbps; typically the line speed would range between 4Mbps and 8Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line could support an estimated ADSL 2+ Annex-M broadband upstream line speed of 1Mbps and downstream line speed of 4Mbps; typically the downstream speed would range between 3Mbps and 5Mbps. Our test also indicates that your line currently supports a fibre technology with an estimated WBC FTTC Broadband where consumers have received downstream line speed of 28Mbps and upstream line speed of 6.2Mbps.