<500k download speed??

[#1]

I was away on business for a few days and when I returned on Thursday I wondered why my home connection 'felt' slow - speed test results below. The PC, router etc were left switched on while i was away and I'm not aware of any power outages during that time.
Speed Test Results:-
                        Downstream              Upstream
Today 13:34 461 kbps (57.6kB/s) 380 kbps (47.5kB/s)
Today 12:55 461 kbps (57.6kB/s) 377 kbps (47.1kB/s)
Today 09:57 462 kbps (57.8kB/s) 378 kbps (47.3kB/s)
Today 09:15 461 kbps (57.6kB/s) 380 kbps (47.5kB/s)
Today 09:12 459 kbps (57.4kB/s) 378 kbps (47.3kB/s)
Yesterday 20:35 461 kbps (57.6kB/s) 382 kbps (47.8kB/s)
Yesterday 17:31 455 kbps (56.9kB/s) 378 kbps (47.3kB/s)
Yesterday 16:44 462 kbps (57.8kB/s) 381 kbps (47.6kB/s)
Yesterday 15:08 461 kbps (57.6kB/s) 379 kbps (47.4kB/s)
Yesterday 14:42 459 kbps (57.4kB/s) 350 kbps (43.8kB/s)
Yesterday 13:39 462 kbps (57.8kB/s) 377 kbps (47.1kB/s)
Yesterday 13:30 460 kbps (57.5kB/s) 379 kbps (47.4kB/s)
Yesterday 12:46 452 kbps (56.5kB/s) 378 kbps (47.3kB/s)
Yesterday 12:42 602 kbps (75.3kB/s) 67 kbps (8.38kB/s)
Yesterday 12:32 464 kbps (58kB/s) 373 kbps (46.6kB/s)
Yesterday 10:51 445 kbps (55.6kB/s) 356 kbps (44.5kB/s)
Yesterday 10:08 463 kbps (57.9kB/s) 381 kbps (47.6kB/s)
Friday 20:20 462 kbps (57.8kB/s) 381 kbps (47.6kB/s)
Friday 15:53 463 kbps (57.9kB/s) 381 kbps (47.6kB/s)
Friday 14:46 460 kbps (57.5kB/s) 375 kbps (46.9kB/s)
Friday 07:43 377 kbps (47.1kB/s) 358 kbps (44.8kB/s)
Thursday 20:28 461 kbps (57.6kB/s) 381 kbps (47.6kB/s)
Thursday 12:52 437 kbps (54.6kB/s) 378 kbps (47.3kB/s)
Thursday 12:10 463 kbps (57.9kB/s) 378 kbps (47.3kB/s)
Thursday 11:18 445 kbps (55.6kB/s) 381 kbps (47.6kB/s)
Nov 28, 09:46 2278 kbps (285kB/s) 382 kbps (47.8kB/s)


what my router is reporting:-
Data Rate
Up Stream    448 (Kbps.)
Down Stream    2752 (Kbps.)

Operation Data    Upstream    Downstream
Noise Margin        19 dB            13 dB
Attenuation            30 dB            52 dB
Indicator Name                                        Near End Indicator    Far End Indicator
Fast Path FEC Correction                    0                                    0
Interleaved Path FEC Correction        0                                      4083
Fast Path CRC Error                              0                                      0
Interleaved Path CRC Error                  0                                      29
Loss of Signal Defect                            0                                      ---
Fast Path HEC Error                              0                                    0
Interleaved Path HEC Error                  0                                    0

How, and how soon will I get mack to somewhere approaching 2Mb download?
Neil

[#2]

BT speedtest says?
and this
https://portal.plus.net/my.html?action=data_transfer_speed

[#3]

BT speed test says:
Download speedachieved during the test was - 300 Kbps
For your connection, the acceptable range of speedsis 800-2000 Kbps.
IP Profile for your line is - 2000 Kbps
The throughput of Best Efforts (BE) classes achieved during the test is - 25.56:19.85:54.6 (SBE:NBE:PBE)
These figures represent the ratio while sententiously passing Sub BE, Normal BE and Priority BE marked traffic.
The results of this test will vary depending on the way your ISP has decided to use these traffic classes.

And the other:-
Telephone number:
<snip>
Phone exchange:
    TOTTON
Estimated line speed:
    1.5 - Checked on 2009-10-29 20:40:35
Current line speed:
    500
jim:green phone number removed mod:end

[#4]

Ring up support and ask for your current line speed to be set to match your IP Profile - don't take any nonsense about waiting they have a button to push to do it immediately. You might need to do a soft disconnect/reconnect through your router once the portal shows the correct speed.

[#5]

Hi gwillym,
Having just ran a line test your BT profile is 500k and your sync rate is 704k; this is the important figure as the sync rate is a lot slower than it should be. This, and a dropping connection, is the reason your IP profile has been lowered in this way. Have a look here for some tips on how to troubleshoot this issue.
Jojo

[#6]

the disconnects are probably down to me - soft booting the router to try and improve things.
I'm sure that Plusnet can reset my profile though, without me waiting for 3+ days ?
As an aside - i have another telephone line supplying broadband (for work) - via BT Broadband - connected to the same exchange and this is not causing any problem at all - so why the problem with the Plusnet line?

[#7]

HI gwillym,
Your ip profile is set by the DLM, which is a BT system and it can take 72 hours to increase (sometimes more when the increase is smaller) and not something plusnet can change, but as I said in my original post, it's the sync rate that's important. Your speed won't improve at all while your sync rate is that low. Did you follow the tips in the link I posted?
Jojo

[#8]

Its has improved - must be the 3 day delay. There is also a ticket open about this - it appears there are intermittent connection failures also!

[#9]

Hi gwillym,
I see we have a test router on it's way to you. Once that arrives we'll hopefully be able to pinpoint a bit more what's happening.
Jojo

[#10]

I hope so, its down to 230kpbs today

[#11]

Hi gwillym,
sorry to hear that. Let me know when you have the test router running. Don't forget though that you're unlikely to see an instant speed increase upon installing it, it's the performance we'll be looking at.
Jojo